Quick Stats

80% Unemployment
54% without clean water
1 in 10 children die before the age of four
300,000 Child slaves
48% illiterate
49% malnourished
50% of children attend school
Top three most corrupt governments in the world
Cite Soleil is#1 most dangerous place on earth.
Over 50% practice voodoo

Geography and Weather
Haiti occupies the western third of the island of Hispaniola. The Dominican Republic occupies the other two-thirds. Haiti is in the Caribbean Sea and lies between Cuba and Jamaica. It has a land space of 27,750 miles and is slightly smaller that the state of Maryland. The terrain is mostly rough and the weather is tropical and semiarid. The Capitol of Haiti is Port-au-Prince. The island lies in the middle of the hurricane belt. From June to October is rainy season and the island is subject to flooding.

People
The population in Haiti is 7,527,817. There is excess mortality due to AIDS. This fact results in a lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, reduced populate growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than otherwise would be expected. The infant mortality rate is 76.01 deaths to every 1000 births. The life expectancy of adult males is 50 years of age and females is 52 years of age. As of the latest poll in 2001, 6.1% of the population has contracted AIDS. In that same poll, it was found that 250,000 people are currently living with AIDS and there have been 30,000 recorded deaths due to the disease. Of the total population, 95% is black, while 5% is mulatto or white.

Language
French and French Creole are both predominantly spoken. Some areas have greater amounts of spoken English.

Religion
Roman Catholic, 80%
Protestant, 16% (Baptist 10%, Pentecostal 4%, Adventist 1%, Other 1%)
None, 1%; Other, 3%
Voodoo is practiced by millions and is now an official religion in Haiti.

Economy
Approximately 80% of the population of Haiti is unemployed. The median family income is $250.00 dollars per month US. Nearly 70% of Haitians rely on agriculture for their income. Following legislative elections in May 2000, international donors - including the US and Europe suspended almost all aid to Haiti. The economy shrank an estimated 1.2% in 2001
and an estimated 0.9% in 2002. This reduction will likely intensify in 2003 unless a political agreement with donors is reached on economic policy. Suspended aid and loan disbursements totaled more than $500 million at the start of 2003. Haiti is economically the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. There are constant battles to aid this county. Mission work in Haiti faces enemy onslaught as this is a country that is yearly dedicated to Satan in a contractual form. There are voodoo practices and worship of the dark. And the corruption exceeds anything I have ever seen.

The people are beautiful; the children, breathtaking. There is something so drawing about this country and I am hard pressed to believe that my heart will ever be able to fully extract itself from this land. Haiti is not without its challenges. The road system is difficult at best and the phones are not much better. There is a feeling of "we're all in this together" that is at first a concept that was difficult for my mind to grasp. Yet in subsequent visits, I am drawn to the attitude of the people and find myself wanting to be more like them. There is a simplicity in living with nothing. There seems to be a greater joy when not encumbered with the things of this world. Things I thought I would miss, like drinking water from a faucet, heat when I'm cold, some form of escape from heat when I'm hot, showers that work, the feeling of being clean... Those things I don't miss when I'm there. I miss my family. But when I return from Haiti to America, I miss how simple life is. I miss how slow things move and how quick things change. I miss the kindness and generosity. I miss being invited in to someone's home for a drink of juice. In America we hardly have time to acknowledge a "hello." In Haiti, the conversations linger long after the sun sets and you can hardly believe that three hours have gone by because you never thought to look at the watch you forgot to pack.

As I said, Haiti is not without its challenges. But you can ask just about any missionary that’s been there and they’ll tell you the same… My heart now resides in two countries.