We have been watching all the turmoil in the middle east with concern & interest.
Haiti is experiencing a little turmoil of its own. It seems that the "gangs" that control some of the Port au Prince slums are angry and up in arms again. They have been making trouble and kidnapping Westerners and Haitians alike, solely to get ransom money and attention. We have been getting security briefings that are sent out to Westerners. Those have been helpful to let us know when protests are planned and sometimes what areas to avoid. We have always been vigilant and cautious, the only thing we have really changed is that we try to go to Port less frequently right now. The village life continues to be peaceful, calm and predictable.
Many times the media gives a false impression of the facts. Some of the stories we have read are true and others are very inflated. It is continuously up and down here. We pray for a permanent end to that. It is a small few making it miserable for many, they all deserve better. The country needs change. Pray for that with us.
It has always been our strong conviction that the best and very safest place to live, is inside of God's will. If God chooses to call any one of us home it could just as well happen on Highway 169 near our MN house as it could here. There is no drama in this statement, it's just that you either DO, or DO NOT believe that all things sift through God's hands. We do. Jesus commands our destiny.
Most of our team chose not to come today as planned, and we understand their decision. It is a personal decision afterall. Instead we have one 25 year old girl who still wanted to come down. She will be with us for a week.
The Frederick Douglass quote below holds true here ... it is accurate to say that justice is denied in Haiti.(The police force is corrupt.) In many ways poverty is enforced and ignorance prevails. Property is not safe, people could certainly be much safer in a better living enviroment.
"Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob, and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe." -Frederick Douglass
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." -Eleanor Roosevelt
Lisa, are quotes dorky? I like them too. Will you even be my friend anymore?
