CODEP in December, 2012
In the mountains the sliver of a moon rises late this week – after 3 AM – and the sky is incredibly bright with stars, planets and even the occasional satellite. The rains have lessened considerably, yet at the beginning of the dry season everything is still green. Wind blows hard each afternoon clearing the polluted air out so the stars twinkle mostly at the horizon. And there is hope in Haiti .
This is the time of year when people think of giving, reflecting on their lives, family memories, and the lives and well-being of others. In Haiti , the pace never lessens as there is always work to do, issues to contend with, sickness and tragedy, noise and animals braying, cockle-doodle-doing, and horns blaring to warn the crush of people along the road. All this marks normalcy in this country.
People are willing, as always, to take life as is comes, ‘epi kòm Bondye vle l’ (and as God
wants it). This means they have an innate understanding that all the non-government organizations working in Haiti have much less money
for operations than before, and that the world economic recession prevents things from changing much in the next few years. Most have no idea the US is even talking about limiting the tax-deduction value of charitable contributions.
On the contrary, at least the people in our mountains are still enthusiastic about how CODEP has changed their lives, and how CODEP is long-lasting compared to many other organizations that are now pulling up stakes
and leaving. People at all levels talk in terms of what opportunities exist for them because of the presence of CODEP, and how they are feeling good that soon they will have a chance to sell their products from the new Depot being built near APKF. This moves them more toward complete independence, and we are pleased to see their hope and excitement.
All these things put one in a measured frame of mind this season, appreciating the frank, guileless hope they have, yet having concern that we might not be fully up to the task ahead.
So it is with these competing thoughts that I write you this night – that you might prayerfully consider taking a minute to send in an extra contribution, ask a friend or family member to do so, or taking a minute to explain this to someone who has never heard of sustainable development, or CODEP, or how there are some really bright spots in this little corner of the world.
The stars twinkle just atop the mountain outside and across the road. Orion is making his appearance higher in the sky now, and one thinks of the hundreds of thousands of years that people like us have stared at that sky and wondered, ‘Just what are the possibilities?’
Grace and peace,