Eske Ayitien Yon Bet ( Is a Haitian an animal?)

We had 4 teenage Haitian boys working for us today shovelling and
raking, and while they were working I overheard them asking each
other... Are we Haitians really just animals? I thought they were just
joking around, so wanting to join this interesting conversation, I
walked over and laughed at their foolish question and told them “OF
COURSE NOT!  God made you a human! Just like he made us Canadians etc,
just different color skin!”.  I was surprised to find them amazingly
serious about this issue! They asked me... “so you really don’t think
we Haitians are animals?”  Absolutely NOT! I repeated.  They seemed
quiet and satisfied, but their question and soberness troubled me
enough that when I met Fre Sorel, I told him of our little weird
conversation. I asked him if they actually hadn’t known better or
what? His hesitancy to answer and his sober answer brought tears to my
eyes. I think God wanted to give me another insight into their world.
He said, “You know, sometimes when we Haitians see the lives of the
Dominicans next door, and we read and hear about the way that many
other parts of the world enjoy lives free from great stress and
hunger, and then we compare that to our sufferings, our hunger, our
poverty, our sickness and death which we live with constantly, our
poor roads, corrupt government, and our inability to get ahead... in
our weak times we sometimes just really do wonder if we Haitians are
really just another animal that God has left on its own and
forgotten.”  He went on to say that this question “eske Ayitien yon
bet” is a very real one that is often discussed when Haitians work
together, thinking and talking.

This question has troubled me deeply today. To realise that despair
and depression actually make these people feel less than human is
heartwrenching. My heart is heavy and it feels like God has allowed me
(in a tiny measure) to see and enter into their sadness and despair.
My tears are very close this evening while I am torn by the
conflicting feelings of feeling bad for and yet thanking God for our
easy life.

Sometimes a gift of food or even money is in place and is needed, but
throwing money at them generally is not the answer to helping them.  I
guess I feel at rest in my heart if we just continue to do what God
has placed on our hearts to do....teaching them about health issues,
about nutrition, and provide them with a basic health care attention
as they need it, and most of all ....loving them and pointing them to
their Creator who made them after his own image “in the image of God
created he them” Genesis 1 : 26-27.     Also.... showing them by the
Word that God is no respecter of persons, and that neither are we.

Have a good night, and hug your families,

Keith and Candace Toews
Oriani, Haiti