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7432: Usefulness of spring break trips to Haiti (fwd)
From: Shirley Jean <shirle_jean@hotmail.com>
I wanted to get the opinion of the list about an issue that sparked a heated
discussion.
Come Saturday, three separate groups of students from Harvard University
(from the law school, church group, and the Kennedy School) are going to
Haiti for spring break. All of the trips consist of going to orphanages and
hospitals to give toys, schools supplies, and used clothing.
While I recognize that these are essential needs and will benefit the
children and people that receive the donations, I can't help but question
the whole idea of groups of students going on spring break or missionaries
going to Haiti to help all "those Haitians" in need. In the pit of my
stomach, I sense overtones of white man's burden type rationale. Are they
seeing a fellow human being or just some poor, helpless Haitians? Is it all
right that people go because they get to see for a week the poverty in the
"poorest country in the Americas" when they are bringing supplies for an
orphanage in the process? I also question the dependency that is fostered by
all of these "charitable donations". But then again, are they serving a
pragmatic function and all I am doing is looking for something negative in
my Haitian-always-have-to-find-something-to-complain-about self. What do
others think?
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