7450: Usefulness of Spring Break Missions (Jafrikayiti) (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Jean Saint-Vil <jafrikayiti@hotmail.com>

Shirley Jean wrote:

«I can't help but question the whole idea of groups of students going on 
spring break or missionaries going to Haiti to help all "those Haitians" in 
need. In the pit of my stomach, I sense overtones of white man's burden type 
rationale... are they serving a pragmatic function and all I am doing is 
looking for something negative in my
Haitian-always-have-to-find-something-to-complain-about self. What do others 
think? »

At the risk of being classified in the ranks of 
«Haitians-always-have-to-find-something-to-complain-about», I will say that 
my gut feeling is also that our people's «empovrishment» has indeed become a 
sort of tourist attraction for many who live in the enriched nations of the 
«First World». CARE Int'l, for instance, is now using images of our 
revolutionary Red and Blue flag intertwined with the sad faces of our hungry 
and naked black children to promote itself on television. Is this innocent?

Furthermore, is it not interesting to note how, recently, users of anonymity 
on Corbettland have openly identified by name someone they portray as being 
the most dangerous woman of Haitian Politics, bluntly accusing her of the 
most outrageous criminal deeds. Yet, some (others?) who claim anonymity in 
order to discuss the misdeeds of foreign missionaries seem so concerned for 
their safety that, even under such cover, they dared not name the culprits 
whose acts they claim to denounce.

Does this mean Haiti?s missionary mafia is so much more connected and 
dangerous than any likely political counterpart? Or are there other reasons 
why the identity of Haiti?s naughty missionaries remains «state secret»?

In any case, for the benefit of those who are curious about Haiti?s 
Missionary Industrial Complex, I thought it worthwhile to undug Babette 
Wainwright?s 1999 article that deals, among other things, with the issue of 
deceitful sollicitation of funds in the name of Haiti's hungry naked black 
children. I came across it for the first time in Haiti-Progrès? «This Week 
in Haiti».

Here is a very telling quote, taken from the article:

«When we pressed questions about the misery and hunger we saw in Jeannette, 
Bishop White finally admitted to us, emphatically, that THE GOAL of the 
Mission IS NOT TO HELP THE PEOPLE of Jeannette, and that the land and 
building do not belong to the community but are, in fact, church property. 
He said the Bishop of Haiti is in charge and we were essentially guests of 
the priest, therefore the Haiti Project is simply a way FOR THE CHURCH 
MEMBERS TO IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN THE CULTURE in hopes of having a conversion 
experience.»

For the complete article, click:

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/43a/146.html

When Americans, Canadians, French and Israelites desire to help each other 
strenghten their educational, health or other socio-economic infrastructure, 
they know exactly how it is to be done. No one calls on CARE, PLAN and 
VISION Mondiale - Not even when «helping» our brothers and sisters in the 
ghettos of Washington. Why can't Haitians (Afrikan peoples in 
general)receive real help instead of crumbs that serve to support, maintain 
and display a museum of human misery. All these good missionaries and 
secular liberals could do so much «real» good, if instead they pressured the 
governments of their own enriched nations - so they may, for instance:

* repond positively to the call for Reparations to peoples empovrished by 
the African Slave Trade (there are already good efforts lead by people like 
U.S. Senator John Conyers and Randall Robinson of Trans-Africa).

* stop sponsoring political unrest in our empovrished countries


Finally, let me say that besides the well meaning missionaries and secular 
philantrophs that help to pertuate the status quo innocently, and the many 
thieves that are stealing money and physically abusing innocent children and 
adults in the name of Jesus (as they may well be doing also in the name of 
other dieties)- one must also think about the often overlooked psychological 
and social damage caused by these «friends of haiti». I have a family member 
that was reported missing for several years - until one day she was rescued 
from one of the many «Christian slave making cults» that hold fort in the 
mountains overlooking Port-au-Prince. Sò Kle may never recover for this 
traumatic experience.

After 500 years, the missionary field must evolve a little, I think.

Jafrikayiti
(a.k.a. Jean Saint-Vil as a result of French colonial violence)
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