You may have heard in the news about Haiti’s political situation and economic struggles. Here is just a brief look at what’s going on…
Added to that, the value of the gourde (Haitian currency) is plummeting. Five years ago, $1 US was equivalent to about 45 gourdes. In January of 2018, $1 US equaled 63 gourdes. Today, with $1 US being equivalent to 95 gourdes, Haitians have half the buying power as just five years ago. Can you imagine having the cost of everyday needs doubled while trying to maintain your already tight family budget? When a bag of rice costs almost twice as much as it did two years ago, life gets very difficult in rural Haiti.
Inflation in Haiti is soaring. The price of food and other basic needs are up. Political unrest has caused temporary closures of businesses and forced price increases for common household goods. “Two years ago, a bag of basic staples such as rice, beans, cooking oil and vegetables could be purchased for around $10…. The same basket of goods today is $19.60, almost double the price. The costs of everything from water and kerosene to transportation and school fees are soaring.”
“The economy is bad, really bad. Food prices are going up… You have to work three days just to buy rice and cooking oil.”
How do we respond? Now more than ever, with the cost of transportation and medical care skyrocketing, we must continue to offer affordable and local healthcare. With the uncertainty created by the political situation, we must encourage our Haitian friends to be grounded in God’s Word and to know that they are citizens of heaven first. With the cost of rice and most staples almost doubled, it’s even more important to make sure that EACH CHILD in our schools is receiving a hot lunch every day.
“When you are hungry, it’s not sweet,” said one Haitian gentleman. “Food should not be a luxury.”
Please continue to pray for the country of Haiti and the people of Haiti. Pray for perseverance for families who struggle to get ahead. Pray for God to bring integrity into the government. Pray for the most vulnerable in Haiti to be cared for well. Pray that God would be glorified through it all.
Do you want to do more to help? Consider giving monthly where needed most as part of The Cornerstone Club – a group of dedicated World Wide Village supporters who want to build a strong foundation for God’s work in Haiti. LEARN MORE.