Karens Road

For months now, our church has been raising money to help a group of our members go on a mission trip. The group left today for Haiti. They hope to make a difference in the lives of people in need and to give a message of hope while they are in Haiti. They have some projects lined up and are ready to get to work.

I was not familiar with Haiti and did some research on this beautiful country. The land itself is diverse with mountainous terrain and deep valleys. It also has extensive plateaus, and small plains. In the early 1980s, Haiti became one of the first countries to face an AIDS epidemic. Fear of the disease caused tourists to stay away, and the tourist industry collapsed, causing rising unemployment. Haiti has the highest rates of AIDS, malnutrition, and infant mortality in the region.

In 2004 Hurricane Jeanne ravaged Haiti, killing more than 2,400 people. Lawlessness and gang violence were widespread, and the interim government had no control over parts of the country, which were run by armed former soldiers.

Haiti faced insurrection and because of instable government practices major chaos had errupted. Elections on Feb. 7, 2006 marked the moment of hope for many. The elections, backed by 9,000 United Nations troops, were seen as a crucial step in returning Haiti to some semblance of stability. Former prime minister and Aristide protegé René Préval, ran and won the position of which many of his poor supporters were in favor.