HAITI CRISIS

NOU BOKE- We Are TIRED!

Tired of corruption. Tired of insufficient living wages. Tired of classism. Tired of gas shortages and blackouts. Tired of teachers and hospitals on strike. Tired of politics. Tired of basic needs being treated as a privilege instead of a human right.
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What you see on the news isn’t the whole story. Haiti’s people are not violent. They are exhausted. They are weary. They are tired.

It is with a heavy heart that I write this email sitting in my parents living room in Pennsylvania. I didn’t plan or expect to leave Haiti till late summer or fall. I was in the midst of huge ministry expansion and Educating Nationals. Many of you may have seen on the news the crisis that has hit Haiti but the news highlights the worst and does not tell the full story. I believe part of me being stateside and having good internet is to share what is truly going on in Haiti. I am not the best with words and so I am going to rely on some trusted friends words to share but first I want to share from my perspective living in a small town in Northwest Haiti far from big cities. BUT Everyone across Haiti can agree NOU BOUKE… WE ARE TIRED! As I write this I am emotionally tired. The last month has been a rollercoaster of emotions. 

Over the past month Haiti has been in the midst of a CRISIS. But it didn’t start a few weeks ago it has been building for months and years. In July there were a series of protests that shut down the country for a week (they affected my travel to Brazil). Again in November and December but this current round of protests have by far been the worst and longest lasting. It is very complicated situation and the people have a right to be upset and to voice their anger and frustration. Unfortunately this round of protests left many isolated without food or water for 8 days. The travel security level was raised to a Level 4 meaning all non essential emergency personnel for the embassy were evacuated from Haiti and others were highly encouraged to leave as well. A Level 4 puts haiti on the same travel risk as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, etc. In the first 2 weeks of the protesting many of my missionary friends had to make the gut wrenching hard decision to stay or leave. Many of them had children to consider in their decisions, ministry’s to consider, etc. Majority of those in PAP, Leogane, Gressier, St. Marc and the surrounding areas evacuated. A friend shared this and It still rings so true as many who have evacuated weeks ago have yet to return. The travel advisory is still at a Level 4. Thankfully things have calmed down and are getting back to normal. I left Tuesday and schools were back in session, vendors were back on the streets selling, public transportation started back up including buses back to the capital. Whether the missionaries are stateside or in Haiti during this crisis we all need prayer. 

“So if you know someone that is making the gut wrenching choice to get themselves and their families on a plane - Mourn with them. Support them. Listen to them. Cry with them. Help pay for their flights / hotel rooms / debrief / counseling. Don’t for a second question them. Believe them. Praise them for choosing health for their family and their children.

If you know someone staying - Mourn with them. Support them. Listen to them. Cry with them. Text them. Let them know they aren’t forgotten. Tell them you are more concerned for their wellbeing than their work. When this calms help them take a weekend away or a vacation. Listen to them. Pray with them. Send them care packages. Help them fight for the health of their family. Affirm them. Help them be proactive in dealing with the trauma.

Everyone’s neighborhood and city is different. Everyone handles trauma differently. Don’t compare one person to another... one organization to another. Give them space to be themselves because they are all unique.”

Those who stayed have faced very hard challenges, faced worry/anxiety as they watched food prices rise and  shortages happen. They watched gas raise to $15USD a gallon! Drinking water shortages happen… Some areas of Haiti were affected way more than others but ALL of Haiti was affected. For me gas rose to $8 US a gallon and was hard to get, food prices increased but was still available throughout the entire time. Gas shortages were the biggest concern but also food and water were starting to become a concern long-term. Because I live up in the mountains and my ministry is mainly at Northwest Haiti Christian Mission Campus in St. Louis right now I was able to continue ministry almost as normal. Below is my facebook update from February 16th. The riots started on the 7th. 

At this point I feel safe. I have been able to continue daily ministry almost as normal just holding extra education verses having outreach since families can’t make it to us as roads are impassible. The biggest obstacles we foresee are fuel, food and water shortages which we are planning for.

This situation is so complicated and there are so many levels to it that I honestly don’t understand everything. I do understand my Haitian brothers and sisters have a right to be upset and want change and that they feel this is the only was their voices will be heard and for change to happen.

Prayer is the greatest weapon of change we have right now. So what I have focused each morning this week with my therapy staff was going to the lord in prayer for Haiti, for government, for change... we sought the prince of peace. We know he is El Roi the God who sees. We know he is the God with us. We serve a mighty God who is working in the midst of the crisis!
 

