Getting rid of my shades…

Ninoska, a Castle Warrior and I at the border about to cross into Haiti

For sixteen years I have lived, worked, and loved this island that is known as Quisqueya. Our work has been on the Dominican side and it was only this past week that I finally was able to cross to the Haitian side. Going to the other side was an amazing experience that has enriched my life tremendously and changed everything that I ever believed about Haiti.

The Dominican Republic and Haiti share the same piece of land in the Caribbean and they also share a difficult history. The history between these two countries is a road stained with conflict, racial prejudice and hatred. The result is a border that separates the languages, the culture, the sport, religious tradition but most tragically, the people. Everything that I ever understood about Haiti until this past week I understood with a Dominican understanding. It was like I was looking across the border with a pair of tinted glasses. I was close enough to see Haiti but my view was darkened by those Dominican shades.

I could see Haiti because so much of Haiti is here. There are Haitian Beteyes (Haitian communities usually for the purpose of farming) where we have been active in ministry for years. There is the history of independence from Haiti. Dominicans celebrate independence from Haiti. Independence was won in this city, Santo Domingo and my children have studied in a Dominican school. I have visited the monuments and sang the songs of liberty. My neighbors across the street are Haitian and I have missionary colleagues that plant churches among the Haitian community. Haiti has always been here, but I have never been to Haiti.

Last week, we took a team of Dominicans (Kings Castle warriors) to work with our missionary Miguel and Mairelys Ovalle in Port-a-Prince. Miguel has been a part of Castle practically from the beginning of Castle here in the DR. He and his wife are THE ONLY Dominican missionaries the LIVE FULL TIME in Haiti. They are giving their lives to reach the children of Haiti and that speaks volumes to the Haitian church.

If you could hear each story you would find that each of the Dominican Castle warriors would tell you about someone in their lives who did not understand why they wanted to go to Haiti. Someone who did not think it was worth the money to be spent on one week in a place of so much hopelessness. But this is a group of warriors they have heard the call to go to the other side and together we took off the shades of our understanding and got to see Haiti in a whole new light.