Albuquerque's Haitian community is small and tight-knit, with strong connections to mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters back in Haiti. As aftershocks continue to roll through the earthquake-devastated capital, local Haitians feel the shock in a deeply personal way. "We have the tsunami that happened in 2007we have four hurricanes back to back last year--no (in) 2008 the yearly hurricanes there's always destructionafter awhile we become a little numb and saddened.. Why us? Why Haiti?" Images from the media of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince haunt the New Mexico Haitians but they can't tear themselves away from the screen except to try again to reach relatives on cell phones and the internet. "I was able to speak with my father because he has an American cell phone, he was so grateful that he was alive however he told me that he was going to be sleeping on the street because his house was gone." For the ones who can't make contact the waiting is pure torture, the not knowing almost unendurable, and the images keep coming of death and destruction beyond comprehension. "We are still unable to reach anyone there and I've been speaking to friends in Miami and just hearing all sorts of stories of young children being trapped, people dying, whole families." "We're just hoping for the best, and it's-- I mean that's all we can do. Hope for the best." Members of the Haitian community plan to meet tomorrow morning for prayers and plans to help out with rescue and relief efforts.
No comments:
Post a Comment