Haiti (MNN) – Haiti has virtually vanished off of the front
page news. Finding the current headlines on the government crisis, the
flooding, the doctor’s strike reveals a dearth of new information.
(Photo courtesy For Haiti With Love)
Yet, Haiti is in real trouble. Two-and-a-half
million Haitians live in extreme poverty as Haiti is the poorest country
in the northern hemisphere, according to the World Food Program.
The government is in chaos. The United Nations is “deeply concerned”
that the agreed-upon date for holding elections in Haiti was not met
over the weekend. Lawmakers have offered no alternate electoral
calendar, either, following the cancellation of January’s elections.
January was followed by weeks of heavy rains and flooding in the
North in February and March, and now flooding this month in the West.
Yet, few of these stories remain on the global consciousness. The only
way details are getting out is through word-of-mouth communications from
Haitians working to be part of the solution.
For Haiti With Love
co-founder Eva DeHart says that the government hasn’t paid its doctors
in so long, they’ve gone on strike, effectively closing the main
hospital. But, life goes on, and when people get hurt or burned, there
are few choices — except for the privately-run medical clinics, like the
one For Haiti With Love runs.
DeHart recently shared a picture on the ministry’s Facebook group with the following caption:
“This man went first to the hospital and then to FHL – he
had a major cut – dreadlocks had to go, shaved the area and still have
difficult time getting the bleeding stopped. Got him stitched up and
will see him tomorrow.”
She goes on to note that there is a lot of illness, because people
don’t have the money to see doctors or buy medications. The exchange
rate (on money) makes food too expensive. “There are vendor strikes because the food is too expensive for them to buy, let alone be able to resell it.”
(Photo courtesy For Haiti With Love)
But in this case too, For Haiti with Love is there, with a feeding program, with a medical clinic
that has already had more burn patients in 2016 than ever before.
DeHart writes, “There are more seizure patients. Whether it is
increasing from stress, or we are seeing them now because they don’t
have money for medications they were previously buying on their own, the
numbers are climbing.”
People are desperate just to find a way to survive. Haiti faces big
challenges, with problems that run an endless loop of bigger problems.
For Haiti With Love is doing what it can to meet the physical, spiritual and emotional needs. They
show God’s love by following the Lord’s commands in Matthew 25:35-40 to
feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick, and shelter the
homeless. When their team meets the physical needs, it often gives them
an opportunity to answer the question, “Why are you helping me?” The
Gospel is the natural answer. Giving freely of God’s love and gifts
opens the door to hope in a way that they’ve never known before.
Source: Mission Network
News