25489: Rigdon: (analysis) The Situation in Haiti (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: jrigdon@researchonline.net

I have read with a sinking heart the steady stream of news items coming out
of Haiti.

Perhaps I lead a charmed life, or am just totally naive to the real
situation, but as I just returned last Monday, the 20th of June from an
extended visit to Haiti, I must say that the doom and gloom reports do NOT
register with what I saw and experienced.

On our trip down to Haiti, we flew an L10-11 which holds about 300 people
and only 3 or 4 of the group were Haitians.  There were UN guards at the
Airport, but not significantly different from what we see in the way of
security stateside.  We arrived mid afternoon and rode a Tap-Tap through
Port Au Prince to our place about 3 miles northwest of the Airport.

None of my group ventured out at night, but I did not hear gunfire or other
commotion.  I'm one who loves to sit outside at night, and covered with OFF,
I thoroughly enjoyed sitting out on our second floor balcony and looking
over the city at all hours of the night.  I was reminded of Nehemiah and his
surveys of the ruined city at night as he would walk and pray for the Peace
of Jerusalem.

We went out into the city every day - On Tap Taps - all across Port Au
Prince and up to the foot of the mountains.  At no time did we ever see any
violence directed towards us or anyone else and I did not even see a frown
or gesture to indicate that the Haitians were not happy to see us.

On Friday we went up to the Baptist Mission.  We had to change vehicles half
way up the mountain, because the one we were in could not make it up the
steep hills.  We spent a couple of hours at the market, then back down to
the overlook where all the cell towers are and ate supper at Dominoes.

Over all the biggest thrill and the most scariest in retrospect was passing
cement trucks at 60 plus miles per hour  - making our own third "suicide
lane" while another Tap-Tap was barreling down from the other direction -
with scarce inches to spare on all sides and of course no seat belts or air
bags (grin).

As I stated at the beginning of this little memoir, perhaps I'm naive or
lead a charmed life, but looking out over the congregation last Sunday
morning at hundreds of Haitians singing "Count Your Many Blessings" was
worth the whole price of the trip.  I shall never head that tune again
without crying for Haiti.

John Rigdon