Generous and Sympathetic

It's been less than a week since our neighbor Haiti had a major earthquake. Dominicans were the first to respond. The DR has made hospitals available to the injured, and opened its port and an airport near the border to the use of the relief effort, when Haiti's own port and airport have issues that limit their use. They sent over heavy equipment to use in the rescue effort, along with water and food supplies. They sent medical personnel. They helped in more ways than I can list.

One time Jesus saw a woman giving two tiny coins into the temple treasury. There were lots of wealthy people giving big sums of money, but Jesus praised only this woman, because she gave all she had; she gave out of her poverty.

The DR is not a wealthy country. For its government to give such help to Haiti, an even poorer neighbor is truly sacrificial giving. The response of the Dominican people has been loving, sympathetic and generous--and this to a neighbor with whom they don't always get along well. They have set aside the issues between them, to help Haitians in their time of great tragedy.

Sacrificial giving to a neighbor in need, is not new to Dominicans. They do it daily on a smaller scale. It is just part of this Dominican Life.

Strikes

Looks like it is time for more strikes. Here, when the public transportation people want to up the fare, they usually begin a series of strikes. The fare went up 25% this week, but almost no one was paying the increase. First, it wasn't paid because it wasn't announced, and of course people weren't prepared with enough money on hand to pay it. It came as quite a surprise. And then, there were the conscientious objectors, like myself, who simply refused to pay it. You can do that at first, but eventually it is pay or don't ride.

Now will begin a series of strikes, where the transportation industry will force the issue by virtually shutting down the country. Some drivers don't agree with the increase themselves, but they don't dare not participate in the strikes. The government will negotiate, but the transportation folks aren't called "the owners of the country" for nothing.


Sometimes the strikes are punctuated with violence. Drivers who keep providing public transportation have had molotov cocktails thrown in their vehicles. 

A strike is a day off, whether or not you can afford it, or like it. The safest thing to do on the day of a general strike is to stay home. If it is only a transportation strike, then it is still safe to go out, however. It is easy to tell. Is the colmado (little grocery store) on the corner closed? Then stay home! Are they burning tires in the neighborhood? Stay home!

One of these days, the transportation folks are going to raise fares, and the people are going to say "enough is enough," and the riders are going to strike. But for now, we'll just whine and complain, and pay whatever they ask, because feeling powerless and accepting injustice is just part of this Dominican Life.