Help with Food
There's a famous book that begins, "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times."
That pretty much sums up Haiti.
To say it is a country of stark contrasts is an understatement. Haiti's two worlds are tied together by a common location. It is a land that boasts the endless beauty of the aqua-blue Caribbean Ocean and a misty mountained landscape. And yet, nearly half of its 6 million people choose to live on top of each other in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. The city was decimated two years ago in the earthquake and still people live there making homes and eeking out a living on top of the ruins and filth. The other half of Haitian population is scattered in small towns in the rural areas. Life is very difficult there, too, but for this Kansan, the choice of where to live is obvious.
The dual worlds are as different as night and day.
Black and white.
Haitian and Blanc.
In an effort to show us the dichotomy of Haiti, our hosts took us to Club Indigo on Thursday. Formerly Club Med, the facility is under renovation, but it points out life enjoyed by Haiti’s wealthy with its great restaurant, two swimming pools and a private beach. Vendors at the resort had their fine wares well displayed as would be expected. Just hours later, we visited an open-air market in Port-au-Prince that was so divergent from the high life that our host hesitated to take us.
Squalor.
Although a very unkind word, I can't think of any other that comes close. We'd seen the shacks lined up on the sidewalks and into the streets with people selling everything imaginable, but I had no idea what was just behind them. Clean and unclean and new and used items as well as living and dead animals were piled on filth and debris from years of markets. The smell was unbelievable. I have never been so happy to leave a place in my life.
I am having an internal battle with myself over the experience. I don't want to be judgmental, but people should not have to live that way.
One of the biggest obstacles to a better life for Haitians is water.
How ironic.
Haiti is an island nation surrounded by water, yet good water is in short supply. Most people do not have running water in their homes and those that do have city water are afraid to drink it. Water for most people comes from communal public wells or privately dug ones. Poor people have access to water only if they can carry it. Wealthy people have other options, including buying bottled water.
Haiti is a country that has suffered under terrible dictators and yet as oppressed as they have been, Haitians smile, don't complain (even about the heat and mosquitoes) and seem to be content with what they have ... and don't have. It is a country of very poor people and very rich ones with a narrow band of middle class. The climb from the low end to the high end is not impossible, but very difficult.
The only way for changes to happen is through education. Parents across the board realize this. That's why the work done by non-government organizations like Star of Hope is so important.
The image of children who live in abject poverty the children and struggle for basic necessities like food and water makes seeing them at school that much more amazing. They arrive at school -- sometimes after an hour-long walk to get there -- dressed in clean, pressed uniforms, smiling faces and girls with ribboned hair. Their minds are bright and their spirits are willing, which is in stark opposition to what one might think about their futures.
Here's the biggest irony I see in Haiti.
The worst thing that has happened to our Caribbean brothers is the earthquake that killed nearly a half a million people. However, because of that monumental disaster, the world has come to its aid and Haiti is receiving the support it deserves.
It was the worst of times; it was the best of times.
Is it possible that the worst of times can be followed by the best of times?
