L'Union Fait La Force(French)...meaning strength through unity
She called this morning with her voice cracking I could only make out bits and pieces of what she was trying to say and this it all came together.."I'm leaving for Haiti tomorrow"...She remained silence for awhile all I could hear was the whispers of her radio in the background nothing more nothing less. Our silence was so loud it was deafing...so I finally spoke "Is your voice cracking because you don't want to go or because you don't know if you can handle it?" she proceeded to take a deep breath and then answer "I'm sad because all the death, suffering and confusion this country is facing and how i could never imagine living somewhere that has no way to really help there own people." This isn't the first time my cousin Leah has dealt with disaster...she was on the first flight to New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit and witness our own countries pain so making her way to Haiti should be no challenge at all...wrong...Her husband an Haitian American has family there including his mother and two younger sisters, one of them is at US embassy awaiting transport to Cuba but his mother and 16yrs old sister haven't been located yet and I know one of the fears in her heart is she is going to run into them ..dead or seriously injured and that's not how you want to see your family members. Our conversation was filled with a stillness not to many words just us being there for each other. I know Leah's choice to was an easy one but a hard choice all wrapped into one, she going to have to leave her infant son and her husband who opted out of this trip because He wanted to be available to greet his sister when she touched American soil again. When our phone call was coming to an end she asked me to do one thing for her "Make sure my son and husband is well taken care of" tears streamed down my face, not because I was sad but because I know she was planning for the worst like each and every time she leaves, she never tells you she's afraid of not returning she just plans ahead. I admire Leah for everything she does, I wish was in the position to help much more than what I'm doing right now. I know she will be fine and once she gets there all those jitters in her stomach will be gone and she will click into nurse mode and do what she does best...help others...and return to us safe and sound.
My prayers and thoughts go out to Haitian in the midst of all there pain, sorrow, and confusion. I wish I had more word to stay but I'm speechless after watching CNN last night and catching a glimpse into what the Haitian are going through. I read a couple of things last night that some people tweeted and some message boards and was appalled at ignorant people can be. Some couldn't understand why we should care about another foreign country and others who made it an race issue. Right now I just can't understand how people can be so blinded by there ignorance and see this for the bigger picture. Its not about not caring about our own country ..its about helping in a time of need especially to the poorest country in the western hemisphere who doesn't have the means or well balanced government to begin to help. I can't believe people could see all these horrifying pictures coming out of Haiti and still just see black faces and not want to help or fell sadness for them...who would think in 2010 that the world is still so blinded about color. Those are one of those things I guess i'll never understand.
Make sure we all do our part and help Haiti...they need us...
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2 comments:
A tear fell from my eyes as I read this...I posted a few lines but was speechless...and being in love with a Navy man, I understand how you felt hearing from your loved one leaving...But what she is doing is so amamzing...
I don't know what I would do if this was me. Be strong, I believe with all of my heart she'll be fine. y'all are in my prayers
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