Haiti Faces Are Dead

hotspringfreak from has written 35 comments

Claro.

- Chris Smith

Andy, every plea I've heard from everyone who knows the country as well as you has been very consistent: "Unless you are a doctor, send money. And if you are a doctor, a suitcase of supplies will matter more than your skills."

In other words, what the country needs most right now is stuff it can purchase: drinking water, medical supplies, food that won't perish quickly. There are plenty of bodies with muscles that can lift rocks. They don't have anything else to do right now anyway---the entire economy has stopped except the aid and rescue economy.

Take the money you would have spent to get there and donate it wisely instead.

Hey Andy,
Ive been reading your diary off and on for several years... sometimes I delete unread because I am too busy sometimes I read your excellent writing and profound thoughts on traveling as an american with amusement and admiration. Today I read with tears streaming down my face. I have not been to Haiti but I know and love Hatians, my mother worked as a nurse there for many years and told stories of some of the most spiritual and giving people in the world. It will not be this way for white people right now. They will see you as someone to save them, and one thing I have learned as an american abroad and worst of all in asia, that after crisis we are ripe for extortion. I was in Sri Lanka just after the Tsunami. I could lift rocks. I had firstaid training, but no supplies. I was in the way of the carpenters and philanthropists from europe. I came to loathe the red cross. I took one of the many available hotel rooms once I helped shovel the sand off of concrete 1st floor. I slept on salty foam with my beach towel as a blanket. There did not seem to be competition for space with the real relief workers, but seeing the people suffer and despair, looking at me knowing I had a life back home with possibilities and hope for a future in their minds full of riches and glamor, I was asked regularly "why was I there" and the truth was I was not much help. I didn't have money. I could not buy the tools to fix the fishing boats. Raising money at home (NY) would have been more help, buying a boat for a fisherman and his family would have been help. Sweeping sand out of concrete hovels was not real help. I did not want to watch the pile of dead bodies burn. It was not good for my psyche. It was not good for my soul. Mother nature is not malicious, she did not send a scourge upon an already impoverished people. Shit happens... and traveler to traveler... STAY THE COURSE. You will not been seen as relief aid. Leave that to the redcross and doctors without borders, they will do 2-6weeks of 'work' and return to their 'lives' back home. You will be extorted and your guilt will cause you to spend money you do not have. I did nothing for the long term residents of Una Watuna, I amused the Italian carpenters who were actually building new homes for these people. I helped the occasional old man dig his canoe out of the sand. I carried babies of mothers begging other white folks for money. They will say to you (those that speak english) "my friend, my friend, what do you have for me?" Like they did to me... and I bought them tobacco and beetlenut... why, because thats what they wanted. It was not relief. It was not help. Stay the course, my friend. Find a simple beach to grieve for your friends and move on, or come home and take a break and raise money if you feel so inclined. I will say ~70 the money raised for survivors of the Tsunami was wasted by the fly by night relief groups. I know I am not helping you feel better... but I will say I felt like I went to help, and left feeling like I gave hundreds of dollars to drunks and addicts. I was in Laos when the tsunami hit, dodged a bullet like you... consider yourself blessed, and talkstory with the people you meet about the beautiful people you dont know whether live or are dead. Keep things in perspective, and stay the course.
Fairwinds,
Meagan

You should help but not necessarily go back to port au prince. You're a businessman, perhaps the best thing you can do is organize a supply convoy from DR to haiti. They need bottled water, nutrient dense food, basic first aid supplies and blankets. Perhaps a million people are now homeless and on the street the best use of your abilities is to organize the transport of very needed essentials. God be with you.

Even if you do not wear his medal or believe in Saint Christopher , the patron Saint of travelers , something got you out of Haiti in time to avoid disaster . Don't tempt fate ! My pain is for the population and a dream country that has vanished forever . Count your blessings and move on .

has written 4 comments

The ICRC has a list where people who survived can register (searching for relatives) Here is a link to the list
http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/haiti/people
Maybe you will find someone.
Stay safe.............

has written 2 comments

Mr Andy:

I don't know why you are making comments on Haiti. You just left Haiti and never mention one time about 35000 to 40000 Americans who live in Haiti. You seem to think that creole or French is the only language to communicate with in Haiti. Why would you return to Haiti? Many doctors, warships, planes, food and water is coming plus the 82nd airborne, plus search teams with dogs. It appears that with your 11 years of world travel not much as sinked in on how this world works. Just my 2 cents worth

Remembering the faces of the people we knew as they lived,is most times better than remembering their faces or the faces of those that loved them after they are gone. A nurse that lived in my town, had just checked into her hotel in Port au Prince, when the earthquake struck. She was killed in the rubble. Although we didn't know her personally, it still is better to remember her for what she was doing there and how she "lived" here.

Stay Safe and remember those you have met.

http://news.sympatico.ctv.ca/abc/home/contentposting.aspx?isfa=1andfeedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V3andshowbyline=Trueanddate=trueandnewsitemid=CTVNews2f201001132fhaiti_nurse_100113

Frank Gray did a piece on you today in JG from the Fort. Your old hometown USA, my present town USA. I have been keeping up O.L.C.H. on facebook site, they are alive, but their safety is in question.....maybe this will bring you a little bit of peace.

Gadget from has written 831 comments

Charlie, I never mentioned them once, because I can only mention what I see. I did not talk about Voodou, it never entered my world. I do not search for a something to write about. This is reality, not story telling.

I was in Port-au-Prince living for three weeks on Rue Lamarre. I think time I met one girl who as White American. Patricia was there for 16 months and went anywhere, and everywhere. There were some Lebanon people who owned the grocery store close to the Palace.

I would suspect maybe there coule be 30-40,000 number of Haitian people, who naturalized to the USA and come back to visit.. I met a two of them, but no difference, except for the passport.

There is no way there was 40,000 people like me who stuck out in the crowd. I was one of the few white people in the country.

Please go to the country.

I don't know why,but that link didn't work. I hope this one does.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100113/haiti_nurse_100113?s_name=andno_ads=

john from has written 82 comments

I can't imagine how heart wrenching it must be for you having just been in Haiti. Back in 1985 I left Mexico City 1 week before they had a 8.1 quake. It too was a devestating earthquake. It was days before I heard anything about my family or friends. I wanted to go back, but I had to realize there wasn't much I could have done. That said, that is what worked for me, you can only do what is best for you. My prayers to you and your friends. I hope all turns out ok.

hoz from has written 62 comments

Reports are there are 30-45,000 Americans living in Haiti. It doesn't say they are all in Port Au Prince, neither do they HAVE TO BE WHITE.

Blinders on Andy.

Glad you're safe Andy and I understand the burden, felt the same thing in Indonesia.

People in the US with mobile phones can help Haiti in just 5 seconds - I just wrote about it:
http://tinyurl.com/yapzy8n

peace,
Greg