CORNER BROOK Karen Huxter says she will have a happy Christmas in Haiti, despite the political upheaval.
“I could never say that everything is going well in Haiti,” said Huxter. “After the so-called election that wasn’t an election, it was so corrupt ... with shooting and rampaging and rioting.”
There have been many protests and people reported killed because of the November election results in Haiti, released Tuesday, which some Haitians say were rigged by the ruling government. The rioting took place in the Caribbean country’s capital of Port-au-Prince and other cities.
Huxter, a Springdale native, has been living in Deschappelles, Haiti, since 1995 as a humanitarian. She runs the Hands Across the Sea school with 295 children as well as an orphanage with 14 children in her care.
Huxter says they will have a merry Christmas with the children in spite of the havoc occurring in the streets.
“Everybody’s walking on eggshells at the moment ... ,” she said. “It’s going to be OK because we’re contained inside anyway.”
Huxter said the Haitians that do celebrate Christmas usually do so Christmas Eve. Jan. 1-2 are Haiti’s biggest holidays: the Jan. 1 holiday is Independence — it was on this day in 1804 Haiti gained independence from France, and Jan. 2 is Ancestry Day.
“I’m determined to make it really special for my kids; try and help them forget everything that is going on outside,” she said.
The children of the school are usually thrown a Christmas party, but due to the rioting there will be no celebration held for them this year.
Canadians have donated gifts to the children of the orphanage, just in time for Christmas. The presents include dolls for the girls and toy cars and trucks for the boys.
The last time Huxter was home was in August. She says she would love to spend a Christmas in Newfoundland again.
“The dream of all dreams in my heart is to get back and have a Newfoundland Christmas,” she said. “That’s my biggest dream.”
