A Plea For the People of Haiti - January 14, 2010

Even in the best of times, life is a daily struggle in Haiti. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most impoverished nations worldwide. About 80% of the people live below the poverty line, trying to exist on an average annual income of around $450. The country suffers from numerous problems, including a lack of infrastructure, few natural resources, insufficient health care, widespread illiteracy, malnutrition, disease, and political upheaval dating back to the country's founding.

Once, I asked a relief work in Haiti where volunteers could best utilize their money and their efforts to improve the lives of Haitians. He replied, "Take your pick. There are just so many problems to tackle. It's hard to know where to begin."

Haiti is one of the countries least equipped to deal with natural disasters, but because of its geographical location, it's been hit by numerous hurricanes, floods, droughts, and earthquakes. Haiti was still attempting to recover from the damage caused by three hurricanes back in 2008 when, this week, one of the most devastating disasters ever befell the country, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake, which killed tens of thousands of people.

Three years ago, I traveled to Haiti's northern city of Milot to visit my church's "adopted parish," Immaculate Conception.











The priest, Fr. Tijwa, told me because of Haiti's dire economic situation, most hospitals, schools, churches, and social service agencies couldn't survive without foreign financial assistance. Again, this is the scenario during the best of times.

Now, Haiti must deal with a crisis that would overwhelm even the most wealthy and powerful of countries. Haiti needs our help.

I realize this post is a bit of a departure from my other entries, but my blog is meant to be an experiment in benevolence. All along, I've told my students that I believe the world is a good place. I have faith that the world will respond to the plight of Haiti.

Please, if you have a few dollars to spare, send them to one of the numerous agencies already mobilizing to assist Haitians, who I've found to be some of the kindest, most generous, most resourceful people I've ever met.

This morning, I received word that Fr. Tijwa was alive and well, but several of his friends died in the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, including the city's archbishop. Despite his loss, Fr. Tijwa was more focused on the living and wanted to pass along his personal plea that all of us, who can afford it, consider contributing to some agency, any agency, that is working to alleviate the suffering in Haiti.

As a teacher, I sometimes hear adults complain about the selfishness and the idleness of our youth. Today, as I was leaving school, I passed one of my former students in the hallway. The boy, who led an extremely difficult life growing up in his native country, appeared to be a bit dejected and preoccupied.

When I asked him what was wrong, I expected him to say that he was having trouble with a girl or needed money to buy a car or was bothered by any of a number of the dramas that affect teenagers. Instead, he replied, "Mr. Dickinson. I wish I could go and help in Haiti."