| Haiti is an island
nation in the Caribbean Sea. It is about 600 miles from
Florida and has a tropical climate. In spite of its
closeness to the U.S., the culture and people are very
different. It is the least developed country in the
western hemisphere. Ninety percent of the population
are black. The basic diet is beans and rice. The majority
of them are poor and uneducated; illiteracy is estimated
at 85 percent. The few schools are mostly run by churches.
Haiti has a strong French influence.
The French language is spoken by the elite; however,
the majority of the masses speak Creole which is a mixture
of French and African. Most children speak Creole until
they enter school where they are required to switch
to speaking, reading and writing French.
Haiti has been under a dictators rule
for many years. They currently have a very fledgling
democracy but there is still a lot of civil unrest.
Last year we sent almost 100 children
to school who would have had no other chance for an
education.
DOROTHY'S MISSON HOUSE IS LOCATED
IN CAP-HAITIEN
|
