On this occasion of the 3rd anniversary of the January 2010 earthquake, I'm posting stories I've read. Its a way of memorializing those lost, those that suffered and continue to suffer through no fault of their own. So much has been written, blogged, tweeted.
I spent Christmas in Portland, spending time with family and friend, making appointments (dental, dr. hair, massage) and freezing although the temperature gauge said it wasn't that bed. People asked me "How's Haiti". Three years later I don't have a standard answer. Some people genuinely want to know. Others more or less, just ask. Some have opinions, whether they know or not, the truth. But this doesn't matter. What matters are that Haitians have opinions, voices and a say. To learn to say it. What matters is that people care about this. That people care about what is happening or isn't happening. And have the strength to change when it needs changing.
Some things change, a the pace of a turtle maybe and other things don't. Time is a manner of perception. Certainly, in the wake of such a tremendous tragedy wreaked upon a country with so little infrastructure in the first place its not going to be easy. Name a place that has recovered completely in 3 years in any other part of the world- even one equipped and prepared for eventual disasters.
Yesterday I spent the day trying to get a shipment of donated specialized pediatric wheelchairs released from airport customs. Donated by Team Canada, the team will arrive next week to rebuild, modify and repair chairs for special children in 8 orphanages. They have promised to release them on Monday. This wasn't just a one day attempt however. The shipment arrived on November 27, 2012. Since then we have made many visits to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Plannification, other offices that we are directed to to receive documents, get them officially 'stamped' collect signatures, etc. etc. I was instructed to pick them up yet when I arrived I was told I needed more papers and a duanne and pay money for them. Then I needed a signature, then I needed a reference number, and another signature, and after 11 office visits later was told I had to pay more money and come back on Monday. Back and forth, from one office to another, waiting, waiting, waiting. Its hard to wait. When you do everything they tell you to do but never in the same conversation or meeting, you begin to wonder how Haiti can move forward to complete a project in a timely manner. Maybe because when it is finely completed, finely successful, you can fully appreciate the accomplishment. When things come easy to you do you fully appreciate the effort...maybe for a minute or two. It becomes too accepted, too expected and too easy to forget. Certainly, if whatever you are working on is finished, you are able to move on to a new project. I tell myself, next time we will know what to do to avoid these moments of frustration, it will be easier, it will happen faster. But I know 2 things: the rules will change and its easier to watch grass grow.
We've seen a grand hotel grow and open with more to come. What we haven't seen is housing developments for people still living in tents and shanties. We had to go to La Saline near the port to obtain a signature and on the way through a not very nice area, we passed hundreds of 'homes' scrapped together of tin, sticks and gun-metal gray tarps and mud floors. To see sheets and shirts, hanging from roofs means people are actually living in these small rickety shacks defies all logic. This is what you see on tv show Survivor, not what families should be enduring every day of their lives. Until this changes, we should never forget.
For me it will be quiet day of reflection. Down time from the day to day activities that I do to continue the work of HHH.
