This site is kept in loving memory of Trish Reske, who passed in October of 2021.
Trish was a writer - this site captures a bit of her incredible sense of humor.
You can read Trish's full obituary here.

Please Help Haiti

The future of Haiti

The future of Haiti

www.flickr.com/photos/boston_aids_africa/sets/72157623224331526/show/

Two months ago today, I was in Port-au-Prince, our last day of a 7-day humanitarian trip with World Vision. We had spent the majority of the week in the Central Plateau town of Hinche, to see how World Vision was helping the poorest of Haitians with basic healthcare, schooling for children, community agriculture, emergency relief and food distribution (in partnership with USAID).

While in Port-au-Prince, we stayed at La Villa Creole in Port-au-Prince, toured the city, got our photo taken in front of Presidential Palace, and visited the National Museum of History. On our last day, we attended a convention featuring Haitian’s women-owned micro businesses. We bought a lot of souvenirs to take home with us.

It was the culmination of a week filled with hope in the midst of enormous seemingly insurmountable obstacles that Haitians face in this impoverished country. Little did I know that all burgeoning entrepreneurial hope would be dashed against the slabs of cement as the 7.0 earthquake rocked Haiti Tuesday evening this week.

Having witnessed first-hand the lack of infrastructure and crowded cement buildings stacked one on top of the other in the city and on the hillsides, I have a chillingly clear picture of the enormous devastation. I can see the logistical nightmare of trying to perform search and rescue efforts, and distribute much-needed water, food and first-aid. It is heartbreaking to know that not only dreams and hope, but so many lives were crushed in just moments on Tuesday. It couldn’t have happened at a worse time or in a worse place.

Our hotel, La Villa Creole, is now a makeshift hospital. The grand structures as well as the shanty town homes are flattened, and thousands of Haitian people, including many children, are dead or will die because of this disaster.

If I could jump on the next plane to Haiti and help out with the relief efforts, I would. But I can only pray and support those who are there on the ground – in my case – I am supporting World Vision, one of the largest NGOs in Haiti, and whose many Haitian employees I came to know in November.

When we came home from our trip, each of us remarked how much Americans have materially, and yet how unhappy many Americans are. Let us all give out of our abundance to our suffering brothers and sisters in Haiti who now need a helping hand more than ever.

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