A Stubborn Hope by Jeanne DeTellis

Author:Jeanne DeTellis
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781622090174
Publisher: Jeanne DeTellis
Published: 2010-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Uncertain Times

For the next month, the mission curtailed its business in the city and shopped locally. Then, on February 7, 1986, Duvalier fled the country peaceably and moved to France. Other supporters of Duvalier also fled the country. One was the Haitian man who owned land right next to our mission and had smoothed our dirt road. Before he left, he sold his land to us for six thousand dollars. We hoped to eventually build a Mission Training Center there, complete with housing and dining facilities.

The personal police force of Duvalier was known as the Tonton Macoutes. Until now, they had controlled the people by intimidation and harsh punishments, wielding tremendous power over them. Many of the Tonton Macoutes had fled the country, although some remained behind, determined to try to control the new government.

Many of the voodoo priests were also members of the Tonton Macoutes and had enjoyed their power over the people. Now the Haitians had lost much of their fear and regard for the voodoo priests and had a greater sense of freedom.

Although the Tonton Macoutes had been cruel in their methods of keeping a tight control over the country, crime had been almost nonexistent. Yet, now that Duvalier had been overthrown, a smooth transition from a military government to a civilian one seemed impossible, especially since the Haitians knew little of the democratic process. Chaos erupted. During one uprising, several children were shot and killed. And because of the increasing fear of student demonstrations, the new civilian government temporarily closed the schools.

There were other demonstrations as well, usually paid for by protesters of the current government. Each time, mobs of angry people carrying sticks and machetes ran through the streets of Port-au-Prince, shouting political slogans. I even heard that dismembered human heads were put on sticks and paraded through the streets, as well as pictures of other atrocities, to instill fear into the people.

Once word got out that a demonstration was to take place, shop owners clanged their metal gates shut and vehicles stayed off the road, afraid of spray paint and stones that might be directed at them. Fortunately, because the mobs eventually became hungry, the demonstrations were usually short-lived.

Road blocks of burning tires or other obstacles were also set up on the highway in an effort to cripple the government. If you tried to pass, you might cause the wrath of those guarding the blockade, risking rocks or other forms of attack.

Despite the tremendous turmoil, we at NEW Missions had to ask ourselves: Were we going to allow our minds to become entangled with the political upheaval around us, or were we going to get on with what we were called to do—feeding, educating, and preaching the gospel to the poor?

Certainly, we had plenty to keep us occupied. As a new mission, we were getting many young missionaries who required training. And since the school enrollment had jumped from 500 to 1,500 in one year, we were busy registering children, taking their photographs, cutting uniform material, and overseeing the facilities.

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