Dear Haiti

I had to write a quick blog about Haiti, where a part of my heart is always kept. Two days ago a massive, unthinkable earthquake hit the capitol city, Port-au-Prince. If you have ever been to Haiti, which I recognize that few in this world (as a %) ever have, you know that nothing could be worse. The country is built for deluges of water, but not for an earthquake. In fact, I can't imagine a more unthinkable event relative to the way the city is both laid out and built upon. Much of the city is built on various slopes, hills and mountains. The buildings are largely cinder block with very poor reinforcement. Concrete was considered great because they had it in abundance and because it could take a pounding from the rain and wind and not be fazed. But, throw a powerful earthquake (and those that have been around earthquakes know that 7.0 earthquakes are off the scale of scary) at that concrete and we're talking disaster. The very weight that protects now kills.

Another problem is that Haiti has very little in the way of infrastructure. They have very little heavy equipment and very little room to maneuver around. The city is packed very tightly. How you get non-existent heavy equipment in is beyond me. Then add to that the fact that there is very little advanced medicine in the country (or even much in the way of basic medicine) and we're talking a medical epidemic certainty.

Of course, for me, I think about the sweet people that live there. They are very childlike in their approach to life and I know that many of them never even dreamed of an earthquake. Kids in California know about earthquakes and many have experienced them. But, for a Haitian, I doubt that 99% even ever thought of such a thing existed. I know that the majority of the people there, who are very fearful like a child of many things, must be terrified about going into their homes. I would think it will take a long time, if ever, for the people to get over this new threat in their lives.

So, what is to be done? I actually believe that a lot and that it can be a turning point for this country. For one thing, it will bring much, much needed relief to this country. Visiting Haiti last year I saw a country that looked like an earthquake had hit it. It was ravaged by the decades of abuse. Pat Robertson says that it is because Haitian forefathers made a pact with the Devil. I would say it is because the people there are so childlike that they're easily manipulated and there has been so much abuse of the people. Through this disaster, perhaps the people get the much needed help and that they can rebuild a city that was beyond hope without a true disaster. Perhaps, this will be a chance to start again. They can rename the city Phoenix, for it will literally need to rise out of the dust. Perhaps, in some ways, this is an answer from a loving Father in Heaven who is sending help to some of his choicest sweetest children.