BHC professor affected by Haiti quake shares rescue story, advice
Jareb Parker
Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: News
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Griggs teaches government and criminal justice at Brookhaven College and began volunteering in Haiti as chair of the mission committee at Highland Park United Methodist Church in 1999.
The program began in 1976 in the village of Petít Goave, 20 miles from Haiti's capital. The group provided Haitians in need of eye care with doctors and ophthalmologists.
"They would take literally thousands of pairs of glasses that people had discarded or donated," Griggs said.
In 1999, Griggs was invited by some of the doctors to witness the work they had been doing. At that point, the church had built a surgery center dedicated to Dr. Kenneth Foree and his wife, Lila, who Griggs said were a major impetus of the program.
Griggs said: "Since then, hundreds of people have visited Haiti on almost an annual basis. Over the years, we have been able to find local doctors to take over the work. We come to help and assist and bring glasses, but in between they keep the surgery center working
This work continued through volunteers and financial assistance until Jan. 12. Griggs was not in Haiti when the earthquake struck, but 12 members of his church were. Griggs said the members of the team were closing the clinic in the late afternoon and half of the team was trapped inside when it collapsed.
"By some miracle, there was a mining team of Americans nearby," Griggs said. "As if they were angels from God, they showed up with mining equipment and offered their assistance to free our injured Americans."
Over the next 24 hours, Griggs said various members of the team tried to get out of the city.
"We were able to find someone to donate a plane but the plane didn't know where it was going because it didn't have clearance."
Griggs said the plane was finally cleared to land in the Dominican Republic to rescue the remaining members who hadn't yet found a way off the island.
One member of the team and of Griggs' church did not make it home. Dr. Jean Arnwine died later of internal injuries, Griggs said.
His experiences in Haiti have had a great affect on how he teaches, he said.
"Having seen the poorest nation in the western hemisphere and teaching government, I am able to share with my students the good things they have in their own government," he said. "I find most students do not realize the freedoms, the rights and opportunities they have with our form of government. I encourage students to get involved, be a part of the civic world and to participate in the political process."
He said through participation students can come to understand countries like Haiti that do not have the benefits of a working government that provides for the needs of its citizens.
Griggs spoke at length about what students can do to help.
Griggs said one way people can help support the program is through financial donations.
"It's important for students to know that if they're truly interested in volunteering, there are organizations that would love to have them," he said.
Though, if actually volunteering in person, he stressed careful preparation.
"When I went to Haiti in 1999, even in good times, we had to have malaria pills, we had to make sure our hepatitis shots were up to date, our tetanus shots were up to date," Griggs said. "Even without an earthquake, Haiti is a country that you have to prepare your body to go there."
He also warned that if students are going to give money to the Haitian relief they should make sure the organization is legitimate, because frequently scams will develop.
Griggs said Dallas residents have been contributing to Haiti for decades.
"And just because this disaster has happened doesn't mean we are going to stop," he said. "If anything, it means we will pick up the effort and make even a greater commitment."
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