For Ange Loiseau, the torment of knowing family members were unaccounted for in the earthquake that shattered her Haitian homeland was unbearable. The devastation that literally rocked Haiti with an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude on the Richter Scale was beyond belief., Some estimates say that 200,000 lives were lost in the aftermath of the earthquake. Many people around the world and in the United States had family members in Haiti. Despite the fact that a family home was destroyed, fortunately all of Loiseau's family members were accounted for and safe, administering tremendous relief for Loiseau. “We couldn’t get through for two days, it was really just a wreck,” said Loiseau, a masters candidate in the Point Park School of Communication.
“We couldn’t do anything but just sit and wait.” Loiseau watched the news for daily information, but also to see if she recognized anyone. “Each and every member of my family was glued to CNN for days, that was the only mode of communication that we had especially when we were unable to get through to the phone lines for days,” said Loiseau. The charitable efforts of humans especially in the wake of disaster, transmit promise and optimism. Loiseau was able to use her inherited language of Creole and Haitian heritage to be able to provide a fulfillment for her soul. Given the opportunity to work with the orphans brought here by two sisters from the city's west end to help them blend into American life, she poured all of her anguish and anxiety into helping the lives of others in need.
Ange Loiseau, 24, born and raised in Port au Prince, Haiti came to America in 1997 with aspirations of accomplishing a degree in journalism. Loiseau, who graduated with a degree in media studies from Queens, New York, in 2003, followed her academic path to Point Park University where she scheduled a tour and immediately was captivated by the programs offered. Soon after she enrolled as a graduate student.
Having family far away was challenging for Loiseau. Even family living in the New York were distant when Loiseau moved to Pittsburgh. She was left with those memories and earlier ones from Haiti that were reminiscent of togetherness and family closeness.
"Every Christmas we would sit around at my grandmothers house joking and having a good time. Being so close to each other made it extremely easy to interact. It was my aunt's dream to have us all as close as we used to be." No electricity in Haiti was a constant problem "it was never guaranteed that neighborhoods would have light. "Lamps and candles made the family bond all the more cherished. " All of those memories were altered when the earth quake struck
Loiseau repeatedly tried to contact relatives in Haiti. The first attempts brought no luck to Loiseau's desperate position. Relatives of Loiseau kept in primary contact with her but the only means of knowing any of the Haitian population's status was relayed on CNN world news.
“As a journalist what I want to be known about this situation is how amazing the media is,” said Loiseau “we obtained a number to ask if anyone has seen our family members and everything we knew was what was made available through the media,”Loiseau said.
Loiseau finally heard that people were getting through to Haiti on cell phones. Persistence was key and Loiseau finally was able to get through to her Haitian family. "My aunt in Florida was the first to communicate with my aunt in Haiti. "The news was spread to me through my mother." Fortunately, only minor injuries had occurred
Her cousin was crushed under a building and with the help of good Samaritans he was saved. Her aunt received a concussion in the confusion and her grandmother’s house that was the center for her family is now gone. Continual contact is not guaranteed due to the difficulty of connection.
"I would like just to hear their voices." In Loiseau's heart, however, she knows that her family is well and all managing the travesty as best they can.
“ I mourn my country and I mourn each and every life lost because as a Haitian native I consider every Haitian a brother and sister,” Loiseau said .
Loiseau's original instinct and plan was to go to Haiti and contribute her time and energy to those in need.
“After the earthquake, what I will miss is my country, everything is gone, and the destruction will continue to be a constant reminder of lives lost,” said Loiseau.
Loiseau hasn’t been back to Haiti for twelve years but she has longed to go home. Loiseau was also supposed to go back in March for a friend’s wedding, but has been advised not go at this point. Family, also discouraged the decision due to tales of the danger that followed the tragedy. Disaster followed by chaos desolated Haiti.
Killings, rapes and supernatural cultural beliefs of the Haitians had turned the third world country into something resembling a war zone. Life in Haiti had become a fight for survival. "If you had a bottle of water you might get beat up for it. People couldn't fight back, it had become an issue of the strong preying on the weak." Point Park has begun fundraising already with BSU and the International club leading the way. “I hope people don’t forget what is really needed, this country needs to be rebuilt and that will take time,” said Rebecca Lee Director of international student services “Globally we need to step up to the plate.”
“I’ve learned a life lesson from the Haitian people, patience and gratitude,” said Lee. This gives us all a greater appreciation for what we have. “I’m really happy there is a lot of fundraising here at Point Park,” said Elysia Purnell president of the Point Park international club. Anything that a Point Park student can donate at this point is what Loiseau believes would be helpful. “Money right now would accomplish more.”
The next course of action Loiseau made was one she will forever remember. It led to a truly memorable life experience. Facebook, the ever popular social networking website, was a first step for Loiseau in finding contacts that would lead her to the blessed work she would encounter with the 54 Haitian orphans who traveled to Pittsburgh from Port au Prince for sanctuary. Loiseau's information was passed on to BRESMA Orphanage and then given to the Catholic Charities who help sponsor adoption of orphans from Haiti and elsewhere. They contacted Loiseau directly. The Haitian children were oriented to Pittsburgh through the BRESMA orphanage in Port au Prince, and sisters Ali and Jamie McMurtrie of Ben Avon have lived and worked at BRESMA in Haiti for several years. They refused to leave Haiti without the children. Loiseau was grateful and stated that "When they (BRESMA) had the ability to leave on their own, they didn't." Able to use her abilities to translate from Creole, Loiseau awaited the arrival of the 54 Haitian children at UPMC Children's Hospital, newly located in Lawrenceville.
On Tuesday, January 19, the delayed flight from Haiti arrived with tired but seemingly happy children. Loiseau and other volunteers waited patiently and around 11:00 a.m. the opportunity to help the children finally prevailed. The conversation that Loiseau engaged in was minimal. " Are you alright? Does anything hurt? Do you need anything? were some of the questions Loiseau fielded in her native language. "Some of the children were shy, except certain young ones and some were non-responsive but they were tired and had been up for hours," Loiseau noted. Conference rooms filled with little beds, teddy bears, food and water and medical assistance were all provided for the children when they arrived at UPMC. The one thing Loiseau found to be most popular were the coloring books. The sheer joy that exuded from the children "touched my heart." It was originally thought that the children might have a longer stay at UPMC. However, most of the adoption paperwork was in order and children were being paired with their adoptive families quickly and efficiently. Loiseau spent a day working with the anxious children, wondering if further help was needed. A mass e-mail from Catholic Charities was sent thanking all volunteers for their gracious help, but no further work was necessary since the children were safe at home with their families.
Having the volunteer work available gave Loiseau a sense of accomplishment. Even though she did not consider her contribution to take great effort she still felt very pleased with that she was capable of providing assistance. Although thinking about the disaster can be distressing Loiseau remains positive and strives to capture the silver lining in the eye of the storm. "Every time I see images of Haiti, it tears me apart but I am extremely grateful to God for having the ability to help the brothers and sisters of my country." As for Loiseau's family, they are all working as a team to get involved with immigration to see what can be done to reunite all of her relatives in the states, together again at last.
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