What next?

This week I’ve had the privilege to meet with some of the other groups around the country who have also been trying to care for spinal victims of the earthquake.  We’re a small bunch, but with a united passion.  It was an inspiring time hearing stories of the different successes.  One spinal victim who’d given birth at another site to a beautiful baby, one of our paraplegic patients who used to be a nurse and has agreed to help educate Government trainee nurses it true holistic care, both from the point of view of a nurse and paraplegic patient.  Lots of stories of lives restored and progress achieved.

Yet amidst all the hope, I couldn’t help but become slightly overwhelmed by the complex issues surrounding the long term future for paralysed patients in Haiti.  One group were from Handicap International and doing a great job running a mobile team offering continued rehab support to the spinal patients who have returned home.  There job is long and hard.  Finding paralysed patients amidst these huge tent cities, many with large pressure wounds, great risk of urinary infection, and no medical support.  It’s a disaster waiting to happen, and yet there seems to be a lack of funds available to help with this crisis.  It always comes down to money.  That’s why spinal patients have never survived before in Haiti because this kind of service has never been offered.  I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to sit amidst ‘ethical’ discussions regarding how money is better spent.  Do you spend £3000 for instance saving one paralysed patient, or for the same amount vaccinate 1500 kids (as an example.)  I know these horrible ethical discussions happen all over the world, even in developed countries with specialised medical care, but for people in the third world, the cost is so little.  Lives are looked upon so cheaply.  We’re not talking about millions of pounds, we’re talking of people dying for the sake of thousands of pounds, or in the case of millions around the world pounds or even pennies.  Can you put a price on a life.  I don’t think so.

There have been a rise in kidnappings in the North of Haiti in the last month, and we’re back on a strict curfew.  There are different theories regarding the rise of kidnappings.  The even more dire economic situation is certainly one.  Displaced gangs who have moved from the south is another.  But, there’s also a trend of increased kidnappings around elections as political leaders seek funds for their campaigns.  Such extreme corruption seems unbelievable, but it happens all over the world in different forms.  Lives being labeled with a cost for the sake of another persons gain.  It’s corrupted our shores in the UK for years in different forms, even though many thought slavery ended with William Wilberforce for instance.

Life is meant to cost so much more.  Ethical dilemmas such as the one’s I see groups like ours facing each week shouldn’t exist.  I don’t know when the scales of injustice tipped so far in favor of the few, to the suffering of the masses, but sadly they have.  It’s hard here for aid workers (myself included), to face the reality of potentially having to stop a service that could save lives.  Not only to stop it, but then to have the responsibility of  looking into the eyes of someone who could and should be saved, but won’t be because of money, and say ‘sorry, there’s nothing I can do’ in the knowledge they’ll probably die.   If we are to way up what another persons life costs, it should be based upon the cost of those dearest to ours.  That’s the standard Jesus set, and whether we believe in Jesus or not, it’s a good standard to live up to.  It’s a challenge to love that starving child in Africa with the same love as our own child, or that widow in India with the same compassion as our mother or wife, or that homeless grandfather in Gonaives with the same commitment, respect and passion as our own grandfather, brother, or dad.  To do onto others as we would want done unto ourselves.  It’s not just a nice illustration, it’s an expectation and a command.  One that Haiti urgently needs to see the reality of.  I have heard that many food distributions in tent cities will be stopping soon as NGOs transfer from emergency response to recovery.  I have also heard that with the huge and problematic land issues in Port au Prince, many permanent housing facilities won’t be established for perhaps two or three years.  I sometimes can’t help but ask…’what next?’

When the situation becomes so overwhelming it’s a privilege to hold onto the moments of joy, of which there are thanks to you many.  One for me happened this week when myself and Fiona (another long term volunteer) visited George, one of our spinal patients.  When I left Haiti George couldn’t even walk.  A few days ago I saw him for the first time in months, in his semi permanent home…WALKING.  Another little miracle.  Another glimmer of hope.  Another reminder that when we do invest in others and love them as we’d want to be loved ourselves anything is possible.  It’s been proved through out history, and my hope is that through your support it can be proved again and again here.  It’s not an easy standard to follow, but it’s well worth it!