I am writing this note from Haiti. I traveled back here in late October. It took a bit of doing to nail down my plans but I finally I bought a ticket on United Airlines. At that time there was only one flight scheduled each day into Haiti from the US. It was an eerie trip. There were only seven people on the plane.
All went smoothly. To avoid driving the dangerous roads out of Port au Prince, I took a little “puddle jumper” from the PAP airport to the Jacmel airport where I was met by friends who drove me to Leogane where I live.
On the road, however, we came upon a barricade of various boards and trash. When we stopped, a group of men surrounded the car, each wearing a black bandana over his face. They started to question the driver.
“Where are you going?”
“Why should we let you through?”
I was sitting in the back seat of the car, and the windows were tinted so they didn’t see me. As they started to make demands for money, I rolled down the window. Startled, they looked at me.
“MICHAEL! What are you doing here?”
The gang was none other than a group of men I knew. They had been kids, years ago, running around a worksite where I was leading a building crew. They laughed, stepped back, and moved some of the debris out of the way so we could drive on.
People need money and will hustle in any way available. It is important through it all to remember that each person has a story, a community, and an eagerness for friendship.
Michael Anello, Executive Director
We couldn’t drive through.