Haiti Day Two

The first day in Haiti was frustrating. As missionaries who lived in the country for 2 years, we were itching to get out and find and help the people, but no one would let us leave without a plan and a security escort. We understood their reasons, but coming back here, just felt like coming home.

On day 2, we split up in groups and we headed out with 4 EMTs as a traveling medic team. We checked on an orphanage where everyone was okay, we fixed everything from coughs and colds to massive infected holes in legs and arms. We translated for the EMTs and spoke with the people trying to find out where help was needed. It’s sad here because some people will get the initial help they need, then end up dying from an infected would or a bandage that was never changed.

Once the members catch wind that old missionaries are in town, everyone comes down. It’s been good. They’ve helped us find transportation and find people to help cook. We are burning through our money quickly. Everyone came down with a few hundred dollars, but everything is so expensive here right now and there are so many needs, it’s just like everywhere else, you need money to get things done.

I gave everything I brought down to Bishop Marty. He is an incredible man. Here is his story:

Bishop Marty is indescribable. He is the man we helped build the orphanage for seven years ago. When the Haitian people found out that he was kind, loving and had a job, people would drop unwanted babies and children off on his door. At one point, he had 50 children living in his tiny house. Then, an orphanage was built and he was better able to care for the children. He ended up running 2 orphanages with 50 to 100 kids in each. He showed up at the airport happy as can be, smiling, joking and laughing. He had us all in tears, how can a man who can gone through what he has gone through smile?

Two weeks before the earthquake, his youngest child was kidnapped right out of church by people who thought he had money. What people don’t understand is that if you loose a kid in Haiti, they are gone forever. He was at the airport saying good bye to his 2 daughters…he was sending them to the United States to be with family because he didn’t feel Haiti was safe for them anymore. His mom and sister died during the earthquake and he thought he lost his wife too. He dug her out of the rubble with his bare hands. Now, it’s just him and his wife and their orphanages. It’s a miracle, but they didn’t loose any of their orphan children in the earthquake. Buildings all around it tumbled down, but the orphanage just leaned and settled back into its foundation.

He won’t leave Haiti. He has too much to do here and too many people to help. He is in the mission presidency and is the caregiver to hundreds of children without anyone else to love them. And he still smiles. Oh, I wish we had the resilience and perspective he has.

Each night we meet together and form a game plan. I love working with the Haitian people. They are so easy and happy. All you have to do is be a white guy, speaking Haitian Creole and smile at them or say hi and it makes all the difference to them. They love to joke, tease and be sarcastic. I’m glad we can give them jobs and work for a little while…it lifts their spirits. I’m glad I lived here before. What the media says is true, it is a sad, sad place, but I was here before and it’s still Haiti. There is more death and more rubble, but other than that, Welcome to Haiti…they live differently than we do, with much much less, but they have always smiled, joked and loved even living in so much deprivation.

I love being here….