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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