Tragedy

Tragedy is NEVER easy. News reports, pictures, stories on the internet ALL pull on the strings of the heart. The pictures may bring tears to your eyes, make you look away, or move you into action. I find tragedy is easier when an individual is removed from the situation. It is easier when one is not directly related, does not know anyone facing the hardship, or never been to the country it has affected. But still, even with those above facts, the news has the amazing ability to touch ones heart with pictures, stories, and interviews.

There was a massive (which is an understatement) tragedy in the Caribbean this week. One would have to be living without internet, television, or news reports to have not heard about it. I am speaking about the Earthquake in Haiti.

I first want to Thank everyone who has been concerned for my safety, I do want let you ALL know that I/Dominica is physically safe, but emotional, well that is a different story. I also want to inform all of you; it is a common miss-understanding of Dominica (which is where I live) and the Dominican Republic which shares a boundary with Haiti. Yes, Dominica is remotely close to Haiti but not as close as the Dominican Republic. See the map for a visual understand! It is VERY common for people to get the two mix-up and sometimes packages end in the Dominican Republic instead of Dominica.

Back to my Dominica and the Tragedy, there is a large Haitian population of immigrants in Dominica. The tragedy has touched home for many individuals in my community as they are unsure of the safety, well-being, or life of many of their family, friends, or country in general. The Tragedy has touched home for me as some of my students are Haitian and I know they are not aware of how their family is doing, a traveling priest on the island has lost family members and has not heard from some of his family members. Haiti is a poor country and may never rebuild after the earthquake as wiped out their country. For a long while, there will be individuals tirelessly looking for individual, medically assisting individual, passing out basic needs, and doing what they need to do get the people of Haiti back on their feet.

It is amazing and warms my heart to hear all of the Aid Haiti is getting, how the country has come together for a common good but this also saddens me because why does it have to take such a tragedy for the World to come together. [Stepping onto soapbox] The world should be able to come together for the common good when tragedy does not hit but lets be honest, tragedy hits every day, yes not to the exact of Haiti but there is hardship, struggles, and people dying because they do not have the basic need EVERY DAY! I am talking all throughout the world and in the United States of America. But you do not always see people coming together for that! Next time you pass someone on the street and they look hungry or thirsty and you have extra to give, then GIVE. Don’t think just GIVE! I am not suggestion money, but food! I am a woman that should take her own words of wisdom. [Stepping off her soap box]

In six months or a year or after that, let us NOT forget Haiti, they will still need assistance, people volunteering, and prayers.