Nine months after the quake.

Life gets busy. That's the way things always go. The days here are getting shorter and shorter, while there seems to be more and more things to do. The old saying " There never seem to be enough hours in the day" couldn't possibly be more true than it is in 2010. We rush around from here to there, consuming, visiting, working, oblivious of the world beyond the horizon. However, the world beyond the horizon is still there. It's still turning, still spinning on it's axis.

Today I read a report on Haiti. It's breaking news right now, and of course Haiti has had the spotlight plenty in the past few years, but it's about to go big into the news again. Only this time, I kind of hope not. I hope that this news doesn't spread. I wish I could report with joy as to how well things in Haiti are going, but it wouldn't be true. Truth-of-the-matter is, Haiti is experiencing a cholera outbreak. As of today, there were up to 200 deaths and fifteen hundred people sick. Cholera can kill within mere hours. Clean water and medicines can help eliminate cholera, but unfortunately Haiti has very little of either of those things. It is a ticking time bomb, and as soon as I read the article, I was bombarded with images, sensations, and smells from Haiti. It was like I was there again. I must say, I don't miss the earth shaking all the time... that took a long time for us to get over. I don't miss the smells from our last trip, but I do miss the smells and sights from our first trip. A poor place, definately, but it stole your heart and begged you to come back.

Unfortunately, reports say that very little of the rubble has actually been cleaned up. I've read reports that said that food distribution has ceased, so perhaps that was a precursor to the cholera outbreak. Who knows. All I know is, I don't think I could live long-term in a tiny shack composed of 2x4 walls wrapped in plastic with a tin roof. Sounds a bit like a microwave oven. I guess I'm just being honest. I like my comfortable things, and I'm grateful for them.

I tried to make the following a link, but it didn't work. Try to cut and paste, otherwise.... http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/cholera-epidemic-in-haiti-kills-135-20101022-16w95.html