Ke Kontan

Ke Kontan

Thursday 14 November 2019

When Hope is Hard to Find..

As I write these words, I am receiving messages from my eldest in Haiti.  "this is the country that has no future, and young people like me do not really have a secure future"

At the age of nineteen I fell deeply in love with Haiti.  Haiti became home to me for many years.   It was a place where I transitioned into adult hood, where I faced challenges, made sacrifices, and took on more responsibilities than I could probably handle.  I faced corruption, violence, theft, death, disease, natural disaster... you name it.  But despite all of the challenges, I found deep beauty here.  I found beauty in the mountains, in the beaches.. but most of all in the people.  I found a country full of hope and faith and resilience.  I looked at them in awe and admired their strengths.  No matter what these people faced, no matter what obstacles were dropped in their laps, they still got up every Sunday morning put on the best clothes they owned, treaded their way through the dust, the rain, the winds, and the floods to gather together and to rejoice.  They held onto hope.  They believed that their country would rise.  Their hope became contagious.

Lately however, many have started to lose that hope/faith that they once tightly clung too.

Over the past two months a humanitarian crisis has once again unfolded.  But what's different this time is that there has been little news coverage on the severity of this crisis and what the Haitians are now facing on a day to day basis.  There's no celebs writing songs about the atrocities, no books being published, and no mass fundraisers or galas being held to aid them now.  Yet much like the earthquake, not one person in Haiti has gone unscathed from the present crisis.

Gas prices sky rocketed. It has become widely unavailable throughout the country- which for many means no electricity as they cannot run their generators.

Food prices have drastically increased which means malnutrition is on the rise and mass hunger is a problem for the majority.

Water has been harder to come by as the water trucks cannot find or afford fuel to deliver the water.

Guns designed for war are in the hands of thousands.

Neither schools nor government have functioned for the past seven weeks.  Any school that dares to open their doors, knows the price they will pay from the opposition.

Police have been protesting about their working conditions- it has created an even more lawless country than before.

The UN has pulled out.

Doctors cannot get to work.  People are dying every day from preventable deaths.  Hospitals have had to completely shut down.

Gangs have been on the rise and violence has drastically increased including the torching of vehicles, businesses, and even hospitals.

Banks and businesses are like bullseyes.  Many remain closed.

Buses are being taken hostage.

I know two people now that have been killed over the past few weeks due to violent protests or gang related instances.

Our staff are unable to travel to our facility so we have had to shut down our business program this month (and last).

Staff members have been robbed.

Women are being raped and we are having more requests for emergency shelter at our facility.

A family that we support (Tiny's family) has now been pushed out of their home due to gangs coming in and raping the women in the area and taking over their houses.  They are now terrified to return to their home that we built them and are trying to find other solutions for housing.

Yet... none of these atrocities are being reported by the international media.

Right now, the country is free reign.  They are struggling to find their voice.  Struggling to know how to implement change.

It is so easy for us to turn a blind eye "out of sight, out of mind" but people are suffering.  People are facing the most inhumane and unimaginable circumstances... yet many are stepping back instead of stepping up.  The more we remain silent, the more we encourage the oppression.

Haitians have finally found their voice.  Have finally said enough is enough.   The majority of those protesting are doing so peacefully.  They don't agree with the violence that has stemmed from it.  But many don't know any other way to create the change that needs to happen.  They are tired of being oppressed by a corrupt government.  They are tired of their living conditions.  Millions of people are taking to the streets as they want their voices heard.  After remaining silent for decades, they are rising up.  They know if they continue to remain silent, they will continue to suffer for generations to come.

For me, this becomes even more personal.  My son is Haitian- this is his country too.. this is his culture too.  We have Haitian family members that are still currently residing there and are facing these challenges seven days a week.  My kids are there- kids I have raised, kids that I love just as equally as  the child I birthed.  Our staff is there... who have become my best friends, my second family.

At this point, it is easy for us to lose hope.  It is easy for us to say that things will never get better.  But we are holding onto that little sliver that we have left and we believe they can.  We will not give up.

Today, I ask you to not close your eyes.  To not turn away.  Today, I ask you to use your voice.  Become an advocate.  If you can do anything at all- you can use the power of speech to inform and educate others.  Right now, Haiti needs our attention.  Haiti needs our support.  At Rise House we continue to purchase all goods locally- we are doing our best to support the local economy and entrepreneurs.  We are continuing to pay and support staff throughout this crisis and ensuring that they and their families have access to adequate medical care.  We are doing all that we can to continue to offer classes to children in our school program and neighbouring areas to keep these children out of the streets and in a healthy environment.  We are continuing to assist our business program participants to ensure that they are still able to run their businesses so that they are able to feed their children.  We have opened our doors for emergency shelter to women and children who are facing violence or extreme conditions at this time.

We are doing our best.  And sometimes it is REALLY hard to feel like our best is enough when the need is so great.  We too are feeling deflated.  We too are feeling helpless.  But we know that we cannot give up this fight.  We have a voice, we have resources that can save a life.  We have YOU to help us.  Please join us in this fight.  Please join us in our efforts to ensure that we can continue our work and to assist those living in inhumane conditions RISE above.

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor"











1 comment:

  1. Thanks you for sharing me ,that what Haïti need now ,we are proud of you

    ReplyDelete