Haitian "Restavek's"

Please read here for a sobering story out of Haiti. Please watch the video section as well. I knew from reading Maranatha Ministry's newsletter that this is a problem they have run into--finding "restavek's" (child servants/domestics) that have been poorly treated, abused, and beaten.

I see Antoine's face in this article, and he is just a kid! When I watch the video portion, I am just sad for such a huge amount of children who are just disregarded. Young Arthemise who has a future of being turned out by her family very soon and will most likely become a prostitute. Getro, the 19 year old, who has a life of homelessness and abuse. I would love to go to Haiti, bring him to America, have his injured elbow cared for, and give him an education. An education that might be a great partner with his willingness to work.

Recently Maranatha had one girl (young teenager) come to them, give birth, tell her story how she was raped by the head of the household she worked in, which lead to her pregnancy. Maranatha then had to realize they couldn't send her back to that situation at all. How sad!

I become so frustrated with stories like this. I have no idea, but God has put Haiti on my heart in the last 5 years or so. I feel an ownership to this problem. I know we hear stories out of other tragically impoverished places, and I am moved, but with Haiti I feel the need to act.

I absolutely love the idea described towards the end of the story. Establishing a sister school system providing materials, and help to a Haitian school. I think it's interesting how the story is very specific that the school is away from Port Au Prince. Port Au Prince is the capital of Haiti, and about the only big city in the nation. It is also hub to a lot of big city corruption above and beyond what already exists. I would throw this out there, if anyone wants to join me, I wouldn't mind looking into the feasibility of doing a sister school program. I couldn't do it alone, but I would do it with help. Send me some votes on that, and I will start doing some research.

One thing I do disagree with "It is not in Haitian culture to send children away," said Guerda Constante, a child-rights activist in the small coastal city of Jacmel. But it is! Just click on Maranatha Ministries from my blog, and you will see them describe how daily people will come to Maranatha's doors repeatedly to give their child up for adoption hoping for a better future. They will come back again a week later if they are turned down, and a few days after that. Much of John McHoul's time is spent managing that kind of demand. I think it is in their culture. I think Haiti is just close enough to the United States, people inherently know there is something better than eating off the streets and drinking putrid water.

Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime.