Love & Haiti

Over the years, I’ve taught several students whose families hailed from Haiti. I’ve been continuously impressed with the pride all of these teens have shown for their heritage. All were either born in Haiti or had parents who were born there. The students had all spent time in the country, and would tell you about Haiti in a heartbeat. They’d share with you the beauty of the land, language and culture, as well as the struggles and poverty that have plagued the small Caribbean country.

Of course, I pray that all of these former students and their families were in the United States on Tuesday afternoon. I know that their hearts are torn, and that they are trying desperately to contact loved ones. I know they are feeling a sense of helplessness, as the last thing they can do right now is go to Haiti to help. Yet, a part of them surely wants to be there with food and bandages in tow.

Here in the Northeast United States, we’ve been complaining lately about the cold weather. We’ve watched some juicy news accounts of Conan O’Brien’s feud with NBC. We’ve heard about the Jets’ playoff hopes, and about Mark McGwire’s belated steroid confession. Interesting stories all.

But none are quite on the level with human beings trapped beneath rubble, thousands being buried in a mass grave, and a frantic attempt to bring antibiotics, water and high-energy biscuits to a nation overwhelmed with disaster.

We can make a donation. We can hope, pray, and wish for the best. We can talk about it and read about it, and watch the television news reporters who are often at their best when covering emergencies of this type.

But it’s hard to feel as though we can really do anything about it all. Helplessness, frustration and depression are common emotions when learning about suffering of this magnitude. Natural disasters can wipe out so many lives that it seems inconceivable to process it all.

So we turn, for inspiration, to the wisdom of youth. Today, I asked my high school seniors to write a journal responding to Margaret Mead’s famous quote about making a difference. The quote reads: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” We discussed the sentiments in Mead’s words, and students shared their reactions to it. One of my seniors smiled and explained that these words connected deeply with her own personal ambitions. “I want to be part of one of those groups someday,” she said. I nodded my head, and told her that was truly great.

It may just be a donation. But donations fund relief aid. And to save a life is to change the world. May we all find the thoughtful, committed places inside of us, and give Haiti some love in January 2010. It’s ready and waiting.