By David Lane
In July, I led a five-person team that provided training in post-trauma counseling to two groups in Haiti: 133 pastors from the Haitian Baptist Convention and 84 teachers from schools in the Grand’Anse province. The trip was sponsored by the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Mercer University.
Haiti, a country of 9 million, had approximately 300,000 killed and 1.2 million left homeless as a result of the devastating earthquake that struck Jan. 12. Even areas not directly affected by the quake were impacted by the displaced population. Every individual throughout the entire country is in dire need.
I don’t know exactly why God called me to go to Haiti, but I don’t question it. I feel like Paul must have felt: Though it cost me my life, I will follow him. In March, when Jim Jennings of a group called Conscience International contacted us at Mercer to see if we would be interested in working with CBF to do post-traumatic-stress-disorder work in Haiti, my heart leapt.
If God can use something as flawed as this vessel, he is indeed a mighty God. People keep thanking me; people keep telling me I am doing wonderful work. I don’t like that. I feel guilty, because the truth is that I am reaping incredible rewards from having been to Haiti.
Most of the student teachers receiving the training were in Port-au-Prince the day the earthquake struck. Several horror stories came out in the small groups:
- Two students were buried in the rubble — one for several hours and one for six days — before being dug out.
- One student had a 4:45 p.m. class and he was late. He was running to class at 4:53 when the earthquake hit and the school building collapsed in front of him. The professor and everyone else already in the classroom were killed.
- Another student was late getting to class and had just walked into his school building when the earthquake hit. He and a friend ran for the exit. When he got outside he looked back — just as the building collapsed on his friend as he tried to exit the door.
- One student was scheduled to return to Port-au-Prince for school on Jan. 13. Her sister went back early, on Jan. 11, and was killed the next day in the quake. The surviving student has been numb since and has attempted suicide three times. She broke down and had to leave the room. I talked to her and encouraged her to stay and see if this helped her. She agreed and returned to the group, and by the end of the week she was doing well.
- One student was in Port-au-Prince in her home with her baby asleep in another room and five other family members in the house when the quake hit. She got out, but her house collapsed — killing all the others but one who was partially crushed as she exited the house. Her head was outside the door; the student held her and talked to her until she died two hours later. The student tried to dig the others out, but could not.
Every one of them has a story and most had not begun to deal with the magnitude of their loss. This training provided them the opportunity to begin the difficult process of healing from the trauma they all experienced.
The pastor training was also incredible. The people were overjoyed to have material they could use in their churches and Sunday school classes. During the training, the participants opened up to talk about their own trauma. I saw how God multiplied resources, helping the wounded to become the healers while providing an opportunity for their own healing. The pastors exploded into the exercises we did. They got it — and we could not shut them up. Even I can’t mess up what the Lord intends for good.
One of them said:
“I can relate to the training and can relate it to Haiti. Before the earthquake, life was normal.
“We were preparing for Carnivale [the festival preceding the beginning of Lent], the people were celebrating and busy in their moment of joy. We went from a moment of intense joy to a moment of extreme pain, death and struggle. Life everywhere was catastrophic. Life was completely changed and would never be the same again.
“God’s Spirit came and talked to me. Even in this moment of pain, you can remember who you are.
“It is the same with us. We realize now that everyone wants to help. This is huge. The world’s response, the response of strangers — it is God who has utilized these people.
“No matter what happens, there is hope for Haiti.”