Madison Person of the Week Peter Loden: Giving His Heart to Haiti

His first trip to Haiti took place in the aftermath of 9/11-the tragedy struck the day after he arrived-and this year it's in the aftermath of a tragedy for Haiti that Peter Loden retuns to the destitute country.

Peter-you might recognize his last name from his shop, Walker-Loden, in Madison-first became involved with Haiti through Emily Smack, the executive director of the non-profit Haitian Ministries for the Diocese of Norwich, Inc., at her shop, Haiti's Back Porch, which has since moved from Madison to Middletown, but continues its goal of supporting Haiti. Since his first visit in 2001, he's returned to Haiti about 10 times, including twice last year-all with Haitian Ministries, which has strong ties to a number of parishes in Haiti.

"Right after I came back in 2001 I became a board member and now [I'm] chairman of the board," he says. "There's a time when I will rotate off that board, but Haiti will be a part of my life in one capacity or another."

Why the commitment?

"There's a saying that you can leave Haiti, but Haiti can't leave you," Peter says. "It's constantly on your mind."

A member of the Madison Chamber of Commerce, Peter has helped coordinate a number of different fundraisers for Haiti-the proceeds help employ workers in the impoverished country, where the average family's income is a pittance. He also asks customers to make a contribution to Haitian Ministries instead of paying for delivery of items at his shop-his generous customers have donated a total of about $3,500 each year.

With Haitian Ministries, Peter purchases crafts and artwork-sometimes the entire inventory of a craftman's shop-during his travels in Haiti and then sells them in the United States.

"Their overall goal is not so much profit but to employ people in Haiti where the average income is about $350 a year for a family," he says.

Even when the proceeds don't seem impressive from the fundraisers, a little goes a long way in Haiti.

Peter's reply to someone who says, "Oh, we didn't sell that much" is, "You just supplied someone's income for one year."

However, the money raised from crafts is a small fraction of the whole picture.

"The overall goal is to help Haitians help Haitains, not to go down and do the work, but talk to our partners, [ask] 'What is it you need, how can we help achieve that goal?'" says Peter, who will help build homes on his next trip. "It's more than a Band-Aid."

His visits to the Third World country have made him appreciate life in the United States.

"We have so much in this country to be grateful for," he says. "People will say, 'Are you having a rough day today?' I'll say, 'I have a home, I'm not hungry, I have a house over my head-I'm fine.' Many people don't have that."

Volunteering in children's hospitals and orphanages, Peter has borne witness to countless heartbreaking stories, from mothers unable to receive care for their babies at overcrowded hospitals to schoolteachers who haven't been paid in a year and a half.

While helping with feedings, changing diapers, and performing other chores at a children's hospital, Peter had a unique experience in a room filled with 24 cribs, some with two babies apiece.

"We're in a room with 24 kids and there isn't one sound," he recalls. "Everyone's awake looking at us; no one is crying, no one is screaming."

When he commented on this to Smack, who was also there, she replied, "A lot of them have just given up."

Deprived of physical contact for so long, one baby found that once she had it-in the form of Peter's pinky finger-she didn't want to let go.

"As soon as the connection broke she started screaming bloody murder," Peter says. "She clamped down on [my pinky] and stopped and Emily said, 'She wants that connection.'

"It's stories like that that stick with you."

Haitian Ministries for the Diocese of Norwich, Inc., holds its fourth annual For the Love of a Child gala on Saturday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Mystic Aquarium. The cost is $150. Proceeds benefit children in Haiti whose lives have been affected by the earthquake. RSVP by Friday, April 2. For more info or to donate, call 860-638-1018 or visit www.haitianministries.org.