Haiti

You've heard.

Tens of thousands dead. Perhaps more than a hundred thousand. Three million homeless.

I have followed the politics, underdevelopment, and misery of that country for a long time.

My children are from there.

If they had not been snatched from the streets during the military coup they would almost certainly have been killed by the roving bands of former policemen who were "cleaning the streets."

If they had not been adopted into my home, they may have died from disease due the lack of sanitation. If they had not been adopted into my home they may have died from lack of proper nutrition. I haven't forgotten the Time magazine image of the little girl making food out of dirt and lard.

Once in a while my sons talk about Haiti. Especially Isaac. The wonder what it's like there. If they have relatives still alive there.

While we were trying to secure residency for Jeremiah (there was a huge oversight by our adoption lawyers and our children were never properly made citizens and had overstayed their medial visas) we feared he would be deported back there.

My sons still bear names from there.

Jeremiah was Fritzno Zephyr. When he was granted permission to leave it was with the stipulation that his last name be Solomon, the name of the mayor of Carrefour. In the states he was given the name Jeremiah. When we adopted him he became Jermiah Fritzno Zephyr Greenleaf.

Isaac was only an infant when complete chaos destroyed what little civilization was there. He was given the name Gary, and he also gained the last name Solomon. In the states he was given the name Isaac. When he was adopted he became Isaac Solomon Greenleaf.

Jeremiah had been badly treated there. The growth plates in his feet had been crushed, probably by something like a baseball bat. There are dents in his head. Additionally there were congenital problems and psychological problems. His first meal in our home began with a bowl of rice. He stared at it, trembling. He wasn't sure what to do with it and the food set for him frightened him. He looked up at me through tears and asked "Is this all for me?"

Isaac wasn't intentionally starved. In fact I believe he was loved there.

Voodoo is common in Haiti and there are many customs people have to ward off evil, and to attract it. They believe werewolves steal beautiful babies so they heat cashews and scar their faces. Isaac bears such scars.

I have followed the politics and culture of Haiti carefully these past 15 years.

It is a hopeless and fearful place. It is a place of horrid poverty, astonishing crime, and absent education. There wasn't much in the way of infrastructure there, and what little there was is rubble today.

My children are fortunate to have escaped.

Millions still groan in fear and pain.