Haiti One Year Later

Last updated on: January 11, 2011 at 9:41 pm by Peter Dybing

Haiti One Year Later 2011-01-11T21:41:00-06:00 Peter Dybing

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Last night I received an e-mail from a member of COG asking me to give an update to the Pagan community on the progress in Haiti one year later and my personal insights as someone who responded to the disaster.

Sitting hear shaking my head with tears welling in my eyes may not be the best frame of mind to write an informative narration on the state of Haiti. Each day I follow the lack of progress in Haiti. My computer is filled with maps of cholera treatment centers across the country. My thoughts turn to the suffering I witnessed often. There are days when my heart beats for Haiti and Haiti alone.

It is true that the Goddess blessed me with the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of hundreds who were suffering; few will ever be so blessed and troubled at the same time.

Those who have not been there cannot understand the nature of life in Haiti. As an example, put your self in the position of a resident of Port-au-Prince who has to choose between spending what little he has on cab fare to take his mother to a doctor OR feeding his four children for the next week. Choose one, your mother dies or your children starve. For those of us living in the US such choices are unimaginable.

For the last few hundred years Haiti has been ruled by a governing class known as the eleven families. In Haiti nothing happens without their approval and cut of “the action”. All of us have seen the reports of the Billions pledged that have not reached the people of Haiti. It is these eleven families that are the problem. Even the President of Haiti would be without influence lacking their support.

As an example of this dynamic, consider a small non-profit that has had an ambulance at the port in Haiti for months “in customs”. Officials at the port are demanding more than $15,000.00 in import fees. The ambulance was purchased used for less than $5,000.00. This small organization contacted the government to complain and received a letter from the president’s office declaring the ambulance exempt from import fees. Upon presentation of the letter officials stated “we do not care what the president says”. Corruption is endemic in Haiti.

Figuring out how to be effective in Haiti is beyond complex. Large NGO’s are holding the funds that were donated as they have an ethical obligation to use them wisely and not contribute to corruption. Yet, the path of profiteering is the only effective way of accomplishing anything of scale in Haiti.

All this is not to say there is no hope. I continue to assist small NGO’s that are making a real difference in Haiti. These organizations are so small and under the radar that they are able to provide real assistance to small communities. One of these organizations is 100% for Haiti, we have built a school, purchased chairs, desks, and books and provided a salary for a teacher. These accomplishments have been made possible by our efforts to stabilize the community with health care and food assistance. In Haiti one must start with the basic needs first.

The complexity of acting in Haiti has become even more perplexing with the arrival of dozens of faith-based organizations. These so-called humanitarian organizations are proselytizing and building anger and resentment towards those who exclusively practice Voodoo. It is important to understand that in Haiti those who profess to be Christians do not deny the power of Voodoo. In fact they have been lead to believe that Voodoo rituals are the cause of much of the suffering in Haiti. This dynamic with 70% of the population Christian and 100% believing in Voodoo makes for a very dangerous situation.

Add to this cauldron of religious intolerance a destroyed infrastructure, politics, cholera, huge sums of money, hundreds of NGO’s, a long-standing foreign army (U.N.) and stir. What you end up is a brew that is beyond volatile.

Will I return to Haiti? If I could figure out a way to do so without my home being foreclosed on I would be there now. My heart remains in Haiti, it is my hope that my efforts to relieve the suffering will one day enable me to retrieve it.

Lead by the Goddess in service to the children of the Earth,

Peter

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 9, 2011

Tea Party, Responsible or Irresponsible?

Next Post

January 16, 2011 Back To Basics

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2016 election Activisim America American Pride Antifa Antifa Fire Chief Black Lives Matter Dallas Violence Democratic left Homeless Denver Homophobia July Fourth Orlando Violence Peter Dybing Social Justice TERF Transgender rights Trauma Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2017 February 2017 January 2017 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 March 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 May 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the king who arranged for Hezekiah's scribes to compile additional Proverbs?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Jeroboam Solomon Ahab Hezekiah