Once the richest European colony in the Americas, Haiti is now the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Roughly half of all Haitians live in absolute poverty (earning less than $1 a day) and have no access to clean water.
Haiti is a Caribbean nation less than 700 miles Miami’s glitzy skyline – a day’s drive if your car could float, or a short international flight. Yet very few Americans know much about the country.
From the beginning of its rich but tragic history, Haiti has been shaped by the actions of adventurers, missionaries, opportunists, and governments. All the good and the bad of Haiti are a product of that history.
“All generalizations are false, including this one.” Mark Twain
We should be cautious about accepting simplistic explanations about Haiti, and we should be slow to criticize. Northwest Haiti Christian Mission believes that understanding the country, its people and its communities is an essential part of demonstrating Christ’s love in Haiti.
Reliable statistics about Haiti are hard to come by. Relatively little data is kept by the Haitian government, and false assumptions and misinformation run rampant even among frequent visitors to Haiti.
Please spend some time here getting to know the country we call home. You’ll be glad you did.
