Even though it remains the poorest country in the western hemisphere, as a struggling nation, Haiti has been making progress in recent years. The gang warfare that used to rule the streets has been contained. Violence has been decreasing. Government corruption seems to have diminished. Signs of democracy have been breaking out all over. In the past year, a major international hotel chain actually announced plans to build a resort there.
Shortly after news of the crisis hit, the regional representative of UNICEF, speaking from Panama City, Panama, began to outline the coming U.N. response. She said that in a situation like this the first thing to do is to make sure that water and sewage systems are restored to good operating condition. A lack of safe water and sanitation produces a medical crisis that can quickly multiply the devastation.
“Fact is,” John Winings, director of the Haiti Fund told the OUTLOOK today (Jan. 13), “the water systems already are bad and sewage systems don’t exist.” The lack of what they already didn’t have won’t change things much. The strategy for immediate relief here is not like it would be in other, less impoverished countries.
In fact, the greatest problem — which doubtless is unfolding as you are reading this — is delivering nourishment. Haiti has no operating train lines, few passable roads. Now, the only road heading to the southwest has been destroyed, as well as one road going north and the two fanning out to the east. And where there are no good roads, there is no food delivery. Here’s the real problem presented by the roads: “After two days there won’t be any food,” said Winings. “Food distribution is an everyday thing. Whatever rice arrives on ships will find no methods of distribution.” Whether the food is brought by Red Cross, World Vision, or any other outside organization, the only way to deliver it to much of the country is by way of helicopter, according to Winings. Only governments, like that of the U.S., are capable of making such deliveries.
Inevitably, Winings added, gangs in the city will revive, and they will “begin to devastate and loot.”
Within hours of the quake, the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Fund was being flooded with offers to go to the island nation to help. The readiness of so many to volunteer has been heartening, according to Randy Ackley, the PDA coordinator. However, he added, “The last thing the government needs is to have more people in need of food and water. … We’re cautious about sending teams prior to being sure that there will be sufficient security and support systems to welcome them, and so they are a help not a burden to the larger community they’re trying to serve.”
As has been the case with the post-Katrina recovery process, PDA anticipates getting engaged for the long term with Haiti. It’s too early to tell if they will be able to set up tent villages of volunteers there, but in one way or another, they will be working and supporting others’ efforts for a long time.
PDA immediately began allocating funds from the One Great Hour of Sharing to the Church World Service and other partners working in the region. Most of those groups already work together in partnership as Action by Churches Together (ACT), an ecumenical alliance that is “working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide,” as their Web site summarizes.
Ackley added that this disaster is especially significant as its path of destruction has run right through the very institutions and vehicles that are needed to respond to it. Striking near the nation’s capital and population center means that the schools, hospitals, police stations, governmental buildings, and even royal palace have been damaged or destroyed. The recovery process will be long and drawn out.
The PC(USA)’s primary mission partner denomination on the island is the Haiti Diocese of the Episcopal Church (U.S.A.) – the largest diocese in the denomination. Rob Radtke, the director of the Episcopal Relief and Development agency told the OUTLOOK that the devastation to the church itself has been terrible. The cathedral has been destroyed. Many churches have been destroyed. More importantly, many lives have been lost. He reflected, “This is going to be a long term recovery process taking many months and years. They will need our prayers and support.”
Amid all the tragedy, some good news did emerge.
When the quake hit, the four-story St. Joseph’s School in Port-au-Prince pancaked, as did so many other nearby buildings. However, at that time all the orphan boys living there were assembling in the courtyard, lining up to go in for chapel services. When the building fell, not a one was inside. Just a couple suffered a few scratches.
Editor’s Note: A report on the ongoing work of Haiti Fund in that country, and the beginning response to the earthquake crisis are planned in the January 25 issue of The Presbyterian Outlook.
