Initial Impressions of Haiti

I was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and left a few months before my 9th birthday.  My younger brother and I boarded a flight to join our parents in the United States.  A little more than 30 years later, I return for the first time.  My memories of Haiti as a child were quite specific (house, school, a couple of friends, specific events--I got into a fight from which I still have a visible scar--etc.)  I doubt that I would remember POP pre-earthquake, I certainly did not recognize it post-earthquake.

Off to Haiti

I leave today for Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  I will be there until Friday.  I am not expecting to have email access.  So, I will blog about my trip when I come back.  I leave you readers in the capable hands of my fellow contributors.

Red Cross Needs People who Speak Creole and English

If you speak both creole and english, please read below.  If you know someone who does please pass this on.

The American Red Cross is looking to deploy 100 Creole interpreters to workon the hospital ship USNS Comfort, which will be harbored outside Port-au-Prince.  Volunteers need to be fluent in Creole and English. Other skills are helpful but not required.

 Things to keep in mind:

 (1) The ship will be deployed for a month;

 (2) Volunteers won't be able to leave the ship during that time; and

 (3) They will not have luxurious quarters. It is important to stress the second point: The interpreters will stay on the ship to assist and won't be able to get off the ship to see family in Haiti.

 We are looking for volunteers to be in Miami no later than Wednesday night/Thursday morning (January 20/21). The Red Cross may be able to provide accommodations for those coming from out of town.  All volunteers would be fully trained, either in Miami, or at their home chapters of the Red Cross before they come to Miami.  Again, no skills are required beyond speakingboth Creole and English. Anyone interested in this opportunity will be contacted ASAP with additional steps. Please communicate to me immediately if you have persons who can do this and contact information.

Michael A. Blake
Deputy Associate Director
The White House - Offices of Intergovernmental Affairs & Public Engagement
(202) 456-4772 - Office
(202) 503-5649 - Cell

The Earthquake in Haiti

As an Haitian-American, I cannot put in words the feelings of helplessness, sorrow and grief that I am experiencing as I hear and watch on television what is going in Haiti. I imagine that my feelings would be similar even if I were not of Haitian descent. But to see the intense suffering of those whose faces and stories are familiar to me is close to unbearable.
I cannot imagine what it is like to be in a country where all basic services are unavailable: very little medicine, little potable water, no medical support, no government services, no one to bury the dead, few equipment to look for the living, no home to go to, few places to use the bathroom and take a shower, children looking for their parents, parents looking for their kids, etc. I can't imagine a situation where tomorrow does not bring hope but only brings more sorrow.
I have heard and read many news accounts describing the Haitian people as resilient. No human being should ever have to be this resilient.