Hurricane Matthew rocked the Caribbean and Southeast Coastal areas the past few weeks. As you have seen in the news and, as Jimmy's pictures reveal, there have been a lot of homes lost in the Southwest.
Perhaps you saw one of the many articles this January on what's been accomplished (or hasn't been accomplished) in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake. Haiti's recovery is anything but simple. However, there are proven methods that have worked, and which we continue to use, rebuilding Haiti one home at a time.
To know where we've come though, we should first consider where we started.
In 2010, a massive earthquake left over 2 million Haitians homeless. The earthquake destroyed or damaged roughly 250,000 homes.
As the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, and with little infrastructure to begin with, the nation was unprepared to respond. International Aid agencies rushed to the scene, providing much needed medical care, food, and temporary shelter. However, as is often the case with natural disasters, the ruckus fades on news stations and the next big disaster beckons our attention elsewhere.
Maculla Milien, like many of the Haitians that came through the 2010 earthquake, has known great loss. Her house, her husband, and her son, all were stolen from her in one cruel disaster. However, she didn't give up. She picked up the pieces and kept moving, supporting herself and her remaining children by buying goods that she could resell at the market. The tent pictured below provided meager shelter for the family as they continued to hope for a change.
Today, Maculla's hopes have turned into realities. She and her family live in a sturdy, dry, earthquake-resistant home complete with the bright colors and inviting front porch that are characteristic of Haitian culture. Not every loss can be restored, but this miracle, as Maculla calls it, can bring one family closer to healing and happiness. Their thanks and prayers are given to all who made this new home a reality.
