Remember Haiti?

The news has long moved from one natural disaster to another or to yet another nation under civil unrest.   Most of us have forgotten about a small nation, the poorest in the Western Hemisphere: Haiti.  When mentioned it is usually in the context of the 7.0 earthquake on January 12, 2010.  The unfortunate, cold, hard fact is that long before the earthquake Haiti was a country of despair, hunger and poverty – and it continues to be one.  The earthquake simply awakened the world to the plight of Haiti, unfortunately, for a very short time.

I first went to Haiti in 1994 as one of a group of police instructors and again in 1997 to review a training program.  My experience during the second trip (another story) made me state, to anyone who would listen, that if I never went to Haiti again it would be too soon.  My good friend, Steve Ijames, who spearheaded my initial venture to Haiti has always held a compassion for the people of that country and has worked to bring Project H.O.P.E.'s efforts to the people there.  Steve traveled to Haiti the day following the earthquake as a security advisor to a relief effort and a month later I found myself in Haiti again.  This time with a totally different focus and feeling convicted for ever saying I didn’t want to go back.

Through contacts within Project H.O.P.E. we traveled from Cap-Haitien to the Haiti Home of Hope orphanage in Pignon.  The purpose of the trip was to plan future building projects to help both the orphanage and other local humanitarian efforts in the area.  These photos are a few of those I was able to capture in the day and a half we were there.

Peterson

Peterson and his younger brother were orphaned by the earthquake.  They wandered the streets of Port Au Prince for approximately two weeks before they became separated in a crowd.  Peterson, unable to locate his younger brother, was taken in by a Canadian medical relief team who fed him and gave him a place to sleep at night.

When the medical team was to return to Canada they could not find an orphanage or any other agency able to take care of, and responsibility for, Peterson.  Determined, they were finally placed in touch with Bill and Jennifer Campbell of the Haiti Home of Hope orphanage who agreed to take Peterson in. 

Peterson has not seen his brother since they were separated.   The brother’s whereabouts is currently unknown.

Mika (Mee-ka)

Mika was one of 40 children being helped by the Haiti Home of Hope orphanage when I was there.  Mika’s feet had been pinned in the rubble of her house when it collapsed during the earthquake and she lay pinned for 8 ½ hours before she was freed by neighborhood rescue workers.  It was then several more days before she was able to receive medical attention and by that time her feet were so badly injured that the overburdened Haitian doctors said that both feet would have to be amputated.  Fortunately for Mika, she was airlifted for treatment to a small hospital in Pignon where there just happened to be a group of U.S. doctors on an annual medical mission trip.  Several of the doctors were orthopedic specialists and after multiple surgeries and skin grafts they were able to save most of her feet.  The Campbells, in their continual spirit of giving, provided Mika and her mother, Daline, with food, shelter and medical attention over the weeks and months it would take until Mika’s feet could heal enough to allow her to travel and she and her mother could return to Port au Prince.

Mika and her mother are the only members of their family to survive the earthquake.  Mika’s father and all her siblings were killed.  These photos, while graphic, show the resolve of a little girl who has lost not only most of her family but much of her feet as well, looking at her amputated toes and portions of her feet with a matter of fact acceptance. 

The Campbells, while supported by their home church and other donations, are faced with situations and needs that far exceeded what comes in.  Project H.O.P.E. has returned to the orphanage and built a dormitory and a kitchen to assist in housing and feeding the growing number of children there.  This was done through volunteers who donated both their money and their time and labor, most of whom are not carpenters, masons, or electricians.  They are simply people with a heart to give back.

Pastor Aknov

Work continues in the countryside surrounding Pignon and efforts are underway to finish a church that was started by Pastor George Aknov.  Project H.O.P.E. has raised the funds and volunteers to complete the work on a new church/school.  Steve Ijames will be taking a group this summer to put the roof on the building.

Mr. Tousaint Chivaley

Tousaint is a helper of Pastor Aknov's.  Although he looks like the strict schoolmaster in this photo, he smiled the entire rest of the time we were there and grinned like a kid when I showed him his image on the back of my camera.

The existing church/school house in which Pastor Aknov teaches 125 children using his own funds and what supplies and materials he can locate.

New church built to this point by Pastor Aknov using his own funds.

If you are someone who wishes to give back, I urge you to contact Project H.O.P.E. and give whatever you are able.  Nothing is too small.  $25.00 can buy much more in Haiti than you can imagine and go a long way to improving the lives of people so very much in need.  If you would like to travel to Haiti and take part in one of the projects please don’t be shy.  It does not matter if you can’t swing a hammer or don’t even know which end to grip.  There are many tasks that are easily learned and the joy of helping in an effort like this can’t be described by the written word.  The contact numbers can be located on their web page at the links throughout this post.  They will welcome you.

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