In their shoes...

I've realized that no matter how hard I try to put myself in a Haitian's shoes, no matter how hard I try to detach myself from the "rich white American" label that Haitians automatically put on me, and no matter how hard I try to understand what it is like to live in extreme poverty, I never truly will.


You see, even if I were alone, down to my last penny (or gourde), out of food, and homeless, I would still be better off than your average Haitian.  Why?  Because it would only take a couple phone calls to my friends/family/church in the United States and I would be taken care of.   Because, even if I personally have nothing, I have "wealthy" people in my life that could and would help me.  I am not saying that I just expect others to take care of me, but I know that if I were in trouble or in need, someone would be there to help.  That is not the case for most Haitians.


I hate to continue to bring up what happened to me, but that is what sparked these thoughts.  So, for example if a Haitian woman was assaulted like I was, who would be there for her?  Rape, abuse, and assault are common for most Haitian women.  It is almost the cultural norm in Haiti.  When they are hurt by a man, who sweeps in and takes care of them?  They may have family and friends that support them emotionally, but they would never be able to just pack up and fly to the United States like I did.  They are stuck….stuck in their tiny shacks called home, stuck without enough money to provide for themselves or their family, stuck without good medical care, and stuck in abusive situations.  They accept that they are valueless because that is how they are treated.  They remain in abusive situations because they have no where else to go.  They accept that life will never get better for them because they can see no hope in the future.  


I cannot understand what that is like.  Even if I tried, I could not put myself in their shoes.  As hard as I try to understand Haitian life and be "on their level", I will always be looked up to because of my skin color and nationality.  If I can't figure out how to break that barrier between us by lowering myself to their level, what can I do?  It looks like my only option is to go deeper, stretch beyond wealth, and show them that my true joy and "wealth" comes from the Lord.  I cannot promise them a life where they are never hungry, never homeless, never sick, and never poor, but I can give them hope for eternal life.