“Hope for Haiti” is probably the most common slogan for the country since the earthquake. Being here for almost two months though, we have to ask ourselves…is there really any hope? After spending a week in a community, “Light on a Hill”, and holding VBS for over a 100 children, this question often came to mind. Do these children, half dressed with bloated bellies, have any hope? What is “Hope for Haiti”? Is it rebuilding a home the size of an average bathroom with a tarp for a roof? Is it having filthy water within walking distance? Is it being able to send one of your children to school? Sadly, these three situations are some of the biggest hopes many families have. A small house is much preferred to a tent or house made of sticks. Having clean water is a joke to many Haitians, and being able to send just one of seven children to school is a blessing. So what is “Hope for Haiti”?
Observing a few communities over the past weeks has made us realize that we might have more hope for these people than they do for themselves. You probably don’t know that in the school curriculum children here are taught there is a hierarchy of people. Whites are at the top with skin colors becoming darker and darker until blacks are at the bottom. Yes, this is in an actual textbook. Haitian children are often taught they are cursed, unable to make much more of themselves. When Kristi and I asked one of our translators what he would like to do with his life after school his response was, “Make enough money to send my children to school.” With no dreams of a job this Haitian, a minority as he has an education, is being schooled only to hopefully be able to send his children to school. Why? An education just to supply another education is putting the hope in the process of receiving and not using. The country will never prosper or even have a stable economy if the people don’t believe they can do anything to help their situations. Most Haitians we have met are living only to survive another day. CNN can show the “Hope for Haiti” so many organizations are giving, but at the core Haiti didn’t have hope prior to the earthquake. Other
countries can only go so far in providing temporary aid to these people. While the aid is needed, more of our focus really should be teaching them to provide for themselves. Haitians have a hard time developing pride in themselves or their work when we are developing everything for them. As Americans who have watched the news and consistently seen the money being poured into the country along with incredible stories, we would like to think big changes are taking place each day. Still, after driving these streets for two months, from Port-au-Prince to the Dominican border, we can’t help but wonder where all the money has gone. Please don’t misunderstand us. So much good is being done here and can be done through various organizations aimed at meeting medical, housing, and spiritual needs- only the spiritual is often the last need we think of as Americans.
So will this country ever have real hope? I think the answer can only be found one place- in Christ. It is Christ who said he came for the poor, for they are rich in His eyes. This past week we spent some time with the leaders of a local church, along with 12 young men being discipled by our friend Junior. Seeing their eagerness to study God’s word, and hearing their countless questions on how to meet the needs in their own community, gave us the first view of where hope begins for this country. My dad, Nathan, was here with my college group from the week. He said he struggled early on when he was deciding how to teach these leaders about church administration. He realized that just maybe these men shouldn’t do church like Americans. Their ministry is characterized by equipping their congregation to live out the Gospel in a much different way than is our aim back in the States. We are often more concerned with spending money to build a bigger gym and a nicer sanctuary to attract people to the church. This
community of believers is more concerned with bringing the church and the gospel to the people, not waiting for them to come looking for it. This is displayed in service such as carrying a woman’s load of water up the 700 foot hill or praying every day with the brother next door with Malaria. Sounds a lot more like the Gospel we read in the Bible doesn’t it? When more of Haiti grasps this and finds Christ, they will find hope. Hope for eternity yes, but hope for today also.
While at “Light on a Hill” we saw a family finishing up their dinner next to the church. They had a pot full of leftover rice and beans- enough to feed their starving neighbors. We watched in astonishment though as the mother put the pot outside her house for the strays to eat. Stray animals took priority over the people living a foot away. With a heart of Christ it would be only natural to share with their neighbors. Although they may not have material needs to supply for many, service is part of the call and can be performed at any level of income. The Christian life brings service, stewardship, and hope. Three things Haiti lacks…three things Christ can solve.
