Important Update on Haiti
OUR PROGRAMS ARE STILL RUNNING IN HAITI
Haiti is at a critical crossroads. It is tough to overstate the danger that Haitians are facing from armed gangs on a day-to-day basis. This week, our own teammate put it this way: “Currently in Haiti, nobody asks the question if he will be kidnapped or assassinated but rather when it will be his turn.”
What we are asking for today is action.
Call or write your congresspeople. Tell them Haitians deserve to live in peace. A dangerous Haiti means more human trafficking, more violence, and less economic opportunity for our neighbors. Of course, an unstable neighbor does not guarantee the danger will not spread.
In the Asheville, NC, area, our representatives are Rep. Chuck Edwards, Sen. Ted Budd, and Sen. Thom Tillis. Elsewhere, or to find their contact information, go to: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member.
While our Haitian teammates continue to try to do their work the best they can, they and their families are living in fear every day. As their neighbors, it is our duty to support Haiti’s people. Please take a moment to make a difference.
Here is a sample of a email/letter that you can send:
Dear [insert name]:
I am writing to you and urging you to use your power and influence with Congress to help end the violence and instability in Haiti.
I am a [insert your name or position: example supporter or board member of the non-profit organization Consider Haiti (Considerhaiti.org)] We have provided healthcare clinics, water filters, and sustainable nutrition programs for over 20 years. We have a small and dedicated team of Haitian community healthcare workers that help identify malnourished children and enroll them into our nutrition program for 6 months to get their weight up to WHO standards. Once they are enrolled in our program our team provides the families with a water filter (as most families don’t have running water) and upon completion, we provide each family with a pregnant goat.
Our Haitian Director of Consider Haiti recently had to move his family from their home because warring gangs are fighting in his neighborhood. He recently summed up their plight by telling us “currently in Haiti, nobody asks the question if they will be kidnapped or assassinated, but rather when it be their turn”.
According to the Haitian Times, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported that, between January and mid-March, at least 530 people have been killed and more than 160,000 people have been displaced. People cannot work. Children cannot go to school.
As the most powerful nation in the world, and their neighbor, we have a moral obligation to help end this cycle of violence. If we fail to act, it will be a stain on our nation. If we truly care for the vulnerable and consider our nation to be a moral and just one, we cannot abdicate our responsibilities at this moment. What is our government doing to restore order and safety for our southern neighbor?
Please do the right thing and stand up for our friends in Haiti.
Sincerely,
{insert your name]