“Together We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe” was the theme for the Taizé prayer service, hosted by Food for the Poor, on Wednesday, January 12, to mark the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake that killed some 200,000 Haitians and left numerous homeless.
The charity’s executive director, Angel Aloma, told Guyana Times International that Haiti has definitely stolen his heart. He said that he cannot help but be filled with love and admiration for a people who, despite all their problems, hold onto their faith, hold onto their hope, and hold onto their God tenaciously. He further pointed out that, even before the earthquake, Haiti has suffered extreme poverty for generations. “The earthquake has bought a new level of suffering for them. That and the cholera epidemic have battered the Haitian people mercilessly this year.”
Rachmani Domersant, Food for the Poor’s Vice President of International Operations, who is also Haitian, told this publication that his hope for his homeland is that “we could just get ourselves together as one nation under God…and get things to work. It is time to let go of all our pride, all our prejudice, and all our fears, and make things work.”
Domersant, who has been in Haiti the day the earthquake hit, says it is time for Haiti to exit the transition and emergency modes. He stressed that Haitians should start rebuilding the country. He added that he went to a lot of places and people are still talking about provisional housing. According to Domersant, Haitians need to move from temporary housing to permanent housing, from getting the people a bottle of water to building a well, and from just feeding them to agriculture. He had been working with Food for the Poor for the past six years, and has had an opportunity to work in other Caribbean countries, including Guyana, which he recently visited.
Since the January12, 2010 earthquake that struck Haiti, Food for the Poor has built 1,589 permanent two-room structures with sanitation units and access to water. Photo Credit: Food for the Poor.
Meanwhile Food for the Poor started its work in Haiti in 1986. Following the earthquake, the organization has spent some US$205 million on lifesaving relief aid and building supplies. The charity has built more than 14,000 homes, of which more than 1,500 were constructed after the January 12, 2010 earthquake.
During the prayer service at Food for the Poor’s Florida office, there were scripture readings, moments of quiet reflection, songs, and prayers to remember those who were affected; and twelve candles were lit throughout the ceremony to commemorate the day when the devastating earthquake hit.
A one-year anniversary video was also shown to document Food for the Poor’s rebuilding efforts, response to the deadly cholera outbreak, and the hope that remains alive in Haiti.
“Together We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe” was the theme for the Taizé prayer service, hosted by Food for the Poor, on Wednesday, January 12, to mark the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake that killed some 200,000 Haitians and left numerous homeless. 
