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Medical Clinic, Haiti, 1987 . Photo By John Grant
Posted By John Grant
…….I was there in 1987 visiting a doctor friend who worked in a clinic in the middle of the island and made two-hour treks to tiny villages up in the mountains three days a week. One thing I will never forget is watching a man who worked in the clinic use a pair of common pliers to extract a tooth from the jaw of a 30-year-old peasant woman. He was having a hard time wriggling the thing out, and she was suffering immensely. But she did not let out even a peep! It gives me the chills just recalling the scene.
The 23-year-old memory of that woman’s stoicism actually inspired me six months ago to extract a painful, loose tooth of my own. In my case, it was considerably easier, and I saved a $100 dental bill. As comfortable Americans, we should purge ourselves of any sense of superiority vis-a-vis Haiti and learn to respect and honor Haitians for the suffering they have endured — and are enduring at this moment. In that spirit, we should extend our hand.
If nothing else, the earthquake disaster should wake Americans up to what an amazing place Haiti really is — absolutely unique in the Western Hemisphere, an island liberated by Africans brought to this hemisphere in chains as slaves. While poverty and horror are the usual images that pop into Americans’ minds when they hear the word “Haiti,” the real story is much more complicated and full to the brim with stoicism, art and music. And, folks, if we get all superior and see voodoo as third-rate theatrics and nonsense, it’s no different than all religions — it’s people trying to make sense out of darkness and death. The fact is, we could learn a lot from Haiti.
Melissa
January 18th, 2010 at 01:39
I agree. And it’s really a shame because many of the comments I am seeing on Facebook are people saying how we should “take care of our own”. Our own what?? We are all people living on the same Earth, the same planet.
People are also saying they’d wish we could have a natural disaster here in America (well actually we did with Katrina) so we could get help for the homeless and so forth. I agree that the American government needs to step up and do more for us Americans. Don’t even get me started on the issue of Healthcare!! However, we should still help others. When I see those mothers over there trying to rock and comfort their babies, it just shows you how parenting and love for a child is universal, no matter what language you speak. And seeing the little kids crying and scared; they have no idea what’s going on, and people can actually sit around and say we should be worrying about “our own”.
Boyce Potts
April 16th, 2010 at 12:22
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