Haiti Earthquake Presentation

My wife, Dorne, and I work with Haitian Ministries for the Diocese of Norwich, CT. Our work includes support for two orphanages, feeding programs for children, a scholarship program for about 150 students, support for Haitian artisans, and sponsorship of regular medical missions. In addition, Haitian Ministries works to develop permanent relationships between Haitian and US Catholic parishes. Just 10 days ago, at 4:45pm, I was sitting on the second floor of our Norwich Mission House in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, finishing a Skype conversation with Dorne. We were making the final plans for her to join me in Haiti on February 9^th. I didn’t know that, within 10 minutes, Haiti would once again be thrust onto the world stage as the result of unimaginable tragedy and horror. I didn’t know that the next 24 hours would change me, as a person, forever. A couple of minutes later, I walked downstairs and joined Jillian Thorp, the acting Director of the mission house, just outside a small office. Then the earthquake struck.

My friends, for many logical reasons I should not be here speaking with you this evening. There are many reasons why Jillian and I should have died in the earthquake in our beloved Haiti. We should have been crushed by the two stories of concrete that fell upon us, rather than being pushed into a 4 foot by 6 foot protective compartment, or womb, that sheltered the two of us. We were buried under 6 feet of concrete rubble, in a compound surrounded by walls and a locked steel gate. Our Mission House staff had departed for the day. We should never have been found alive. The three Haitian men, members of our staff who came back to check on our well-being, should never have been able to free us using only their bare hands and make-shift tools. The tiny space we shared should have collapsed on us during the numerous strong aftershocks. And because our supply of fresh air had been cut off, we should have suffocated before we were rescued. Yet, here I am this evening, talking with you. I know that it is only through the grace of our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that I am still alive. Nothing else makes sense.

During the ten hours we were buried, I experienced many emotions. During the first two hours, before we were found, I experienced fear because of our apparently dire circumstances, sadness that I would probably never see my wife, children or grandchildren again, and hopelessness. Jill and I prayed that someone would find us. We prayed that God would calm the earth. We prayed for others we knew must be suffering a similar fate to ours. Once we were found, our hope returned. We prayed that God would help and guide the hands of our rescuers. We prayed that our air supply wouldn’t run out. We prayed that God would ease our physical pain. I prayed that, if it was His will, I would survive to continue to praise His name and do His work.

My story is truly a miracle. But the story must not be about me, or the other survivors. The story must be about the nation of Haiti. It must be about the need of the Haitian people to be accepted and respected by the international community as human beings, as our sisters and brothers. Before all the gruesome numbers are counted, I fear that over 300,000 people will perish from this tragic event. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of others will bear the physical and emotional scars of this disaster for the rest of their lives. This story must be about them. More importantly, it must be about their future and the future of their children.

The response of the international community to this tragedy has been overwhelming. I am heartened when I see the many humanitarian efforts that are flowing into Haiti now. I was filled with joy when Fr. Joe and Rabbi Polokoff told me of your generosity towards the people of Haiti. As Pastoral Associate for Social Outreach Ministries at Sacred Heart Church, I know the generosity and the many outreach activities of your faith community. You are a people who live what I believe God expects of us. We at Sacred Heart are so grateful to you for choosing to combine your efforts with ours in reaching out with care and assistance to the people of Haiti. Although our faith traditions are somewhat different, we are truly one people, and I know that this pleases God. But we must be careful not to become complacent. This is not the first time the international community has seen the pain of the Haitian people and responded to a natural disaster with food, water and medical supplies. (Before I forget, you should be very proud of the fact that Israel had their emergency facilities up and running, and were providing critically needed medical care, while the U.S. was still bickering over logistical protocol. I hope we can learn something from them.) Although the world has provided emergency assistance in the past, our efforts towards Haiti have lasted only a short time. When the television coverage stops, Haiti is too quickly and easily forgotten.

Most Haitians live on less than $2 a day; unemployment is over 70%; illiteracy is over 50%; there is one medical doctor for every 10,000 people; and the life expectancy is about 52 years of age.

Yet, the Haitian people are a people of hope, faith and love. More than once during the last three years, as my wife and I have been traveling to Haiti, they have helped to strengthen our faith. The day after the earthquake struck, as I was lying in the driveway of our ruined mission house, a young Haitian woman who is a laundress there heard that I was injured and came to me with a small bottle of drinking water and a cloth to clean the wounds on my head. I told her that I needed to return to the United States to receive medical care but that I would return to Haiti as soon as possible. She told me not to worry. She said, “God will help us.” The Haitian people are kind, generous, loving and faith-filled people. They are proud of their culture and heritage. They do not want hand-outs…they want to be able to work, to earn a just living, to provide for their families, to live with dignity. They are a matriarchal society. Because jobs are so scarce, the wage earners are primarily the women of the families who farm small plots of very poor land or who are street merchants, selling produce, used clothing, or whatever they can to provide for their families. But the people of Haiti are realists…they know they need help. They recognize that they cannot do it by themselves.

So, what must be done to give the Haitian people a hand-up? As a start we must:

1. Continue to give them financial aid. Their immediate needs are water, food, medical care, and shelter.

2. Help them establish a viable, effectively functioning government that responds to the needs of all of its citizens, including the vast majority that until now have been forgotten.

3. Continue to educate the children of Haiti. But once they are educated, there must be jobs available to allow them to earn a just living.

4. Thus, the international community must recognize and accept Haiti as a viable business and international trade partner.

But what can we do – you and me? We can…

1. Continue to help the Haitian people by donating money to the fine organizations now working to bind up the wounds inflicted by this tragedy.

2. Use whatever talents or skills we might have to work for justice for Haiti and her people.

3. Use our collective political influence to ensure that our elected officials do not, once again, abandon Haiti as soon as the rubble is removed and the nation is stabilized.

4. And, we must all continue to pray for the people of Haiti.

In closing, my wife and I do plan to return to Haiti as soon as it is possible and safe to do so. We are committed to helping the Haitian people to help themselves. We ask that, as you remember Haiti and her people in your prayers, you remember us, too. We will need the prayers of all our friends to give us the strength and support we need to do the work we know is our mission.

Thank you.