Edition Fall 2010 September- October

Haiti earthquake facts reveal that the earthquake occurred at 4.53 p.m. on January 12, 2010. The centre of the earthquake was about 16 miles away from the capital – Port-au-Prince. The magnitude of earthquake was measured at 7 Richter scale. In Haiti, one of our dear fellow students was there, and we asked her to tell us her story and this is what she wrote:

When the earthquake occurred, I was in a car trying to head home with my mom and my boyfriend. At first we didn’t know what it was, but then we saw a hotel collapse behind us, then two houses collapse in front of us. We turned left, hoping that we were getting out of the danger zone, but not 100 yards later, a university had collapsed and there were dead bodies everywhere on the road. However, it wasn’t until we got to the main road that we realized that it was a natural disaster that had affected the whole country. We all started to panic as we saw buildings, in which family members worked, that had collapsed. But we could not get a hold of anyone since all the phone lines were down. The crowds in the streets were massive and the damage was so great that it took us 2 hours to get to a hotel that was 10 minutes away. We all slept outside, afraid to go inside of a building. However, the worst to part occurred the next morning when we heard of all the people who hadn’t made it home. Since January 12th, the situation has not become better, as people are now homeless and dying of wounds and illnesses. My family was extremely lucky and all I can do is thank God and all my family and friends for their love, support, and prayers

By Tajiana Chevry

                                                      By Dr. Alvaro Taboada.

La  izquierda radical, y algunos otros sectores, a nivel internacional, han criticado  la presencia de soldados armados de Estados Unidos en Haití. Estos soldados   fueron la  vanguardia de  la misión humanitaria dirigida a Haití desde numerosos países  después de la tragedia sísmica de Enero del 2010.  Las acusaciones sostienen lo siguiente: 1. La presencia norteamericana es ilegal. 2. Su verdadera finalidad es apoderarse del pequeño Estado caribeño  para explotarlo, y también para utilizarlo eventualmente como base militar contra el gobierno del Presidente Hugo Chávez. 

Un breve análisis de las acusaciones referidas debe empezar por el tema de la legalidad o ilegalidad de la presencia estadounidense en Haití. En este país las instituciones colapsaron, incluso físicamente, con el terrible sismo. La única rama semi-funcional que quedó en pie fue la Presidencia de la República. El Presidente legítimo de Haití, René Preval,  fue quien solicitó auxilio inmediato al gobierno de Estados Unidos, y éste  respondió con una ayuda que excede a la proporcionada por el conjunto de los otros países. La operación humanitaria norteamericana incluye un gigantesco buque-hospital que requiere de helicópteros, militares por su tamaño y eficiencia,  para el traslado de pacientes.  Haber esperado la reactivación de todo el aparato estatal haitiano para pedir ayuda y enviarla –como implícitamente sugieren algunas críticas- hubiera sido un criminen de lesa humanidad.   

En este contexto, la presencia norteamericana no viola ninguna norma del  Derecho Internacional, no atropella ninguna disposición de la Carta de la ONU, ni de la OEA. Por el contrario, la fracción 3ra. del artículo 1ro. de la Carta de la ONU establece que las labores humanitarias son parte fundamental de los propósitos y principios de dicha organización. 

El hecho de que los soldados norteamericanos llegaron armados no sorprende a nadie que esté informado sobre el tipo de operaciones que requieren presencia masiva de personal en situaciones de caos y de grandes desastres humanitarios. Las experiencias internas en Estados Unidos (como el caso del huracán Andrews﴿ desnudaron los inconvenientes de movilizar personal militar desarmado.

En cuanto a las acusaciones de que Estados Unidos pretende explotar a Haití, todo indica que esos denuestos no se conectan con la realidad haitiana. Haití, el Estado más pobre del hemisferio (seguido por Nicaragua desde los años 80 del Siglo 20), tiene una población de casi 10 millones de personas en un territorio de 27.700 kilómetros cuadrados, deforestados y destruídos y sin recursos naturales de nota. Con un elevado crecimiento demográfico  ﴾la fertilidad 3.5) y con un ingreso per capita anual de US$560, Haití resulta inactractivo aunque se viviera en la ya pasada era de usurpaciones territoriales.   

Finalmente, es difícil pensar que Haití pueda ser útil como base militar   contra el el Presidente Chávez. En efecto, Estados Unidos podría alcanzar al territorio del líder bolivariano desde la Florida, Puerto Rico, o con sus flotas. Además, una guerra norteamericana contra Chávez es  sumamente improbable, aunque éste lo repita diariamente para exacerbar al nacionalismo entre sus seguidores.  En todo caso, se impone la necesidad de distinguir entre realidades y propaganda.

