Still here in the US

Still here in the US

Well this has turned out to be an interesting September. We planned to leave a couple of weeks ago for Haiti, but I needed to get an MRI of my shoulder, we also had to replace tin on our building that blew up in a storm. So, the trip was postponed a week. We planned to leave the following Saturday the 14th.

In the mean time the problems in Haiti were continuing to escalate, the same problems as of last Spring. There is a gross shortage of fuel, rising inflation, rising prices. So last weekend we messaged with a American friend living in the South of Haiti. She advised us not to come. She said that Port au Prince is not safe,and that the fuel situation makes it so nothing can be accomplished.

Bob and I evaluated the reason we wanted to go to Haiti right now and could we accomplish our goals? We decided our immediate goals of getting the schools open and lunch program started did not necessarily depend on our presence, every one in Haiti that we work with, now has smart phones so we can communicate that way. We have bank accounts set up for all the different schools so we can transfer money. The other goals would require deliveries of building materials, or us being able to travel to different places, these things cannot be accomplished.

The country of Haiti is currently in a lock down. Without fuel products cannot be moved around the country. The demonstrations blocking roads, the gang violence, the ineffective government. We are hearing daily of more and more shortages of fuel but also food, and water.

As in other times in Haiti has had trouble, the educated leave the country if they can, schools are not opening in larger cities, teachers and students cannot make it to the school, either because of the demonstrations or because of no public transportation. Businesses are not able to open so it won’t take long before they are closed for ever. It seems the progress made after the earthquake nine years ago is being lost as the country stays in lock down.

No one seems to have answers. The fuel shortages are because the Haitian government has huge debt to the suppliers and no resources to pay the debt. The government wants to raise fuel prices but the Haitian currency has inflated so much that the poorest people are now even poorer. The government is not functioning so there is no one to negotiate loans or aide from other countries.

All of this as Americans we cannot even imagine. I know had we not been there last February I would not be able to understand what it is really like if fuel becomes unavailable. Although things seemed a little better over the summer, I am told that things now are worse than they have ever been.

For now, Bob and I are in contact with people in Haiti every day. We are watching the events taking place in Haiti praying for the people and the conditions to improve. Once it is safe and we feel we can accomplish what we need to accomplish we will return to Haiti.

We are taking advantage of being in the US to spend time with our family and friends. We are exploring the possibilities of visiting more churches to raise funds. There is always the paperwork involved in ministry, so we are keeping busy. There is just this sense of uncertainty, are we going next week? Will we still be here next month? I am glad God is in charge and I just have to trust in him.

Thank you for your interest and your prayers,

Denise