2.26.2010
Preparing for the next trip--March 2nd
Patty is busy preparing for her journey to Haiti on March 2nd. She will be traveling with two others and staying with Marie and the girls at Marie's home. A couple of nights ago there were two 4.7 tremors that has everyone sleeping outside once again. I'm sure we will be getting daily updates once again as soon as Patty arrives in Haiti.
2.07.2010
Return from Haiti--Jim Made it Home
Well, I am home after an unbelievable two weeks in Haiti. I flew out of the Port au Prince airport on a “charter” flight into Santo Domingo on Saturday morning. Charter flight sounds way more luxurious to me than it was. When I had worked my into the airport several days earlier to find out whatever information I could about my options for leaving, I talked with the one “charter” person from Carib Air and she said $275 cash (no credit card electronic thing). I paid her and she asked me if I had a pen so she could give me a receipt. I didn’t have one, but she came up with one in 10 minutes or so and handed me a cash receipt which was to be my “ticket” (no etickets here). I just had to trust that it would work—it was so Haiti.
When I got to the airport on Saturday morning there were several people in front of me being screened by the Haitians who were still in "control" of “security.” Just as I approached the baggage x-ray everything shut down. Apparently there was a shift change and one of the Haitian security personnel took his extension cord with him leaving no power to the x-ray machine. About ten minutes later another Haitian arrived with his extension cord and plugged it into a socket hanging from the ceiling and power was restored and my bags went through the machine—another totally Haitian thing.
The Port au Price airport, which is being run and controlled by the US military, was a busy place. Relief planes from all over the world arriving with supplies, helicopters moving supplies out by air and trucks moving supplies via the roads. It was great to see the world sharing and working together to help the hungry and homeless in Haiti. Speaking with the various relief workers was another great experience—sharing stories of what we all doing and how things were progressing. One Israeli woman that I talked to had also been there two weeks. She told many stories. The one that sticks in my head though is the one about a little boy who had recently died, she did not know how, but suspects that he had recently fallen from a roof or was hit by a car. Nonetheless his body was lying on the street corner for the last three of four days, decaying, dogs eating the flesh—and people going about there business and walking around him—apparently he had no family in the area and no one was going to take the initiative to bury him. A tragedy that is probably not a result of the earthquake—or perhaps it is.
The Carib Air flight was full with twenty passengers consisting of relief workers, CNN crews, Germans, Israelis, Canadians, Swiss, all going to the Dominican Republic to return home, all with several hundred pounds of luggage which was jammed into every available space in the hold, aisle, and in the cabin. I really wasn’t sure we would get off the ground but we did. Then, after landing, I had to get a cab to the “real” airport and that cost me $50 which was hard to part with knowing that across the border it would pay 10 men to work all day with sedge hammers breaking a concrete building into dust. Oh well, I didn’t have a choice. I ended up in Miami Saturday where I spent the night “sleeping” in a chair at the airport. It was OK though because there were no bugs, it was air conditioned, I had a roof over my head, and a pizza joint and an ice cream shop only a few steps away (California Pizza Kitchen and Hagen Das—I couldn’t help myself).
I was somewhat surprised by the news I saw at the Miami airport—I was back in the US. The media headlines, and even deeper within the newspapers and magazines, and on the CNN TV screens—there was nothing mentioned about Haiti. I guess living in Haiti for two short weeks and seeing the tragedies of people lives and hearing their stories and just living with them in their world caused me to believe that the whole world must be as interested as I was. I guess it is just not news anymore. But I also did just see the world at work in bringing much needed supplies to those in the greatest need so I know the world has not forgotten the Haitians. I hope and pray that we do not forget them and that we keep them in our prayers and continue to provide for them until such time as they are able to recover. Several million people living in tents will require massive efforts both now and in the future. Please keep praying.
