Hope in Haiti

Admit it -- you missed me. Come on -- you can admit it -- I won't mind -- YOU MISSED ME!!

Yep sorry for the slog and delay in blogs. Between working out, working 14, 15 hours most days, Sun and Mon being first days off since Jan 3 -- well I just haven't had the jumption you know? It's been cold, snowy, cold, dark (go to work when it's dark, come home when it's dark -- I'm like a vampire! Well a vegetarian one anyways!).

And look at me, crying and complaining. While I have a job, a car, a house over my head, bills paid on time (well mostly sometimes I forget). I can go to the Doctor when I want, there is a grocery down the street. My toilet flushes and my faucet delivers water to me most every day (well other than that water main break). I have electricity to light up my house and power my laptop. When you think of it I have it all.

Haiti doesn't. You can criticize the recovery efforts, the problems at the airport, the inability to get water and food to some areas. But remember -- Haiti is one of the poorest nations, with poor infrastructure, unstable leadership, and problems long before the earthquake. The media may point out the children without a roof over their head, no shoes on their feet -- but honestly they probably had that problem before.

The disaster is incredible and massive, made more devastating by the remoteness and poverty level and desperate help needed before buildings fell down in mass. And while we can't change that right now we can support what is happening to resurrect services. I think the world is responding remarkably (OK the Chinese plane that blocked the airport for hours while they were doing a photo op not withstanding) and has mobilized aid, services, help and etc. remarkably quickly, with dignity, and well intentions. Not all has gone right -- but much has and much of the problems/errors are exacerbated by the poverty level of the nation to start with.

And everyone has pitched in to help, and everyone can help. Each in their own way. From George Clooney's telethon coming up, to shipping down care packages as the Schott is collecting donations, to giving money, giving labor, everything. And if you can't give of your time or money -- Haiti is in need of plenty of prayers. Free and easy to do -- the results miraculous.

I'm not sure I understand the debate about the medical doctors that are also journalists and the conflict there. What is the conflict? They need doctors, they chip in their medical training/perform surgery, etc. And the story is reported as they do this -- OK so they are double dipping. Would you prefer they reported the story instead of operating?

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent is down there. He is also a neurosurgeon -- of which there were none available in Haiti. So he pitches in, sends out some tweets and begs others to come help, send equipment etc. He had to skip anchoring his show a couple of times as he was working around the clock doing surgeries, helping in any way possible. He made a comment that "if CNN didn't fire him" for missing his shows he'd try to get the next show out. I'm thinking he's AOK with CNN.

Amongst the rubble there are remarkable people doing remarkable things all over Haiti. Can you imagine if you were Haitian? How would you react to the dire need of food and water? We saw some of the reactions of those in New Orleans after hurrican Katrina. There have been some issues in Haiti. But I believe this picture, showing those waiting in line for hours and hours in the hot sun, no army around, shows the spirit and respect of the Haitian people.

Cued up, respectful of one another, and patient -- despite the fact they are in dire straights, they wait patiently for the water at the end of the line. The one bottle they will receive after hours of waiting.

There is a lesson in that. Patience, respect. And perhaps a trust, that all will be well.