“Ayiti Cheri” is a land of two extremes. For 23 months, everyone here has been desperately praying for rain. Due to no rainfall, the heat was absolutely intolerable and gardens yielded very little precious fruit and vegetables. The depleted soil and shriveled up roots continued the domino effect of driving up the prices of everything in the market.

Finally, after longing for precious drops of water to fall from the sky, the rains came. Everyone rejoiced in the tropical breezes and the relief from the heat. It may as well have been liquid gold coming down as far as we were concerned. But then it kept raining. Due to Haiti’s massive erosion problem, the little makeshift shanties perched precariously on the mountainside were washed away. The rivers swelled and many people drowned. At least ten people died, but there were probably more that we didn’t know about. Anyone who had a home located by the riverside was sure to have everything inside drenched. Our cook, Marie, came to work one morning looking tired and haggard. “Everything in my house is wet. The bed, my clothes….everything is wet.” I found her later on our front porch sleeping on a bench. At least she had a dry spot to lay her head.

The definition of “wealthy” varies from country to country. As I sat in the living room of our mission house, I realized that I was indeed very rich. The ceiling doesn’t leak, our beds are dry, and there is food in the kitchen. These things alone make me extremely thankful. Meanwhile, we ask you to remember our Haitian friends who are still clearing out the mud from their homes and yards and praying that the rains will not start back up for a little while.