Amatuer video recently recorded on the streets in Haiti.
Last week, Dr. Leslie and I were headed to Haiti to deliver needed medicines and medical equipment Dr. Jacques could not acquire, to see patients, and to check in with the Haitian staff who run all of HAM’s programs. We had postponed our previous trip in July because of violent protests at that time, creating one of the largest gaps in our visits since I began visiting Haiti in 1997. I was feeling pretty desperate to get there. There had been a period of calm throughout July and at the start of September so we had been hopeful. But protests and violence began again the second week of September and we were monitoring the situation, hoping the unrest would again subside. It did not. A few days before our scheduled flight to Port-au-Prince on Sunday, October 20th, we decided to change our reservations to Thursday in hopes that the violence still might abate to a degree that we were not putting ourselves and staff in great danger. We closely watched the situation daily through direct communication with Dr. Jacques and Charles, as well as multiple friends and several ex-pats who live there. Monday and Tuesday saw the violence subside enough so that Dr. Jacques was able to drive to the clinic and we became hopeful. But there were many rumors of bigger and more aggressive protests planned for the end of the week and weekend. That Tuesday was incredibly difficult for Dr. Leslie and myself as our hearts told us we needed to go, but our heads were not yet convinced. After the day of communication with Dr. Jacques and many others we know there, we decided going was not worth the risk to ourselves or those in Haiti who would transport and support us.
For eight consecutive weeks now, political and social violent unrest has consumed most of Haiti. Political opposition parties and much of the population, of which 60% live on less than $2 per day, have taken to the streets of cities throughout Haiti to demand the resignation of President Jovenel Moïse. The reason: the value of the local currency has dropped by half and the cost of living increased by 25% with fuel and food shortages throughout the county. This is due to widespread allegations of government corruption, including $2 billion of missing funds that were to pay for infrastructure projects and social programs.
These past weeks have been difficult for me emotionally knowing I have medicine and equipment needed at the clinic and so many colleagues and friends there I care about and want to show my support. But imagine the Haitian perspective:
Trapped in your own country just trying to get by, needing to feed and house your family and to get to your job (should you be lucky enough to have one) while transportation is shut down. Most businesses are closed because of lack of power and violence in the streets, and you can only afford 25% of what you were able to buy before, if you do have any money at all. This is the reality of life in Haiti at the moment. Whatever challenges I/we have in the developed world pale in comparison to the lives of Haitians living in Haiti.
In the meantime, while we wait for a reduction in violence, I take comfort knowing that the Dumay clinic is still operating with local staff and nurses under the phone guidance of Dr. Jacques when he is not able to get to the clinic. Both the clinic and the school are solar powered, unlike most businesses, so we do not rely on hard to get diesel fuel for generators. While the clinic remains open and busy, the school we support in Port-de-Paix is seeing few students in class. The streets are just too dangerous for them to get to school safely, and the government has not announced the resumption of classes. As long as the banks there are still operating, all of HAM’s Haitian employees will continue receiving their paychecks and are able to continue to support their families and communities. The Dumay area still has access to medical care and clean water and the Charles Salomon school is ready for students, because of the brave and hardworking Haitian staff of HAM.
Dr. Tracee Laing, Founding Director of Healing Art Missions
Amateur video recently recorded in Haiti.