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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Haiti aid worker diary

Islamic Relief aid workers log their daily experiences at the end of a long day. © (Islamic Relief / Omar Mullick)

Naeem Muhammad is a U.S. staff-member with the Islamic Relief delegation in Haiti. Reflecting on some of his experiences from the field, on Tuesday January 19 Muhammad wrote:

I barely got any sleep last night. I could feel the cold, sharp rocks through my tent floor as I lay there, but at least I had something to sleep in. Compared to the victims we saw, I was in great shape.

It‘s freezing at night, and only God knows how the 1.5 million homeless Haitians are coping.

Just yesterday, the team’s first day in Port-au-Prince, I met a man who told me that
he refused to sleep indoors because he’s scared of being flattened in another aftershock, or an even bigger quake.

“I won’t sleep under bricks,” he told me. “No bricks, no cement.”

His voice echoed in my head all day, until I met Imam Muhammad Zakariya, a local imam in Port-au-Prince. He took the Islamic Relief team to a mosque which had been almost entirely spared from the earthquake, but the neighboring area was devastated.

Hundreds of people had set up makeshift shelters out of sheets and plastic just outside the mosque’s doors, and the mosque was providing water for all the homeless victims in the area.

The people were really suffering, and they had nothing. But at least the mosque was caring for them, regardless of their background. This is exactly what Islam is about, and this is exactly what Islamic Relief is about: helping those in need regardless of their religion, race or gender.

Walking past the mosque, I met a woman named Joanne, who was carrying a baby. She told me the child’s parents were killed, and she is having trouble finding food and water for the child. I looked around and saw my team members talking to people just like Joanne and I realized, there are so many people in need right in front of us.

My team and I are proposing to launch distributions at the very site in front of this mosque, in addition to launching a widespread campaign that will provide shelter, food, and clean drinking water for neighborhoods all around Port-au-Prince.

Driving back to our U.N.-administered campsite, I realized how was lucky I was to sleep in a safe and secure campsite.

But it’s hard to sleep when I know that 1.5 million of my neighbors are going to sleep hungry, thirsty and scared. It’s really hard to sleep.
Click here to read more about Islamic Relief's response in Haiti.

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10 comments:

  1. Hi Naeem Muhammad My name is
    Hassan : LAHCEN CHABIB
    I`m POET and MUNSHEED so I`m very concern about
    KIDS in HAITI so I becom A Volunteer with
    UNICEF .USA so also I would like to be a Volunteer with ISLAMIC RELIEF USA so I can be in
    the Ground in HAITI to SUPPORT The Families and the CHILDREN so I contacted sister Nazia Ahmad so she want me to keep in touch so I`m a Muslim American and as USA citizen I want your support to with your team so my family and neighbors want me to be their in HAITI to help and care and love and help the COMMUNITY of HAITI so i need your immediate answer so I Wrote
    few poems ,my heart is broken but As a Certefied Mountain Guide I have the skills that will make me help and rescue and interpret as a french speeker so , I need your answer to be part of ISLAMIC RELIEF USA because I want to save lifes and help others and That what ISLAM is ALL ABOUT is to Give everything in The sake of ALLAH and Help OTHERS in time of Need .you can Call me @ 770-218-9342 or email me at
    chabib42@hotmail.com
    Thank you don`t forget ALLAH is my Witness

    ReplyDelete
  2. Back home in Marietta I would like to organize

    THE MARIETTA INTERNATIONAL 1 MILE WLAK AND RUN
    FOR HAITIAN CHILDREN .

    I love the UNICEF.USA and ISLAMIC RELIEF USA to be part of this event so Our KIDS here in MARIETTA ,GA and all the poeple with the ATHLETES from FLORIDA and GEORGIA participate in this event to donate Directely to UNICEF.USA and ISLAMIC RELIEF USA so that Our CHILDREN in HAITI will have more WATER , FOOD , MEDICATION ,TEMPORARY TENTS as SHELTER so I need your support to make this DREAM come for
    THE HAITIAN KIDS and HAITI

    ReplyDelete
  3. let`s All together make
    THE MARIETTA INTERNATIONAL 1 MILE & RUN FOR HAITIAN KIDS A DREAM COME THROUGH .

    THERE IS ALMOST 2 MILLIONS KIDS
    UNDER 18 SO LET`S DO IT TO SAVE
    THEIR LIFES AND GIVE THEM HOPE
    AND MAKE THEM FEEL LOVED BY US.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Assalaamalaikum wa RahmatuLLAHi wa Barakaatuh

    Brother Naeem
    Since ALLAH Subhaanahu wa Ta'ala has saved the Masjid in Haiti Maybe it is a sign from him to teach the people about ALLAH. I feel that those who do not know about Him are severly handicapped. Since the people in Haiti like to chant maybe they can chant LAA ILAHA ILLA ALLAH, or start somewhere else.
    JazaakumuLLAH khairan
    Sister Ruhina

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for your comments.

    Our main concerns are humanitarian aid and relief. We work where it is most needed, regardless of the population’s spiritual affinity.

    Thanks again for your feedback.

    ReplyDelete
  6. As salaamu alaikum

    The wonderful works of Islamic Relief whenever there is a global need is outstanding. To do so without regard for an individual's faith walk is indeed the epitome of compassion and there is no denying that it is in line with Islamic teachings. Keep on doing what you do.

    Wa salaam

    ReplyDelete
  7. As-Salaam wa laikum wa Rahmatullah brother Naeem Muhammad,

    May Allah (swt) grants you and the other members of Islamic Relief jannah (paradise)for the much needed relief efforts you are providing in Haiti during this unprecedented hardship after this 7.0 earthquake on January 12, 2010 and its many aftershocks.


    KISKEYA WITHOUT BORDERS is a Haitian grassroots organization based in Georgia, USA with mostly Haitian nationals, we are providing interpreters with the international commuity for our suffering brothers and sisters in Haiti.

    Please contact us via email or by phone if Islamic Relief needs qualified Haitian Creole interpreters while in Haiti.

    As-Salaam wa laikum,

    Viking Merceron
    KISKEYA WITHOUT BORDERS
    (404) 553-5334
    KISKEYAWITHOUTBORDERS@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I think everyone must respect Islamic Relief aid workers.they are so good.discount watches online

    ReplyDelete
  9. The work that you are doing is more than commendable. I am sure that sometimes we all forget how fortunate we are to have food, shelter and clothing. We don't even give it a second thought. God Bless you for the good you are doing there.

    ReplyDelete
  10. God bless you for the wonderful job you are doing. It is quite unusual for people these days to have the heart that you have. May all the goodness you bring be paid back to you by a seven fold karma. Keep it up!

    ReplyDelete