Haiti (MNN) — Life is tough in Haiti, the western hemisphere’s poorest country. For most, daily essentials are inaccessible; half of all Haitians lack clean water, while a third of the population is considered “food insecure.”
Things are getting even more difficult in the north. Tourism giants Royal Caribbean and American Airlines recently cut services in Cap Haitien, the home of For Haiti With Love.
“It has taken a toll in the city, because [the economy is] geared around the jobs that were being provided by those two industries,” says ministry co-founder Eva DeHart.
“Haiti’s economy balances on tourism. The virus is majorly affecting that, but then on top of the virus – which shut Royal Caribbean down – American Airlines decided to drop that part of their run.”
Nonetheless, DeHart says For Haiti With Love’s constant presence is teaching people about God’s faithfulness.
“God is providing, and no matter what else they see in their communities and their lives, we’re still there for them.”
Help and hope in Haiti
The tourism cuts mean Haitians who struggle to get by now have even less to live on. Plus, the unemployment crisis is sending more people to For Haiti With Love’s burn clinic.
“That has increased rather than decreasing because the more [that] people are home and the kids haven’t been in school, the more exposure to burn possibilities,” DeHart explains.
More about For Haiti’s burn clinic here. While painful, these injuries give Haitians a chance to meet Christ, the Savior and Healer of their souls.
This baby, burned during a house fire, was rushed to For Hait With Love’s clinic for treatment.
(Photo courtesy of For Haiti With Love via Facebook)
“The girls witness to [patients] while they’re on the table [receiving treatment]. They try to give them as much encouragement as they can in light of what they’re facing outside of our gates.”
Tourism cuts may not directly hinder For Haiti’s services, but the ministry is not immune to economic impacts. Interruptions to U.S. donor support resulted in some tough decisions.
“Our contributions have dropped some, but we just adjusted our expenditures. The medicine is more expensive and more important to our overall picture than the food would have been,” DeHart says, explaining why For Haiti reduced its feeding program but continued clinic operations.
Donate online to help For Haiti tend to wounds in Jesus’ name.
“A couple of dollars buys a roll bandage; $5,000 will buy an order of roll bandages. We’re flexible, and we appreciate any level of help we can get.”
Tourism giants Royal Caribbean and American Airlines recently cut services in Cap Haitien, the home of For Haiti With Love. Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Fernando Jorge on Unsplash.
