Saturday, July 21, 2007

No words

Today our friend Cherry Kay (CK) took Keri and I and CK's two adopted kids out for the day. We went to "Boca Mocha" which is likely the only coffee shop in Haiti. It was in Petionville which is one of the most developed parts of Port au Prince. Then we bartered for a couple of paintings on the street to bring home. And then...........

We took a drive to a part of Port au Prince called La Solien. All I can say is that the words "third world" are no longer such an abstract concept in my mind. We drove down a rode full of trash packed with four or so "lanes" of traffic along the outside of the "town". It is impossible to drive into the "town". Tin homes literally butted up and built around each other for miles. Trash piles everywhere, pigs and goats and donkeys and dogs roaming. Pictures and words are worthless to capture what my eyes have seen today and La Solien is not even the worst. Cite Sole is the worst slum and I have heard that La Solien does not even touch it.

Luckily CK was gracious and in reality courageous enough to allow us the opportunity to see what we saw. CK is a 31 year old women from CA who has been in Haiti for over a year trying to finish paperwork to adopt her two kids. She is single. Things have been a tough struggle these last weeks for her as one government official is holding her paperwork for ransom. She only needs one more signature and they have asked for a $1000 bribe to sign off. She is an amazing mother and is so ready to go back to the states with her son Jerise and daughter Acrissa. Please pray for CK and the finalization of her adoption.

1 comment:

Hollywood said...

Those are some deep things...I'll continue to pray for you and those you come in contact with down there. I can't imagine everything that you are experiencing, but I can't wait to hear everything in more detail. I look forward to seeing you again!