Thursday, April 10, 2008

HUNGER PROTESTS

Good Morning: I thought I'd keep you closely posted to the current situations in Haiti. It started in LesCayes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday it had spread to St Marc, Gonaives and Port au Prince. There is burning everywhere, rioting in the streets over the food price situation. People are hungry and speaking out the only way they've ever understood to a government that (up to this point) seems not to listen. They waited yesterday to hear something from the President but he failed to speak. He probably has no answers. But to a hungry people no answer means to continue their protests.
We closed school yesterday at noon, after the children had eaten their lunch. Gary drove through flaming barricades to get the kids home, taking short cuts off the main road to get away from the fires although he didn't even know where the short cuts would lead him. Kevin was with him and said, "Pastor Gary, are you sure you want to go this way?" Gary had no other choice. Needless to say he was glad to get home.
We are not having school today and tomorrow and praying this cools down soon before it is a situation no one can handle. We found out the UN has a mandate to keep another coup de tat from taking place so we trust there won't be a coup.
That's the worst of it. What about us? We are safe. If you looked outside right now you'd see it peaceful and calm as though nothing were going on. We are several blocks from the main road which is where the blockages take place. Usually all we can see is smoke from our porch.
We were supposed to get a visitor from Port this week. Talked to him by phone and he said the trouble in Port has prevented him from moving at all. The roads to his house are all barricaded. He also said the windows up Delmas (where we do all our shopping in Port) have all been broken out. The protestors anger always flares at the "rich" as though they were deliberately raising the prices but if you listen to the world news you know it's a global thing.
Again: I'm simply keeping you posted, asking you to pray and letting you know we are safe. This has to end soon!!
Have a blessed day.
Gary and Carolyn

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hi!
Just wanted to let you know that Preval did address the people yesterday. There's an article on CNN online about it.
See you soon! Stay safe.
Leslie