Five Years Afterwards

On Monday, January 12, 2015, the nation of Haiti remembered the 7.0 earthquake, centered in the mountains above Leogäne, approximately 20 miles east of Port-au-Prince.  January 12, 2010, found Haiti completely unprepared for a disaster of such magnitude since there had been no major earthquake in Haiti for 160 years.  In the decades preceding the common masonry construction was notoriously haphazard due to skimping on rebar and cement, poor quality aggregate, and building too many levels.  This is all to say that when the earthquake hit at 5:00 pm in the afternoon, the damage was catastrophic.  The Haitian government estimates that over 200,000 persons lost their lives in collapsed structures.  Countless homes and businesses, eighty percent of schools and universities, many churches and the majority of government offices were destroyed.  The months afterwards were some of the most difficult and traumatic ever endured by the people of Port-au-Prince, Jacmel, and their environs as commerce and civil life came to a complete standstill.

So, five years later, what has changed?  There are some clear improvements to point to: the population of displaced persons under tents and shelters has decreased from 1.5 million to less than 100,000.  Most of the rubble has been removed and many properties are again inhabited (though structures are mostly smaller and transitional).  There has been a construction boom as many hotels and commercial centers have been rebuilt.  Schools have been reopened and rebuilt, though there is still a chronic shortage of space in Haiti’s schools.  Many iconic structures in Port-au-Prince have not been replaced—like Haiti’s Roman Catholic and Episcopal cathedrals and the Presidential Palace.

Where is God in all of this?  Haitians give thanks for the billions of dollars given by individuals, churches, charitable organizations and foreign governments.  Without this historic help provided through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, Haiti would be far behind where it is today.  Unfortunately, one of the unintended consequences of the relief effort was the reinforcement of a common attitude that Haiti must have foreign aid to improve.  The church, which was the only organization capable of reaching out to and serving earthquake survivors in the first weeks following the earthquake, is still growing.  Many came to faith through the crucible of suffering and bereavement after the quake.  Interestingly, almost no one blames God for this disaster, but gives thanks for his provision of protecting of the lives the loved ones who survived.  Please continue to pray for Haiti as there is a long way to go!