Ups, Downs & “Shopping"

Looking back at these first few weeks of acclimation is like viewing the prized “roller coaster” looming above a tiny amusement park. The excitement and adventure has come with “moments” of sheer panic, lack of control, personal revelation, and even a bit of nausea. We are on God’s path though, and so we’ve hung on each day, knowing that He is on the “ride” with us and sustains us through the gut-wrenching “dips” that we encounter.

There are no amusement parks in Haiti…but everyone living here experiences the constant rhythm of “up & down”, “on & off”, “open & closed”, “hurry & wait”...life is always in motion here, it never seems to stop. We learned a lot about paradox in our training at MTI this fall, but nothing prepared us for how complicated life in Haiti can feel. There are no easy answers here!

For example, yesterday, as our plan to go out shopping for household items developed - the questions were many:

Do we (street) shop for furniture ourselves?

What area of town would be best?

Is it reasonable to compare prices when everything is so spread out?

Do we just buy whatever we find that “works”?

Should we ask a Haitian friend to help out?

If we find something we’re interested in, do we ask the price?

Or do we park several hundred feet past, “out of sight”, and send our dark skinned friend back to ask?

What amount can we expect to “dicker” down to?

How will we know what is a “fair” Haitian price for an item?"

Our few appliances were relatively easy in comparison. They were purchased at a little chain of shops well marketed with their red signage all over town – Nino Cell. If you go to the downtown Port-au-Prince store, you will actually meet Santorino, better known as “Nino”, himself. He is a friendly guy, middle-eastern, speaks English and has the lowest prices on new appliances that we’ve found. The first time we went there to look at his selection, we ended up purchasing 4 fans. While Nino may have a more accessible way for us to acquire our household necessities here, it is still nothing like shopping and checkout at our local Target or Walmart in the states!

First, you examine the options available. This might mean rearranging half of the store to get to each of them and to look them over. Next, you choose what you would like to purchase and go to the counter to let them know. The attendant writes up a receipt. Take the receipt to the cashiers “window” and pay the total cost (bonus= no sales tax!). Before you leave the store with any hand carry items, you must wait for them to be brought from storage, watch while each are unwrapped, plugged in and examined to ensure that they work properly, since there are NO returns. Yes, this includes each & every fan, string of Christmas lights, or anything else electronic. Once everything is packaged back up again you are free to go. Unless the purchase is the slight bit “bulky”, as in the case of our 4 fans (never mind you that there were 4 of us to carry them out); at that point, an attendant will insist on carrying them to the car for you and putting them in. A tip is anticipated, of course (thus erasing your tax-free “bonus”…).

Yesterday was not as simple. We have furniture to purchase, on a budget, and the best place to get that, the only place in our price range, is on the streets! The mere thought of street shopping gave birth to the barrage of questions I listed earlier. With little choice, we opted to attempt it.

The first item that we decided to try buying, was a Haitian -style, rustic, handmade, wood & rattan love seat with 3 matching chairs. We began here, because it was something that our Haitian co-worker, Ron had checked for the “right price” on previously, since they are on a corner near his home. He was quoted “5500 gourdes, the equivalent of $137.50 American. We also decided to take Jn, another friend, with us to interpret &to help us get the “right price”. Once we arrived near the corner, scoped out a good place to pull over & parked safely on the roadside, the pressing decision was whether we sent him or went ourselves. Since neither of us had seen it close up, we decided to all go together, leaving Tynan to “watch” the car. We walked back to the corner, where the furniture had been sitting for the past couple of weeks. Jn asked “how much” for us & the builder replied $1800 Haitian dollars or 9000 gourdes; MUCH more than he had told Ron the week before! The initial disappointment began to set in, when he remained firm on the price, despite Jn’s calm attempt at bargaining him down to a fair one. After several moments of discussion and an explanation that we are not the “rich” Americans that he supposes us to be, on our ministry budget, we finally turn and walk away. Jn tries for a few more moments, then gives up and joins us at the car. We all climbed in, discouraged that our “idealistic” first attempt to both stay on budget and invest in the local economy, had failed.

In frustration, our discussion turned to what we should do next, and how we should go about purchasing anything from there on out, when a knock on the window interrupted. The artisan peered in through our dust laden window, as Jn rolled it down to interpret. He was there asking to negotiate, at last, and wondered if we would re-consider buying for the price of 4500 gourdes ($112.50 American) - half of his initial firm price & 1000 gourdes less than the offer we had made initially.  Instantly, we climbed back out and agreed! The set was loaded up Haitian style: on the roof, with seats folded down & ourselves packed in next to it. We left grateful for God’s provision and stunned with our success after all! The thought lingered though as we drove off:  “Why didn’t the seller agree to the original offer before we left?…he would have made an additional $25!”

There is still so much for us to learn here, and some situations in Haiti that even they don’t understand! Jn seemed as shocked as we were with the turn of events. But those are just a couple of stories from daily life here. The complication when it comes to families, children, poverty, and specifically orphans, runs even deeper. Pondering those, within the rhythm of Haiti, makes me very glad that we serve with the guidance and prompting of an omniscient and sovereign God, who has a perfect love and plan - both for them...and for us!