FACTS;

USGS: USGS called it the strongest earthquake since 1770 in what is now Haiti

• The quake struck on January 12, 2010 at 4:53 p.m.

• The 7.0 magnitude quake’s epicenter hit just 10 miles west of Porte-au-Prince and its 2 million inhabitants

• 3 million people in need of emergency aid after major earthquake

• The major quake sent 33 aftershocks ranging in magnitude from 4.2 to 5.9

• The Red Cross dispatched a relief team from Geneva and the UN’s World Food Program is flying in two planes with emergency food aid.

• The Inter-American Development Bank said it was immediately approving a $200,000 grant for emergency aid.

• Some 9,000 peacekeepers have been in Haiti since 2004, including 1,266 Brazilians.

• Haiti has no real construction standards.

For Donations:

Ave Maria is joining the bandwagon of helping Haiti under AveAid. This campaign is being followed by a series of fundraisers taking place in a time period of four weeks, aiming at collecting a grand total of $5,000. So far, a talent and a fashion show compiled in a mini-Telethon, a play, food sales and a possible ‘Marathon of Hope’ have been scheduled, all sponsored by the different school organizations, clubs and households, to make progress in the attempt of collecting the foreseen amount to aid the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti, affecting Leogane, Port au Prince and Jacmel the most.

Haiti saw the death of over 200,000 and impacted the world with the massive destruction it went through, which only left standing, aside from ruins, those who managed to survive and now lack shelter, food and even a family. Over 50 aftershocks had taken place in the area after the original 7.0 magnitude earthquake, destroying the remains of the previous tremor and taking more lives along. Rescue and aid efforts were restrained by the collapsing of electric and communication networks, as well as means of transportation resulting in the death of the severely injured due to the lack of facilities. Early relief activity would have been accomplished if it wouldn’t have been for the substantial subside of means of help.

Haiti not only needs monetary help to get them back on track, but also all the support they can get due to the healing process the country is slowly starting; the earthquake not only left physical damages , but broke families and their hopes for the future. Maybe $5,000 will not get Haiti back on its feet at the snap of a finger, but it will certainly add to all the charities they are receiving from all around the globe, and also will let them know one feels and understands what they are going through. The running campaign sits at an approximate of $1,600. Many more activities will be carried out throughout the remainder of the month of February; hopefully by the end of the current month, the objective is reached. The Ave Maria community calls upon its members to be actively involved in the fundraisers and monetary collections, to soften their hearts and contribute to the cause.

The annual “Festival de la Poesia” that takes place in Granada was generous enough to permit some of their most distinguished participants to visit our university . Ave Maria was host to renown poets such as the ex black Panther Amiri Barak and his wife Amina Barak, the winner of the Miguel Angel Asturias award Ana Maria Rodas,  Alessio Brandolini, Edmundo Retana,  Sigurdur Palsson , and Mathew Sweeny.

 Asking some of the poets what was poetry for them, Amina Barak summarized it as being able to let the soul sing through poetry. Songs that vary from joy, to sorrow to boredom.  They also seemed to be very aware that poetry is not something to be taken as a profession that will lead to you to a economically stable life. Poet Ana Maria Rodas made clear that she worked as a journalist as well since it wasn’t easy to just dedicate herself to poetry and raising her daughters, but that the most important thing in life is to dedicate yourself to what makes you the happiest.

After their lunch, they proceeded to the green area and were very eager to read to the small but inviting crowd that waited patiently for them.  The crowd was spell bound amidst the verses in Italian by Brandolini and the performance/poem by Amiri Barak that spoke in vivid imagery of the hardships of slavery in North America.  Indeed it was a pleasing event that promoted the literary arts as well as a breath of fresh air for a campus so involved in talks of business theory and exams.

A new year has arrived… Let’s welcome 2010, a whole new decade! As usual, many of us try to set our goals for this New Year and the most common goals among students are:  improving our grades, study harder, party less, lose weight and so on. However, we cannot forget that our dearly professors have goals too. Therefore as good nosy journalists we decided to interview four of them and found out about their aspirations in 2010:

Ms. Alicia Martinez, Mr. Bruce Griffin, Dr. Kenia Halleck

What are your New Year’s goals? Please mention 3

Dr. Halleck:

Compartir más tiempo con mi madre; salir juntas, ir al cine.

No comer tantos dulces; moderar las cantidades de chocolate!

Dejar de leer tanto en la computadora; leer más en pasta dura.

Mr. Bruce Griffin:

1. Finish my doctoral dissertation.
2. 1 hour in Eucharistic adoration every week.
3. Turn in my semester end grades on time. J

Ms. Martinez:

“My Life Vision is to reach heavens spiritually by grace with the humility and meekness that this implies and at my level as a human being by making the most out of the potential God gave me by serving others. 

