Spirit of children gives C.H. Norton teacher hope
Haiti will recover

March 9, 2010

By Jason Misner
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, HDSB STAFF

“...So many people have needs ― physical and psychological. I noticed a lot that were emotionally upset since the earthquake - insomnia, anxiety and stress.  The earthquake has changed lives, families, communities, cities and the entire country. From the nuclear family to the global family, our entire world has been affected. I hear the voices of the young (i.e. the orphaned girls) as well as our backyard 'tent city' children sing and our spirits are uplifted - we hear the sound of hope and that's what this nation clings to."

Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010 entry of Michelle Fernandes' diary in quake-ravaged Haiti

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Amid the rubble and dust that has permeated Haiti since the deadly January 12 7.0 magnitude earthquake, C.H. Norton Public School teacher Michelle Fernandes could hear the laughter of children in the streets.

They were playing. They were singing in the streets.

It was such a warming sight to witness when she left Burlington in late January, along with a missionary group, to help the country recover from the quake that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced so many more.

“…Even in that (dire) situation, there are people that have the look of hope, that they are moving forward; they want to survive this,” Fernandes recalled. “(The kids’ reactions) also gives you the strength to keep going.”

The music teacher, through the help of Emmanuel International ― an interdenominational, evangelical agency, which assists communities worldwide through the agency of their local churches ― left for the devastated Caribbean island for their 10-day sojourn from Jan. 28-Feb 7. She went alongside her husband, David.

Fernandes was watching a television documentary about Haiti with her husband and was moved by the damage that had been inflicted upon this poor country following the deadly earthquake.

David Fernandes, an emergency room doctor in Oakville and Grimsby, had been to Haiti three years ago as part of a medical team helping the local people. He turned to his wife and said he had to go back and help, especially given the tragedy that had unfolded in the country.

“I shared the same kind of feeling,” Fernandes explained. “We were thinking, okay, what can we do?”

Fernandes was part of a medical team that left for the country to provide badly-need health care. She was provided basic training when she arrived to provide triage services like checking blood pressures and temperatures.

As part of a mobile health clinic, she saw 800 patients over four days.

Most of the patients were suffering from ailments like stomach issues, back pain and eye irritations, due to the amount of dust that had clung to the air.

Fernandes also noted she saw people suffering from insomnia and anxiety concerns  

Before she even arrived, she tried to brace herself for the kind of devastation she would witness.

“When I went there and saw the rubble and saw what had happened, at first you kind of don’t even think its reality, you can’t believe this is actually true.”

C.H. Norton was so supportive of her desire to fly to Haiti, especially principal Diane Johnstone. She noted staff raised $300, which helped buy supplies like crayons and colouring books; teachers also donated others supplies like games and toys.

“It was very positive,” she said. “I feel very happy to be in this (school) environment.”

When she returned, Fernandes — who had kept a detailed diary of her thoughts and feelings about her experiences — shared with Norton students what she learned. She felt, given her time in Haiti, she is now a “spokesperson” to let the students know what has happened and what still needs to be done to heal the broken country.

The teacher also shared her experiences with Halton District School Board staff members during a recent breakfast fundraiser.

Fernandes – who would love to return to Haiti and help it re-establish its education system – said the nation can recover but needs help in doing so.
 
“It’s a country of potential,” she said. “There is hope. It can be a thriving place.”