In 2004 I had the honor of helping train future Haitian leaders in communications and political technology. We helped about 65 Haitians, mostly in their 20's and 30's, in preparing to serve in politics and government in the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation.

At the time, the security situation was so bad in Port Au Prince that the training actually took place on the other side of Hispanola, in the Dominican Republic.

I remember at the end of the training the students were so grateful that they organized a "thank you" ceremony for those of us who had volunteered to do the training, and presented us with gifts for having helped them. It was my first time working with Haitians and I was incredibly impressed by each of the students, whom I found thoughtful, engaging, and very appreciative.

So it was with a great sense of concern that I read the reports today about the devastation of the 7.0 earthquake that struck the country today. "I think it's really a catastrophe of major proportions," Haiti's ambassador to the U.S., Raymond Alcide Joseph, said.

The Haitian people have suffered tremendously over the history of this nation that shares the island of Hispanola with the Dominican Republic. Dictatorship, corruption, and a non-functioning economy and have all contributed to an unacceptable level of human suffering. Eight in ten Haitians live in poverty. Today's earthquake comes atop all of that.

The American Red Cross and other charities are providing immediate aid to help alleviate the suffering.