Haitians resilient amid earthquake ruins

Kevin Smith hasn't slept much since his return to Tampa from Haiti.

It's not the images that haunt him, instead it's not being able to continue to help those in need.

"This one has a different impact on me because it is so bad. And to know there are so many people who have ties to that here," said Smith, the Salvation Army's director of disaster services for Florida. "This is not one you would ever experience, walk away from, and say, 'I've left that disaster.' This is one if you experience it, it will be with you forever."

Smith left for Haiti a day after the earthquake hit, traveling with a strike team of four Salvation Army staff members. Smith, 35, of Tampa, who also coordinated Salvation Army efforts during 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and the series of hurricanes that battered Florida in 2004, said he has been riding a wave of emotions since returning from the mission.

"We had the opportunity to see that need. I've never experienced it before like we did there, and I've been involved with pretty much every major disaster since 1996 in the U.S.," he said. "It was a very tragic experience far beyond anything I ever expected."

The Salvation Army's main Haiti headquarters in Port-au-Prince was heavily damaged in the quake. His team spent the week coordinating efforts, amid the debris, supplying water, food and medical care to hundreds of victims.

More than anything, Smith said the mission gave him perspective on how resilient Haitians are and how sometimes Americans are easily impatient.

"We wouldn't be happy with this condition, we would be miserable. And yet these kids and these people have hope," he said. "That's what I take away from it. And it's almost a shame that I'm upset my air conditioner is out for five days after the hurricanes of 2004, I'm upset about that. And yet, running water is a luxury in Haiti. And we have to remember that."

Volunteers from the Salvation Army's local chapter have returned from Haiti after spending a week there bringing food, water and other supplies to earthquake victims.

The Salvation Army has been in Haiti since 1950. It operates schools, a children's home and a hospital. While Smith and other volunteers were there, five healthy babies were born at the Salvation Army Clinic.

For details on donations, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or visit www.salvationarmyusa.org. Text message donations can be sent by typing "Haiti" to 52000.