I never felt unsafe. I had some worry and anxiety about food and water more for those I serve than for myself. I had a good support system with the missionaries I serve alongside at NWHCM, and ministry was able to keep thriving in the midst of the crisis. I had my Haitian staff who made sure that I was taken care of and we prayed together daily for Haiti!

So Why am I stateside then? I have 3 main reasons. First I am here because my family and boyfriend were very worried about me and my safety (maybe I shared to many details). Secondly NWHCM made the decision to evacuate the missionaries from St. Louis campus for a few weeks while they stock back up on needed resources like gas, food, etc. My family was not comfortable with me being there alone without others nearby if things were to turn back to rioting and protesting. It is quiet right now but tension is still there and building and the situation is very fragile. Thirdly I needed to come back to the states in the next month to take care of my national OT board license as renewing online was not working from Haiti, make the new schedules and print for the annual outreach meeting in May that would have been a nightmare to do in Haiti, and to do some much need communication with supporters and fundraise. With the cost of everything rising, more families needing help, and the grand opening of STAND Pediatric clinic quickly approaching…It seemed like a horrible time to leave.  It took me days fighting God about leaving. It seemed all had calmed back down so why leave now? Those in my ministry are going to think I am abandoning them in a time of so much need and uncertainty… How could I say trust God and then peace out… that sure makes it look like I don’t trust God… BUT GOD GAVE ME PEACE. God showed me that It was perfect time to leave. It was a calm in the storm for me to go to the states without travel problems, a time for me to prepare for the next months and gather supplies that will help as this crisis is far from over, it gave my new director and lead therapist a chance to step up and lead and get there feet wet, it gave me a chance to get some much needed paperwork and organization stuff done that will make the next months run more smoothly, and It gives a chance for my family and friends to have peace seeing I am safe and gives me a chance to help them better understand what is going on and how to be praying. I plan to only be in the states for 2 to 2.5 weeks and then head back to my home better prepared for this season of ministry.

I want to share 2 articles written by other missionaries in Haiti that I believe will help you better understand what is happening in Haiti.
 

The Apparent Project

"Hearts are breaking, stress is rising, resources are dwindling. Political resistance grows, currency values continue to drop, and the vulnerable become more exposed. It is the perfect combination for a humanitarian crisis in the making.

This is not a new crisis, it has been building. For years. And the people are tired. They are tired of working harder and longer for less and less. They are tired of limited and minimal access to healthcare, of education fees that prevent them from sending their children to school. They are tired of corruption and government workers living fat off the land while the majority barely have enough for today and instability around every corner.

When a group of people has little political or economical power, and reach a breaking point, they utilize whatever means they have available to them to make themselves heard. They riot, they protest, they block roads to be noticed. When a system is broken, sometimes creating a visual representation of the brokenness is the only way to get the government and the world to take notice.

Haiti and her beautiful strong and resilient people want to provide for their families. They want jobs that pay living wages, food to fill their bellies, education for all their children, medical care that is consistent and sufficient. They want accountability in the government and businesses. They want the world to see them as people worthy of dignity rather than people to be pitied or chastised for their culture that most don’t understand.

This story is taking place in Haiti today, but it is a universal story of mankind. A story of people, power, resources, and community. When a few people with power control the resources, the community bears the burden. If you want to be a help to Haiti, fall on your knees and pray. Not a chastising prayer against cultural practices that you don’t understand, rather a prayer for compassion, human dignity, and sense of community between the bourgeois and the poor to prevail. That Haitian politicians would see the majority of the population that lives in desperate poverty as a highly valuable asset that is worthy of fighting FOR, not taking advantage of. Pray that those opposing the government (the whole government not just the president) would seek peaceful ways to work together to create the changes necessary for the country to move forward.

Haiti is a country filled with people who work hard, harder than you can imagine. It is a country filled with beauty, strength, resilience, creativity, kindness, and community. This is it’s richness. We stand together and pray for our Apparent Project staff, students, and their families, for the community in Delmas 75 near where we work, for the city of Port-au-Prince and all who live there, and for the country as a whole. Haiti, we love you, we hear your cries, and we stand together with you."

