I am relaying this story for a friend of mine. Their wedding has been upended by the earthquake and they are trying to win a free wedding through a contest (vote for them here: http://www.ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/29409) and their story is below: We met while working with a local humanitarian organization (N.O.A.H.) who brought Howard University medical students for the first time in 2006 to Haiti for their annual medical mission. We began talking mid way through the trip, hit it off and have been together since. We nourished our relationship with long expensive talks on the phone, cards in the mail and 2-3 vacation visits per year. In 2008 on my 28th birthday, while vacationing and celebrating my graduation from medical school, Duquesne proposed. It was the best day of our lives, not to mention it was exactly the ring I wanted!!! I started residency that July and every vacation I was given we spent together. Life as a resident is not only taxing but few know that we make very little money. Our trips became shorter and cheaper. We always visited either in the Dominican Republic and/or Haiti. As time went on, it was in Haiti, sometimes without electricity and/or mosquito repellent...ahahahah!! Since Duquesne is "young", per the American government, it has been extremely difficult getting a tourist visa for him to visit the states. We decided the best thing to do would be for me to apply for a fiancé visa to ensure his arrival in the states sooner rather than later. In December 2009 our application was approved by the American government. The US Embassy in Haiti mailed Duquesne his interview packet 4 days before the earthquake. We were on the phone when it sounded like the phone fell off of the counter and we were disconnected. I tried several times to get through unsuccessfully. After I arrived at work for my night shift, his cousin called to tell me not to look on the TV and/or internet because there was a horrible earthquake in Haiti. He ensured me Duquesne was ok but just shaken up. I immediately called him on the phone and we spoke for just a moment. The following hours turned into days without speaking to him. I was glued to CNN, sleeping for less than 2 hours per day while still going to work. Aftershock, upon aftershock, upon aftershock, with gruesome photographs of the devastation and death toll plagued my dreams. Each waking moment was agonizing for me until finally 2 days later I was able to speak with him. His voice was weak and drenched with sorrow. He kept uttering “when can I wake from this nightmare”. He tried to visit his father and stumbled upon several corpses of men, women and children. Houses to his left and right were collapsed. The walls of the house had partially crumbled leaving them vulnerable to any potential desperate predators. He was overwhelmed with sorrow for his country and countrymen. I insisted on going to be with him and he begged for me to stay. He didn't want me to witness the horrific sites in the streets of Haiti. I listened only for the first 2 weeks. I lost about 7 pounds and was stricken with fatigue when I finally made the decision to take leave from work. It was hard to remain focused with such personal anguish. I often welcomed midnight deliveries, transports from outside NICUs, and difficult patients to free my mind and give it a purpose. Unfortunately, it was taking an emotional, physical and spiritual toll on me. My job graciously allowed me to take leave. Again, for those that don't know, residents make very little money, so our next obstacle was how are we going to pay for my trip!!! Without blinking, I charged my plastic hero all night with airline tickets, checking bags, booking hotels in the Dominican Republic and trying to secure a seat on the bus to Haiti. I was blessed by several co-workers with support that I will be eternally grateful. My dad accompanied me to Haiti and we peered through the dusty windows at the perimeters of the aftermath. Driving into Port-au-Prince was almost like a ride at Universal Studios with huge buildings now piles of rocks and debris. Tent cities in open plains and blocking street ways with signs in French, English and Spanish reading “We need help”.. All nations represented trying to help make a difference. Duquesne greeted me with happiness jaded by grief for his people. I saw the sorrow in his eyes and felt the vulnerability of his embrace as he fell into my arms. We donated medical supplies to a nearby Children's Hospital receiving aid from German physicians. Later in the week we visited one of the biggest ghettos in Port-au-Prince to pick up aid from a food bank which we gave to his friends and family who lost everything. The aid lines were so long, people would wait for days just for a couple of pounds of rice and water. I found myself just handing out cash and hugs to comfort their insurmountable losses. Every few days the ground rumbles producing crippling fears in the Haitian people of more devastation from earthquakes. My only consolation is that he is safe for now. Our paperwork processing is being suspended while the Embassy gets back on its feet. They have not rescheduled his interview but will resume at the end of February, early March. We spent so much money trying to bring me to Haiti, provide aid for others and trying to help expedite his process. We were successful in 2 of the 3. Our wedding was planned for September 2010 but money is so scarce now that our finances cannot support our budget. Duquesne lost his job and is having difficulty finishing up business that was intended to bring in money for our wedding. We ask you to consider our story and vote to help us start our lives together with a bang. God saved his life and we deserve to have our happily ever after that begins with our dream wedding. Please go the link on this page and vote. Voting ends March 31, 2010. The 50 couples with the most votes will be finalists for the Ultimate Wedding. Then the top 10 couples with the most votes will get a certain amount of points from their votes, the creativity in their entry, etc. Or you can follow this link to ultimateweddingcontest.com/entries/29409. We need your help!!!! God Bless and thanks again for everything!!

