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Tiger-Cats offensive lineman Jason Jimenez was one of seven CFL players that took part in Huddle For Haiti, a CFLPA, WestJet and Oxfam Canada driven initiative that supports Haiti relief one year after the devastating earthquake. Jimenez recently returned from his 10-day visit to Haiti and will discuss his thoughts on the experience in a series of stories on Ticats.ca…
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By our third day in Haiti, our senses had taken a beating. We were physically and emotionally drained by some of the worst sights, sounds, stories and smells that we had ever encountered.
After spending the morning saying our goodbyes in Gran Goave, we made our way to the town of Leogane where we met with the organization CARE. This day was, in my opinion, the pinnacle of my experience while in Haiti.
Upon arrival, I received a lesson in the dynamics of Haitian complexities and culture by CARE coordinators Sabine Silke and Alexa Reynolds, the two ladies who oversee the operations in Leogane. Ms. Reynolds, a Canadian national, explained that the CARE’s resources were limited to families and individuals most affected by the earthquake. The people whom we would be assisting that day, therefore, were those who were most affected and the most in need of assistance. My intent for this trip was to offer assistance in any way I could, and today I would have my chance. We all would.
On our way to our work site, we passed by homes whose outer walls were intact, but interior structures completely destroyed. Some homes had red “X’s” spray painted on their outer walls, signifying that the house was not only condemned, but that there were bodies inside that had yet to be retrieved.
The work site itself was an open field enclosed by mango trees which provided shade for those eagerly awaiting their provisional assistance. As I stepped out of the van, I was shocked when I unexpectedly came face to face with a soldier in battle dress uniform carrying an AK-47. The patch on his arm flashed the Sri Lankan flag, and the unmistakably blue helmet on his head was that of a UN peacekeeper.
Ms. Wilke must’ve seen my look of surprise when I saw that the UN envoy was taking their position as if to establish a perimeter. She quickly explained that CARE’s operation in this section of Leogane had the potential of getting nasty and out of hand. Understandably so, as this would be the first time since the earthquake, a year later, that some of these people had received any assistance.
So, we got to work. Our job was to count and separate sheet metal and bags of concrete, both of which would be used to build makeshift homes. As we started working, the crowd started buzzing with anticipation. We were hurrying as fast as we could. Each unit that we compiled would be taken away and utilized by those in need, along with guidelines and procedures on how to care for their makeshift home. Aside from providing materials for shelters, CARE also provided information on maintaining proper sanitary conditions for the areas surrounding these soon-to-be homes.
Conditions were intense, between the pressure of wanting to help as much as possible and the extreme heat of the day, and still, we were happy to be finally working, finally helping. Finally, we were hands-on and making a difference.
I think we all felt as though we could have stayed in Leogane and continued to help as long as we physically could, and yet, as we had other commitments, our time with CARE came to an end. As we were leaving, I looked back and saw an elderly woman carrying her provisions on top of her head, which had to weigh at least 75kg. That image, one which will remain in my mind forever, said it all to me: Haiti was destroyed, but the will and spirit of her people, no matter how frustrating and hopeless as it may seem, will never waiver.
