Jan 22 2010
Disaster in Haiti
It’s been a week since an earthquake hit Haiti, not far from the country’s capital city, Port-au-Prince. The internet stopped working here the day of the quake so I’m getting all of my information at once right now and it’s been pretty overwhelming: up to 200,000 feared dead, bodies being loaded into mass graves by front-loader trucks, the city of Port-au-Prince flattened and an estimated 500,000 people left homeless, desperate people looting orphanages, aid not getting through and on and on.
I left Haiti in March 2009 after spending five months in Gonaives, one of the most screwed up places I have ever been. Thankfully the city was unharmed by the quake and my friends there are all ok. Many have had family and friends of their own die in the earthquake and it makes me wonder how much misery the people of one country can take.
It’s not all completely bleak though and it seems like there has has been a huge outpouring of support. I’ve heard bits about Twitter donation campaigns raising millions, star-studded telethons in Canada and the US, massive media coverage of the quake, stories of survival, rumours of debt cancellation, and a huge aid effort attempting to get underway.
I’ve been through Port-au-Prince a few times on my way down to Gonaives and each time I stayed at St. Joseph’s, an orphanage for boys who have been abandoned by their families or rescued from slavery (mind-bogglingly, it still exists in Haiti). Seeing photos of the building - a beautiful place filled with artwork, plants, musical instruments and life - without the top four floors and reading about Bill Nathan’s close call is sad and sobering.
A few friends of mine are there already, some are on their way with medical teams and more here in Indonesia are looking for ways to get there as soon as possible. This disaster relief crowd I hang around with these days are an eager bunch. I want to help but I think for now it will be a cash only effort.
If you’re in a position to give, cash is what is needed so pick your favourite charity and please do what you can.
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May God be with everyone that chips in and does their part. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like for the people, with everything including their infrastructure destroyed.
This disaster must have really been emotional for you considering you were there less than a year ago. As an outsider the devastation is overwhelming, but as someone who has been there it must be such a bigger shock. Hopefully they can resolve their issues with dealing with incoming aid soon and help people recover from this.
Its Horrible Tragedy happened in Haiti, Still people suffering from earthquake, my pray with people of Haiti, here you doing good cause by appealing people via your blog, i would also like to appeal people do your best whatever we can do for people of Haiti.
@aluminumcase Ya it was a big shock but I think if it would have been in Gonavies, the city I spent five months in and made a bunch of friends, it would have been harder to deal with on my end.
This is a tragedy, so awful case. I wonder was there anything possible for better protection of those people? The country is extremely poor and country is in real mess. I hope that large funds will be given to help them to rebuild their country.
Haiti Disaster was then really sad. Was a complete disaster. We as a country we believe we do need help.