A letter from Jenny Bent in Haiti/Dominican Republic
December 2013
Dear Friends,
One morning this past month I had the opportunity to use the vehicle that Mark brings from Haiti. I was driving it to work in Batey[1] 7, where I serve in the Good Samaritan Clinic, a ministry of the Evangelical Dominican Church (IED, for its initials in Spanish). I was pleased to be in the truck by myself because I wanted to enjoy the silence and the clarity and energy that come from the coolness of the mornings. As I was driving, I came up to the crossroads in the main highway with a batey known as Palo Alto. I slowed down to avoid problems with imprudent drivers who rarely respect the stop signs at that particular junction.
As I reduced my velocity, I saw an older woman gesturing, requesting a ride. I recognized her immediately and I stopped. Maria is the director for one of the schools in a batey not far beyond where I leave the main highway to turn towards Batey 7. I recognized Maria because a number of times we have shared one of the public vans that travel between Barahona and the town of Neyba. These vans travel along the main road that goes through or near to the bateys where Maria and I work. The school director is a stout woman who always dresses stylishly and uses makeup vigorously. She also likes to talk and, frankly, that day in particular I really wanted to continue my trip in silence. I was even more disappointed when I heard her begin talking about a recent ruling known as 168-13. I thought, “Oh my goodness, now my day is ruined.”
It is very possible that this ruling 168-13 will change Mark’s and my ministry completely here in the Dominican Republic. The ruling affects all Dominicans who are descended from Haitians. That is, every single one of our companions in Batey 7. How does it affect them? Ruling 168-13 annuls the citizenship of every Dominican who cannot show proof that their parents, their grandparents, and in some cases their great-grandparents, going back to 1929 had the proper documents permitting them to live in the Dominican legally.
This situation has been a common theme in the conversations with the mission workers who live here, with our brothers and sisters in the IED, and of course with our friends who live in the bateys. Even my family in Nicaragua is worried about this law. My friend and colleague, Santa, the pastor of the IED chapel in Batey 7, Alberto, the young people working with Mark in the yard garden at the clinic—all of them have ties that connect them to Haiti as part of their inheritance. Nevertheless, their identities, their characters and their customs are Dominican. There are persons who are willing to say that it is correct to strip away the Dominican identity from two generations because they are born to undocumented Haitian parents. As for me, it shocks me and leaves me speechless. The situation is ridiculous and yet it is real.
As the director and I continued the trip together, all of these thoughts were troubling me. Maria has cultural and racial characteristics that clearly put her in the group of “classic” Dominicans. Perhaps because of this I was expecting her to defend Ruling 168-13. But I was wrong! As I listened, amazed, Maria shared with me her complete disagreement with the government, especially the “Supreme Immigration Counsel.” She said, “In my school, I have children who are undocumented. I don’t report them in the official registers that I turn in. They also have to study, it is a right. I cannot deny them their desire to improve themselves in life. But I don’t express my opinion out loud. In my position, you never know with whom you are speaking about these things.”
Do you know what? Maria was apologizing! She was ashamed for what the leaders of her country are doing. Instead of staining my day with an undesirable mark, she opened my eyes to see a woman who believes in the dignity of all human beings. She gave me hope as well. She commented, “Our fellow nations will not let this ruling stand.” “Maria” is not her real name. She has 30 years working in education and I consider it prudent to protect her identity.
I have been frustrated and discouraged because of the discriminatory attitude here, and the strategies that the politicians use to guarantee their success in the elections. When it is convenient they provide legal documents even to people who have just come into the country. And now they want to strip away citizenship from people who are second-generation Dominican. I have even thought that this situation really has cut short our efforts to develop CHE (Community Health Evangelism) in Batey 7. But my conversation with the school director made me see that now we need to work even more. I give thanks for having received the patience to listen to a Dominican version that nobody knows about. It is a side that shows the divine grace of God, generous, just and loving. I think that the school director, in her simple conversation, touched a beautiful theme that resounds in all that is good in the work going on in Batey 7.
The Development Committee of Batey 7 is like a seed that we want to germinate, but it is a slow process, often painful and with many obstacles. It is slow and painful because we are working for a transformation of character, habits, spirit and body in each person in each home. But I want to make clear that in the process, I also am suffering a transformation that is slow and painful. This is a mutual process of learning, sharing the everyday obstacles together with my sisters and brothers.
The process is slow, but the work of the Committee is moving forward. We give thanks for your part in that—your prayers and your support. Your faith in what we are struggling to achieve encourages us. Your presence with us is welcomed and appreciated!
May our all-powerful Lord be always with you and with your families.
Jenny
The 2013 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 25, 26
Read more about Mark Hare and Jenny Bent's ministry
blog: http://markandjenny--pcusa.blogspot.com/
Blog, Batey 7 and the Good Samaritan Clinic: http://jennybent-pcusa.blogspot.com/
Write to Jenny Bent
Write to Mark Hare
Individuals: Give online to E200356 for Mark Hare and Jenny Bent's sending and support
Congregations: Give to D506419 for Mark Hare and Jenny Bent's sending and support
[1] “Batey” is a Tahino word for “living area,” but it has come to mean the small towns where sugarcane workers live, the majority of whom are Haitian or of Haitian descent.
