It’s hard to believe that the earthquake in Haiti took place four years ago. I was in Haiti for the first time in over 20 years just weeks before the earthquake happened. I had a great time with family and visited the island where my family was from but I knew little about. We traveled the island from North to South and had a wonderful time. My trip was during the Christmas and New Year holidays, a time where there are many parties, weekends at the beach, and just good times.
Just 10 days after I left news of the earthquake broke. I remember staying up until 5 am watching the news and waiting to hear if our family was okay. My immediate family were mostly okay but some cousins and distant relatives of my dad’s had perished. My aunt’s home where I stayed for my trip was dust and rubble. My cousin’s son, who was at home when the house collapsed, suffered broken bones and other injuries. He was lucky enough to have been flow to Miami for treatment the same day. Here he is pictured below, a photo that was snapped and splashed all over many news publications.
I didn’t grow up in Haiti, and I’m not fluent in French or Haitian Kreyol. But I still have many reasons to remember the earthquake and the many lives, homes, and precious memories that were lost in less than minute. All weekend I’ve been looking at my photos and videos I have collected over the years of my recent trips. I found the video below a trip I took six months after the earthquake where I visited my aunt’s home for the first time.
A lot of work has been done in the last four years but there still remains more to do. If you’re interested in helping, then I urge you to consider volunteering with a group or church that travels to Haiti. Or donating to an organization devoted to rebuilding efforts. You can also help by purchasing products from the Macy’s Heart of Haiti collection as a portion of the proceeds go to help artists in Haiti earn sustainable income.
If you’re interested in finding an organization, leave a comment below as I know several that could use your support or volunteers.
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