Reflections from the 2nd Anniversary of the Haiti Earthquake

Today was the 2nd anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. January 12, 2010 is a moment that all Haitians will remember the rest of their lives. The Haitian government reported that an estimated 316,000 people had died, 300,000 had been injured and 1,000,000 made homeless. The government of Haiti also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged (according to Wikipedia). I was not here to experience this tragedy and cannot claim at all to know what it was like, but the following are my reflections from today.

This morning one of my seamstresses called me and said she and another were not coming in today because they were going to “pray to God” (I love how she says that in her Haitian accent). I completely understood and told her I would see her tomorrow. I actually didn’t know for sure if any of them would come in or not, but the other two did. I found out from another Haitian that many of them go to church to pray for protection for themselves and family in case something like this happens again. It was a somber day and all of Haiti was much quieter than normal (unless you were near a church, in that case you could usually hear those from a mile away-church services are loud here).

Anyway, the day finished and the seamstresses went home. Someone from Healing Haiti came over and told me a new team had arrived and they were going to go up to the mountain and asked if I wanted to come along. I was excited and jumped on the tap tap as it was about to leave.

These three pictures will be explained later and will appear later, it wouldn't let me delete these.

On the way up, we first stopped at the cathedral. This place looked like it was beautiful, but the quake had torn it to shambles. You could see the beautiful tile floors, now covered in dust. Looking up high you can see windows that hold tiny remains of what used to be beautiful stained glass windows. The roof was completely gone and much of the walls had collapsed as well. We were able to walk through and see what was left. All around the inside were black and white posters of men, women, and children. These were pictures of people who died in the cathedral two years ago today. I stood there wondering how the Haitians felt having “white people” walk through a place that means so much to them. A place that brings heartache and horrible memories is now a tourist attraction. I wondered what it was like to be there that day. I wondered if people were able to escape or if there was no getting out. I wondered what it would be like to lose so many people all at one time.

Before the Earthquake

There were people inside who had came to remember. A couple of tents were set up inside and many people were wandering around. A few people came up to the Haitians we were with and told stories of the people they knew who died there. I wished so bad I could understand (learning Creole cannot come fast enough!). One lady tried to sell us her beautiful child and his adorable dog for $1. One dollar! That’s a whole separate story. She sees us as rich and wants her son to have a good life…

After the Earthquake

The next stop we made was downtown at the palace. I had seen this for the first time this past Tuesday night but it was dark so I didn’t get a really good view. This place was also devastated by the earthquake. They have removed some of the rubble but have done nothing to try to fix it. My guess is it would have to be torn down and rebuilt. Anyway, it is a huge place that was where the government was housed. All around it was the most beautiful place in all of Haiti, a park that was used for many events. Now, this huge building lies in ruins. One can still tell what it was, but the three domes that topped it are now only one and that one is no longer perpendicular with the ground (it looks like it could fall off at any moment). Standing there, more than I could focus on the building, I turned around and all I could see around were tents. Tents side by side by side that now occupy what once was the park.

Two views of the Presendential Palace

I couldn’t help but think about what it was like to live in a tent. What it was like to lose your house due to a natural disaster and still two years later live in a tent. A tent! Tents are for camping, not for living! These tent cities have limited places to use the bathroom and very limited electricity (if any) for two years. This has become their way of life. Some people have gotten out, some don’t want to leave, but others are stuck with nowhere else to go. No hope, no money, no options. I again wondered what these people were thinking as they look on at the tourists staring and taking pictures at a memory of why they are now living the way they are living. I watched children play as their parents had a look of sorrow in their eyes. These people had been living here for two whole years. Not a week camping trip, but this was their life. No permanent shelter to call their home, just some tarps to cover their head as they lay on the hard ground.

Two views of tents

I’ve only been here a few months, so I don’t know what all has changed. But from what I’ve heard a lot has been done but there is still so much more to do. Driving the rest of the way up the mountain I noticed more rubble than I normally do. It’s sad how broken down concrete has become such a part of the scenery that I don’t even notice it a lot of the time. So many buildings still lie in ruins-after two whole years. Others are now just an empty hole in the landscape.

My heart ached for these people I have come to know and love. I have no empathy for what they went through, but I was full of sympathy for them as they remember. Haitians are a fantastic group of people. They are very resilient as they have been through so much (the earthquake is just the publicized event that has happened). These people see and experience things that no one should ever have to see or experience in their entire life over and over again. Death, sickness, dying, disease, famine, hunger, lack of electricity, lack of shelter, lack of clean clothes, lack of running water, lack of clean water, abuse, and violence are all daily challenges and struggles for them.

At the top of the mountain we stopped where we could look out and see a lot of Haiti. We saw the cathedral, the coast, some tall buildings, the airport, and many other little buildings and houses. In the background were beautiful mountains with the sun setting right behind them. It was hard to see the sunset because of all the dust that was present, but I knew it was beautiful. This was a reminder to me that the day was done and a new one was going to come. Through the dust (trials), God has a plan (a beautiful sunset). He will turn darkness, pain, and challenges into light and joy. Though the sorrow may last for the night, HIS joy comes in the morning! What a great feeling that is!

Standing there on that mountainside I knew God wasn’t finished with Haiti. So much heartache and hurt has been present...Too much, but God loves his people through it all. God has a plan that is bigger than we could ever imagine and His love will never fail. So much is still going on in Haiti and it hurts. It hurts me, so I can’t imagine how much it hurts the people experiencing these things. Satan is alive and well here and his presence is overwhelming at times. I’m so glad I serve a God that is more powerful than he is and will win in the end! Will you join me in prayer for this country, these people, and the constant spiritual warfare that is present?