Haiti- Day 1- Reality Check

Extreme heat. Loud music. People grabbing for your things to help you. Unfamiliar faces. Utter CHAOS. This is what I walked into as I exited the plane for my very first arrival in Haiti. I was nervous and scared searching for the familiar faces of my family with the same anxiety of a child who’s lost it’s mother in a grocery store. After a short while, I found them and I breathed a sigh of relief. The number of people who were outside the gate waiting for you was enamering. There were people asking for my things and as frustrating as it was because I was scared, for them it was all about survival. The images on CNN and every other news station were no longer images that I could turn off with the press of a power button….I was now in the midst of it. My family and I came to Haiti to film a documentary showing the devastation, aftermath, culture, and resilience of the Haitian people. We came, especially at this time, to be an example and bring awareness to the fact that even though your local news stations have stopped showing the devastation, doesn’t mean that it has ended. My uncle along with the rest of us came down as the i2BELIEVE family, his non-profit organization, to show that we too believe that this country can be rebuilt again. They came a few days before me so they were able to visit the mass graves where thousands of bodies were dumped after being burned and ‘buried’. They also visited some tent cities and did interviews with the people of the tent cities. The National Palace was also a historical stop as a part of the documentary. My first stop was impromptu soccer game with kids. Though the organization is for the benefit of everyone, we really want to cater to the future of the country by being mentors and of assistance to the children. The kids were so happy and well- behaved. We played soccer with them, gave them a new soccer ball for them to share amongst each other, and gave them candy. They were so happy. 


My next stop was an orphanage for the kids who’s parents were no longer alive. The minute I got out of the car, they all came up and hugged me. Every single last one of them were so happy to see someone and would run in and out peaking around corners, smiling, and disappearing again. They were very well-mannered and so happy for what they had, which wasn’t much. The conditions of the orphanage were horrendous. There were two rooms for the kids and a room that most people would have to themselves, housed 15 boys in one room and 15 girls in another. There was a small kitchen with no stove and a small room with a blackboard to teach the kids in. The kids are each other’s family and are as young as they are, are helping to raise each other. There was a 1 yr old baby there and the 7 year old was the one carrying him around and they do it as if it’s second nature. At the end of the visit, we spoke to them, gave the orphanage some things, and gave the children candy. They were so happy and appreciative. One thing that I’ve noticed is that, though they need so much more, they are kids, and therefore still are happy with the simple stuff, like candy.


Later on, we were having drinks and talking about the trip thus far. We were talking to a doctor who had been here since a week and a half after the earthquake and he was telling us his experience thus far. Of course, it’s been like none other he’s had before, and he’s experienced a lot of the culture. He’s seen the rapid death of patients in the ICU unit and the frustration of the Haitian people. Contrary to popular belief, they’re not getting as much help as you’d think. There are still a lot of places that have been untouched and those people are going hungry for days on end. Rubble is still everywhere, the tools that people have are brooms and a small shovel that you’d probably use to plant your spring garden. A lot has been done, but more hasn’t. The people are frustrated with the fact that aid groups are starting to leave and there’s still so much that remains. Of course with the frustration comes tension and with tension comes anger and with anger comes action…and it’s usually negative actions. Gangs are forming and places are getting more dangerous to where simply passing through there is discouraged. Like the violence that occurred afte hurricane Katrina, violence will soon follow due to the desperation and anger from the lack of necessary attention to the country.


This is just day 1 and there’s more to come! Though there was a lot that shocked me and a lot of disheartening things that I saw, I want to end on a good note. The thing that I noticed later on as I looked from the rooftop of my hotel is the joy. Yup, you read it right, joy. Despite it all, there was loud music playing in the streets, people out talking, laughing, and dancing, and selling their business items. Basically, they were living life and moving on. It made me happy to see the strength of my people.  See you tomorrow!




Until next time ...keep the forward movement...