THE HAITI COLLECTIVE

“Over the past several days, many have been asking about what is going on with the crisis in Haiti. We are not a news outlet, and we don't pretend to be. Unfortunately however, much of what is happening is not easily accessible as the situation in Haiti has not garnered the attention it deserves.

The purpose of this update is to try to give you a better understanding of the situation with a top 10 list of information regarding "Operation Lock Down Haiti". We do not take a side but rather call on everyone to pray for God to intervene and cause peace, righteousness, and truth to reign in Haiti.

** 10 Things You Need to Know Regarding the Current Situation in Haiti **

1. The instability began with a failed electoral process and fragile transitionary government back in 2015/2016 as the president was elected with less than 20% turnout. Fast forward to July 2018, a nationwide protests across Haiti ensued against the PetroCaribe corruption scandal with Venezuelan oil money appropriated for Haiti. The end of Venezuelan oil has contributed to a fuel crisis which only worsened with exclusive contracts with companies who refuse to deliver new shipments when Haiti cannot pay their outstanding debts to the tune of $35 million.

2. Protests have been off and on throughout Haiti since July, but they escalated to another level on February 7. This is now the 9th day of what has been called “Operation Lock Down Haiti” – the goal of which is to shut down all aspects of Haitian life – political, social, economic, educational, and even medical.

3. The majority of the protestors are between the ages of 18 and 25 where unemployment is over 80% and who largely supported and believed the promises of the current political party in power – PHTK (which has largely been backed by the international community). Jovenal Moise, a banana farmer, was hand-picked by his predecessor and former president, Michel Martelly.

4. Here’s a sampling of the things that have happened over the last 8 days: most primary roads in and out of cities have been barricaded with boulders or burning tires, littered with rocks which have been thrown at vehicles; several gas stations have been looted; HQ for Haiti National Television was set on fire with many cars burned; 78 prisons escaped Aquin prison in south Haiti; journalists have been pressured and attacked, leaving one wounded with a gunshot to his hand; a one former police commissioner and wanted fugitive attempted to make his way into the national palace before being arrested by PNH.

5. On Tuesday of this week, President Moise recalls the Haitian Ambassadors to the United States (Paul Altidor), the United Nations (Denis Régis), and Mexico (Guy Lamothe) in the midst of the nationwide revolt, leaving Haiti without formal representation. Haitian Ambassador to France (Vanessa Lamothe Matignon) also resigned this week. Haiti’s Foreign Minister Edmond Bocchit is scheduled to meet with US National Security Advisor, John Bolton regarding the current security threat in Haiti.

6. The Haitian Gourde (HTG), which had already been depreciated to $1 USD = 65 gourde dropped dramatically to $1 USD = 87 gourde within a week, crippling the purchasing power of the already devastated poor. Everyone is sheltered and virtually in “lock down” with each passing day become a battle of the wills – the will of the people vs. the will of the government in who will outlast who. Extreme scarcity of food and water has Haitians protestors out with rocks in pans, exclaiming how tired they are of being hungry and needing help.

7. Many foreign workers and American mission teams have been evacuated via helicopter to the airport as roads are impassible. While helicopter evacuations are extremely expensive, they are nonetheless in great demand. Still several are stranded, unable to evacuate from their current location.

8. Hospitals and emergency services have struggled to stay in operation as they are short on supplies. Not only are basic necessities scarcely available, so are basic social and humanitarian services which are critical in times like this.

9. Last night, President Moise spoke for the first time since the start of Operation Lock Down in which he claimed support of the international community while appealing to the opposition parties to dialogue with him. He made it clear he will not resign and hand over control of the country to what he considers gangs and drug lords. Haitian Prime Minister Ceant refuses to resign or take responsibility for what has happened, though President Moise puts the finger of blame squarely on him.

10. In the aftermath of President Moise’s speech to the Haitian people, increased demonstrations and outbursts of violence are expected. Within an hour, the United States changed its travel advisory to Level 4: Do Not Travel, the highest travel advisory. The US government recognizes its limitations and inability to secure the safety and welfare of its citizens who enter into Haiti under such conditions.

While we are saddened that Haiti is only noticed when it is a severe crisis, we are nonetheless grateful someone is paying attention to a people who are largely being ignored. They are hungry. They are tired. They have had enough of being taken advantage of for political gain. They simply want to live their lives with a fighting chance of not only surviving but truly thriving in their own country and communities.

