"Happy thuesday! How are you doing? What about your family? I know you are busy. I know you work so hard. I know you may not have enough time to visit your adress. But i don't really know why I don't hear from you,i don't know why you forget me,i don't know why you leave me in cholera's hands. Anyway,i just want to tell you I miss you and i Miss you! Please say hello to your sweetheart for me and take care. I miss you! I love you! God bless you!"
Past.CALIXTE Yvon
This is an email we received from Calixte a short time ago. Calixte, our wonderful friend and translator from Port-au-Prince, seen by thousands on the cover of the Journal of the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians.
One year ago the earthquake struck Haiti, and one year later the effects are as potent as they had been only several weeks later. The media lost interest shortly after the earthquake and quickly turned their attention to other matters- another earthquake in a rich nation, a tablet computer was released, Tiger Woods had maritial troubles, and after the Gulf oil spill, Haiti was officially off of the map. That was of course until some news stories started trickling in that some infectious diarrhea had spread throughout the tent cities and water supply in Haiti. Finally several headlines cropped up announcing the appearance of cholera, however they faded quickly. The violent outbursts and political upheaval of the 2010 presidential elections didn't even warrant coverage in the papers.
One year later, and the circumstances of Calixte, his family, and our other friends in Haiti have changed little. Aid has been slow to reach the people. The dead in the street have become a familiar site again as many have died from cholera and the bodies await disposal.
Amid all of this dread there is hope as many with Heart to Heart International continue to go to help the displaced and the ill. Friends and colleagues of mine like Dr. Francisco Chacon, Dr. Deb Kroeker, and Dr. Duane Spaulding.
I am happy to announce that Maryclaire and I will be returning to Haiti in February for several weeks, and we will be joining some of our original team including Sue, Anita and Dr. Spaulding. We look forward to working in the clinic we helped to establish almost a year ago, and reminding the people of Port-au-Prince that no, we haven't forgotten them. We are also very excited to have the wonderful team of Lynn and Alex Hund who will be managing our fundraising efforts this year as we raise the money for travel and medical supplies.
"Haven't forgotten you, Calixte! We're coming back in February! Maryclaire and I will see you soon!"
-Aaron
Aaron A. Davis, D.O.
