Checkmate?

On August 14, at around 8 am an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck Haiti. The most affected were the southern departments and the big handle. Many lost their lives or were injured and left without shelter due to destroyed houses and buildings.

Two days later Tropical Storm Grace passed over the country. Those who had just lost their house stayed in the rain and those who had houses joined them out of fear of another earthquake. Checkmate for the first days?

This is Jounal Odilan, he is 48 years old and has 3 children. He lives in Plaine Martin in the south. These last few days of his life and that of his community have become very strange. Days before the earthquake they prayed for rain because they almost all have gardens to feed themselves. Then came the earthquake which destroyed all their houses. Now they do not know if they should pray for the rain because they have no place to sleep and they also know if there is no rain they will not have water for the gardens and no food.

Until the day we met him, yes there was a checkmate in his head. Luckily, St Luc brought aid to the most remote areas and we discovered this tucked away place. The whole community has benefited from our delivery of medical aid, food and materials and said these deliveries are answered prayers. This community prays for what they believe is necessary.

Even though bleak times and tragedies are among everyone in Haiti, Jounal said he and his community want to share their hope for a better tomorrow because they know St Luc Foundation at their side. So do the recent natural disasters get to call checkmate in the end with this chess game of us against the world? Not if we stick together it doesn’t!