Haiti Cheri

As anyone who has ever met me or heard of me knows: I am in love with all things Haitian. Perhaps this bias comes from my upbringing in a Haitian household and yearnings to visit Haiti: the mother land. I have dedicated much time and energy to learning and contributing to the greater body of literature on Haiti. So you can imagine how it must have felt to hear the news about the earthquake (and its aftershocks) that shook the nation's capitol for two days! I stood in disbelief: there was no way the nation could stand to be stuck by yet another natural disaster. But there it was-on CNN-being rattled to its core, leaving a pile of rubble where testaments to Haiti's freedom and grander once stood.

It sent a shock wave through the hearts of million around the world. My friends, family, and neighbors all rallied to support Haitian relief efforts with our prayers, money, and time. And many of us were forced to put life into perspective. Here I was ranting and raving about the aspects of life that were arguably very important to me on a personal level but insignificant compared to what fellow Haitians were having to deal with. Children are struggling to survive with broken backs and gangrene infected half amputated legs!

In all of this I am reminded that as lofty as my dream to start a medical school in Haiti may seem, it is certainly not unfounded. Now, more than ever, it has become readily apparent that the nation needs people dedicated to providing sustainable health professions education and career opportunities. I want to be trained and settled in Haiti. I want to help the nation recover. But I know that I need to move one step at a time, patiently, efficiently, effectively, and sustainably.

In the meantime pray for the nation and everyone who is on the ground working hard to help the people who need them NOW. Pray for sustained assistance and recovery efforts. And, if you can, support us with your time and money!

For more information on how you can help through the not-for-profit that I have helped start go to www.sfcc-collier.org or email me at anitap@sfcc-collier.org for detailed information.

PEACE!