What's Going On in Haiti
There is a tension between sharing too much about what is going on in Haiti and keeping people updated. So much is going on down there right now and it is vital that we pray for GOD's protection and His peace in the midst of what is happening, but I also know that people can grow weary of hearing this type of news so consistently. Today's blog is just an update about All Things New and Haiti, and I will give you some resources at the end if you want to dig a little deeper into everything.
First of all, our fundraiser/documentary is almost ready to be shown! We are scheduling our "Opening Night" now, with a date (hopefully in May) to be announced ASAP. I have already spoken to a couple of churches in LaGrange and Jacksonville who will hopefully show our opening night on their screens and we will have one other central location where the film will be shown. If you have never been to Haiti, this is your chance to experience it. If you have been before and the political situation has kept you away the past 2 years, you will feel like you are there. A couple of things to remember:
- This is an important event for ATN, so please make plans to attend, invite others, and join our ministry even in the midst of Covid.
Now to turn my attention to the political unrest in Haiti. Things have definitely gotten worse. I had planned to go down in March to see the kids and get some things to them, but our driver (Lener for those who know him) informed me that he could not risk coming in to get me at the airport. I also do not want to put him in harm's way. Other than the 2 months that the Port Au Prince airport was shut down for Covid, this will be the first time I did not go down to Haiti because dangerous conditions.
There are a lot of reasons why it is so dangerous, and I am going to share some recent news articles to help you understand these reasons at the bottom of this blog. It stems from the fact that there is a group of people called "The Opposition" that want President Moise to step down. They have caused chaos in the country towards that end. The President has been ruling by decree since last January which means he has had ultimate power and authority to write into law whatever he chooses. People obviously do not like this and have been vocal in sharing their displeasure.
I do not want to voice my political opinion about a country where I did not grow up and in an environment that I could not possibly understand. What I do know is that people are fed up and they are looting, burning, kidnapping, holding hostage, stealing, etc. to show their outrage against corruption and the government. Unfortunately, many people think the government is doing those same things as well. Just yesterday, an armed gang surrounded a bus taking the Belize national soccer team (who was there to play a World Cup qualifying match against Haiti) from the airport to their hotel. They stopped them and forced the police escort to negotiate a bribe to allow the bus to pass and this is just one story among many.
Please continue to pray for Haiti and do not give up on her or her people. I have heard the term "Haiti fatigue" in the past because it seems like things just always happen there. It seems like any time the country takes 2 steps forward, it then takes 10 steps back. Do not lose hope. I am not talking about hope in the government, the people, All Things New, or anything like that...Do not lose hope in the Gospel. The Gospel of Jesus Christ, when it takes root, can change an entire nation, really the entire world, and let's pray towards that end.
Here are the articles if you want to learn a little more about what is going on:
NY Times About President Moise Ruling alone
Miami Herald about the unrest and riots
Washington Post About The President Ruling by Decree