Like the Phoenix, You Will Rise Again
Around the world, people living in deep poverty show their support for the Haitian people
Following the January 12th earthquake in Haiti, an enormous wave of support has been reflected in the media: support from musicians and artists, political leaders, writers and academics. Through its presence in areas of extreme poverty around the world, ATD Fourth World has also heard the many words of solidarity coming from people whose daily lives are harsh. Here are a few examples.
Haïti
- “Yon vwa pou pep la” (One Voice for the People): the ATD Fourth World contribution in preparation for the International Conference of Donors for a New Future in Haiti.
- In the midst of difficulty, sharing knowledge is a time for joy, meeting others, and getting involved
- One month after the earthquake: Families in extreme poverty struggle against injustice, but their efforts backfire
- "They have to have a voice in their future, in the future of Haiti"
Tanzanian members of ATD Fourth World wrote to share their concern for the Haitian people while thinking of the disasters that have wiped out whole families in their country, whether landslides or the flooding of mine shafts. In the Philippines, members write that their Haitian friends are constantly in their thoughts. They know what it means to live in a country where tremors can move the land, where volcanoes can errupt, and where floods can wipe out a lifetime of efforts as happened several months ago.
In Peru, just two weeks ago floods ravaged the Cusco region. Our team there says that the families of Cuyo Grande and Villa del Sol survived, but their crops have been washed away. The team is following the example of the members of ATD Fourth World in Port-au-Prince by visiting those who have lost everything and making it possible for their children to do creative projects. Our friends in Honduras wrote to those in Haiti of their experience when fire destroyed the homes of the families in El Rio, as well as a library in which the whole district had taken pride. They found ways to support one another, and asked us to translate their words so that they could encourage others: "We are standing and we are in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Go forward, you who are the friends of our people. Like the phoenix, you will rise again and a better future will see the day. Courage to all of you, we are with you."
In Ireland, Theresa dictated this message, "I’m praying for you to have homes once again. I spent thirty years living in the streets. Keep hope, there has to be hope at the end of the tunnel." Jacquelyn, who has also spent many years homeless in Ireland, has planned to donate a little money for Haiti each week.
In the Ivory Coast, our friends who have endured the violence of war say: "We have thought it over with our families and decided to give up certain daily things in order to send support to our friends in Haiti."
In Belgium, many families living in extreme poverty fear that their children will be placed in foster care for that reason. They reacted strongly when they heard that their government was accelerating adoptiong procedures for Haitian children. One mother said, "They shouldn’t do this. Why do people always think children will be better off here than with their own people?"
In Spain, a man who is homeless said how proud he is of his country’s solidarity with Haiti. He added, "So much money is being donated. That’s a good thing, but it can be a risk too. Just who will really benefit? What’s needed is a real movement like the one to rebuild our country after World War II. But in fact even though our country was rebuilt, deep poverty remained… They have to do better in Haiti."