When I got to the airport on Saturday morning there were several people in front of me being screened by the Haitians who were still in "control" of “security.” Just as I approached the baggage x-ray everything shut down. Apparently there was a shift change and one of the Haitian security personnel took his extension cord with him leaving no power to the x-ray machine. About ten minutes later another Haitian arrived with his extension cord and plugged it into a socket hanging from the ceiling and power was restored and my bags went through the machine—another totally Haitian thing.
The Port au Price airport, which is being run and controlled by the US military, was a busy place. Relief planes from all over the world arriving with supplies, helicopters moving supplies out by air and trucks moving supplies via the roads. It was great to see the world sharing and working together to help the hungry and homeless in Haiti. Speaking with the various relief workers was another great experience—sharing stories of what we all doing and how things were progressing. One Israeli woman that I talked to had also been there two weeks. She told many stories. The one that sticks in my head though is the one about a little boy who had recently died, she did not know how, but suspects that he had recently fallen from a roof or was hit by a car. Nonetheless his body was lying on the street corner for the last three of four days, decaying, dogs eating the flesh—and people going about there business and walking around him—apparently he had no family in the area and no one was going to take the initiative to bury him. A tragedy that is probably not a result of the earthquake—or perhaps it is.
The Carib Air flight was full with twenty passengers consisting of relief workers, CNN crews, Germans, Israelis, Canadians, Swiss, all going to the Dominican Republic to return home, all with several hundred pounds of luggage which was jammed into every available space in the hold, aisle, and in the cabin. I really wasn’t sure we would get off the ground but we did. Then, after landing, I had to get a cab to the “real” airport and that cost me $50 which was hard to part with knowing that across the border it would pay 10 men to work all day with sedge hammers breaking a concrete building into dust. Oh well, I didn’t have a choice. I ended up in Miami Saturday where I spent the night “sleeping” in a chair at the airport. It was OK though because there were no bugs, it was air conditioned, I had a roof over my head, and a pizza joint and an ice cream shop only a few steps away (California Pizza Kitchen and Hagen Das—I couldn’t help myself).
I was somewhat surprised by the news I saw at the Miami airport—I was back in the US. The media headlines, and even deeper within the newspapers and magazines, and on the CNN TV screens—there was nothing mentioned about Haiti. I guess living in Haiti for two short weeks and seeing the tragedies of people lives and hearing their stories and just living with them in their world caused me to believe that the whole world must be as interested as I was. I guess it is just not news anymore. But I also did just see the world at work in bringing much needed supplies to those in the greatest need so I know the world has not forgotten the Haitians. I hope and pray that we do not forget them and that we keep them in our prayers and continue to provide for them until such time as they are able to recover. Several million people living in tents will require massive efforts both now and in the future. Please keep praying.
2.05.2010
Jim's Day in Haiti Fri Feb 5th
I spent my last day in Haiti with Marie, the girls, and looking over the worksite. Marie was not feeling well all day with “heartburn” which I thought may be something more serious. I called Debbie who is a nurse and she came over and came up with the same conclusion as Marie so I felt better. Marie says “today I rest, tomorrow I rest, but then look out I’ll be back.” I hope that is exactly what happens. She is 73 or 74 years old and running like crazy. She has four families living in her house and 30 orphans, two helpers, and she is running three work crews at the demolition site, one doing interior concrete work (4 guys), one rebuilding the outhouses (4 guys), and the destruction crew which was 22 guys today. I get tired even writing about it. I hope to have half the energy at her age.
I many ways I am sad to leave and feel like maybe I should stay another week. But I know it will be good to be home with my family—I miss them. My work here is for the most part accomplished. Shawn and I were able to bring the good news from the US that there are so many people who have been praying and working on behalf of Haiti, Marie, the girls, etc. We provide the assurance to the people here that they are loved by others and that we are standing with them in this extremely difficult time. We were able to bring funds from the relief donations we received and were able to see those funds in action to help many, many, people in this neighborhood. We were able to assure Marie that we can and will rebuild the orphanage and the church. We brought our love, the love of all those who are aware of the desperate needs here and have shown their love through prayer, donations, and working for the cause. There are so many people that have been involved that it overwhelms me. We were able to show Christ’s love to all those we encountered and Christ’s love was clearly shining through them to us as well.
