Eduardo at the airport in Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Recently, a friend of Spanglish Chick took some time out of his life in Houston to lend a hand in the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.
Eduardo E. shared with us his thoughts and experience in the stricken nation. Spanglish Chick applauds Eduardo for his heartfelt, selfless contribution and for all the humanitarian work he has done not only for Haiti, but with all his charitable endeavors.
Why did you feel compelled to go to Haiti?
My initial reaction was that I felt I had to do something in response to the situation occurring there. When my job asked me to go I did everything necessary to prepare without giving too much thought to the (health & security) dangers associated with the trip.
What did you see?
To be honest, I stayed primarily in the airport area during the unloading and loading of supplies from the planes to the trucks that then took it to the tent community. I would depart in the morning from Miami and stay through late afternoon/evening in Hiati. I was there for 2 days. The destruction I saw was limited because the airport was 20 miles away from the epicenter from where earthquake struck.
How did you feel about what you saw?
During one of the stays I inquired about going into the city, but I was told by several U.S. Military (that was there assisting with airport logistics and security) that it was not recommended and that they hadn’t gone out there due to security reasons. The Haitian people I met seemed to be bewildered by the situation. I think part of them had gratitude for the aid, but another part of them may have felt as if we were encroaching on their territory.
What can people do to help?
At this point, I think many people are experiencing “donor fatigue,” but the sad thing is that the situation will not be resolved soon and it may take up to three years for levels to reach pre-earthquake status. I think that the global community can use this experience to improve the situation for the better and demonstrate that we can come together as a community during times of need.
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