Last Tuesday afternoon I went to the orphanage at the request of the sister who is responsible for the orphanage. The driver and another employee had picked up various items at the local office of a well known international charity. The charity regularly provides a variety of food and household items to the orphanage and I am sure to many other charities. The charity has been involved with many projects in Haiti and certainly has been helpful to many people. Some of the items we received had English labels on them so that the workers picking up the donation did not know what they were. The orphanage director wanted me to read the labels and translate so she would know what to do with the items. While there were very useful items like hand soap and anti-itch cream, there were also less than helpful items like several bottles of contact lens cleaner; none of our children or workers have contact lenses. I would assume that anyone who can afford to buy contact lenses in Haiti and knows where to get them can also manage to buy the solution needed to clean them. We are not sure what to do with it, but at least those bottles are small and not too dangerous.
The scariest of all items include large containers of a liquid that is designed to be used in large industrial dishwashers. In Haiti, people wash dishes with their hands. Maybe there are some dishwasher machines somewhere in the country, but I have never seen one, not even the kind you would have in a house. Dishwasher machines require consistent running water and reliable electricity. Jere. it is easier and probably more economical to pay people to wash dishes, especially because (unfortunately from a justice perspective) people are not paid in this country wages that would be anything close to minimum wages not to mention challenges with fixing a machine if a problem would arise. I read the label so I could explain what it is and contemplate what other purposes it may have. There were many warnings on the label explaining that contact with skin can cause chemical burns, breathing in the fumes can cause respiratory problems. Keep out of reach of children, Wear gloves, eye protection, a mask, and protective clothing when handling this item. The tops on these bottles are not even child-proof! Where should we store such a thing? Maybe we should just get rid of it, but how?? According to the label, it must be disposed of properly at a special chemical waste center. I don't want to pour dangerous chemicals on the ground at the orphanage where children eat the food that grows in the gardens and drink the water from the well.
Sometimes individuals and organizations with the best of intentions can cause harm even when their mission and desire is to do good. I can see that in the work that other organization and individuals do as well as organizations that I am or have been involved with. I must own the reality that I too, despite my desires can and probably at times do harm when I intend to do good.
And so I pray:
For the wisdom to chose actions that will truly empower and respectfully and justly assist those who are most in need.
For the honesty necessary to recognize the negative effects of my good intentions and to the extent possible always chose what best for the common good of all people and all creation.
For the ability to stand with the excluded, to see who is missing from the table and invite them in, to give preference to those who society has preferred to ignore, exclude or abuse.
San Souci
One of the sisters' schools, where I work once a week, is very close to San Souci. Last week, after school I went there for a few minutes with my camera. What intrigued me most were the plants growing on, in and all around the ruins and of glimpses of Haiti framed by the skeletal remains of large windows.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Many blessings!
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