It has been an awesome journey and Shawn and I have had a great time participating in it. We were never in fear of anyone or anything; we were at peace with all those we encountered. It has truly been a blessing. Thank all of you for following along and we look forward to your following the story as it unfolds and participating in whatever way you feel led
I many ways I am sad to leave and feel like maybe I should stay another week. But I know it will be good to be home with my family—I miss them. My work here is for the most part accomplished. Shawn and I were able to bring the good news from the US that there are so many people who have been praying and working on behalf of Haiti, Marie, the girls, etc. We provide the assurance to the people here that they are loved by others and that we are standing with them in this extremely difficult time. We were able to bring funds from the relief donations we received and were able to see those funds in action to help many, many, people in this neighborhood. We were able to assure Marie that we can and will rebuild the orphanage and the church. We brought our love, the love of all those who are aware of the desperate needs here and have shown their love through prayer, donations, and working for the cause. There are so many people that have been involved that it overwhelms me. We were able to show Christ’s love to all those we encountered and Christ’s love was clearly shining through them to us as well.
It has been an awesome journey and Shawn and I have had a great time participating in it. We were never in fear of anyone or anything; we were at peace with all those we encountered. It has truly been a blessing. Thank all of you for following along and we look forward to your following the story as it unfolds and participating in whatever way you feel led
2.04.2010
Jim's Day in Haiti, Thur Feb 4
Today was a little bit of everything. Marie’s house with the girls, destruction site, Marie’s house, destruction site, Port au Prince looking for a few items which we never found, airport to pick up a TV camera crew of two from Canada, traffic jams everywhere, home about an hour after dark. It was a busy day but I feel like I didn’t really accomplish anything.
The work crew continued with the destruction of the church/orphanage and they are still making progress one hammer blow at a time. I am still amazed at their determination. It is hard, hot work, and they are there every morning at 7:00 AM with hammers in their hands. There is another crew finishing the inside of the temporary orphanage building…smoothing out the concrete ceiling and walls, getting it ready to paint. Another crew began rebuilding the outhouses out of salvaged block from the wall that fell. There are so many projects going and Marie is directing traffic and doing a good job of it.
As we drove around we still see tent cities everywhere and the government is telling everyone to sleep outside for fear of another earthquake…and they are, millions of the Haitian people sleeping in their makeshift tents for over three weeks now. We see more military vehicles and US troops on the ground now as well. The airport looks like a military base with US Army barracks/tents all around the airfield. Then the Haitian tent cities start were the airfield ends. Other countries are here as well. China, Canada, many others, helping people in whatever ways they can.
Debbie, the missionary that I am staying with at Hope House, got a call from someone who knew someone who had given them her phone number. Debbie is Canadian and the TV crew from her home town news station is here and arrived in PAP airport late this afternoon. Debbie agreed to put them up for the night or two or more. They came from a different area of Haiti Jackmel and are filming several of the Canadian mission organizations work efforts. I will be sharing a room with them for a few days. Good guys with quite an adventure behind them and more in front of them as the face the destruction of PAP. They came in from Jamaica by a Canadian Navy ship, helicopters and pontoon boats…quite a story in itself.
I went to the airport with Debbie to pick them up and inquired about my leaving and how that may work on Saturday. They say first come first serve…but the first guy in line at 8 AM has not entered the airport yet. The military wants to get out of the civilian transportation business as their main job was rescue and injured and has become people (like me) who are looking for a way home. I found out that they are chartering flight out each day to the DR, Santo Domingo, so I bought a ticket for Saturday morning back to the DR and I will find my way back from there, which should be relatively easy. So I may be home by late Saturday or sometime Sunday. Pizza and a shower and about 12 hours of sleep and I will be good.
