Written by: Ashley Goad on May 8, 2014

(Note: I wrote this while sitting under my favorite mango tree in Haiti!)

Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Society by Jared Diamond may be the first book I have read completely from cover-to-cover in quite awhile. Perhaps it was because I was overcome by the narrative storytelling over the course of 13,000 years. Perhaps I was struck by the simplicity of three words to describe the major impacts of history. Or perhaps it was because I had ample free time at night with no electricity, which resulted in a lack of Internet or television distractions. Ultimately, I believe it was because I sat in the midst of chaos and hope, seeing the examples of the book illustrated through the life before me. Indeed, I have read this book over the course of two weeks in Haiti, and I am left with the same question of the author, “Why did history unfold differently on different continents?”[1] Diamond attempted to sum up the book by saying, “History followed different courses for different peoples because of differences among peoples’ environments, not because of biological differences amongst people themselves.”[2] However, as I sit here, I wonder, how did Haiti get so bad?

When you fly over the island of Hispaniola, you can actually view the border from thousands of feet above. The eastern side of the island is plush with vegetation and trees, while the western country is barren with stripped mountains. While the Dominican Republic inhabitants are rich in natural resources, agriculture, and tourism, Haiti barely survives as the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Instead of preserving their trees, they cut down every piece of wood possible to make charcoal for cooking. How did this happen? How did the once richest country in the hemisphere plummet to the bottom? Diamond recognizes the same quandary, listing examples of countries which share the same environment but have very different human institutions – South and North Korea; former West and East Germany; Israel and its Arab neighbors; and Dominican Republic and Haiti.[3] How did each of the first named countries in the pair develop into thriving economies? I have often answered that it comes down to good leaderships, solid institutions without corruption, and whatnot…but is that really it?

And then, I thought of this week. Still today, guns and germs continue to have a vital effect on the Haitian culture. United Nation vehicles and tanks run amuck with the goal of “keeping peace.” From this observer’s point-of-view, it appears they instead instill fear into the public through guns and heavy machinery, rather than actively creating peaceful societies with job creation, skills instructing, or leadership training in the police and governments. Likewise, and with tremendous irony, germs inadvertently brought into Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, the UN precipitated a massive and devastating cholera outbreak. Not only did the people deal with 300,000 lives lost and rubble clean up from one of the worst natural disasters in history, but even now they are still regrouping from the worst epidemic of cholera in recent history. With the next rainy season upon them, they have doubled their efforts in teaching good hygiene and the importance of clean water.

So, what is the answer? Why has Haiti not developed like Dominican Republic? I feel it would take an encyclopedia to answer this question, and not simply a 488-page book. The answer of course lies in Haiti’s tragic history. Its successful, but ultimately, self-defeating slave revolt at the turn of the 19^th century and its ostracization by the developed western nations has created an insurmountable economic and political tragedy. Between its history, the oppression of the people, the lack of education, no social infrastructure, soil erosion, unemployment, and underdevelopment of the economy (just to name a few things), will Haiti ever change its course and grow to give its people a life out of poverty?

While third world countries, such as China and India, are making remarkable progress in the acquisition of first world agricultural and technological advances[4], countries like Haiti have such dysfunctional human environments (social, political and economic) that their ability to emerge from the third world seems nearly impossible. But, as I sit here under this Haitian mango tree, I realize that all of this dysfunction will not stop me from spending time here. It is my home. In fact, the hopelessness of the situation in this country is one of, if not the primary, reason I continue to come here. There is hope in the hopeless. With God, all things are possible. He can perform any miracle. In fact, each time a child is able to receive clean water for the first time or each time an orphan turns on a light switch for the first time, a small miracle has occurred.

About the Author

Ashley Goad

Ashley is the Global Missions Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana. She's a UNC fanatic, Haiti Enthusiast, Clean Water Activist, Solar Power Supporter... www.firstserves.org www.solarunderthesun.org www.livingwatersfortheworld.org

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