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It's been almost a month now since a massive earthquake struck Haiti close to the country's capitol, Port-au-Prince. Since that day the news has been full of stories of the possible 200,000 people who died, the chaotic food and aid distribution, and now children being taken from Haiti illegally. In some ways this unimaginable catastrophe seems so far away. But for many people in the Northwest it is very close to home.
Cassandra Nelson works for Mercy Corps (a Portland-based aid organization). She went to Haiti immediately after the earthquake and has been blogging from there since. She just returned home to Portland and is ready to describe her first-hand experiences.
Brian Concannon spent years living in Haiti, and eventually moved to Joseph, Oregon to follow the woman who is now his wife. But his heart never left Haiti, and he now runs the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti. Of his colleagues who were there when the earthquake hit, one person lost his house, another his wife. For Brian the disaster becomes very personal very quickly.
And then there's Alicia Swaringen in Eugene. She's been waiting to adopt a four year-old Haitian boy named Sthainder since 2007. The earthquake brought that possibility into question. But now her dreams are coming true. She's traveling to Miami on Tuesday, when the young boy – soon her son – is due to arrive.
These are just three of the people in this area for whom the tragedy in Haiti hits very close to home. What's your experience?
Do you know people in Haiti? Have you been to Port-au-Prince? Has this disaster motivated you to act, or to give, in a way that other disasters have not? Why?
GUESTS:
- Cassandra Nelson: Director of multimedia projects and first responder for Mercy Corps who recently returned from Haiti
- Marie Angele Theard: Anesthesiologist with Legacy Emanuel Hospital who volunteers with Medical Teams Inernational who recently returned from Haiti
- Brian Concannon: Director of the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti
- Susan Cox: Vice president of public policy and advocacy for Holt International
Tagged as: adoption · disaster · haiti
Photo credit: United Nations Photo / Creative Commons
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I listen to the BBC every night and it is amazing how the world views any American effort in the world but I see little if anything coming from the culpable French much better to whine about the US and then let them take care of the problem. Medicin sans frontieres only has a french name. Perhaps the Eurotrash would be so kind as to pay off their WWII loans and we could use that money to help problems in the world. One comment stuck with me, when aid started to flow from the US to Haiti it was described as yet another invasion by America. There are french speaking people in Martinique and Guadaloupe maybe they could at least translate for the true heroes, our volunteers.
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With several good friends of mine already working in Port-au-Prince, I was dismayed that the looting was so prominent in the coverage for so long. My friends were constantly reporting orderly lines and heroic levels of cooperation by Haitians, especially as the food and water was stuck at the airport.
Only on one of the days did NPR's story include a quote way down at the end by the US head of an airborne division trying to get aid in, and he said according to everyone he talked to, violence in the city was lower than pre-earthquake levels. This should have been the lead, as an example of amazing Haitian resilience and civility.
-Scott
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I am a gay man looking to adopt a second child with my husband. Seeing the situation in Haiti, we are very interested in seeking a child from there. Where do we begin? Is it even worth it? There is much prejudice against gay families in the third world. Is this true fro Haiti? Would we be allowed to?
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When will the media learn to cover disasters properly? What upsets me about this show and the media in general is the gross inexperience of the interviewers. It sickens me that the media thinks that somehow tons of food and water can be handed out in a matter of hours. AS with Katrina there is this totally misguided illusion that help can be given instantaneously. The US was on top of this Haiti crisis in a way that is a miracle in and of itself. Yet, the US media in Haiti have gotten all emotional and distressed and out of control. Having been in some countries like Haiti I can tell you from personal experience that helping in good times can be horroriffic. Mark my words that Haiti will get only more complicated as the corrupt government starts to smell money and makes accusations against aid groups. Believe me. You ain't seen nothing yet. I see the media as making things worse in all too many cases.
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I think it's marvelous that people have been human, and had compassion on our brethren in Haiti. But I keep hearing about "resilience," there is hope because the Haitians are resilient. I wonder, though, if the truth might be a little different. Sometimes the trait called resilience is fatalism. They are going to be fine, because they expect no more of life than suffering, no more of life than to live in a tent on the street, no more of life than to be hungry.
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Yeah that's why they risk their lives to get the hell out of there. What an insipid idiot you are.
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Before my son, Paul, left to volunteer in Haiti, he stopped by his kids school to talk about the relief effort in Haiti. After he had left for Haiti a mother of one of the children called his wife. She said that her seven year old, Bodie, had come home from school after hearing Dr, Neumann speak and was gathering up his money. When she asked him what he was doing he replied that he needed five dollars. When she asked him why he said "because $5.00 can buy antibiotics that could save a life and that he hadn't saved a life yet.
Priorities made simple.
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Oregonian Jordan Wiley was in Haiti for four months prior to the earthquake, working with Doctors Without Borders. He returned home last Saturday night.
Because he's also a Red Cross volunteer, Jordan came to our staff meeting to talk about his experience. You can see his story and photos here:
http://redcrosspdx.blogspot.com/2010/02/on-ground-in-haiti-jordan-shares-his.html
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Pardon me. I did not mean to imply that the Haitians were in any way to be blamed; merely that all humans live in some degree of conflicting attitudes. Some aspects promote constructive life, and some destructive. I was merely asking one who might know, whether there were any aspect of the culture that might be promoting some form of fatalism, which, if it were turned to life, might make the difference between successful change and moderate helplessness. Sorry if any offense was given.
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This disaster comes at a critical time in American history - during which partisan efforts to steer the distrobution of our government and public resources will determine the course of our economy and domestic policy for years. It is absolutely amazing to see the gridlock of spending decisions and name-calling of congress overshadowed by the sheer generosity of the American people. I have personally witnessed relief efforts and donations from those who have been greatly hurt by the economy, regardless of political philosophy, and I can only hope more Americans are able to gain perspective from this horrific tragedy. We are part of an international community, and despite our current struggles, it is inspiring to see Americans assert that we are still in a position to give aid to the less fortunate members of that community.