< Previous For the human rights activists, the community organizers, the base communities, and the generous, welcoming angels who kept me safe. For the clergy, believers, and non-believers. For my Haitian, African, American, Australian, Belgian, Canadian, Columbian, Cuban, Dominican, Dutch, German, and Jamaican brothers and sisters who hoped for justice and dreamed of peace. There … Read more
< Previous Henri sees this happening but is having trouble of his own. Somewhere along the line, a nail cut through his right tricep and that arm doesn’t work anymore. He’s got the water jug rope wrapped around his lame arm so tightly he can’t feel it. Another cross-current wobbles them, tangling Henri, Jocylyn, and … Read more
< Previous Part Nine (Nevyèm): EXIT Survive/Die? Port-de-PaixChristmas Eve, 1991 Late that night, Jè arrives at the Port-au-Paix cathedral and is surprised to find its doors unlocked. He can hear piano music but doesn’t hear voices. He pushes a door open and steps inside. Jè has never been in a Catholic cathedral before, just the … Read more
< Previous Mother Mary’s They arrive at Mother Mary’s with Ti Mon, Jocelyn and her baby just in time for dinner. The nuns quickly swarm around them. They guide everyone but Matt into a nearby women’s dorm and close the door. Matt’s not sure what to do with himself until an older priest approaches him. … Read more
< Previous Part 8 (Wityèm): DEFEND Extract Montana Hotel Ashley and Matt are driving their Land Cruiser from their guest house to the Montana Hotel. It’s Sunday, so Jocelyn should be at church services this morning. They’re dressed in their best “missionary garb”; Matt in white shirt with clip-on tie and Ashley in her most … Read more
< Previous Kevin looks lost in thought and Father Vitor waits for him to continue, “I wasn’t going to mention this today, but my NGO told me that my last chance airline ticket will be at the Pan Am counter on New Years Day.” Father Vitor nods his head, “That’s the signal. You’ve become a … Read more
< Previous Part 8 (Wityèm): DEFEND Organize Mother Mary’s The thrice-damned roosters announce the morning as Kevin arrives at Mother Mary’s. The guardian looks carefully in Kevin’s SUV before waving him through the gate. Kevin grins at him and says, “No contraband this time. But thanks for double-checking!” The guard knows enough English to crack … Read more
< Previous Petionville, Palace Pizzaria It’s late one night, after the blackouts are over for Petionville. Kevin is catching up with Ashley at the Palace Pizzaria, a dive bar that never really closes. What’s left of civil and social life is fragmented between rumors of violence, blackouts, and violence. So many friends and trusted colleagues … Read more
< Previous Part 8 (Wityèm): 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 … Read more
< Previous Part 7 (Setyèm): MEN WITH GUNS Police State Haiti The military rounds up what remains of the political opposition and installs a provisional government with vague assurances of future elections. Haiti is open for business again so come on down and place your bets and bribes. In response, the international community places an … Read more
< Previous La Boule Kevin relaxes slightly and takes the opportunity to light a cigarette, exhaling smoke downwind toward the soldier. The solder sniffs absently but doesn’t take his attention from the road block. Kevin leans out his window a bit farther so he can see what has the soldier’s attention. From one of the … Read more
< Previous Part 7 (Setyèm): MEN WITH GUNS Martial Law Petionville Apartment September 30, 1991 Zero-dark-thirty. Kevin jolts awake, his heart racing. He lies still and a few beats later, hears gunfire. He’s asking himself if they were real or just the neighbor kids raising hell again, when several staccato cracks convince him this is … Read more
< Previous Part 6 (Sizyèm): BETRAYAL Huddled Masses Bon Chance Refugee Camp After finishing up some meetings in Petionville a few days later, Kevin receives a panicked request via Tele-Joel to place a collect call to NYC. He finds a Telco, pays the “seating fee” to wait for a phone and makes the call. He’s … Read more
< Previous The flight from Miami arrives and a mix of Haitian and American passengers begin exiting the airport. The Haitians move quickly to their waiting vehicles while the Americans knot together in small groups with their piles of luggage. The street kids mix in with the Americans like sharks among baby seals. At the … Read more
< Previous Part 6 (Sizyèm): BETRAYAL Observers Port-au-Prince The new arrangement between Kevin’s NGO and the station’s board has changed his day-to-day activities. His new mission is to be tour guide, interpreter, and “our man in Haiti” for recent blan arrivals. The Aristide government is a focus of interest for the usual suspects, for reasons … Read more
< Previous Part 5 (Senkyèm): LESSONS Survival Carrefour After returning with Jè, Kevin settles into a new routine at the station. The Head Engineer has postponed his vacation. Tim is busy in Petionville, setting up soft rock radio station for the upper classes. Making everything less difficult, Kevin has also solved his transportation problem. Jè … Read more
