Christmas in Haiti

The Associated Press article, “Most Haitians Have Lean Christmas” (Dec. 25), implied that American servicemen and women spent the holiday gorging on turkey, playing volleyball and listening to concerts while starving Haitian children looked in through the wire surrounding Camp Democracy.

As it happens, there is an orphanage for little girls not far from the airport. Air Force personnel (including the 436th Civil Engineering Squadron) had shared Thanksgiving dinner with the youngsters and resolved to do more for them. The chaplain arranged with churches in Charleston to send toys, bedding, clothes, hygiene items and the like. Many of the items were given to the director of the orphanage before Christmas. On Christmas Day the 60 little girls and the staff were invited to the base for a noon dinner. A bus had been chartered to pick up the youngsters. A package (containing at least three toys) had been individually wrapped for each of the 60 kids. Our son had asked us to send toys, instead of a Christmas present to him.

We presume the event was successful. Our son called us very early Christmas morning to tell us about the plan for the day. It would seem that an event of this size required considerable planning and effort. The reporter who wrote the story was certainly under-informed. We would suggest that the reporter didn’t inquire about what the various units within the base were doing.

JUDY GRAGG SCHARF

ROBERT R. SCHARF

Los Angeles