55%

One of the full-time missionaries at Mission of Hope Haiti (the organization I've worked with on my two previous trips to the country) wrote this blog post today on the state of education in the nation: Uneducated. This was a great reminder today of why I'm moving to Haiti.

She writes, "I believe Haiti will become all God intended it to be when God is glorified, and children are educated."

55% of the Haitian population is illiterate. 55%. There is no public education system in Haiti. All schools are private, and school costs money. Not just for tuition, but for uniforms, text books, supplies, etc. The majority of Haitians live on less than $2 a day. When parents can't even afford food for their children on a daily basis, education gets pushed down the list of luxuries they choose to spend their money on. A parent shouldn't have to chose between fulfilling the immediate needs of their child and investing in their education - an education that will enable their child to provide for themselves in the future.

When our group inquired about the economy in Haiti on my last trip, one of the full-time missionaries explained how contrary to popular belief, there are jobs in Haiti. The key is that many people don't have the education and skill set to fulfill those jobs. And thus, the cycle of poverty continues.

This is why I'm thrilled to be able to help give children in Port-de-Paix, Haiti an education. I love how as a teacher I will have an opportunity to help a child in a way that makes a lasting impact. I will have the opportunity to make an investment in Haiti that goes beyond providing a short-lived hand-out. And the best part is, I get to do that through the name of Christ. Not only will what I do in the classroom be making an investment that will hopefully produce fruit for years to come in Haiti, but I will be making an investment in eternity.

(Sonlight Academy)