My Life Mission Statement is to develop the mind and character of Jesus using as a guide the fruits of the Holy Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. 

My first goal for the year 2010 is to grow in humility, wisdom, joy, meekness and self-control by studying the Bible, praying every day at least twice and keeping in mind my Life Vision at all times.  I almost finished meditating on the book of Daniel, some Proverbs, and will continue with Proverbs, Revelations, and all the Minor Prophets. 

My second goal is to keep a balance between work and my personal life by becoming more efficient and providing a quality time in any of the work and family environments where my presence is valued or needed.

My third goal is to improve my role as a mentor at School by providing a personalized attention to my students and advisees, conducting research for my courses and inspiring my students to become Vision-oriented individuals”.

Thanks professors! We wish you luck on these goals and we hope you attain them!!!

Success is when you feel the wind in your face and your heart knows its God touching your cheek, when you learn how to see the sunshine on your own rainy days, when you accept failures as lessons and share your knowledge with everyone around you, to trust yourself and let God do the rest.  by  María Elena Hernandez

Success is making an extra effort that failures wouldn’t do, making it with happiness while always trying to help others.     Angel Sandoval

Success is triumphing after having encountered failures along the way, which serve as stepping stones on your way towards the glorious fruits of true meaning of success.   Andrea Benitez

Success is knowing that everything that you dream for has come true, because of your hard work.   Diony Fuentes

Success is the final phase of the path to happiness. It is when you are capable to learn from failures, to do your best and to love what you are doing.   Melisa Lugo

Success is not to be and do the things like other people. Success is making a difference,  doing things differently from others and doing the things with love. Success is learning from experience, doing the best each day to not be the same person as yesterday.   Reynaldo Quintero

Success is what almost all people want to get. It is the achievement of goals. Success is what makes people get up every time they fall; that is, it is what makes people  overcome even the hardest obstacles. Success means light and hope.   Fernando Dominguez

Success does not mean being wealthy.  A successful person does the best they can to find happiness.  When they have found their happiness, they become successful persons.   Rebeca Caballero

SUCCESS is the way to be happy in order to achieve all my goals and realize my dreams.   It is having a good feeling like satisfaction and realizing that I can do whatever I want in order to have the best preparation to get what I want to become the best and do the my best at the same time so that would be the way to feel like I am on the top of the world!     Luis Fiallos

Success is not being afraid, because if you are not afraid you can do everything and keep going, making yourself happy, and happiness is success.  Martha Orellana

Success is having self-trust, goals to be someone in your life, working hard, learning from your mistakes and most importantly depending on God and going always forward.  Astriz S Amaya

Success is achieving your goals, but not feeling better than others. Do your best in all aspects of your life, but never forget the people that help you.  Feel happy with yourself. Maria Jose Gutierrez

Como a mazorcas de maíz nos recogerá.
Nos desgranara hasta dejarnos desnudos.
Nos cernera hasta librarnos de nuestro pellejo.
Nos molerá hasta conseguir la indeleble blancura.
Nos Amasara para que lo dócil y lo flexible brote de nuestra dureza.
Y nos destinara luego al fuego sagrado, para que
podamos convertirnos en el sagrado pan para el sagrado
festín de Dios.

Todo esto hará el amor con nosotros,
para que conozcan los secretos de nuestro propio corazón y así
lleguemos a convertirnos en un fragmento del corazón de
la Vida.

Mas si nuestro miedo nos hace buscar solo la paz y
el placer del amor, entonces mejor sería que cubriéramos
nuestra desnudez y nos alejáramos de sus umbrales hacia
un mundo sin estaciones, donde reiremos, pero no con
toda nuestra risa; donde lloraremos, pero no con todas
nuestras lagrimas.

El amor no da sino a sí mismo, y nada toma sino de sí mismo.
El amor no posee ni quiere ser poseído.
Porque el amor se basta con el amor.

Cuando amen, no digan “Dios está en mi corazón”, sino “Estoy en el corazón de Dios”.
Y no crean que podrán dirigir el curso del amor:
será el quien si nos halla dignos dirigirá nuestro curso.

El amor no tiene más deseo que realizarse.
Mas si aman y no pueden evitar tener deseos. Que
sus deseos sean estos:
Fluir y ser como el arroyo que murmura su melodía en la noche.
Conocer el dolor de la excesiva ternura.
Despertar al alba con un corazón alado y dar gracias por otro día más de amor.
Reposar al mediodía y meditar sobre el éxtasis amoroso.
Volver al hogar cuando la tarde cae, volver agradecidos.
Y dormir luego con una plegaria por el ser amado
en nuestro corazón y con una canción de alabanza en
nuestros labios.

-Memex thought once about this at 3:30 a.m., a thought from a writing of Gibran Jalil-Gibran.