An Update on Haiti
I am not sure how many of you who are reading this keep up with Haitian news but with the way things are in Haiti right now, I feel like it is important to continue to update you on changing events. If you missed our last couple of blogs and want to learn some background information about what is going on right now, just click here. That blog is a pretty brief but thorough overview of a very complicated topic and will give you a general idea of what is happening politically and socially in Haiti right now. Today I want to give you an update on what has been going on over the past few days and the most important thing for you to know is:
The Haitian Prime Minister resigned this past Saturday.
Without getting into a civics lesson, this is a big deal. As far as a central government in Haiti goes, the Prime Minister and his 18 person cabinet are only slightly less important than the President and without a functioning government nothing can change (including figuring out how to deal with the IMF as mentioned in our last blog). If you want to read a decent article from the Miami Herald about how this happened, click here.
The good news is that in spite of the Prime Minister’s resignation and a continued call for the President’s resignation, things have been relatively quiet as of late. There have been just a few manifestations in Port and other places, and it is generally calm throughout the country. However, it feels very much like “the calm before the storm” depending on how things continue to play out. If President Moise chooses a unifying candidate that the rest of the country and Parliament like, then things could improve quickly. On the other hand, if he chooses a candidate similar to his last (a doctor who had never before held public office) who divides and cannot be confirmed by both houses of Parliament, who knows what will happen in the near future. This is an important decision moving forward for a lot of reasons, not the least of which being that Haiti needs a strong and honest leader serving as their Prime Minister. Please pray as this decision is being made and continue to pray that things stay quiet in Haiti while the President decides.
In the midst of what seems like chaos in Haiti, I believe it is also important to remember that Haiti is still a very beautiful place with many wonderful people. The infrastructure and government of the country are struggling to lead and in that vacuum things can happen, at the same time, things can happen anywhere. For instance, last night, our van was broken into sitting in our driveway in America overnight. It was not damaged and only a pair of sunglasses were stolen, but it was a very frustrating event. The thief broke into our car just a few feet from Sophie’s bedroom and had access to our garage door opener inside our car. I know things like this happen, but this made me think about what is going on in Haiti. After our car was broken into, I did not immediately start looking for a new place to live and I am not living in fear today. I was thankful that only a pair of sunglasses were taken, that nobody was hurt, and that we removed all of our valuables from the car. I also very much regret forgetting to lock the door. I understand that there are people and situations that are messed up and evil no matter where I live. I have seen riots and demonstrations break out in different cities, states, and countries all over the world and it is important not to begin thinking that one event represents the whole. In the short-term, I would not take a trip to Haiti for at least a few weeks, but I also would not let this effect how I think about or view the entire country. It is a place that is struggling, but it is a place that is just waiting for the right leadership and the right ideas to move it in the right direction.