On my way to Haiti after much pondering, prayer
As I sat watching the developments in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Haiti last week, I had a very strong prompting to do something more. After talking it over with my wife and family, I decided to contact a good friend and colleague, Dr. Terry Lyles. He and I had worked together for a couple of years at several bases for the U.S. Space Command, training people to deal more effectively with potential future disasters. Our main premise was that if they took care of themselves better physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, they would be better able to perform their duties and take care of those in real need.
Dr. Lyles is one of the leading experts on Traumatic Stress Response in the country. He was at Ground Zero the day after 9/11, spent an entire month in Thailand after the tsunami hit, helped in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and helped after many other disasters around the globe.
When I asked him if he was going to Haiti, his response was immediate and succinct: “Yes, and I could use your help!” I asked him how this disaster was different from others he had been involved in, and he replied,”The tsunami tragedy covered three continents and was spread over 1,500 miles. In Haiti we have similar numbers in terms of casualties (more than 200,000 deaths) but in a vastly more concentrated area…it’s really unprecedented. Basically we’re looking at an entire nation suffering from post-traumatic stress.”
He also added that one of his corporate clients, www.Arbonne.com, was donating thousands of nutritional drinks to the victims of Haiti. These chocolate and vanilla shakes contain 50 percent of the daily proteins and nutrients needed by an individual. The military will assist us in transporting these to Port-Au-Prince so we can distribute them to those in need. Additionally we’re planning on supporting the first-responders and other Red Cross workers. It’s quite normal for them, after working tirelessly for 18 to 20 hours a day for two weeks straight, to “hit the wall.” Although they are trained professionals, they are not machines. Most are wonderful people who sacrifice a lot but also feel deeply and are affected by everything they’ve witnessed.
We will also be visiting various refugee camps and orphanages. There were hundreds of thousands orphans in Haiti before this disaster hit — and tragically those numbers have doubled. My biggest priority will be to work with the children and help them begin the process of coming to terms with what has transpired. I’m hoping to be able to spend as much time as I can with them. I recognize this is only the start of a very long process. It will take years for Haiti to recover physically and for its people to recover emotionally.
Life is certainly interesting: After the Northridge, Calif., earthquake hit in January of 1994, which my wife and I lived through, I became certified through the American Red Cross in disaster relief. After we moved to Colorado and the Columbine tragedy took place, I spent a week working with the high school students who had witnessed the massacre at their school. Although I’m not sure either of these events have prepared me for Haiti, I look forward to going and doing whatever is asked. I have to admit that this has not been an easy decision to make. It took a week of prayers and discussions with my family. In the end it felt like the right thing to do. I am very grateful for those who have helped with this trip financially and emotionally. Thank you for your prayers and good wishes.
PS: Next week’s article will be written from Miami where I’ll be meeting up with Dr. Lyles on our way to Haiti. More to follow.
Dr. Elia Gourgouris is a nationally known speaker, relationship coach, and the president of LDSCoaching.com. With over 20 years of experience, he has inspired thousands of individuals and couples to find greater happiness and fulfillment, both in their careers and their personal lives. He holds a degree from UCLA and a Ph.D. in psychology. Dr. Gourgouris speaks to groups around the country regarding women’s issues, self esteem, communications skills, and relationships. He is also a favorite presenter at both BYU and BYU-ID Education Weeks, and Time Out for Women conferences. He is the author of “DTR: What You Need to Know Before You Get Married” and he has an upcoming CD entitled “The Multi-Platinum Marriage: Going from Just Surviving to Thriving!” He and his wife, Sona, live near Boulder, Colorado, with their children.
