 On Tuesday a magnitude-7.0 earthquake devastated his home country,
leaving in its wake catastrophic damage and loss of life. With all
phone service down, people everywhere wait in desperation for any
word on the well-being of friends and family in Haiti.
Sanon has two brothers and parents back home, and his wife has a
sister and a brother. For two days, the Sanons had no word on their
families. This morning Sanon's sister-in-law was able to phone them,
using a satellite phone in a cybercafé. She related word of their
survival. "They lost their homes," Sanon said. "They may have to
build a little shelter" to have a place to stay.
Here in the U.S., Sanon's hands are tied. "Money, you know, we
could send," he said. "But they are out of everything."
LCU has been scrambling to take stock of its alumni and faculty
who are closely tied to Haiti. Many were safely in the U.S. when the
quake hit, and others have been able to send word of their
well-being.
Mac Burberry, an adjunct professor at LCU, serves as the
executive director of Haitian Christian Outreach. He was stateside
when the quake hit, but LCU alumn Gerard Eustache was in Haiti. The
organization's Web site reported that Eustache was safe in
Port-au-Prince, but his house had been destroyed.
The Web site, at
www.haitianchristian.org, included an option for donating to
relief efforts.
[to top of second column] |
Meanwhile the rest of the world rushes to send urgently needed aid.
Iceland sent a search-and-rescue team, while Canada sent supplies
and a disaster response team. American Airlines has been sending in
food and water, while President Obama promised $100 million in
relief aid.
The death toll is expected to climb to 50,000 or even 100,000,
and with the hospitals destroyed, hastily opened clinics are overrun
with the wounded.
[By CANDRA LANDERS]
 |
