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| Missions |
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| Cap Haitien, Haiti |
| Mar 23 - Mar 29, 2007 |
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| Food and Lodging |
| The team will be housed at La Creole Hotel. The rooms are clean with fresh sheets and towels each day. Cold water and air conditioning are available when needed. Breakfast at the hotel is included and meals and water during the day will be provided for all team members. Bottled water is readily available; beans, rice and plantains are the main staples in Haiti. |
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| Dress Code and What to Bring |
| Modesty is the key. No tank tops, cut-off sleeves, or halter tops. It is warm and humid most of the year so light clothing is suggested though a sturdy pair of shoes and gloves will come in handy for those helping build the wall. Mosquitoes and the sun can be an irritation so bring plenty of repellant, sunblock, a hat, and some hand sanitizer. |
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| Travel Information |
Airport and Transportation:
Drive from Atlanta to Fort Pierce, Florida, then board Missionary Flights International for Haiti.
Visa and Passport Passport:
You must have a valid passport to enter Haiti.
Shots and Vaccinations:
Check with your local county health facility to see what you may need. You will definitely need
malaria pills for the week before, during, and 4 weeks after you return from Haiti; other shots are
also recommended.
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| Location Information |
Location Description:
Haiti is located in the Caribbean, the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola, between the
Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, west of the Dominican Republic. The climate is
tropical but the terrain is mostly rough and mountainous away from the coastal areas.
Weather:
Daytime temperatures in the Cap Hatien area during November range from 76-85’F.
and 60-70’F at night.
Area Attractions:
The Citadelle, high above Haiti’s once-fertile northern plains, like a stone ship jutting through the clouds, one of the engineering marvels of the New World, the largest fortress in the Western Hemisphere.
Labadee, an area located in northern Haiti that is famous for its striking natural beauty and great beaches;
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| People, Culture and Religion |
Languages: Most people in Haiti speak Creole or French though they are delighted when you attempt to speak their language. We will have English interpreters with us and many in Haiti have family members in Miami so they are anxious to learn English.
Religion: Roman Catholicism is the state religion, which the majority of the population professes. An estimated 20 percent of the population practices Protestantism. Protestant churches of numerical strength are Assemblées de Dieu, the Convention Baptiste d'Haïti, the Seventh-day Adventists, the Church of God, the Church of the Nazarene, the Église Episcopale d'Haïti and the Mission Evangelique Baptiste du Sud-Haïti. Many Haitians also practice Voodoo, whether exclusively or alongside their Christian observances.
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| Government and Economy |
The native Taino Amerindians - who inhabited the island of Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola, and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the island, which later became Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint L'Ouverture. After a prolonged struggle, Haiti became the first black republic to declare its independence in 1804. The poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has been plagued by political violence for most of its history. After an armed rebellion led to the departure of President Jean-Betrand Aristide in February 2004, an interim government took office to organize new elections under the auspices of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah). The election of a new president in 2006 has given the nation new hope.
In this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, 80% of the population lives in abject poverty. Two-thirds of all Haitians depend on the agriculture sector, mainly small-scale subsistence farming, and remain vulnerable to damage from frequent natural disasters, exacerbated by the country's widespread deforestation. The economy grew 1.5% in 2005, the highest growth rate since 1999. Haiti suffers from rampant inflation, a lack of investment, and a severe trade deficit. In early 2005, Haiti paid its arrears to the World Bank, paving the way for reengagement with the Bank. The government is reliant on formal international economic assistance for fiscal sustainability. Remittances are the primary source of foreign exchange, equaling nearly a quarter of GDP in 2005.
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| Haiti Statistics |
Area: 27,750 km2
Capital: Port-au-Prince
Population: 8,301,478 (July 2006 est.)
Nationality: Haitian(s)
Languages: French (official), Creole (official)
Ethnic Groups: black 95%, mulatto and white 5%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 80%
Protestant 16%
Baptist 10%
Pentecostal 4%
Roman Catholic 80%
Protestant 16%
Adventist 1%
none 1%,
other 3%
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