Haiti, Pt. 2

The other night before bed, we heard the unmistakable sound of machine gun fire down in Port Au Prince. We learned later that a group of five Haitians were on the way back to the beach and got shot up by one of the gangs: one death and the rest injured. Safe--or relatively so--up in the compound, it sounded like the fireworks of celebration.


In the morning, we went from Petion Ville to the edge of Cite Soleil--one of the most dangerous places on earth according to the UN. Our destination was well to the west of the red zone, but anything can happen quickly here (our Security Officer used the metaphor of the frog in gradually boiling water.) 

We found our way to the distribution point toward the back of the tent city. Today's distribution was "hygiene kits" (a black pail, two blue 10-gallon jugs, and two bars of soap). Ten or so well-armed MINUSTAH (United Nations) soldiers patrolled the area and gathered closer as tension built at the front of the line. Fear of running out of goods is a constant concern and the situation can turn violent immediately, a situation exacerbated by the growing presence of gang members gathered around the back of the truck.  They were demanding hygiene kits despite having no coupons, as trucks were gathered outside the gates to buy them as soon as they were distributed. Once the truck was empty, we cleared out quickly, as instructed.

It was heartbreaking to see the proud, preternaturally resourceful Haitian people lining up and moving through, glad simply to have made it through today's distribution: old men and women in American novelty t-shirts, babies in arms, young women still trying to maintain stylish hair, all with cellphones. Stay tuned.