2 Countries, 1 Island Divided

      This past month we have been serving with an organization named Mission of Hope. Mission of Hope has historically operated in Haiti, serving the people of Haiti through education, nutrition, and meeting  medical and spiritual needs by partnering with local churches and hosting and sending mission teams. With the rise of violence and political unrest in Haiti, many Haitians have fled to the Dominican Republic for safety and opportunities they do not have in Haiti right now. In recent years Mission of Hope has established a base in the Dominican Republic as well and our squad had the incredible honor and blessing of serving alongside them there for the month of May.

       While with Mission of Hope we served by teaching English classes at a Haitian school for children on Monday mornings, assisting with an adult’s English class on Sunday evenings, and evangelism the rest of the week. For evangelism we would visit different communities with local pastors and church representatives and visit people in their homes, learning about their lives, communities and relationships with God. We were able to pray with people, encouraging them in their faith, answering questions and helping them understand who God is. We saw many come to know the Lord for the first time and many grow in their faith and relationship with God! It was incredible.
      We spent the majority of our time in Haitian communities, which were so incredibly impoverished and experiencing severe discrimination. We were told many times the story of how family’s traveled across the border looking for safety and opportunities for medical care and education. What they find is that their children cannot attend public schools without proper documentation which costs hundreds of dollars to translate from Creole to Spanish or is often denied to families when children are born in the Dominican Republic to Haitian parents. If they are able to provide the proper documentation, families shared that their children were being discriminated against and mistreated by both peers and school staff alike for being Haitian. Families feel it’s safer to keep their children at home or to send them to private Haitian schools. Unfortunately, it is often too expensive to pay for private school and to be able to afford the clothes and school supplies necessary for school. Furthermore, there are not many resources available to these private Haitian schools. Consequently many Haitian children do not attend school or have very limited access to school.
     It is very expensive for a Haitian person to live in the Dominican Republic. A year-long visa can cost upwards of $600 and then Haitian people are required to travel and have their paperwork checked and confirmed monthly for an additional charge of $30 a month. This is not the same for other people visiting or living in the country. For many there is also the risk of deportation and being sent back to Haiti without any resources or security. We spoke with a couple of gentlemen who are unable to get a job as they can only leave their home from 11 am to 2 pm each day when immigration is not patrolling their neighborhood.
      The primary language in Haiti is Creole and when they immigrate to the Dominican Republic, many are unable to speak Spanish or English. This limits job opportunities to construction for the men and cleaning for the women. One of the risks in working in construction is that oftentimes the Haitian workers are not paid for their work and their bosses call immigration services on payday to deport workers when they have finished a job. When a person is able to speak both English and Spanish, opportunities open up for them to work as translators or for call companies from the United States where they recieve a small but steady and reliable paycheck. This is why helping with and providing English classes is so incredibly necessary and the individuals we were working with are desperate to learn and grow in their English speaking abilities so they can secure a more reliable job.
     Without proper documentation, medical services are also withheld and limited for Haitian people. Mission of Hope provides medical services for these families and communities with medical teams from around the world in partnership with the local churches. One staff member shared with me that oftentimes pregnant women and individuals seeking medical care at a local clinic or hospital are deported directly from the hospital. This staff member shared with me that when Mission of Hope sets up medical clinics in local communities, many do not arrive for the first several hours as immigration services will be watching them, however around noon they will have upward of 50 families come and seek out services and support.
      Furthermore, we went to an international soccer game between Haiti and the Dominican Republic and witnessed the racism and discrimination play out on the field as well as in the stands amongst how the game was played and the racial slurs being shouted from the stands. My heart breaks for this nation and for the Haitian people.
      I visited Haiti for the first time in 2011 following the earthquake on a mission trip. We served by clearing rubble and building a home as well as encouraging the people there. I was blown away by the strength, hope and gratitude of the Haitian people. They had just survived a devastating earthquake and were clinging to a hope securely rooted in God and God alone. 11 years later, I have had the opportunity to love on and serve the people of Haiti once again in a different country where they once again are fighting each and every day to survive. They are still the strongest people I have ever met.
      Please join me in praying for the Haitian people. Pray for the nation of Haiti. Pray against the evil and violence ruling their nation, making the country so unsafe for all who are there. Pray against the discrimination, racism, and prejudice they are experiencing in the Dominican Republic as they are seeking refuge and better opportunities so they can support their families here and in Haiti as well. Pray that they will again seek the Lord and set Him as their hope and confidence. Pray for unity to come to the Dominican Republic between these two people groups. Haiti needs our love and prayers.

Here are practical ways you can help:
1) Prayer!!!
      There is so much power in prayer.
2) Partnering with organizations serving the Haitian people.
     Here is a link to Mission of Hope’s website: missionofhope.com

*Bonus: Get to know/be patient with those operating call centers from foreign countries; you never know how hard they’ve worked to be in the position they are to be talking with you. Just a reminder that we never know the full story – be curious.

      God reminded me when I was in Haiti 11 years ago and again this month that as believers we are all a part of the body of Christ. We are all a part of the same family and are to love and care for each other as such.

1 Corinthians 12:26-27
“If one part suffers, the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all parts are glad. ²7All of you together ate Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”

     Also, the people of Haiti are strong when they have made the Lord their hope and confidence. The Lord blesses us as we put our trust in Him. He is our faithful father, protector and provider.

Jeremiah 17:7-8
  “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. 8They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the hear or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”