TIJUANA (Border Report) — Wisly Desir left Haiti eight years ago bound for Ecuador. Since then, he’s found his way to Tijuana, Mexico.
From afar, he has seen his country go through hurricanes, political crises, and now an earthquake, and he questions why so many problems continue to afflict Haiti.
“I’m a bit sad, we’re all asking ourselves the same question: ‘Why do so many bad things happen to our country?’ It’s been hit quite a bit,” said Desir. “I want to go back to support all the needy people, more to lend a hand to see how we can overcome this.”
Desir arrived in Tijuana five years ago and says his fellow Haitians in this Mexican border town are trying to connect with loved ones back home, but he says the process has been slow with no news.
“There’s no help arriving, people are in great need and they are suffering, we need to figure out how to get help, that’s the idea,” he said.
Desir is now working as a college professor, but says he often thinks about his country where he left many friends and family.
“Many are suffering, many of us here in Tijuana or in other countries are thinking about our families,” he said.
Saturday’s earthquake in Haiti struck at about 8:30 a.m. PST south of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, according to the United States Geological Service.
It measured 7.2 on the Richter Scale. So far 1,400 people have been declared dead with more than 6,900 people injured. Many more are missing.
According to the Haitian Civil Protection, more than 37,000 homes have been destroyed.
With tropical storm Grace now passing through the island from the east, more damage is expected.