My Love of Haiti (guest post)

“No One Hears the Cry of the Poor or the sound of a Wooden Bell”

(I am most grateful for this reflection, sent to me by Donna Mehalko who is participating in our Lenten Walk to Haiti. I think we have all had words tug on our heartstrings that led us to Haiti...Thank You Donna for sharing your story with us.)

My heart was moved deeply when I attended a Hunger Banquet in which the speaker clanged a wooden bell that was hardly able to be heard.

I didn’t know at that moment that one day I would respond to its clanging but the speaker’s words and that sound kept tugging on my heartstrings until I was moved to action.

In January 1998, I made my first trip to Haiti to strive to be in solidarity with the people who live in unbelievable poverty. I went ten days without a bath and my body wasn’t clean on my return but my heart was cleansed. I have returned 10 more times to Haiti and have grown to love the Haitian people in a special way. They are such hard working people who have a tremendous love for their country and their God.

Why would you consider a visit to Haiti? A quote by Finley Dunne is “Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” We go to Haiti to do both, but the bigger question to me is, where are we? Are we in the afflicted category or in the comfortable category?

There is a book by Tracy Kidder – “Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man who would cure the world.” You can google a Book Review by Ken Ficara and find an accurate accounting of Dr. Paul Farmer and his life helping cure the sick in Haiti. There are many Dr. Paul quotes but one of my favorites is when he asks “Do you know what ‘appropriate technology’ means?” “It means good things for rich people and shit for the poor.”

Haiti is a mostly mountains and doesn’t have much in the way of greenery. The forests have been cut to make charcoal to cook with. There is poverty, disease, but little in the way of wages, food, and infra-structure. These are people who believe in God. To live in poverty and still be a hopeful people requires much faith. The Earthquake of 2010 and now the Hurricane of 2016 have brought more ruin to an already devastated country. No clean drinking water has led to an outbreak of cholera.

There is a custom in Haiti – when you arrive at someone’s house – you call out – Respect. The resident answers - Honor. If we could all learn to Honor and Respect each other we have already learned much from the people of this beautiful country.

If anyone wants to donate to Dr. Paul Farmer’s organization – a link to his website is listed below.

http://act.pih.org/stop-cholera-haiti - Partners in Health Website.