July 2005
Change
An ancient sage said: The more things change, the more they remain
the same. If life does seem to beget change, we must really be
living lately.
As most of you already know, Haiti’s woes have recently
increased at an alarming rate. Spurred by hundreds of kidnappings
and car-jackings monthly, and increasing violence and random murders,
chaos now appears to reign. With an eye toward the rapidly deteriorating
situation, two weeks ago the PC(USA) asked us to temporarily leave
Haiti. From personal reports as recent as yesterday, our local
project area remains mostly unaffected by the turmoil.
The CODEP communities are seeing more migration into their areas
as people leave the city. I’m not sure we should call them
“refugees,” but there definitely is more than just
the normal summer exodus to the hills.
The CODEP summer school is off and running. There are about 130
students and 23 teachers-in-training. With fewer resources¾mostly
in the area of leadership¾a decision was made to focus
on training teachers this summer. By helping more teachers, hopefully
the longer-term impact will touch more children. Most of these
teachers are from neighboring community schools not otherwise
supported directly through the CODEP education program.
One notable example of local CODEP institution-building is worth
mentioning. The Asosiasyon Paysant Komye e Fon de Bouden (APKF)
is a group CODEP helped organize ten years ago. They have organized
and reorganized themselves and continue to adapt and grow. They
primarily identify themselves as a micro-credit program and have
received small influxes of capital from CODEP and Haiti Fund,
Inc. They have recently built a small store and sell basic supplies:
flour, rice, cooking oil, fertilizer, etc. APKF has made a small
profit this past year and one of the ways they have chosen to
re-invest part of it was in basic people development. They decided
to give scholarships to ten poor children to attend summer school
this year. APFK was begun and nurtured by CODEP for many years,
but they are now a totally separate and indigenous organization.
Their annual profit for a thousand members is probably less than
what remains in most wallets as American church goers leave church
on Sunday morning. Yet, in the midst of Haiti’s chaos, as
much of society collapses, the people of CODEP and APKF plan and
build and invest in the future.
Last spring we fought constantly to find fertilizer for the new
tree plantings. This year, fertilizer is available. Not only is
it available but also the type we need is there and the rains
continue to fall regularly. Earlier this season we had some peasant
groups volunteering three eight-hour days per week to put fertilizer
on their community seedlings. How is it that those living in the
face of abject poverty, in a land beset with violence and insecurity,
are willing to faithfully invest what they have and look to the
future?
And that brings up our future: Rodney’s and Sharyn’s.
We have been supported in our unique lifestyle as missionaries
in Haiti in so many ways and for so long that change is a very
scary thing. In spite of Haiti’s seeming chaos, we knew
enough of the rules to not just survive but to thrive. And now
we are in America, still surrounded and supported by family and
friends. We need to thank each of you for the parts you have played
in our lives and our joint ministry.
The expectation is that Haiti’s insecurity will continue
to escalate through elections this fall and probably through early
next year, as new leadership takes office (February) and tries
to establish order. We had hoped to take a study-leave next fall
(2006) and had begun preliminary planning. Now, it seems this
fall would be a better time. At the moment, we are frantically
trying to turn back the clocks. Not only are there a dozen deadlines
that have already passed, but also mothballed credentials and
rusty minds need immediate attention. We are looking at a small
school in western Pennsylvania and one in North Carolina. North
Carolina sounds warmer (a big factor after 18 years of tropical
living) but Pennsylvania sounds cheaper. Both schools offer some
applicable classes both to stretch our minds and prepare for a
new phase in CODEP’s outreach once we can return to Haiti.
We ask for your continued prayers as we change from teachers
to students, ministered to rather than ministering, from secure
to unknown, from hot to cold. Also, please pray for Martinez,
Wensy’s son. Wensy is CODEP’s teacher trainer presently
leading summer school. His 2-year-old son has a severe hernia
which increasingly regularly causes the boy to be physically sick.
Local doctors refuse to operate until he is 7 years old, and it
is very unlikely he’ll live that long. And Haiti: Where
should our prayers begin? Probably for those faithful ones who
continue to minister in the Lord’s name and are the peacemakers,
giving hope to the lost and comfort to the needy. And for the
leaders¾in churches, in institutions, in government, in
families throughout the land.
Today is July 4, a symbolic day of change. I guess change can
be good.
Rodney and Sharyn
The 2005 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.
50 |