Tomorrow will be difficult because I will be saying goodbye to the girls and Marie and that is never easy. I am glad I came and would not have changed anything.
The work crew continued with the destruction of the church/orphanage and they are still making progress one hammer blow at a time. I am still amazed at their determination. It is hard, hot work, and they are there every morning at 7:00 AM with hammers in their hands. There is another crew finishing the inside of the temporary orphanage building…smoothing out the concrete ceiling and walls, getting it ready to paint. Another crew began rebuilding the outhouses out of salvaged block from the wall that fell. There are so many projects going and Marie is directing traffic and doing a good job of it.
As we drove around we still see tent cities everywhere and the government is telling everyone to sleep outside for fear of another earthquake…and they are, millions of the Haitian people sleeping in their makeshift tents for over three weeks now. We see more military vehicles and US troops on the ground now as well. The airport looks like a military base with US Army barracks/tents all around the airfield. Then the Haitian tent cities start were the airfield ends. Other countries are here as well. China, Canada, many others, helping people in whatever ways they can.
Debbie, the missionary that I am staying with at Hope House, got a call from someone who knew someone who had given them her phone number. Debbie is Canadian and the TV crew from her home town news station is here and arrived in PAP airport late this afternoon. Debbie agreed to put them up for the night or two or more. They came from a different area of Haiti Jackmel and are filming several of the Canadian mission organizations work efforts. I will be sharing a room with them for a few days. Good guys with quite an adventure behind them and more in front of them as the face the destruction of PAP. They came in from Jamaica by a Canadian Navy ship, helicopters and pontoon boats…quite a story in itself.
I went to the airport with Debbie to pick them up and inquired about my leaving and how that may work on Saturday. They say first come first serve…but the first guy in line at 8 AM has not entered the airport yet. The military wants to get out of the civilian transportation business as their main job was rescue and injured and has become people (like me) who are looking for a way home. I found out that they are chartering flight out each day to the DR, Santo Domingo, so I bought a ticket for Saturday morning back to the DR and I will find my way back from there, which should be relatively easy. So I may be home by late Saturday or sometime Sunday. Pizza and a shower and about 12 hours of sleep and I will be good.
Tomorrow will be difficult because I will be saying goodbye to the girls and Marie and that is never easy. I am glad I came and would not have changed anything.
Photo of the Hero!!
Jeanna had the girls crawling on their bellies because they could not walk with the quake shaking the building. She had them crawl down the stairs on their bellies too. fast. She was the last one out of the building. It was her quick thinking that saved them.
2.03.2010
Jim's Day in Haiti Wed Feb 3
I had a good day in Haiti today and much was accomplished. I saw the girls for a few minutes in the morning and then went to the destruction site. They were working away with sledge hammers, banging on concrete, saving what rebar they could. Marie was able to secure a truck and bulldozer for the day—which is not easy in this post earthquake environment. All heavy equipment in this part of the country is being used at least 18 hours a day if not longer. The dozer broke a U joint and I had a chance to talk to the owner for a few minutes while it was being fixed. He is Haitian, but also a US citizen, who moved back to Haiti many years ago—tired of the US and loves Haiti. Harold is his name. I hope to see him again because there will be another pile of rubble fairly soon that needs to be removed. They took ten truck loads out today which is a huge amount of rubble and dust.
The dozer driver tried to break up some of the concrete roof/floor with his bucket but did not budge any of it. The Haitian workers with the hammers just laughed—they knew when he pulled in that he couldn’t do it and they never stopped working for a second—even when he came in. I would have dropped my hammer thinking he could take the rest of the building down and I would have the day off. Not these guys—they never missed a beat.
