Haiti Begins to Heal
Today marks the third month since Haiti was devastated by the earthquake. With the death toll in the several hundreds of thousands, and with 2.5 million now homeless, it seemed that Haiti was dealt a final blow. I am here to report that the recovery has begun, and the hopes and dreams of the Haitian people are more alive than ever!
Not knowing what to expect, I arrived in Haiti in late January with a makeshift crew consisting of Red Cross, Salvation Army, and various law enforcement volunteers. Crossing the border from the Dominican Republic took 18 hours, and the amount of aid workers seemed to be “too much” at first. That was until we got closer to Port Au Prince, and realized that we were severely too small. At first glance, I could hardly keep my eyes from tearing. My Homeland was in ruins. PetionVille- once the home of the wealthy looked liked a shanty town. Every few minutes, you would hear a cry of someone discovering the remains of a loved one. Within minutes of arriving our crew was scattered in different directions. As I translated for some volunteers, my eyes were fixed on the faces of the victims. Each one looked like a relative of mine. Then I realized that each one was. At that moment we were all related. From the volunteer doctors, to the reporters, we were one family helping each other.
This spirit of oneness began for me a week prior in Tuscon at the 2010 Symposium. While in Tuscon, ITMI Alum and Tour Operators raised funds for Haiti. I was overwelmed with the generosity displayed, and knew that through the compassion shown in Arizona, that lives several thousands miles away would be saved. The funds helped to purchase much needed tents, water filtration systems, protein bars, and soap. Watching someone receive a simple bar of soap, and knowing at least for that moment, they had a sense of normallcy and a restoration of dignity, made me so proud to be part of the ITMI family. As tour directors we are like “eagles” watching over our groups, Seeing miles ahead for any bumps in the road, protecting our groups from anything in harms way. In Haiti, the eagle’s wings of ITMI embraced and enhanced the lives of many. Although there is much more to be done, I want to thank all of the ITMI family on behalf of the survivors for thier unconditional love and call to action.
Reggie Laroche