They're NOT orphans.

Orphan:

noun 

a child whose parents are dead.

"he was left an orphan as a small boy" 

The Haitian government recently released statistics stating there are over 730 orphanages in Haiti. 80% of those orphans have LIVING PARENTS. 

If you search through websites of orphanages in Haiti, you'll find some provide the disclaimer that the children living in their facilities are not actually orphans. 

One well-funded, large orphanage website even describes parents relinquishing their children to them as the "ultimate act of love." 

What they are saying here is that when parents come to them as a resource, they ask parents to relinquish the child. 

So, the parents choose this act of love- so their babies don't die of starvation. 

Raise your hand if you've ever visited an orphanage on a short term mission trip? 

In Haiti, 80% of those kids have families living in the community. 

So, we changed the definition of orphan. 

For our "ministry" conveniences we redefined an orphan "as a child living without parents." and omitted "because their parents are dead." 

The children live without parents because we take them to our orphanages. Thus, orphan. 

The terrrifying thing about white privilege is that we write the definitions. 

Raise your hand if your church congregation does/or has supported an orphanage... 

Raise your hand if your youth group flies overseas to teach poor kids Jesus Loves Me... 

Martin Luther King said: God never intended for one group of people to live in superflous, inordinate wealth while others live in abject, deadening poverty"

Consider the implications of your mission trip while 80% of parents live in poverty on the streets.

As an organization, Haiti Mama asks you to support our efforts consciously, as we work consciously. 

If your congregation has the means to raise money for short term mission trips, please consider the impact of those donations to an organization that is working to keep children with their families, and families in their communities. 

Understand the impact of your support to the institutionalization of children.

Support families. Because 80% of "orphans" have them. 

#givesmart 

www.haitimama.org 

June Newsletter

The Blan in Haiti.

I've hit a phase that I suppose most Haiti wanna-do-gooders hit where you look around and realize you can't actually put a dent in the poverty here. 

The poverty on a macro scale is out of our control, because the macro systems in Haiti are out of control. 

We are left trying to fix a macro level problem with micro level interventions. There's no way to impact everyone. 

Mother Thersea said: If you can't feed every person in need, feed just one.

I have to stick with Mama T to measure my impact. 

But then, when you stop to assess the current interventions people are using to meet the need you see: 

White people wearing matching t-shirts with their hearts' promise to the Biblical commandment to care for the orphans of the world. 

Groups of white people traveling in huge caged trucks, staring out safely on their poverty safaris.  

You find tons of white-privilege Christians institutionalizing kids to have complete cultural control without getting dirty like everyone else. 

That's not what God meant.

I don't like NGOs.

I have one. 

I think white people are making things more complicated. 

I'm here. 

I'm white.

I've been feeding 30-40 people for a year because I didn't want anyone to die of starvation but I'm reinforcing dependency on white people. 

But we care, right? That's why we all show up. 

I care enough not to mess with it too much right now because I need to figure out what causes the least harm and does the most good first. 

 

Today, I told my social workers: "I don't want to run a white people organization in Haiti. 

Unless Haitians are helping Haitians- it's worthless. 

But- white people have the money-  so you need me to for that; and I will never hand over money without ensuring its used for best practice. 

But Haiti Mama needs to be a resource that empowers Haitians; not an organization that makes money off of feel-good Jesus orphan safaris. We need to be smart. So, we have to go slow. And YOU are the Haitians helping Haitians. God gave you that power, and that gift. You need to be leaders now." 

These men will do amazing things for their country given resources and training. 

Social Work in Haiti is uncharted territory and God has given us the power to empower Haitians through Haitians. That's a gift. 

Thank you for supporting Haiti Mama.