The area surrounding the church/orphanage is now fairly clear and there is an open pathway along one side. There are several other workers finishing the temporary orphanage building in the back of the property. It was the building that Patty found the orphans living in two or three years ago—it was awful. It is now taking shape and will not be bad living quarters. Probably all of the girls in one room again just like the “old days.” Eventually that building is to be classrooms. The minister of education (I think) says that school will go on but that all school are required to conduct school in a tent and not in a building—that will be interesting to pull off. First getting tents to every school will be a challenge and many schools have no place to put them anyway. Good idea but it will be interesting to see if he can pull it off.
Anouse and Jeanna worked inside Marie’s home today along with all of their other responsibilities of caring for the girls, feeding them, bathing them, doing their hair, etc. Jeanna is the one who got the girls out of the orphanage before it collapsed. The building was shaking and no one could walk so she had them crawl on their bellies down the hall and down the stairs and then run from the building—Jeanna was the last one out of the building making sure that the girls were out first. I kiss her every time I see her. She doesn’t speak English and I hope she knows how grateful we all are for her quick thinking and taking action to save the girls. I don’t know how old Jeanna is but she was Marie’s first orphan to take care of when she returned to Haiti. She is probably in her mid twenties.
I am not sure when I will be leaving Haiti. Shawn made it home but it was pretty big challenge—mostly just waiting. He was at the airport for 16 hours—not inside but outside on the tarmac with all the military and relief planes coming and going. He will need his hearing tested. Glad he is back safely. His recommendation for me is to bring two days food, water, and ear plugs to the airport. I may be better off here for several more days. I also hear that Mission Aviation is flying out of a smaller airport here. I’m not concerned about getting out but more concerned about making sure Marie and the girls know we are with them, standing side by side during this tragedy, and that we are doing what we can back home to raise funds and fill containers with useful items for the future. Marie felt good about that and she does not know how to thank everyone. So her behalf—THANK YOU all!
The dozer driver tried to break up some of the concrete roof/floor with his bucket but did not budge any of it. The Haitian workers with the hammers just laughed—they knew when he pulled in that he couldn’t do it and they never stopped working for a second—even when he came in. I would have dropped my hammer thinking he could take the rest of the building down and I would have the day off. Not these guys—they never missed a beat.
The area surrounding the church/orphanage is now fairly clear and there is an open pathway along one side. There are several other workers finishing the temporary orphanage building in the back of the property. It was the building that Patty found the orphans living in two or three years ago—it was awful. It is now taking shape and will not be bad living quarters. Probably all of the girls in one room again just like the “old days.” Eventually that building is to be classrooms. The minister of education (I think) says that school will go on but that all school are required to conduct school in a tent and not in a building—that will be interesting to pull off. First getting tents to every school will be a challenge and many schools have no place to put them anyway. Good idea but it will be interesting to see if he can pull it off.
Anouse and Jeanna worked inside Marie’s home today along with all of their other responsibilities of caring for the girls, feeding them, bathing them, doing their hair, etc. Jeanna is the one who got the girls out of the orphanage before it collapsed. The building was shaking and no one could walk so she had them crawl on their bellies down the hall and down the stairs and then run from the building—Jeanna was the last one out of the building making sure that the girls were out first. I kiss her every time I see her. She doesn’t speak English and I hope she knows how grateful we all are for her quick thinking and taking action to save the girls. I don’t know how old Jeanna is but she was Marie’s first orphan to take care of when she returned to Haiti. She is probably in her mid twenties.
I am not sure when I will be leaving Haiti. Shawn made it home but it was pretty big challenge—mostly just waiting. He was at the airport for 16 hours—not inside but outside on the tarmac with all the military and relief planes coming and going. He will need his hearing tested. Glad he is back safely. His recommendation for me is to bring two days food, water, and ear plugs to the airport. I may be better off here for several more days. I also hear that Mission Aviation is flying out of a smaller airport here. I’m not concerned about getting out but more concerned about making sure Marie and the girls know we are with them, standing side by side during this tragedy, and that we are doing what we can back home to raise funds and fill containers with useful items for the future. Marie felt good about that and she does not know how to thank everyone. So her behalf—THANK YOU all!
