Haiti: Chelsey Kivland

See the full CNN iReport by clicking HERE.

I didn't post this yesterday because quite honestly I was hoping someone would have heard something from her or at least read something from someone who may have seen her by now. Fact is, neither of those has happened yet. And as discouraging as the numbers are, only approximately 200 of the 40-45,000 Americans living/working in Haiti have been accounted for, those numbers are also eerily hopeful. It means that "unaccounted for" simply means haven't found a way to BE accounted for just yet. It's amazing how silent the world can be when cell service and Internet connections are virtually nonexistent.

Chelsey Kivland has been living in Port Au Prince, Haiti for 2 years as a Fulbright scholar doctoral student studying foot bands (bann a pye). She speaks Creole and is a well known member of the community. She hasn't been heard from since the earthquake hit on Tuesday, though there's still much hope to be had that she's simply unable to find a means to make contact with her family and will eventually turn up, safe and sound. The CNN iReport linked to above was posted by her mother in IL. I can't even begin to contemplate what the past 2 days of her life have been like, truly unimaginable.

Chelsey and I co-taught a group of 4th graders during our summer "boot camp" with Teacher for America, and then went on to teach next door to each other for 2 years in the South Bronx. We taught the same group of children and were each others lifeline during those moments when we swore up and down that there was no way on Earth we could make it through another day of teaching. But we did, and she has gone on to continue to be amazing and will continue to be amazing.

I understand it's a long shot but needed to put her name out there via one more avenue on the off chance that somebody out there knows someone who might know someone who has seen or heard something. Or even if you just have an additional moment to send a hopeful thought or prayer in her direction, that would be great too. Additional pictures and info can be found via other CNN iReports HERE and HERE.

Much love to her, her family, and all of those still missing in Haiti.