I spent one week there, in this country that lies less than 800 miles from Florida, in the aftermath of this destruction, where broken lives, broken bodies, and broken hearts were laid bare. I was able to travel with FEMA, and with my friend Jeanne Gres, hooked up in PAP with Medical Teams International, where we were able to open the OR and proceed with much needed emergency surgery, trying to do what we could to save the broken bodies and lessen, in some small way, the suffering.
I have been to many places in my life, and seen much suffering…but never could I have imagined the amount of pain, the amount of loss, the amount of unspoken misery that fell upon these people. I believe that never in the history of the western hemisphere has there been such destruction to an entire country, unrelenting, without relief, not inflicted by man. The suffering was and is not possible to describe.
The faces that still fill my heart will remain forever…
The young student who lost his arm, and his dreams…. the girl searching place to place for her sister…the young people whose legs were crushed, bones broken…the children whose parents and families were killed leaving them alone, hungry and hurting… The young girl whose face was burned beyond imaging, the child whose deep lacerations destroyed her world…the infection, the gangrene, the horror.
Yet in the midst of this pain, the strength, and faith of this people sustained them, never left them. I saw this in the prayers sung each night…I heard this in the voices crying out to God when the 2nd quake hit…I felt this as the young father raised his arms in thanks as his child cried with new life, and hope for tomorrow…
I watched it in the cries of the 11 year old child whose family had been killed, as as her control was released after anesthesia….Mama…mama…Jesus save your little child…Jesus you are all I have…come to me Jesus…come to me..
In the midst of all of the pain, all of the suffering…there was and is still hope.
I believe that God is calling us to help these His children who live in this tiny island…
Whether we listen and hear the call is our choice….what we do now determines not only their future, but ours.
We must not forget these people, as the page turns into tomorrow. For their story will continue for many many months, many years…
It is up to us to remember…
This I hope…this I pray…this I ask you to remember…
Dr. Sylvia Campbell