Whether stated in the comments or contemplated in the minds of people, the question often looms, "Why Haiti?" One person (whose comment was deleted) simply parroted the words of our president, saying "Haiti is a S-hole." It is easy to spot out the brokenness and dysfunction in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, but those of us who are Americans could begin with a little self-awareness and humility in times like this.

We are the most prosperous country in the world, and by the end of this week we could face a second government shutdown in as many months. Our $22,000,000,000,000 national debt is owed to many foreign governments who we could hardly consider to be our allies. Corruption, collusion, and extortion exist at the highest levels of our government.

Haiti is not alone in its challenges, and sadly, much of the international intervention in the form of aid only fostered greater dependency and caused their vulnerable state to become more fragile. The crisis in Haiti is complicated and systemtic, and while significant reform is needed top-down, our desire as a network of partners is to serve Haiti from the bottom-up.

God's work in Haiti began long before any American organization began their work there (ours included), and it will continue long after we are gone. In every country there are broken people and broken systems. But the place of healing and reconciliation does not begin at the national palace but an old rugged cross.

The change Haiti needs is available only through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As long as there is an empty tomb and risen Savior, there is endless hope for people in despair. The resiliency and perseverance of the Haitian people in the midst of such hardship has challenged us and inspired us to give generously, serve sacrificially, and pray fervently for His kingdom to come in Haiti as it is in heaven.

Whether it is our country or another, we have the option whether to highlight the brokenness or celebrate the restoration. While we don't want to deny the former, we choose to prioritize the latter. God is at work in Haiti! His church is there. His gospel is there. And His promises are as good and true there as they are in any other place in this world. Lives are being changed. Abandoned children and orphans are being embraced and loved. Gospel-centered churches are being planted. Rural communities are being impacted.

In the heartache, frustration, and mess of things, we pray that what stands before us all in Haiti's darkest days is the piercing hope of the gospel. Let us not cease to pray for Haiti. They didn't ask for this. They didn't choose to be born where food and water are hard to find, much less jobs and education. But they aren't asking for our pity but our partnership in prayer.

Whether you are a long-time supporter or first-time reader, let us rephrase the question of "Why Haiti?" to "Why me?" And when we consider what wondrous things we have because of God's goodness and grace, let us steward that gratefulness with generous hearts who love, pray, and support the precious people of Haiti.” 
 

JOIN ME IN PRAYING FOR HAITI! PRAYING FOR PEACE! 
~Pray that we will be able to help the outreach families as they seek help and when we can't physically help we can spiritually pray for them and help them.
~Pray for Jenny, Lionel, and Presendeui as they lead while I am gone. That God would give them wisdom, strength, and encouragement.
~Pray for my time stateside to be productive and get everything done that I need to get done. also pray that in 2 weeks I can head back to haiti.
~Pray for the outreach families who have sick kids in the hospital and for the 5 families who have lost their children in the past 2 months.
~Pray for the people of Haiti. Pray for resolution for the multiple and complex issues they are facing. Pray for STRENGTH, Pray for PROVISION, Pray for PERSEVERANCE... Pray for PEACE... Pray that Jesus's love will shine and be present in this darkness.



FUNDING NEEDS

If you would like to specifically donate to help us through this crisis period you can do so either at CTEN or by PAYPAL. We are receiving an increased number of families asking for help right now. Unfortunately many we have had to turn down there requests as we don't have extra funding right now to be able to help. There is not extra funding because of all the prices rising. The rising prices are affecting transportation costs which is affecting outreach families coming to therapy and activities and we realize we may need to help more with transport costs right now. More children are getting sick and ending up in clinic/hospital. The crisis prevented the seizure team from coming at their schedules time which is affecting having the needed daily medications for some of the outreach families and so more kids are having seizures. More children are ending up in the malnutrition center because food is expensive and families are doing their best but people are hungry. These multiple reasons are Increasing the cost of medical care.  Food prices being higher are effecting the cost of our monthly events with the outreach families. I could go on and on BUT my point is MINISTRY IN GENERAL IS MORE EXPENSIVE RIGHT NOW and we need EXTRA FUNDING. 

TO DONATE
1. ONLINE CTEN WEBSITE- www.cten.org/autumnmarshall/ 
2. PAYPAL: autumn.marshall@nwhcm.org

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT DURING THIS CHALLENGING SEASON OF MINISTRY IN HAITI