So on the way home, I was thinking about everything I have learned thus far about Haiti culture and the situation it's currently in (let me give thanks to Google, our national staff, my buddy Molly and others that have been willing to answer my never ending plethora of questions) and I'm still absolutely impressed by the people in this culture. I also see a huge difference between Les Cayes and Port Au Prince. Thinking to comparisons that those reading this might understand picture Port Au Prince as New York City, it's densely populated, full of debris/garbage, full of merchants everywhere and the people are slightly more hostile. Now, contrary Les Cayes is incredibly laid back, since the earthquake didn't cause as much damage the debris is limited, the population is more sparse and therefore there is less trash as well, and it seems a lot more peaceful. PaP you see the typical media images of Haiti, those with weapons walking around, but there's also a lot more people to protect yourself against and a lot more people to fight for rations/aid. Les Cayes, I didn't see a gun, minus the ones on the police we were hanging out with on Sunday night. There are still guards and protection in Les Cayes, but I felt a lot safer and reminds me more of the south in the states. The hospitality in Les Cayes was unbelievable with people willing to give you rides to the market, bring you food, they brought me espresso every morning and constantly made sure that I was worried over. The pastor that has been translating for me even offered for me to come back to Les Cayes and stay with him, giving me his card and his cell phone number. PaP is still absolutely amazing, but has that big city feel to it. Each city has a truly has a part of my heart right now.
The people from what I can tell throughout the nation are very dynamic people. They adapt easily to change and are survivors in that no matter what they will find a way to make due. This oftentimes meaning taking over family responsibilities if necessary, waiting outside of offices for weeks on end until they can find a job, building shelter out of discarded materials, and finding a way to make ends meet to provide for their family. The amount of faith this culture has is phenomenal as well. You can see it broadly proclaimed on their vehicles (everything from personal vehicles to their tap taps (taxis) give praise to Jesus and speak of love). It's truly impressive to see a culture that has been abused by natural disasters, poverty, and disease still has faith in a power that most in these situations would turn their back on. From what I was learning from the national staff, religion is passed down through the family. There is no ability to choose your religion in Haiti, whatever your parents are you become, no questions asked. Since most kids are raised by their mothers, nuclear families aren't very common in Haiti, the religion seems to stem from what she conveys down to her children. The majority of the population is considered to be Christian with the majority of the people identifying as Roman Catholic. Now our national staff also will state that they are Mormon as well as Protestant. The statistics show that roughly half of the nation identifies as practicing voodoo, which somehow ironically is tying in with Roman Catholic beliefs. The people will ask you straight out your religious beliefs and with a high percentage of them (85%) being Catholic, it carries a high weight to have faith in Jesus and the Bible.
Anyways, random thoughts and ramblings from me but I'm impressed that when most abandon religion because how could an all powerful, all knowing, good God cause pain on people, these people turn more towards him for the grace they have been given. They still profess Merci Jesus for their life and make due with what they have access to. I am constantly impressed by the resiliency of the people to make due in any situation they are given. Now, with the rant done, enjoy the photos of today's trip from Les Cayes back to Port Au Prince:
One of the many houses in Les Cayes
The Colorful Tap Taps that I keep speaking about. They act as taxis and I have seen up to 20 people jam into these to go from place to place. They cost approximately a quarter USD to get a ride. Oftentimes they give praise to God or Jesus on the windshield of sides of the truck
The busy streets of Les Cayes. You can see people on motorcycles and bicycles as school was letting out. The schools here run a half day. The students wear uniforms depending on the school they go to and are easily identifiable.
One of our CRS Cameos. It's a Land Cruiser with a snorkel so we can go through rivers and not have the engine stop. I'm still super impressed with this truck
The CRS Les Cayes office where I have been located the last two days
A view of the road and the mountains on the way home from Les Cayes
I am seriously enamored by the vegetation and the skylines of this country
The large piles of trash in PaP. Complete with goat on top eating trash. There are a lot of random goats, pigs, cows that just wander through the city. This is in addition to stray cats and dogs.
Another one of the camp sites. These camp sites range from a few tents to hundreds of tents. The tents are made up of actual camping tents, boards, tarps etc.
Um yea, not coming home
Welcome to Les Cayes
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