Greetings everyone,
I have been trying for awhile to write a blog but have found it too difficult to write anything about our HATS-Haiti Mission or Haiti generally without ending in tears. I am endeavoring today to get a few words written. I had kept thinking I would be able to write from Haiti long before now. It has not yet happened with no idea when it might.
I am finding it extremely difficult to be in Canada when I want so badly to be back at the mission in Haiti. My heart is very heavy over the plight of the Haitian people and all they are going through. I have tried several times to return. Due to an approx 3 hour drive from the airport to the mission I’ve had to cancel each time due to heavy gang activity in our area and/or all the political unrest throughout the country.
Our school did open and run well for awhile in September. This was very good for our students and teachers. It has since had to shut down and wait for things to settle down in the country. The students look forward to returning to school as soon as the break in the situation comes. The year’s school work will be completed. I am including photos of our HATS kids happy to return to school in September. Last year’s school results of IMKH were excellent. Many parents want to register their children in our school due to these governmental results. We, however, are unable to accept all who wish to attend.
Schools having to be closed is a very sad situation, but it is also sad about market sellers, stores, banks and other businesses having to be closed often and hospitals unable to to run or not run properly. The violent dangerous demonstrations throughout Haiti against the president has held people captive for too long. The roads are blocked, often by people armed, rock throwing breaking vehicle windows, oil and broken glass on some roads, all businesses are hurting, so very many employees unable to work, people becoming hungrier daily, people without electricity due to no gas, no water, and unable to freely search for these things.
Our children are well albeit anxious for a return to normalcy. They want school to reopen and able to run peacefully. A huge thank you to HATS’ other director, Luckner for this, as he often puts his life on the line to spend time with them and see that things are being run as well as they can be in this situation. Recently he took our HATS kids to his house with his family for a week as there was no diesel, no electricity, no water at HATS. That meant 22 children were being given excellent care at his place. This man is a blessing to HATS-Haiti and to many others in our area.
Please continue to pray for Haiti, for the innocent hurting people, the missionaries and expats living in the situation, for those causing the huge problem (as they need changes in their lives), also for me to be able to accept, without tears, the fact that I am unable to return for now.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 13: 12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
I choose to trust in Him. He will make the path straight for me to return. My sad longing heart will be fulfilled.
Thank you. God bless you all.
Karen
