Cabin Fever

On my country's Day of Independence, I can't help but reflect on some big questions of human rights. And I can't help but think about some dark parts to America...

Here are some things that have invaded my thoughts today:

~American Exceptionalism...and our hurting cultures domestically and abroad
~Freedom and what it means to actually be free. Why do the caged birds sing?
~Money. Capitalism has enslaved me and all of America. How does a Christian deal with living in a money-consumed society.
~The Land of Opportunity
~Social mobility
~Poverty in Des Moines
~College education and how amazing the US has educated me
~The desire of so many Haitians to study in the US or in Canada because they long for an education
~Roads in the US...They're paved, they are taken care of, they are a positive externality
~Positive Externalities n the US (roads, parks...)
~Negative Externalities in hte US (pollution...)

I adore my country. I feel so patriotic today. At school, I had the kids do a fun activity. We all cut out 3 stars: one white, one red, and one blue. I then told them that ttoday was a special holiday in the US...the exact same thing as the 1st of January for Haiti. It's our day of independence.

The kids then colored pictures on the 3 stars...the American flag, stars, stripes, USA, scrbbles... It was so fun to see what they colored! One girl, Sarafina, traced her hand on the white star. She then colored it in with red stars. What a beautiful image, I thought to myself. That's exactly what the Fourth of July in America is all about. Our handprints show our independence. Each of us has our own image...our own handprint...our own imprint of the Independence Day.

Freedom....

Freedom is something I do not feel here in Haiti. Mathilde and I have been calling it Cabin Fever. And, we are definitely feeling some serious Cabin Fever. We can't (and shouldn't) walk around the city without a gang of bodyguards...why? Because we're white. We work in the mornings at teh school and then we go to the hous and find things to do in the backyard, in our rooms, or anound the house. But...boy has Cabin Fever hit us hard. I just wanna run and screem and dance and sing and ride my bike and walk around!

I feel as if I'm trapped.

But, living in Haiti for a long enough time teaches me that I'm not the only one who feels this Cabin Fever.

Haitians are trapped.

They are trapped in Leogane...There is nothing to do in this city. People that I live with talk about this often with me. If you need anything...education, materials, medical care, supplies...you must go to Port-au-Prince.

They are trapped in Haiti...Haitians have so many obstacles preventing them from traveling or living in other countries. Getting a passport to visit America is not enough...Every Haitian needs a Visa just to travel to the USA for a weekend. And, gietting a Visa or a passport in Haiti is a huge event. You must take language tests, have money, have connections, have money to get ytourself to and from Port-au-Prince a dozen times to fill out forms, turn forms in, an dbring more money, you must have so many things that are so hard for Haitians to get.

I'm not the only one who feels Cabin Fever. Haitians are in their own cabin and they are often trapped by their position in the world. Not every Haitian want to get out of Haiti...but, there is still a sense of wanting more. They know there is a better way to live. They can see the pollution on their roads, they can smell the almost dead dogs, they can see the poverty. They know misery...and they want out.

I've been doing so much praying and thinking about Haiti. Gosh, I love this country. Gosh, I love these people. Haiti will always be a part of my life.

Lyrics I'm Humming:

OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD