I’m determined to show bits of progress. You have to look closely but signs of progress are there… New churches are being planted. A school has been founded in the village of Dociné where 225 kids attend. This fall they will have 270! And all the teachers have proper teacher certificates. It’s not slip shod: not the quality of the school construction or the academics. That region is going to make progress as these kids grow up.

Ah, Haiti. Yes, it is easy to criticize, big deal. Even while I was in Gonaïves last week teaching a group of fifteen church leaders there ran a New York Times article bringing up the same issues with the same photos: “Look at the waste; where’s the progress? it’s all so slow.”

Well, I’m determined to show bits of progress. You have to look closely but signs of progress are there thanks to committed pastors like my Mission to the World colleague, Esaie Etienne.

He has organized the theology training program that I’ve been associated with for seven years. Guys are maturing in doctrine and leadership. New churches are being planted. He’s helped found a school in the village of Dociné where 225 kids attend. This fall they will have 270! And all the teachers have proper teacher certificates. It’s not slip shod: not the quality of the school construction or the academics. That region is going to make progress as these kids grow up.

And look at the new block house that one of the young ladies in the church lives in with her nine brothers and sisters. At first glance you think, “Whoa, that’s not such a great place.” Then you look at the picture of the little hut next door where they all used to live. “Hey, that new place looks better all the time.” Esaie led the church to build the home only with Haitian resources.

The girl is the only believer in the family and it was quite a sign of love for the whole family to benefit from her association with Trinity Church. To get to the house we had to walk past a voodoo offering fire that was being prepared for later that night in the compound. The battle rages in the heavenlies.

The hundred mile trip back to the airport is so much easier now with the road paved all the way. We were cruising along just fine until we got to Saint Marc, a large market town. A group of truck drivers had decided to have a wildcat strike. They parked their trucks across the road so that the town was shut up like Jericho; no one went in or out of the city. The UN troops roamed around keeping calm but the fellows were from Argentina and really couldn’t communicate well with the spectators.

This is one of those occasions where belief in God’s Lordship over all comes in handy. We were able to remain calm and just think about any other possibilities. We were finally able to turn around and find a tiny side road that went through some deep mud holes. But the pickup was four-wheel drive so we got through fine. We found another side road which rejoined the national route literally just on the other side of the last truck. So off we went to the airport, there to find that my flight was three hours late, anyway!

Ah, Haiti. A country where you experience the Middle Ages up to the 21st century in one day. Vigorous energies, spinning wheels. Pray for Esaie and all the faithful people who are rebuilding the nation.

Gordon T. Woolard is a Teaching Elder in the Presbyterian Church in America and serves as a missionary with Mission to the World. He and his wife Marilyn live in Hollywood, Fla.