one way ticket to Haiti

Tragedy has swept the already suffering lands of Haiti, but this morning I saw hope. Hope not written between the lines of a news article, but behind the eyes of a man who says he literally cannot sleep because so many are suffering. 

This morning I interviewed Mark Atkinson, a UF professor who has been doing missionary work in Haiti for years. On January 11, the day before the earthquake struck, Atkinson arrived back in Gainesville after a two-week mission trip to a town just north of Port-au-Prince. On his office computer, Atkinson showed me pictures from his recent trip, fighting back tears with every click.

Atkinson has purchased a one way ticket to Haiti. While looking through pictures from the AP wires, I asked him if he was scared of the harsh reality he'll soon face. Atkinson said fear has no presence in his life, and with tears in eyes he added, "I just love people."