Towards the end of our week on “Light on a Hill” we realized that these half-dressed bloated-belly kids do have hope. Their bright-eyed faces with smiles ear to ear don’t scream hopelessness like that of their elders. Kids have dreams. The only difference between the dreams of an American child and the dreams of a Haitian child is we are told it is possible, and our dreams continue to live. Somewhere along the road, these children learn to stop dreaming. But with the joy and hope a relationship with Christ brings, and the comfort offered through fellowship with a local body of believers, these children will not just survive, they will learn to live these dreams.
Observing a few communities over the past weeks has made us realize that we might have more hope for these people than they do for themselves. You probably don’t know that in the school curriculum children here are taught there is a hierarchy of people. Whites are at the top with skin colors becoming darker and darker until blacks are at the bottom. Yes, this is in an actual textbook. Haitian children are often taught they are cursed, unable to make much more of themselves. When Kristi and I asked one of our translators what he would like to do with his life after school his response was, “Make enough money to send my children to school.” With no dreams of a job this Haitian, a minority as he has an education, is being schooled only to hopefully be able to send his children to school. Why? An education just to supply another education is putting the hope in the process of receiving and not using. The country will never prosper or even have a stable economy if the people don’t believe they can do anything to help their situations. Most Haitians we have met are living only to survive another day. CNN can show the “Hope for Haiti” so many organizations are giving, but at the core Haiti didn’t have hope prior to the earthquake. Other
countries can only go so far in providing temporary aid to these people. While the aid is needed, more of our focus really should be teaching them to provide for themselves. Haitians have a hard time developing pride in themselves or their work when we are developing everything for them. As Americans who have watched the news and consistently seen the money being poured into the country along with incredible stories, we would like to think big changes are taking place each day. Still, after driving these streets for two months, from Port-au-Prince to the Dominican border, we can’t help but wonder where all the money has gone. Please don’t misunderstand us. So much good is being done here and can be done through various organizations aimed at meeting medical, housing, and spiritual needs- only the spiritual is often the last need we think of as Americans.So will this country ever have real hope? I think the answer can only be found one place- in Christ. It is Christ who said he came for the poor, for they are rich in His eyes. This past week we spent some time with the leaders of a local church, along with 12 young men being discipled by our friend Junior. Seeing their eagerness to study God’s word, and hearing their countless questions on how to meet the needs in their own community, gave us the first view of where hope begins for this country. My dad, Nathan, was here with my college group from the week. He said he struggled early on when he was deciding how to teach these leaders about church administration. He realized that just maybe these men shouldn’t do church like Americans. Their ministry is characterized by equipping their congregation to live out the Gospel in a much different way than is our aim back in the States. We are often more concerned with spending money to build a bigger gym and a nicer sanctuary to attract people to the church. This
community of believers is more concerned with bringing the church and the gospel to the people, not waiting for them to come looking for it. This is displayed in service such as carrying a woman’s load of water up the 700 foot hill or praying every day with the brother next door with Malaria. Sounds a lot more like the Gospel we read in the Bible doesn’t it? When more of Haiti grasps this and finds Christ, they will find hope. Hope for eternity yes, but hope for today also.While at “Light on a Hill” we saw a family finishing up their dinner next to the church. They had a pot full of leftover rice and beans- enough to feed their starving neighbors. We watched in astonishment though as the mother put the pot outside her house for the strays to eat. Stray animals took priority over the people living a foot away. With a heart of Christ it would be only natural to share with their neighbors. Although they may not have material needs to supply for many, service is part of the call and can be performed at any level of income. The Christian life brings service, stewardship, and hope. Three things Haiti lacks…three things Christ can solve.
Towards the end of our week on “Light on a Hill” we realized that these half-dressed bloated-belly kids do have hope. Their bright-eyed faces with smiles ear to ear don’t scream hopelessness like that of their elders. Kids have dreams. The only difference between the dreams of an American child and the dreams of a Haitian child is we are told it is possible, and our dreams continue to live. Somewhere along the road, these children learn to stop dreaming. But with the joy and hope a relationship with Christ brings, and the comfort offered through fellowship with a local body of believers, these children will not just survive, they will learn to live these dreams.
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