Gonaives

On Wednesday, David, Kent, Actionnel and I traveled to Gonaives to handle financial matters and purchase hardware. Our half day excursion into one of Haiti’s biggest cities provided us a brief look at life outside Bayonnais. The road into town is representative of the underdevelopment of the nation, requiring motorists nearly an hour to travel 17 miles; the one national highway, “Highway 1”, is at times little more than gravel. The city itself is daunting. I would not suggest that comfort cannot be found in Gonaives, because Actionnel and Lucner both reside there; however, the absence of development, the concrete and sheet metal dwellings, and the absolute deprivation were unlike anything I had ever seen. The presence of UN convoys, multi-national outfits sent with the impossible task of maintaining peace without force, is indicative of the despair. Perhaps this is too pessimistic; or, perhaps, the sordid streets of Gonaives represent the past while communities like Bayonnais, encouraged by the spirit of goodwill and the idea of empowerment through education suggest a changing trend.