I was sitting at the Civil Air Patrol waiting for my nephew to finish his meeting when my phone rang. It was my step-mom. She was not her usual exuberant self. I asked what was wrong. She told me a huge earthquake hit struck Haiti, her homeland. An EARTHQUAKE in HAITI?? That just doesn't happen! So I thought, anyways. She was very distressed, as she had no idea the magnitude of it, and if her little sister and family were ok or not. Through God's grace, her brother in NY heard from their sister just the following morning. A short, but momentous call assuring them that they were alive. Her house collapsed, but she and her 7 yr old daughter escaped with their lives. Her husband, who was teaching college, escaped as well. His students...did not. Very devastating. They are now living on the street, homeless, jobless and trying to find a way to make it. But with God's grace, they will find a way, and hopefully will be able to contribute to a new and better than ever Haiti.

At Le Village, Montana A growling noise made the windows shatter. The floor shakes Was this a joke? Sprung up and fell down to the floor Watching the floor I’ve fallen on tilt and collapse. I knew this was real. I try to run and escape But am paralyzed by the fear of falling through the gaping floor Thinking this was the end of my life, the end of mankind. Thinking this was the apocalypse. Clawing my hands on the floor to save my life. When its over, I try to call my parents. NO RESPONSE. Then shimmied my way under and over ruble. Thoughts unwillingly invaded my head. Could I be an only child? Could I be an orphan? Fear and anxiety and panic infested my mind. Walked home to find my parents walking in the opposite direction looking for me. Dad yelling VERO!!!!!! Ran into his arms crying Got weak in the knees from emotions. First time I saw my father weep. Hearing my mother yell! Benisoi l’eternel. Tears running down her face. Caro running to be with open arms, tears in her eyes. Her not letting me go. Holding on to me with her dear life. Finally safe. But the uncertainty about my other family still within. 48 hours straight with no sleep, Hardly any food. Emotions uncontrollable. Still this uncertainty remains. Camping outside. Still this fear resides. The countless aftershocks The fear, the dread, the apprehension, the trauma. Still today it follows me. Loud noises cause my heart to race, my body to tremble. Nightmares invade my sleep. The trauma. The thought of my possible death invades my mind. But the gratitude of being spared this misery screams louder. God bless the souls that have passed.

Your sitting at home minding your on buisiness when you hear a earhquake has hit HATI you can't belive it.... I was crushed when i heard that happen i was worrying not knowing if your realtives is okay... Luckily everbody is okay but i look back and I see some people crying their eyes out.Let me jst tell y we are SURIVORS.The human body canot survive 3 days without water but people are being pulled on the 11th day that is AMAZIING!!!!!!!!!!! WE NEED TO HELP HATI!!!!!!!!

I was coming home from the gym, hoodie on, headphones blaring, bouncing a soccer ball in my hands. You're always in a good mood after sports. I opened the door and found my roommate and a friend in front of the tv in disbelief. I can't remember the following hours, but I somehow managed to get my family on skype. It's hard for the mind to understand when something like that hits, and you aren't there to witness it... it feels unreal. You almost want to ask the reporters to stop lying to you and leave your country alone. Your country's fine, everything's exactly how you left it, in its place. But it's not. The president was homeless the night of the quake, so what does that tell you of the population? That evening, it didn't matter if you were rich or poor, it was a question of wrong place wrong time. Someone I was deeply worried about was Zackaria Bassel, but like the rest of the Haitians, he is iron willed. "neg fe". The average human cannot survive 3 days without water, on the 11th day, they were still pulling out people from the rubbles! I'm amazed at how these people hold on to life with everything they have. I feel sad, whenever I see these people who have lost everything emerge from the rubbles singing. That they can still be so open to happiness, while I who have lost nothing still haven't found a balance. Well no... I think I 've lost my right to complain. It makes you feel real guilty when you sit here with a nice bed, good food, well surrounded by our possessions. For everyone affected by the earthquake, it's been a wake up call, showing us that in the end, the bonds you make and the faith you keep alive are what determine your survival. Haiti needs our help, that's clear, but we have so much to learn from them. Knowing them, they're probably starting the preparations for mardi-gras. I miss home.