Stuff has happened that I never thought was possible. Right now while I type this up, five hours away over a road that kills me every time I travel it, the first free truck load of plantains is rolling over the border. Let me take you back to what happened in the last few days. You know about the connection I made in the DR on my way back from Santa Domingo. Well, on Monday I went back there together with Paulius’ son Clyfod who speaks Spanish very well. We hooked up with Mario and his son who drove us all over the DR in the following two days. Mario has connections with everyone it seems. We first saw a plantation so big that it is better described as a country. All plantains and Manioc. The management agreed to give us one truckload per week. You should have seen the scenery. Banana plants forever. At the office an old guy with a shotgun guarding the door. That is by the way everywhere in the country. Lots of guns, lots of military checkpoints but no problems so far. The people we very nice to us. Every time you sit down in someone’s office the cup of coffee comes out like a ritual. The cups are real tiny more like an oversized thimble; the coffee is so good, strong black and sweet.
My story was interrupted by two women with little children coming for help. The little girl had serious ring worm all over her body. She was very malnourished with red hair all over. This is the scene every day; I have never experienced this before in all the years I have gone to Haiti. It used to be just in the remote areas, now it is all over. Thank God I had meds to give them and vitamins. The lack of protein will be a tough one to fix. I hope we will be able to get beans soon too.
Back to the story. After the coffee they all seem to get to the point right away. No beating around the bush like it would be in Haiti. All these plantations grow for export to Europe only. The crops that are not export worthy can go to Haiti. They are still very good bananas they just have little spots on them so Europeans will not accept them. But it works for us!
Later we went to a city named Mao and visited a conglomerate of 300 banana growers. It is managed by a Dutch lady who sadly enough was out of the office. I will call her soon to connect with her too. Who knows what can come out of that. The production manager promised us lots of help including medical assistance too.
It was just a very blessed trip and I still cannot get over it that it all started in a place where I did not want to be. God is really looking out for us in spite of us.
When driving through the Dominican it is hard to imagine that we are on the same island as Haiti. It’s just an oasis and Haiti could have been like that too. I hope things are changing soon because without change this place is toast. Tomorrow or Friday I am going to Labadee, the place where Royal Caribbean moors their cruise ships, to get food over there. It is a lot of traveling but I think in the end it will be worth it. Beside the food the people are very encouraged by all the help they get. It is very hard to hear that their government thinks that all the donations are undermining the economy of Haiti. What economy? It is time that they realize that there are people all around who are starving to death. Maybe it is time that the countries who forgave the national debt ask for certain conditions on humanitarian level. Obama where art thou!
After a long trip last night we came home to a sweet place full of orphans and staff who were so glad that we made it back. They made food for us while the kids came by one after another to say hello. True love makes you cry! Thank you Lord for the way you were with us every step of the way. Mat 28:20
I am off to the river now to go start up the ram pump. I so hope that it will work but I will let you know more about that next time.
