When the disaster is over

Facing new disaster must, in some ways, be easier than facing pervasive disaster. The news is beginning to shift away from the Haitian earthquake and Obama and his Republican pals are gracing the airwaves more than dust covered Haitian children. Amputations have been performed and casts have dried. Rubble lies in heaps. And what made news (riots for food, homelessness) is now considered real life. It must be trying to be in Haiti today. A mass exodus is taking place out of Port-Au-Prince, but really, where will people go where opportunity will provide a safe and secure life? The country, and its neighbor, are islands. There is no escape.



When I lived on St. Thomas, I sometimes wanted off the island so badly that, had I not been afraid of the water, I may have swam to another island. No threat to my life or the life of my family existed when that feeling washed over me. I guess this is where I must pull out cultural relevance and consider that Haitians have been on their own island for hundreds of years and may not want to leave, regardless of their fears. I wish I were there to ask people, what is it that you want for the long term? What could I give you today that would bring some relief to your soul? I would assume it would be food or shoes. That is what I want when I am afraid. Plus, without food, one starves, and without shoes in Haiti, one can hurt her feet and sustain an injury subject to life threatening infection. Yet, a sack of flour or rice will only go so far. The quote, "Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he will eat for his life" comes to mind. Many of Haiti's people know how to fish and know how to grow food, but do not have the resources. So perhaps, instead of sending immediate food or shoes, knowing that resources for self sufficiency were low to begin with and are practically barren now, I might send something else. Prayers seem to be making a difference, just look at the survivors STILL being pulled from the rubble. I would also send seeds for planting and animals for sustenance. A goat can provide company, milk, meat and leather. I wonder if that is what people would want. It's frustrating to not be there to ask.

A link to Heifer, a world-wide organization that provides animals to low-income families across the world (including the United States)to provide opportunities for self-sufficiency:
http://www.heifer.org/