Of course the first thing anyone thinks of in the wake of a natural disaster is to send in emergency crews and aid, but as the the debris slowly begins to be cleared away and aid and relief organizations begin to reach all of those in need, other support begins to help the community down the long road of physical recovery, but also regain a sense of normality amidst the destruction and devastation. Who better to find a smile in the face of disaster than those especially trained in creating laughter. Who is best trained in laughter? Well clowns of course, so why not send in the clowns to Haiti!
Last October I posted, Using Laughter to Heal the Wounds of War, about the organization Clowns Without Borders, which “aims to improve the condition of life for children and communities living crises, through laughter and humor.” I profiled the importance of Clowns Without Borders in the war torn Congo, but it is not just children of war that are in desperate need of laughter to cope with devastation and help heal the deep wounds of trauma, but also children living in the wake of natural disaster or the face of any violence. Thankfully for the children of Haiti it didn’t take long for the dedicated volunteer clowns to make their way to deliver joy and hope in the face of the ciaos that has ensued the impoverished and grief struck nation.
The clowns descended upon children in the capital of Port au Prince, who were sponsored by the Haitian Boy Scouts, who took the volunteers around to refugee camps. Alex George, a Boy Scouts’ spokesman, said;
“This catastrophe stole the childhood from the kids, so they suddenly became adults. So now it’s the time for them to go back to being a child, and smile.”
The following video gives a small glimpse of the power of laughter:
The true anguish and heartache of disaster often comes in the many long months of recovery. It is in those long months, and years, of recovery and rebuilding that often the simple memories of hope and joy are what one cling to as the power on down the long road ahead. Never doubt the power of a smile and effect of laughter to bring peace and prosperity to a community in need.
For more on Clowns Without Borders, Project Haiti click here.
