Each semester, UAB School of Public Health Dean Max Michael puts together what he calls "Flash Talks," which brings together experts from various places in the university to discuss a current public health topic. Last week, the topic for the Flash Talk was Cholera in Haiti, with discussion headed by Mindy Lalor, professor in the School of Engineering, and Craig Wilson, professor of epidemiology and head of the Sparkman Center for Global Health. The discussion was remarkably disheartening. Haiti has spent the past 206 dysfunctional years as the slum of the Western Hemisphere. When the earthquake struck in January, Haiti was already riddled with HIV, TB, poor structural facilities, a corrupt and impotent government and a myriad of other blights. When the rains came this summer, disaster piled upon disaster which piled upon Haiti's baseline of crisis. And now cholera, the pathogen perhaps responsible for more deaths in the history of mankind than any other, has decided to get in on the act.
In short, Haiti is in such a state of disarray that even the most organized and well-funded interventions seem to be inadequate. Even after working to coordinate disaster relief from organizations all over the world, experts are perplexed as to how to even begin fighting the issues faced by Haiti. One million people remain dislodged from their homes, and sanitation is virtually impossible.
One of the participants in the discussion posed what seems to be a very logical question: "Why do anything?" Resources are unquestionably being wasted away as more and more dollars are poured into a disaster area that could barely function before the earthquake. In addition to the geographical, social, political and health issues facing the country, Haitians face the additional challenge of psychological dependence on their aid workers. Dr. Lalor relayed a story from Tom Corson, executive director at SIFAT, an Alabama-based NGO that works to promote sustainable solutions for the poor in the developing world. Mr. Corson spent weeks in a Haitian village working to teach villagers how to use a water purification system provided by SIFAT. Despite being fully competent to maintain the system, villagers contacted him two days after he left, complaining that they no longer had any clean water. Despite working all over the world, Mr. Corson described this as his first truly disheartening experience with SIFAT. A man who has dealt with the poor the world over, and Haiti is the place where he loses hope.
Amidst this discussion, which seemed only to deepen the dilemma while failing to provide answers, I too began to lose heart. I have spent the past few years trying to understand how I can use training in medicine and public health to fight poverty and oppression. My time in the School of Public Health has been encouraging, and I am beginning to understand how I can use my skills to carve a career that brings the gospel of hope, healing, mercy, justice and salvation to those who most need it. But this conversation of Haiti leaves me despairing. Even the help provided to Haiti seems to deepen their problems, and no solutions can be found.
Thankfully, after a few days of despair, my Father graciously reminded me that He is the God of the despairing. He directed me to Mark's gospel, where Jesus miraculously provided bread to the hungry masses. After partaking twice in such feedings, the disciples found themselves hungry and worried afloat the Sea of Galilee, having forgotten to bring bread. And it is here that Christ rebukes them, reminding them of the miracles they had already forgotten. He teaches that in Him we have left the reign of scarcity under the rule of Egypt and Rome; we are now in the Kingdom of abundance. For Haiti, the church is not bound to a resource allocation plan, and we are not at the mercy of logic. The God of the sick and hungry is still the God of miracles, and in His Kingdom there is abundance.
In this, the Church is called to Haiti. Empowered by abundance of the Kingdom, and we are called to fight for the poor and oppressed, even when there is no hope. May He fill Haitian baskets.
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