Silence is Broken

I finally heard from my Uncle Luc in Haiti, and I thank God.  Like many of you, I’ve witnessed other devastating natural disasters in the past as they gradually unfolded on my television screen.  And I would always wonder what the experience must be for the loved ones witnessing the horror from afar.  The helplessness, the worry, the desolation must be unbearable, I would tell myself.  It was, and in some ways, it still is.

First and foremost, my heart goes out to the many families who are still seeking a sign, any sign, of hope, confirming that their loved ones are still alive.  I know what you are going through.  The sleepless nights feel endless.  You keep wishing the phone could ring, and when it finally does, you jump in fear, not wanting to hear what news awaits you on the other line.  You can’t focus, can’t think, can’t eat, can’t sit still.  And the images on T.V. don’t help, they just grow increasingly grim as each day slowly passes by. 

I still await word from some relatives and friends in Port-au-Prince.  And for the family members who are now accounted for, a new set of emotions arise.  Sadness for people who didn’t get the same confirmations I received.  Guilt when I’m able to eat something, while thinking about my cousin who called us to tell us how hungry he was as he walked by dead bodies scattered all over the city.  Concern for the family members who are homeless and now in outdoor camps…what if it rains?

In all this, I’m amazed to have found some comfort in the reports of survivors in Port-au-Prince.  I’m blown away by countless examples of endurance and their expressions of faith in God.  They kept me going as I waited, and as I still wait with all who have been affected by this calamitous event.  As we approach Martin Luther King Day, I’m reminded of his wise words:  “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”   The world is watching now as Haiti displays, in great measure, the strength and resilience of all her children.