Grand Rapids Press Article

The Grand Rapids Press recently allowed me to write a short piece about my most recent visit to Haiti.  It can be seen here.

From Haiti BW

Before and After

Day 5

Day 4

My friend Oswald stands with his family next to what remains of his house. Behind him is the upstairs which completely collapsed on the downstairs - just after his wife and children managed to get out. They pointed out to me under the foundation where their bed is buried, where their TV was, their computer. Oswald looks up with a smile and says nonchalantly "It's very crashed but if that's the price of change (claps and shrugs) Ok. OK. We want to pay We pay. Now it be good to wreck for this change. The change will come to (pointing) with my son."

I prodded him, "So everything you owned was destroyed?"

"Yeah, but if that's the price. Ok. When someone looses a house he says 'I feel very very bad', but me not because I have got - I'm alive, my family too. And when all pass, God is with us. We can - can... (to me) re-begin?"

"Begin again?"

"Begin again! Now we go to make a new country!"




For now the family lives with a total of about 12 people in this temporary house. They insist that this is just for a short time - like when you are driving in the mountains and go very fast down into the valley, only to then cruise up to the top of an even bigger mountain - that's their current situation, Oswald said. Even when I tried to pry a little and see if he had any complaints, he would just smile and shake his head and tell me how good God is. "Giving up is not an option."

The interviews that I got to shoot today with this man and others like him are a truly beautiful and astounding thing.



There are heroes in the world.

Click here for more pictures

Day 3 - Faces

From 2010-03-08

Day 2

Due to where some of my previous images where stored it was easier to create this post in Facebook. Here's the link: Before and After

My baggage did arrive yesterday. But much better, I got to worship with some of the most incredible people I've ever met. Their faith astounds and humbles me. It doesn't get much better than when a man you hardly know rushes up to you during the churches greeting time, wrapping you in a hug and with a huge smile saying "I love you!"

From 2010-03-07