Senior Mark Norcilus, 25, is relieved to know his parents, missionaries in Haiti, survived the earthquake that killed more than 150,000 people. He is pursuing a double major in chemistry and computer science. Photo by Jessica Sibbing.
On Jan 12, Norcilus, along with the entire world, learned about the massive earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti.
His parents are missionaries who live 100 miles northwest from the capital in Bombardopolis.
“I could not reach them by telephone or Internet. Everything was down,” Norcilus said.
He began communicating with friends in Florida, New York, Canada and the Dominican Republic because they all have friends in common.
They worked as a network, updating one another by text messaging on the status of friends and family. Through the network, he learned an aunt, two cousins and a friend all perished in the earthquake. There are still some friends Norcilus has not been able to reach.
Two uneasy days after the earthquake, Norcilus’s brother received a call from their father saying he and their mom were OK.
Norcilus spoke with his father two days later. “They said it is rough to live. There is no food and everything is shut down,” Norcilus said.
His parents currently work with earthquake victims, transporting them from the capital to Bombardopolis, and helping them with food and general necessities with money received from his father’s church.
Norcilus moved to Texas in 2005 and attended Jacksonville Junior College. Getting to Texas, however, was quite a journey.
In the summer of 2005 he was living in Haiti, working in his father’s church. He was accepted to Central Baptist College in Arkansas and was waiting for the college to send his I-20 form.
The form, issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security, is used as a basis for the issuance of student visas.
Norcilus said at that time the country was much more dangerous and chaotic. Amid government unrest, rebel fighters carried out kidnappings and murders.
His father had shipments of food and supplies meant for his church delivered to his home. This practice put Norcilus and his father in great danger of being kidnapped, he said.
People seemed to view the constant deliveries as a sign of wealth, Norcilus said. Norcilus left Haiti to seek a safer environment, settling temporarily with a friend in the Dominican Republic.
While waiting on the paperwork from Arkansas, Norcilus applied with Jacksonville Junior College at the suggestion from his father.
Soon after being accepted, Norcilus was on his way to East Texas. It seemed he was destined to be in Jacksonville because his older brother and sister also had attended the school.
He graduated from Jacksonville Junior College in May of 2007 and started at the University in the fall.
Norcilus expects to finish his bachelor’s degree in chemistry in spring 2011 and his computer science degree in spring 2012. After graduation, he plans to enter medical school and to study to be a general practitioner; however, he has not chosen a university to attend.
He also said if medical school does not work out, he plans to work on his master’s and then doctorate degrees. He is planning a trip to Haiti in the summer to assist recovery efforts.
Copyright © by the Patriot Talon
All content, graphics and images on this site are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior written permission of the Patriot Talon. All images on this site are for viewing on this site only and may not be downloaded or reproduced without permission.