A CARE worker sets up an aid distribution soon after the earthquake struck. © CARE/Evelyn HocksteinAs the anniversary of the earthquake that changed Haiti forever last year approaches rapidly, we hear from Mildrède Béliard, 33, CARE Haiti’s Communications Officer about what changed that day, and, on the next page, progress made since:
12 January, 2010 started like any other day. The streets full of children going to school, adults to work, street vendors, cars fighting over each inch of the road. We cross each other without seeing one another: too busy, too distracted.
The day continues normally. We eat, we laugh, we tease each other.
In a few seconds everything falls apart.
Though each person describes those seconds of horror differently we all share how the earth opened up beneath our feet. First, this noise, a cry of the earth howling and creaking from pressure. Then, nothing. Complete silence. And finally, like one voice, the screams of horror, panic, disbelief.
A cry that becomes unbearable as we see the horror and devastation. A cloud of dust covers the city pitifully, as if it was giving time to prepare for the unbelievable.
With blood everywhere, torn bodies, we cross each other on the street, but this time, we recognise each other. Under the dust that covers us, we're all the same, brothers and sisters.
United in horror, but also survival.
A nation waits desperately for a sign, anything that would wake us from this nightmare. From all over the world came gestures of solidarity, from countries we didn’t even know existed. Helping hands, something to hold on to while we try to get back on our feet.
While some would give anything to leave the country, others arrive to tell the world how much help is needed. Haitians abroad looks for friends, relatives they lost sight of decades ago. Every Haitian shares what little they have with people who have only their lives.
Rescuers from around the world put their lives at risk to continue the work begun by the Haitian people with only their arms as tools.
It went on. CARE’s staff head home exhausted from a day of distribution, making their beds on the floor, waking before sunrise next morning. We saw doctors walking through the streets, megaphone in hand, offering free care to the wounded.
On January 12, 2010, Haiti experienced horror. But we also saw love, solidarity, compassion.
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