2.02.2010
Jim's day in Haiti-Tuesday Feb 2
I started today in typical Haitian style. Marie sent Fedinare and I out to get some cement. He backed up his truck into the rocky road and I noticed he had a flat front tire. He got out and grabbed his hand pump, a standard item in any Haitian vehicle (spare tires are not). He pumped that tire for about half an hour and it was flatter than a pancake. We took Marie’s car instead (whole other story not for today). Had to make two trips because her car is not made to haul 1000 lbs of concrete even though the concrete dealer said “no problem”. We took 500 lbs at a time. This killed an hour and half and the concrete store is less than a mile from Marie’s.
Several people are making their way to Marie’s to check on her and update her on their lives. One of her school teachers came by and three died in his home but I did not know if they were his family or who they were. I only get the highlights from Marie through translation. Another person came by and said his home was gone but no one died—praise God. I talked to Patty via satellite phone and she told me that friend we know here died last night, Marie Amazon, a good friend of Bob Ryan’s and ours died in a tent city last night. She was a beautiful young woman. They are so many stories and you do not have to go far to get them.
Patty told me Shawn made it to Orlando and was making his way home from there. He will have to share the details but as I understand it he did not leave until midnight (we dropped him off at 10 AM). About 100 Americans were sleeping on the tarmac and then they were quickly shuttled onto a military aircraft and flown into a military base near Orlando. I’m sure he is glad to be on American soil, hot shower, bed with no bugs, no dogs barking all night, etc. He left his beef jerky which was my lunch today.
A good part of the day was spent a Marie’s home. She is getting more comfortable going inside now—three weeks after the devastating earthquake that changed everyone’s lives in Haiti. She was a bit nervous but she did help with some cleanup efforts. Her friend Anouse, Jeanna, and I went to work on putting things back in place. Cabinets, beds, dressers had all moved significantly out of their original places. Everything is covered with dust. It usually is but this is not the kind of dust we are used to. This is grit, dirt, almost sand—and it is not just from the earthquake because it is often this way. It is thicker than usual because of the quake and because of the demolition of the orphanage nearby.
The workers at the orphanage site were hard at work again today. They are pounding their hammers on the floor of the orphanage which was the roof of the church. It is much thicker, heavier construction, and requires twice the amount of pounding if not more to break it up. They are not giving up. They are glad to have the job and are working hard at it.
All in all it was a good day. I am happy that Marie is feeling more and more comfortable being inside. I hope that the others who are need are getting relief supplies. This will be a long haul for Haiti. The government buildings have collapsed, 90% of the schools in PAP have been destroyed, I don’t know how many families are homeless but I know there must be a million or so. Keep your prayers coming for the people here; they will need every one of them.
Several people are making their way to Marie’s to check on her and update her on their lives. One of her school teachers came by and three died in his home but I did not know if they were his family or who they were. I only get the highlights from Marie through translation. Another person came by and said his home was gone but no one died—praise God. I talked to Patty via satellite phone and she told me that friend we know here died last night, Marie Amazon, a good friend of Bob Ryan’s and ours died in a tent city last night. She was a beautiful young woman. They are so many stories and you do not have to go far to get them.
Patty told me Shawn made it to Orlando and was making his way home from there. He will have to share the details but as I understand it he did not leave until midnight (we dropped him off at 10 AM). About 100 Americans were sleeping on the tarmac and then they were quickly shuttled onto a military aircraft and flown into a military base near Orlando. I’m sure he is glad to be on American soil, hot shower, bed with no bugs, no dogs barking all night, etc. He left his beef jerky which was my lunch today.
A good part of the day was spent a Marie’s home. She is getting more comfortable going inside now—three weeks after the devastating earthquake that changed everyone’s lives in Haiti. She was a bit nervous but she did help with some cleanup efforts. Her friend Anouse, Jeanna, and I went to work on putting things back in place. Cabinets, beds, dressers had all moved significantly out of their original places. Everything is covered with dust. It usually is but this is not the kind of dust we are used to. This is grit, dirt, almost sand—and it is not just from the earthquake because it is often this way. It is thicker than usual because of the quake and because of the demolition of the orphanage nearby.