< Previous Part 5 (Senkyèm): LESSONS Choices Ti Legliz Village As the summer draws to a close, the pastors in Ceyes and the Americans at Protestant Radio are asking more questions about Kevin’s activities and whereabouts, now that his mission has been accomplished. Jè suggests that Kevin return to the station the following weekend. Kevin … Read more
< Previous Part 5 (Senkyèm): LESSONS Resilience Ti Legliz Village Kevin spends the rest of his time at Ti Legiz climbing up and down Mount Boueffe and working on other projects as assigned by Solange or Father Jean. He sends reports to Tim and Head Engineer about progress, never mentioning that he’s not camping on … Read more
< Previous Sitting on the ground while considering options, Kevin hears new voices. He looks up and is sees an old Haitian man climbing the hill, followed by a young boy. Panielle is already watching carefully. When the man arrives at the tower, he begins telling a lengthy story. Kevin can’t follow it, but Panielle … Read more
< Previous Mount Boeffe, Southern Haiti Mountain Range Their meal complete, Solange and Father Jean say goodbye. “We’ll be over at the orphanage for the rest of the day if anyone needs us.” Henri takes Kevin, Panielle and the rest of the men into a small garden shed behind the chapel. He turns on a … Read more
< Previous Ti Legliz As they walk, Kevin sees that this base community is a strongpoint that could easily become a kill zone. The houses are arranged around the stone chapel inside a walled town square. Kevin has heard from reliable sources that the GOH / cartels will send “tax collectors” into some of these … Read more
< Previous Part 4 (Katriyèm): COLLABORATORS Community Department of Sud, Ti Legliz Village Eventually they reach a plateau and the path fades into a small pasture, shaded by fir trees. There are a few well maintained homes arranged in a cluster around a one-story chapel which anchors the town square. This community isn’t on any … Read more
< Previous Department of Sud, Highway 1 toward Cayes Jè drives the station’s small Geo SUV on the main highway south. Highway 1 is really just a two-lane road with one shared lane of asphalt. Kevin doesn’t have a driver’s license or any documentation other than his US passport and a letter of Radio Protestant … Read more
< Previous Jè and Kevin step away and catch their breath before returning to the bags. Kevin dumps one onto the floor, disgorging a cloud of dust, chemicals, and rat droppings into the work space. Jè does the same with the remaining bag and a plume of dust fills the engineering bay. Coughing and sneezing, … Read more
< Previous Part 4 (Katriyèm): COLLABORATORS Safety First Radio Protestant, Carrefour Kevin spends the next week preparing for his excursion to Mount Boeffe in Southern Haiti. It’s one of the highest peaks on a mountain range that begins near Miragoane and then bisects Haiti with Cayes to the south and Jeremie to the north of … Read more
< Previous The damned roosters rouse Kevin and Ashley from their bamboo mat on the roof. They found a mosquito net at some point and arranged it in a tent/lean-to against the water barrel. They don’t hear any gunfire and the smoke has cleared. They make their way downstairs where Jocelyn has set up breakfast … Read more
< Previous Ashley chuckles ruefully before continuing, “But really, if we’ve been successful these past years the community will protect us as they will their own. We’re here without a safety net and I’m sorry for bringing you out here without explaining that first.” After considering this, Kevin shrugs and then grins, “I wouldn’t have … Read more
< Previous The next day Somehow amid everything else the night before, Ti Mon climbed up onto the roof and reconnected the fill line. Now the water barrel is filled. Everyone gathers around Ti Mon to thank him and his little face breaks out in a huge grin. Now there’s water for bathing, toilet flushing, … Read more
< Previous Part 3 (Twazyèm): REBELLION Self-Defense Mirogoane Stronghold They get back to the house and are unloading the truck when there’s a loud commotion outside their gate. A few dozen neighbors are shouting and shoving Ti Mon around. He slipped away after they’d arrived at the house and now the crowd has him. He’s … Read more
< Previous As the beach goers start packing up for the afternoon, Ashley suggests that they watch a soccer match at the municipal stadium. Kevin asks if they can still get tickets and she replies, “For a few dollars, we can get all the seats we want. Although since everything is general admission, we’ll probably … Read more
< Previous Miragoane Beach and Stadium At that, Ashley announces it’s a perfect time to go to the local beach. They load up their truck with some bamboo mats, towels, and a cooler full of water jugs. Jocelyn approaches Ashley and whispers something to her. Ashley replies, “Men, oui!” Jocelyn returns with a small boy … Read more
