Saturday, January 21, 2006

back to the grind



This country never stops. I've been back not even a week from my much needed vacation in rainy Vancouver and already we've had the deaths of two Jordanian UN soldiers at the hands of heavily armed gangs, dozens of dead civilians from the fighting between said armed thugs and the UN, memorial services for the deceased, high level UN meetings with diplomats from all over the world, visits to the hostile areas of the city of Port au Prince by top UN honchos, medal cermonies for UN soldiers, and general pre election brouhaha.
Today is my first day of rest and I plan on doing nothing whatsoever. I don't even want to go grocery shopping because even that is a massive chore - what with all the poor, begger street kids who swarm the car yelling, "Moy grand gou! Bams moy dollars!" I'm hungry! Give me money! I know it's sad and I help as much as possible - handing out Gourds (Haitian money) like it grows on trees - but it's exhausting. There's only so much I can do and the kids - and adults - never seem to realize that I'm just a poor, working slob and not an aid agency or a bank.
Still, it's hard to say no when they ask; they're so small for their age, underfed and undernourished.
My question is: Where are the aid agencies? I see their cars whipping around town, but I never see them stop to help out those who need it.

1 comment:

Nagalot said...

How good to see your blog Logan. If you see or hear of NGOs that are actually doing some good, post it. Have always wondered how to direct donations so it would be a help -- not just to me, I'm sure.