The workers at the orphanage site were hard at work again today. They are pounding their hammers on the floor of the orphanage which was the roof of the church. It is much thicker, heavier construction, and requires twice the amount of pounding if not more to break it up. They are not giving up. They are glad to have the job and are working hard at it.
All in all it was a good day. I am happy that Marie is feeling more and more comfortable being inside. I hope that the others who are need are getting relief supplies. This will be a long haul for Haiti. The government buildings have collapsed, 90% of the schools in PAP have been destroyed, I don’t know how many families are homeless but I know there must be a million or so. Keep your prayers coming for the people here; they will need every one of them.
Here is a photo of Marie at the end of our workday today. The orphanage rubble and rebar is behind her.
Marie by Grace House of Hope orphanage after earthquake.
2.01.2010
Monday In Haiti--Shawn on His Way Home
Shawn and I started today at Marie’s. The girls were eating their breakfast—some kind of cornmeal soupy looking stuff in a Frisbee. They seemed to be enjoying it though. Shawn and I didn’t think it looked too appetizing.
We said hello to a friend who had returned from the countryside where he was living after the quake—Philistine is his name—good man, glad to see him. We then went in Marie’s car the Pastor Wislette’s orphanage. All was well there. They have a supply of food for now. They are all still sleeping outside, afraid to sleep in the orphanage. They are sleeping in a 10x20 foot area (35 of them) that is normally used as a classroom. Blue tarps and 2x4’s make up the shelter. There are others from the neighborhood that are staying there too as many have lost their homes in this neighborhood as well. Shawn and I looked over the building and it looked good to us as unofficial engineers.
We then drove to the airport to see what the most recent story was with respect to getting out of PAP. Shawn had packed his bag just in case they said come on in, and that is exactly what they said. I said goodbye to my good friend Shawn and left him at the airport. He has been a great traveling companion and I am glad we shared this trip together. He would be flying out sometime today with other aid workers, not on any scheduled flight. They did not know when or what kind of plane—just that he was a US citizen and he wanted to leave PAP—he would get out sometime today—he will tell that story when he returns. His feet will be on US soil sometime today or tonight.
Marie and I and one of men (Rene) then drove into Port au Prince (PAP as I have used elsewhere). I thought it would good for Marie to see the devastation on such a wide scale—it would give her a much bigger picture than the local neighborhood she lives in. She said the destruction was much worse than she had imagined. She handled it well and I am glad we took the time to see how things are elsewhere.
There are still many tent cities everywhere. Small communities of neighbors in some areas and much larger communities in others. Many are afraid to go inside anywhere. Others have no homes to go to. We see many US troops moving around, especially near the airport. They are friendly faces and they speak English so I am happy to see them and try to shout to them THANKS when they are within hearing distance. I have not yet seen the more “permanent” refugee camps that had been set up (I hope) and I may not as they have been set up outside of PAP where there is more land. You may have more information on that than I do through CNN news broadcasts. I would describe PAP as peaceful and busy. Busy in that everyone going about their daily living whatever it is. Peaceful in that everyone seems friendly and I have not seen any outbreaks of fighting or violence in any form (other than road rage which is common everyday stuff here). Everyone we talk to has a story of death, destruction, and miracles. Every story I have heard from those who have lost everything, or have lost loved ones, ends with praising God for the ones that are spared and for the miracles that have been revealed. God bless them as they continue on.
The lines at the banks were all very long but orderly. People are receiving Western Union money orders from the state if they have relative there. Those who have bank accounts are waiting patiently to get some money.
I saw many USAID workers today who were Haitians being employed by USAID to help. They need the work and Haiti needs the help. Some were digging in the rubble for something or someone. Others were cleaning the streets and sidewalks of the rubble to allow traffic and pedestrians more room to move.
