Jan
Haitian Earthquake
The earthquake in Haiti is a reminder that in this life, nothing is guaranteed. Safety and security is tentative. All the work of mankind cannot stem the tide of nature.
Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. It has been that way for a long time. The cause of such dire poverty is of human origin. Corruption in government has been a huge problem in Haiti for a very long time. The leadership plundered its own country. The excesses were personified by “Papa Doc” and “Baby Doc” Duvalier, a family dynasty that ruled Haiti for much of the 20th century. The Duvaliers lived in extravagant luxury. They had their own secret police, the feared “Tontons Macoutes.” The Duvaliers were part of a long line of corrupt rulers of the impoverished nation.
Despite massive amounts of foreign aid, abject poverty is the norm in Haiti.
Two centuries of corruption and greed has left Haiti in dire straits, even in the best of times. Now, it is devastated. There were the four hurricanes of 2008 that several damaged the island. The recent earthquake was far worse.
The horror is just beginning. There are many still trapped in collapsed buildings. The dead are everywhere, and the stench is pervasive. Survivors are facing shortages. Though many nations are sending aid, they are having a hard time getting it to the people. Even in the best of times, Haiti had a shaky infrastructure. The earthquake had wiped out most of it.
Haiti’s earthquake and its aftermath remind us that in life, nothing is assured. The forward weave of Wyrd has to contend with the crossweave. The other lesson is the human factor that affects matters of prosperity and poverty. Haiti’s government had been the major contributor to its poverty. Where there is need, there is greed. That poverty left the people more vulnerable to natural disasters.
We hope that the international relief effort is able to handle the daunting challenge of a devastated Haiti. And we hope that in the aftermath, the Haitian people have an opportunity at a better life. Its latest government is geared to working for the people rather than plundering them. Right now, it is time for rescue and recovery. Perhaps in the aftermath, a new day will dawn for the small nation.
