17035: Vishnusurf: Re: 17031: jhudicourt: Re: 17029: Labrom: 17018 - Database for visitors (... (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: VISHNUSURF@aol.com

m. hudicourt makes some provocative points here, but let's please keep in
mind that there are many missionaries in haiti who certainly are not tourists and
whose work is of tremendous value. i always see the groups of folks who
breeze in for a short stint to do whatever, and i expect that hudicourt meant only
to comment on them. fine. but i would like to think that every once in a while
someone in those groups is so moved by haiti and by god to return permanently
and do something truly wonderful and invaluable.  in any case, the temps must
be distinguished from the permanents.

on the tourist question, i would also add that there is a significant
industry in "religious tourism" flowing in to haiti. i mean the thousands of haitian
djaspora who each year return for spiritual obligations and pilgrimages like
SODO and La Fete de Notre Dame, etc...