America's North Shore Journal

There are some very simple ways that the people of Haiti can be helped. There are actions that all of us can take to provide that help. And, sadly, there are a great many ways that our work and our money can be used in ways that will not benefit the Haitians.

Most of us will never see a place with more basic needs than Haiti. Providing those needs means more than just a shipping container full of old clothes. It means that the work and the money we donate must go to groups that are effective, expert in their filed, on the ground in Haiti right now, and will use the resources we provide to aid the Haitians the the ways they need aid. We can see all their needs, but we must assist them through their choices and their involvement in the relief and reconstruction process.

Haiti has been awash in visitors for the last two months. The relief effort after the earthquake brought thousands of people to the country that had never been there before. Few had any understanding of Haitian traditions, Haitian customs and the way things were done in Haiti up until January 12, 2010. That was both a good thing and a bad thing.

On January 11, 2010, Haiti was a cesspool. Its people were among the poorest on the planet and its government was dysfunctional in all of the traditional ways of a third world country. It had no army, and its police were supported and supervised by United Nations military forces.

Asking who is in charge of a country is the sort of thing the State Department and the C.I.A. hire folks for. Countries are rarely run solely by their government. There are many other interested parties and Haiti is not an exception to that rule.

The complication for Haiti is that hundreds of outside agencies are on the ground providing earthquake relief and reconstruction assistance. Some are charities and non-governmental organizations (NGO). Some are international and transnational agencies. And, there are military units from a number of nations that are also in the mix. Who is in charge in Haiti?

The earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010 did a great deal of damage. We intend to examine where the damage is and what it consists of.

Haiti has always been a nation of extremes. The grinding poverty of nearly all its people contrasted with the wealth displayed by the elite. The voodoo rituals performed in huts compared to High Mass at the cathedral in Port-au-Prince. The bare, unforested hills displayed behind the green trees around the enclaves of the rich.

In a series of articles this week, we will look at Haiti, the relief effort at this time, and what the future might bring to that poor nation. With the emphasis shifting from earthquake disaster relief to reconstruction, it is a good time to examine the changes that Haiti may see and the things that will remain the same.

There will be link-rich content, photos, and some finger pointing.