then and now. here and there.
I’m once again back in a library study-room, trying to get back into a rythym. Marvinia’s working through some POM lectures and I’m working on my case write-up. I brought along some homemade haitian hot chocolate which I once again failed to cook up properly. Ha. Nevertheless, it’s been a few days now and after some initial shock, processing, and rallying of support and awareness, I’m finding myself wanting to forget a little and find a distraction — then the sight of the green paint at the General Hospital surfaces again on the news and brings it all back.
December 29, 2009:
Unloading supplies at the General Hospital.
January 14, 2010:
General Hospital turned into a morgue
Staying aware with the news doesn’t seem to help either, getting only worse and worse, confirming our initial fears and gut reaction to the words “earthquake” and “haiti” in the same text message someone sent us Tuesday afternoon. Death is everywhere.
Suffering and desperation are adding on too. The bags of water we bought for 1 Haitian Gourde now cost 15. People are willing to pull a knife on someone in order to get money to feed their family via the now expensive black market. Seeing this immediate need, Claudel decided to take that experience and be proactive in it — buying food this morning and giving it out to his neighbors.
Accepting our mortality leads to a more fulfilling life, but certainly doesn’t take away the sting of a void when others pass-on. Frankly, we miss them on so many different levels. And when an entire people are suffering, it’s not much different. On a personal level, I try to celebrate and remember the positive attributes and qualities from before the now present depressing situation.
Sigh, if only I could listen to my own words of encouragement better and “do whatever you feel you can or is appropriate — donate money to MSF or UNICEF, reach out to friends who are among the many waiting to contact their family, friends, and loved ones, or simply focus on our studies and work here so that we too can be better prepared to help when future disasters arise.“