Part 8: DEFEND
Adapt
Downtown Port-au-Prince and the airport are under military control and Kevin’s mobility is limited. He avoids public markets, gatherings, or churches and moves between houses frequently. Jè and Henri continue their plan to build out the Ti Legliz comms network. Kevin stays clear of Carrefour and the Ti Legliz base community. Since vehicles are being stopped and searched by anyone with a gun, it would be “imprudent”. Besides, he’s down to his last gerry-can of gasoline and that’s for his final run to the airport.
Jè remains the visible coordinator with Pastor Tomas and the group at Bon Chance. Kevin receives updates during their technical meetings. Solange, Henri, and Panielle have trained deputies who are beginning to organize with surrounding communities. But as visible leaders, they’ve been targeted again. Panielle learns that he’s on the US Embassy list as a Cuban agent which is ridiculous. He can’t even speak Spanish and has a French passport. But he says goodbye and disappears immediately. Through his own contacts, Father Jean confirms that Henri is on another death list and can’t be seen in the community. Solange still has freedom of movement but only if she dresses as a traditional peasant woman.
The Generals have allowed business to resume and all the black markets thrive. Kevin receives a warning that the military intends to clear out the Bon Chance camp, long considered a hot bed of Lavalas terrorists. Using his Protestant connections, Jè quickly negotiates an agreement to extract Pastor Tomas and his group from the camp. No security will be provided. Kevin never expects any, so he arrives with the trucks to take a head count and distribute cash to each family’s head of household. It takes entirely too long to load everyone and before long, the rest of the camp descends on them. Fortunately, Solange and Esperanza had done a census of the families and gave the list to Kevin. With Pastor Tomas and some imposing church deacons at his side, Kevin checks everyone against the list before handing them their envelope. Just as the crowd is turning into a mob, they get everyone in the truck and escape in a cloud of dust and threats. The military clears the camp the very next day; burning everything and everyone that remains.
Kevin doesn’t know where Pastor Tomas’ group landed because Jè and Solange each arranged their part and kept everyone else out of the details. NGO Tech quickly agrees it’s best that no American knows the location. However, the plight of this group has been well publicized within the NGO Tech network, so they must maintain contact and support. In the end, Jè and Solange remain on staff. Pastor Tomas will contact them when it’s safe. This allows Jè to stay in Carrefour when he’s not at Ti Legliz.
The station hasn’t paid anyone since the coup, so there’s barely any programming. Just country and western gospel music and “updates” from the Haitian provisional government. Henri and Solange have been donating all their NGO wages to the Ti Legliz war chest. After a few cryptic calls with the NGO accountants, Kevin types up an expense report with very large, round numbers in Gourde currency for transportation, food, security, housing and contingencies. Then he drops the report into the missionary air-mail bag at the Mission church with a note promising details when he’s back in the US.
President Aristide has been forced into exile, so all of Kevin’s GOH contacts are in hiding or out of the country. Most of the foreign staff involved in refugee resettlement have already been evacuated. Since the cost of their belongings was covered by their relocation stipends, they leave their things behind when they leave. Kevin has keys to several houses and checks in on them occasionally to make sure there aren’t any water leaks. The missionary and NGO groups all insist they will return when it’s safe. Since Kevin can’t be everywhere and the houses are empty anyway, he uses them as temporary quarters for Haitians who can’t get into any of the other safe houses.
One afternoon after a failed attempt to refuel his Lada, Kevin is stopped by a Haitian police officer who gives him a citation. It’s in French but Kevin’s able to read that he must present himself at the police station before end of today. Kevin thanks the officer for his service and drives back to his apartment discuss it with Guardian Joel. Joel looks at it very closely before turning back to Kevin with a strange expression, “I’ll take care of this.” Kevin is surprised, “Can you do that? Settle police summons for me? Do I need to come with you?” Joel shakes his head vigorously, “No, No! It’s best that I go alone. You wait here.”
Kevin agrees and hangs around the courtyard for a few hours, waiting for Joel to return. When does, he’s wearing a big smile. Kevin asks, “Do I need to go there again? Did you pay the fine for me? Let me pay you back!” Joel laughs, “No need. It was all a misunderstanding. They mistook you for someone else.” Kevin is relieved but then asks, “What if I went to the station instead of you?” Joel looks around very carefully to make sure no one is near, ” Ou pa ta retounen.”
The next night at a safe house, Kevin casually shares the story while being introduced to some unnamed Haitians, laughing at its ending. The Haitians do not laugh along. The oldest asks, “Do you see what’s happening?” Kevin stops laughing when he realizes how serious the man is. He responds hesitantly, “The world is burning and there’s no water?” The rest of the house has gathered now and Kevin starts to get the feeling he’s on the wrong end of an intervention. The man continues, “You’re being followed by the military. The Embassy knows you by name. The police are trying to kidnap you. Are you sure you weren’t followed here?” Kevin’s face pales as he slowly shakes his head. “I took the usual precautions, but that really only keeps the thieves from following me.”
Everyone sits quietly and listens to the mosquitos circling the room. Finally, Kevin asks, “Have I become a liability?” Without hesitation the man replies, “Never. You’re family and we worry about you. I know you won’t agree to leave Haiti tonight, but will you allow us to pray for your safety?” Kevin laughs harshly, “God stopped caring about any of us long ago!” No one reacts as the man smiles calmly, “Do you trust us?” Kevin looks around at the unfamiliar faces and replies softly, “Yes. I really do.” The man nods in satisfaction and gestures toward the surrounding faces. “We’d like to pray for you in the old way. Will you allow that?”