Wednesday, January 12, 2011

January 12

One year ago today, at 4:55 PM, we heard a deafening sound and our house started to shake violently. For the next 35 seconds, we struggled to stay standing as it seemed like the world was collapsing around us.

Today, we mourn the hundreds of thousands that were killed in the earthquake, the millions displaced, the loss of massive amounts infrastructure, of schools and hospitals and government buildings. We mourn the ongoing tragedy of an inefficient response, mired in bureaucracy and corruption and exploitation. We mourn that 1 million people are still living in tents, that foreign companies are benefiting more from reconstruction contracts than Haitians. We mourn that such a devastating disaster did little to uproot the social, economic and political structures that oppress the majority of Haitians.

The city feels as though it's wrapped in a shroud. This morning the streets are empty, but churches are overflowing with Haitians wearing white and black, the colors of mourning. The government is launching a registry to identify the dead, as well as those that are still missing. A ceremony is taking place at the National Cemetery, masses being held at cathedrals around the city. We grieve.

But we also celebrate. We celebrate life, our lives and the lives of the people around us that are active and engaged in trying to shape Haiti’s future. We celebrate a vision for how things could be different for this country. We celebrate what has been done, the rubble that has been moved, the houses that have been repaired, the small businesses that have been rebuilt. In the midst of the mourning, I can also hear people singing.

Please pray for this country today. Pray that today Haiti will recapture the sense of solidarity that was so prevalent in those first weeks after the earthquake and, along with that, the energy to move forward towards healing and real, just and participative reconstruction.

January 2010

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

We pray and mourn with you, "Lord have mercy on Haiti" and that in the mourning, as you so well express, hope and solidarity will be born again.

ever so much love, M & D

Anonymous said...

We have full hearts for Haiti today, and pray that in this moment, more than a year ago this month, the world will hear from Haitians what is needed to heal the heartaches they live with, and will follow the lead of Haitians boldly creating the changes they need. Our hope is in you, Haiti!
from A-z

Laura Ingram said...

We have been praying for you guys and Haiti this week and will continue to do so. Thank you for being His hands and feet to the people of Haiti, a country we love.

-Laura(Exline's daughter)

Anonymous said...

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 7

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...