My husband Chris and I have just arrived in Port au Prince to stay for a while to help out at the guest house as teams are coming and going. We were living in Fauche/Port Margot which is about 100 miles north of the epicenter of the earthquake. In spite of the distance, these past two weeks have changed our lives and the lives of our Haitian neighbors and friends. Never before have we been this close to such catastrophe and huge loss of life. We have seen person after person be affected… can’t find a friend, haven’t heard about a brother, buried their cousin, now housing their homeless relatives… everyone in Haiti knows somebody who was there at the quake. For us, we didn’t lose anyone we knew, but our friends did. Our house wasn’t destroyed from beneath us, but it shook hard enough not to let us forget that thousands did. The world isn’t in chaos in north Haiti, but it did change.
Northern Haiti is a beautiful area…full of trees and green mountain views. While there is evidence of poverty almost everywhere you look, it is a different feel than the PAP area. We experienced about a level 5 earthquake which didn’t do any substantial damage, so, however strange it may have seemed, life continued on after the quake and the beauty seemed untouched. Yet in the faces of our English class students and neighbors we saw evidence of what had happened. We felt helpless to do anything for the people. We found ourselves asking our students and others we know if they have family in Port, just to acknowledge that the earthquake happened and that we know it has affected them. Each one knew someone, and one woman even shared with me that she lost her husband. I was so taken aback that I asked again, “Mari ou?” (Your husband?) And she answered, yes. Other family members and a friend too. What do you say? I just couldn’t accept that she would suffer such great loss. The people here seem to be suffering quietly. They go about their days and keep on, but we know they are dealing with loss as well as rearranging their lives so their family members can come live with them indefinitely. Something cool to think about is the fact that family members and friends are coming together and being reunited under the same roof, even though it’s not great circumstances. Hopefully it’s a blessing to them.
Cory Thede and Chris showed a slideshow of pictures and told a church-full of Haitians news about the earthquake the day after it happened. Without TV they don’t have an opportunity to see or get much news. Some have radios but many were anxious to hear any news. They were careful in what pictures they chose, knowing it was important for them to see some but unnecessary to display all the graphic shots that the news had captured. Afterwards a spontaneous, short service of prayer, singing, and reciting Scripture was held. Many people do not receive quality news. They have many incorrect ideas about how the US is involved, what the plans are for Haiti, and how the aid is being distributed. Without newspapers and TV easy to access, it is hard to be well-informed. They do not want the pre-earthquake Haiti to be the result of reconstruction, they want something more. Their lack of information and education doesn’t affect their ability to dream. We are praying and hoping to encourage these amazing people to take hold of their dream of a better Haiti with both hands
Chris and Kathleen-
