Mario Serrano, SJ, director of the Jesuit Refugee Service in the Dominican Republic, is in Port au Prince with colleagues of the Centro Cultural Poveda to help coordinate the Jesuit response to the Haiti disaster. He describes his experience as a lesson in humanity and hope.

"We arrived at the Jesuit novitiate almost night and did not unload the trucks out of fear of how the population might react. We did not have military escort, but arranged for two guards to protect the supplies for the night. Early the next day, we unloaded the trucks and we met to plan the distribution. As we gathered a large number of people began to knock on the door asking the food to be distributed. We stopped the meeting and thought the worst. We called the police, but the people did not disperse. The commander suggested that we give them water and ask them to leave with the promise that they would receive some of the goods we brought.

The people agreed and I promised that I would meet with them later. That afternoon I went to meet with them. Our novitiate is at the entrance to their neighborhood, which is very poor. Many victims of the earthquake live there. That afternoon we had an excellent assembly of residents. They understood we needed time to organize the distribution, we understood too that they need to receive our help very soon. We shared our fears and feelings of insecurity; they said that they would take care of the security in the area. They organized themselves to receive the aid and agreed to help unload the trucks.

You can not imagine what joy this process gave me. It was a joy linked to a new understanding, a new relationship with the people, a new understanding of how to manage aid. I understood the need to integrate people as much as possible in the process itself. When people flocked to our door I remember the voice and face of Soucet, a very brave woman who demanded food, with anger and courage. I remember my fear in front of so many people. Now I see friendly faces, people with whom to share and work together for the same cause. Now I feel we are safer and have better security than that provided by the military forces. We are now being accompanied and supported by those we came to accompany and support."