We returned from PAP to the destruction site and found the crew of 22 people shoveling the rubble off the Church roof (the orphanage floor). Lots of cleanup done on the roof and tomorrow starts with them breaking up the church roof which will be a harder job as it was constructed much stronger to support the second story. I will spend some time there tomorrow.
Thank you all for your support. I keep hearing stories from the folks back home who are working so hard on helping out in so many ways. I keep telling people here that they are not forgotten and that the world is watching. I hope that will continue well into the future because there is so much work to be done here. I don’t feel alone knowing that everyone there is doing something. Keep it up and thank you so much.
We said hello to a friend who had returned from the countryside where he was living after the quake—Philistine is his name—good man, glad to see him. We then went in Marie’s car the Pastor Wislette’s orphanage. All was well there. They have a supply of food for now. They are all still sleeping outside, afraid to sleep in the orphanage. They are sleeping in a 10x20 foot area (35 of them) that is normally used as a classroom. Blue tarps and 2x4’s make up the shelter. There are others from the neighborhood that are staying there too as many have lost their homes in this neighborhood as well. Shawn and I looked over the building and it looked good to us as unofficial engineers.
We then drove to the airport to see what the most recent story was with respect to getting out of PAP. Shawn had packed his bag just in case they said come on in, and that is exactly what they said. I said goodbye to my good friend Shawn and left him at the airport. He has been a great traveling companion and I am glad we shared this trip together. He would be flying out sometime today with other aid workers, not on any scheduled flight. They did not know when or what kind of plane—just that he was a US citizen and he wanted to leave PAP—he would get out sometime today—he will tell that story when he returns. His feet will be on US soil sometime today or tonight.
Marie and I and one of men (Rene) then drove into Port au Prince (PAP as I have used elsewhere). I thought it would good for Marie to see the devastation on such a wide scale—it would give her a much bigger picture than the local neighborhood she lives in. She said the destruction was much worse than she had imagined. She handled it well and I am glad we took the time to see how things are elsewhere.
There are still many tent cities everywhere. Small communities of neighbors in some areas and much larger communities in others. Many are afraid to go inside anywhere. Others have no homes to go to. We see many US troops moving around, especially near the airport. They are friendly faces and they speak English so I am happy to see them and try to shout to them THANKS when they are within hearing distance. I have not yet seen the more “permanent” refugee camps that had been set up (I hope) and I may not as they have been set up outside of PAP where there is more land. You may have more information on that than I do through CNN news broadcasts. I would describe PAP as peaceful and busy. Busy in that everyone going about their daily living whatever it is. Peaceful in that everyone seems friendly and I have not seen any outbreaks of fighting or violence in any form (other than road rage which is common everyday stuff here). Everyone we talk to has a story of death, destruction, and miracles. Every story I have heard from those who have lost everything, or have lost loved ones, ends with praising God for the ones that are spared and for the miracles that have been revealed. God bless them as they continue on.
The lines at the banks were all very long but orderly. People are receiving Western Union money orders from the state if they have relative there. Those who have bank accounts are waiting patiently to get some money.
I saw many USAID workers today who were Haitians being employed by USAID to help. They need the work and Haiti needs the help. Some were digging in the rubble for something or someone. Others were cleaning the streets and sidewalks of the rubble to allow traffic and pedestrians more room to move.
We returned from PAP to the destruction site and found the crew of 22 people shoveling the rubble off the Church roof (the orphanage floor). Lots of cleanup done on the roof and tomorrow starts with them breaking up the church roof which will be a harder job as it was constructed much stronger to support the second story. I will spend some time there tomorrow.
Thank you all for your support. I keep hearing stories from the folks back home who are working so hard on helping out in so many ways. I keep telling people here that they are not forgotten and that the world is watching. I hope that will continue well into the future because there is so much work to be done here. I don’t feel alone knowing that everyone there is doing something. Keep it up and thank you so much.
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