Haiti, Five Years On

When an earthquake devastated Haiti five years ago, killing a quarter of a million people, the United Church asked its folk to respond generously, and they did. We contributed through the congregation I served then, as did many of our members. We saw that this terribly impoverished country was hit hard because the buildings and infrastructure were already so shaky.

Of course we heard almost immediately that some aid wasn't reaching its intended targets, that there was general confusion amongst agencies and governments, and that movie stars were in Haiti doing their own thing. I sat next to a guy on a plane on a runway in New Mexico who was fretting about making his connecting flight in Dallas. A paramedic, he was on his way to work with the relief effort initiated by Sean Penn. This was his second trip because he found the camp Penn had set up was so well run. There you go!



All this said, without international support the circumstances would have been even more dire. And churches tend to have partners in various countries because of missionary connections from earlier times. In Haiti, Frontiers Foundation, started by the late United Church minister Charlie Catto back in the 60's, repaired a school they had originally constructed, but it fared not too badly because it had been built well.

I realize that when we contribute to disaster relief there is the possibility that the money may be misdirected or perhaps misappropriated. This is a risk I'm willing to take. It's too easy to be cynical or complain of  "compassion fatigue." As convenient as that expression may be, it is a concept, not an actual medical condition. Christ calls us to generosity and compassion, despite the risks. Where and how we give does require prudence and diligence, but that's why God gave us brains.

Haiti is rebuilding, and the response of Canadians in a big part of that effort. Below is a memorial service in a new Roman Catholic church in Port au Prince.

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