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Haiti: travelogue

Our responsible for the Caribbean, Domingo de la Peña, is back in Haiti for another load of food. Here is the story of his journey.

Jimaní When I reach the border, one of three border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, it is late afternoon. I started mid-morning from Santo Domingo to pick up Solidaria cargo of food and now look forward to cross the rusty gate that marks the border between two worlds: the well-being, albeit relative, of The poverty of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

There is the confusion of last week when, at any time of day or night, dozens of vehicles were waiting to enter the other side of the cars' UN, the Red Cross, humanitarian organizations, columns of trucks loaded with tents, medicines, foodstuffs. Now the vehicles in front of me are few and in a few minutes, facilitated by the fact that I have a load of food to be delivered, I find myself in Haitian territory, on the dusty and winding narrow dirt road between the mountains and lake Azuelo .

The goal of today is not far away: the mission of Bosque Fons Jean Parisien, where they are directed, is only twenty miles and you arrive at dusk, from father Wilnor expected, the better. Here Solidaria is supporting some of the pupils of the school's primary mission, many of whom are orphaned after the earthquake and father Wilnor I'll have to define the organizational aspects of the aid program. In one of the poorest places on earth, where every day you fight for life, this mission is an 'island of happiness for many children who can hope to survive the poverty that afflicts them from birth, grow, learn and be able to change their own destiny.

spend the night on a mission and the next morning, accompanied by Eric, the Haitian missionary who show me the tent city in which to leave the burden of genres food, I head to Port au Prince. In February and March I came here with loads of other foods purchased by Solidaria. The streets were blocked by the columns of aid and to reach the capital had spent several hours but now there is little traffic, a sign that the emergency phase is over.
the outskirts of Port au Prince begin to look at the first tent.


" Throughout the city there are 347 - Eric informs me - and home to almost 700 000 people. The situation is improving and even water supplies are secured . Eric's statements seem to be confirmed in a number of trucks that I see round the streets, now almost completely cleared from the rubble of collapsed buildings, even if it remains the painful image of a devastated country, where everything seems to be confirmed. Along the streets of the city center, the dust raised by vehicles and the hot sun, hundreds of stalls displaying everything that was possible to extract from the rubble and that no one has claimed: iron, dishes, electrical equipment, parts of household appliances, pens, books ...

After the situation of extreme emergency the first few weeks, with dead everywhere, the wounded could not be cured, desperate people without food and water, now life has resumed a semblance of normality. Along the roads begin to see students in uniform, banks and markets have begun to function, and even some restaurant opened its doors. Small signs of rebirth through which one has the feeling of a return to normal, although this will take years. In the tent city where we leave the load in the center, distance between ropes stretched out to dry with towels and plastic sheeting where it trades, we cook, sleep, play, life is slowly recovering its spaces. Lowering of ropes and sheets, including children with curious looks and laughing eyes, I was invited to come and sit down.

heard stories of grief and suffering, and are invited to tell who they are and why my turn came. The eyes of the people are full of dignity, even though most of them recognize the signs of pain and can not be otherwise with more than 250 000 victims, 300 000 wounded and over a million homeless. Luck did not favor this country, ravaged by poverty, political violence and misrule, is hit by natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes, the effects are compounded by the lack of a plan, so that people built as he wanted and where he wanted.

Four months after the disaster, the problems are still many. You can not think of a final settlement for the homeless and tent cities will remain until they begin reconstruction. Let the load of food, I stop before the ruins of the cathedral graveyard for dozens of young people who were trying their repertoire of songs, for the archbishop and the vicar. Why so many deaths? I ask myself more than to Eric. "For many things " - he replies. " Especially for the social situation and abandonment. In Haiti, the presence of the state has always been precarious. Until the sixties there was little difference between Haiti and the other countries of the region, such as Honduras or the Dominican Republic, but then the dictatorship has destroyed this country. In the seventies the economic management has been disastrous and caused a big rural exodus. In eighties international cooperation has decided that Haiti, the poorest country in the West, but the aid should be supported, made without any dialogue with the Haitian society, has done nothing but strengthen our poverty. If you do not come into contact with the population, can never be null to build. "

It is evening when we return to the mission of Fons Parisien. Things start to improve slowly and now is up to us not forget these people and follow the long and slow process of rebirth, which we hope will be able to bring it to a quality of life that every person deserves.

Domingo de Peña