Haiti and the Jubilee Year

As one begins to look into Haiti and tries to understand how it is that Haiti became so poor, a few things become clear. First, it is important to know that Haiti was a French slave colony that won its independence by agreeing to reimburse slaveholders for their "property." The debt this new nation took on was enormous. For over one hundred years, from the mid-19th century through the mid-20th century, Haiti continued to make burdensome payments to France. They were able to get out from under that debt only by refinancing it through a multitude of other nations, the United States and Great Brittan among them. Their leadership--corrupt or otherwise--has continued to find it necessary to refinance that debt. As any homeowner knows, one never gets to the principle this way and interest continues to accrue.

The IMF is now offering relief in the form of continued loans--another opportunity to rebuild its hourse upo n sand. France, however, has called for international forgiveness of debt--irony of ironies. I'm all for that. I'm all for France returning the blood money they extracted from these poor people. I believe in the jubilee year of debt forgiveness for poor nations. We have played a part in continuing Haiti's poverty. I think this is the morally correct response and also an essential home security response. We cannot continue to create conditions that breed anti-American terrorism.

I urge all of my friends to fully study this issue. You can begin here. http://www.jubileeusa.org/ This is a real an opportunity to put our Judeo-Christian values to work in a way that lifts people up and lets the oppressed go free. It is a chance to work toward the prophetic vision of the Old Testament seers. Christians can stand on the correct side of our nation's pocket book and it is way past time for us to do so. Help Haiti begin to rebuild upon a solid rock.