Devastating Earthquake in Haiti

Photo courtesy of www.metro.co.uk

I usually limit this blog to updates on our family, but the 7.0 earthquake that took place in Haiti yesterday evening has constantly been on my mind today. I was in Haiti two years ago with the non-profit organization that I worked with at the time (Catholic Medical Mission Board). I have lived in impoverished countries in Africa and never had I seen poverty the way it was in Haiti. (To read an article I wrote about my visit, click here and see pages 4-5.) The Haitian population was in need of help BEFORE the earthquake. Now their suffering is unimaginable.

I cannot even put my thoughts into words. They were not able to meet the medical needs of their people before the earthquake - now with their few hospitals collapsed, no supplies, and their few doctors among those killed or missing, how can they meet the needs of the tens of thousands who need care? Paved roads there were almost non-existent, dirt roads covered in giant pot-holes were the norm - with the additional rubble on the limited roads, how will emergency supplies get to the people? Especially when there is no gasoline. Food, water, shelter... the people have needs that will go unmet for a long time. And Port-au-Prince is known for its violence - how can people feel safe when they have to sleep in the streets?

The good news is that neighbors are helping neighbors locally and furthermore, there are people reaching out to provide relief from around the world. Those who may not have ever given a thought to Haiti in the past are giving selflessly. Trials like these do bring out the good in people. They also help us realize all of the many blessings in our lives that we take for granted.

Below is a slideshow of some of the photos I took while I was in Haiti visiting hospitals, clinics, orphanages and schools run by local church organizations supported by CMMB. (The link to the article above explains the stories behind many of the photos.) The hotel I stayed in (Hotel Montana) is apparently flattened and many UN officers who were staying there are still unaccounted for. My prayers go out to my friends and colleagues there and all of those suffering in Haiti right now. If you are able to send help, please do. These are the types of situations that my training is for, yet in my current position I feel like I can do nothing but donate and spread the word to encourage other people to help.