< Previous Matt is Australian. He’s in his late twenties and is big. Not fat, just a large man with light brown hair pulled back into a shaggy combination of samurai bun and Cheech & Chong pony tail. He has a loud voice with a very obvious Aussie accent and is impossible to ignore. With … Read more
< Previous Part 3 (Twazyèm): REBELLION Protect and Serve Mirogoane, Police Station Kevin’s quite anxious about approaching the police station, despite his measured bravado with Ashley. He’s starting to question this whole plan. But he can’t lose his nerve now. When does the last tap-tap return to Carrefour each night? And where would he go … Read more
< Previous Iron Market It’s afternoon and hot but the sun sets quickly this time of year and the roadside is shaded. Kevin meanders downhill, following the merchants in reverse as they make their way back up the mountain with empty baskets on their heads. He arrives at the Iron Market, a massive indoor/outdoor market … Read more
< Previous Mother Mary of Our Eternal Peace Since he’s arrived after 3 pm, Kevin is given a small cubicle with cot and wash basin for the night. Aside from a chair, table and ash tray, not a lot else. But in a safe place with God’s angels watching over him, Kevin sleeps like a … Read more
< Previous Part 3 (Twazyèm): REBELLION Networks Delmas Highway Kevin opens the camper shell and heaves his footlocker up into the truck’s bed. He walks to the passenger side with his backpack and climbs in. A young Haitian woman slides across to the middle of the bench seat to make room. She’s holding a notebook … Read more
< Previous Tim freezes, his eyes seeming to see Kevin for the first time. He slowly asks, “What exactly are you saying?” Kevin responds evenly, “I’m here on loan to your board. You can’t fire me because I’m independently funded and have air cover at the national level. And if you do, I’ll just go … Read more
< Previous Carrefour Kevin splits time between the FM station in Petionville and the main AM station and programming offices in Carrefour. The area around the station is growing rapidly as many Haitians from the provinces have been forced into the Port-au-Prince urban sprawl. Haiti’s political conflict has disrupted the country’s fragile economic system, resulting … Read more
< Previous Part 2 (Dezyèm): MISEDUCATION Missionaries “Whatever happened to those missionaries that disappeared after that firefight last week?”, Kevin asks. “I can’t believe we didn’t have any rounds come through the house.” Tim interrupts him, “Well, maybe you shouldn’t stand up on the roof when people are shooting at each other!” Kevin gives him … Read more
< Previous Delmas For the next week, Kevin settles into his new living arrangements at Tim’s house. Protestant Radio has a small FM station in the Petionville neighborhood just a few miles up the mountain from Delmas. Kevin doesn’t have access to any of the station’s vehicles, so he’s always hitching rides back and forth … Read more
< Previous Part 2 (Dezyèm): MISEDUCATION Dechokaj Delmas Highway Tim maneuvers the Isuzu around the burning debris and cement blocks strewn across the asphalt. The obstacles behind them and traffic clearing ahead, Kevin turns to Tim as he shifts into higher gear, “Did you see that? Was that really a burnt body at the roundabout?” … Read more
< Previous They round a corner in the road and see what’s causing the traffic jam. Two tractor trailers are overturned and pulled across the road, forming a zig zag path between them. The makeshift checkpoint is manned by about a dozen young men. They don’t have any visible weapons but are collecting a toll … Read more
< Previous Kevin follows as Tim maneuvers his way through the crowd, waving some sort of credential whenever someone steps aside too slowly. Following Kevin tries to seem friendly while avoiding eye contact. Sidestepping past a group of imposing, hard faced young Haitian men, Kevin has to stop abruptly when one steps in front of … Read more
< Previous Part 1 (Premye): ESCAPE / ARRIVAL Arrival Caribbean SeaNorthwest of Port-au-Prince, HaitiJanuary, 1991 Eleven months before Henri, Jocelyn, and baby Espwa set out on their voyage… The dull whine of the jet engines increases in pitch as the aging Boeing 727 begins its approach to Port-au-Prince International Airport. Kevin instinctively tightens his seat … Read more
< Previous As the sun disappears over the western horizon, the wind behind them picks up strength. At first, everyone smiles and laughs as the tiny boat begins to pick up speed and the temperature cools. But as twilight turns to night, the captain begins to look nervously over his shoulder. One by one, each … Read more
< Previous Part 1 (Premye): ESCAPE / ARRIVAL Escape Caribbean SeaNorthwest of Port-de-Paix, HaitiDecember, 1991 Henri sinks into the sea, his lungs burning as he fights his way toward the surface. It’s so dark that he struggles to tell which direction is up, but the sound of the storm that capsized the small fishing boat … Read more
Blan Fou A novel of Haiti, 1991 – 1992 This is all true, but much of it may also be real. Yours in solidarity (no exceptions),The Author and Unreliable Recaller Next >