If you were to tune into your nightly news, or to run a Google search on Haiti, you would almost certainly think that the world was coming to an end down here. Google results still include images of the earthquake, almost exclusively, more than six years on. Social media venues allow for ordinary citizens and members of the press alike to upload images of chaos, disorder, massive protests, and fire and smoke filled streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The conversations around Haiti and the images being projected to the world of this, La Perle des Antilles, while in many ways representative and reflective of life in Haiti simply do not tell the whole story. Not even close.
And yes, while it is true that the streets of Port-au-Prince have been home to scenes of tear gas, burning tires, and violent clashes between political groups, Haiti is more than this emerging narrative of the unforsaken hellhole, with 'out of control animals' roaming the streets and danger lurking around every corner. The truth is for millions of people, life goes on as per usual, and for thousands of visitors to Haiti, the experience is anything but this dreadful one being played out on your television screens.
This is not a political statement, nor is it meant to be suggestive of support of any group or side or faction in this, Haiti's latest strife. Instead, I tell you this because we as an organization, and myself as someone who loves Haiti very much and considers it home believe we have an obligation to portray the good that happens here in Haiti - and there is so very much of it. This country is filled with beauty and wonder and mystery; we are a witness to it every day.
After much debate and consulting with other organizations here in Haiti, we decided to bring our Britsionary group in to Haiti yesterday, just a day after the presidential elections were canceled for a third time. We are fortunate to have very loyal and very reliable security people on our team, as well as great contacts here on the ground. We are updated regularly on the security situation, and while Grand Goâve is not without some concerns, we're positioned well above the national road which might see the most of this activity.
This Sunday morning, our Britsionarys and children woke up early, as usual, to prepare for church. Only after everyone was dressed and ready to head out the door at 7am did we learn that the streets were, as they say here, 'hot', and that it was not a good idea to walk down the hill with our children and our visitors. Several of our employees had called us to report that the road was blocked at the bridge entering Grand Goâve, and that they couldn't get in to work ~
We have dealt with this before. Protests in Haiti almost always happen in the streets. Those who want their voices heard block the national road with various debris and items; a strategy designed to grab the attention of the national government. While we know that we are not a target in these protests, and while we don't personally feel threatened in the least, we do realize that it can be unsettling for visitors. We recognize that perhaps the perception is incongruent with the reality. When these sorts of things happen, we simply regroup and move on to our Plan B, or C, or even Z. Today, we'll call in staff with musical talents and have our own worship at the Father Robert Lord Chapel here inside the safety and security of Be Like Brit!
Despite the potential for civil unrest in the country, we continue to operate business as (mostly) usual. Last week, for example, I was able to travel to Petionville to meet with the Apostolic Nuncio, Monseigneur Eugent Nugent, to discuss with him a project for which we are seeking funding from the Papal Foundation - the charitable arm of the Vatican. It was a great honor to meet with His Excellency at his residence overlooking all of Port-au-Prince, and we spent some time discussing our respective work in Haiti and our experiences here as foreigners. Monseigneur hails from Ireland, and it was a true pleasure to meet with him. Our great thanks go to Father Bob Lord for his help in coordinating this, and we ask you all for your prayers as our proposal makes its way to the Vatican for consideration. The funds we have requested will be used to develop the Field of Hope, including an athletic field, track, administrative housing on site, environmental protection drainage swale construction, and more!
Gama and I also recently met with the Rotary International Club in Delmas, an area of Port-au-Prince. We're also seeking their support specifically for the construction of our cistern, a project which is well underway and entering the second phase of work. We are grateful to Gama for lending us his expertise and experience in supervising these building projects, all while he works to get his own Mission up and running. Gama and his wife Angela, along with their two children will be inaugurating and dedicating the Tree of Hope Haiti Mission later this week, and we at Be Like Brit are honored to be a part of it!
As the week moves on, we'll begin another home-building project with our Britsionary Group. We are also hosting two long-term Britsionary volunteers for the next month, Dr. Mark Bloomberg and his wife Judy Bloomberg from the Boston area. Dr. Bloomberg is here to assess our medical clinic and the way it operates in order to help us develop a strategic plan for expansion of our services to the community, and Judy brings with her years of experience as an educator and will be working with our children and staff on a variety of educational initiatives.
It's sure to be an exciting week! We ask you for your thoughts and prayers, not only for us, but for the people of Haiti who are struggling through turmoil and strife on a national level. We pray for a safe resolution to the issues at hand, and for the well-being of those who are involved at every level.
Please keep these beautiful images of Haiti in your mind, as we continue to be blessed to experience the awesomeness of Haiti and her people. Thank you for helping us help the children of Haiti at Be Like Brit!!!
