It has been almost 2.5 years since the earthquake. In some areas it looks like it happened yesterday. Don't get me wrong many areas are much improved. One of the things that makes me sad about being here is hearing people who have not been here, not seen the indescribable damage, who don't know the cost of rebuilding and don't realize this country was in really bad shape before the earthquake be critical of relief efforts, or Haitian people in general.
We have yet to talk to a Haitian person about the quake who did not loose at least one immediate family member on that day. Yet, it seems like so much of the world is pulling out or forgetting about Haiti. These people have not forgotten.
Today, I was at the Apparent Project sitting on the balcony watching some ladies make bead necklaces. The wind picked up a little and started to rock a bowl that was sitting on the ledge. In just a few seconds it went from rocking to tipping over and spilling beads everywhere. The people absolutely freaked out. I think that rocking and spilling sound brought on some major post traumatic stress issues. They all jumped up and started pushing and shoving me and anyone else in their way to get to the stairs. It created a brief but mass hysteria as people who were in the house and had not even heard the bowl drop started running out because the people outside were. It was as close to an earthquake or mass hysteria as I ever want to get.
A sample of the damage. If you look closely you will see a pick-up truck in the middle of the picture, crushed beneath a level of the house.
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