Haiti...again Haiti.
Since 1994, it has been hit with 5 natural disasters. Such a sad country with a sad history.
And now devastation of biblical proportions.
This country feels cursed.
Before the earthquake hit, it was a failed state. Now its future is more uncertain than ever.
Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Only about half the people can read.
Most people live on a couple of dollars a day.
15 % of children die before they reach the age of 5.
Life expectancy is only 60.
On the human development index, it ranks 149th, just ahead of Sudan.
A country marked by a history of corruption and violence.
Canada has spent hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in development aid and little has changed. Efforts to ease poverty seem to have ended in failure.
And now, Canada and the world are being called upon again to help this troubled country devastated beyond belief.
People with nothing. As Haitian writer Danny Laferriere noted, Haiti "is" a natural catastrophe.
And yes, in the name of humanity we must respond with verve and determination.
And somewhere answers must be found. How can this country be pulled out of its misery. Why can't the Haitian leaders effect change? A country cannot be a permanent client of foreign aid from countries such as ours.
How can rebuilding efforts succeed now where they have failed before?
Many questions. but in the meantime, needs must be met. Lives must be saved. People must be fed. We must provide shelter from the storm.
And we will do this because we are human.
It is the right thing to do.
And when you look around you
Perhaps your troubles won't seem so important.
Because we are indeed lucky to live in this blessed country.
We are lucky to have the opportunity that allows us to succeed and to become our best. We are safe in our homes and want for little.
But not so very far away, the situation is grim and will get worse in the coming days.
In the darkness that is setting on that poor poor island country. We must be there to shed some light.
