Patty Meyer
10/26/2012
I’m writing from Haiti, yet knowing it will be impossible for
you to truly understand what I have experienced today. When we arrived
yesterday we learned that because of the rain, there was no school and several
of the employees were unable to get to New Life. Our dear friend Frentzy showed
us a photo of the river water, whose depth was nearing the top of the bridge.
Normally, this same river can have the appearance of a narrow stream, reaching
the depth of maybe ones knees and is used by the locals for bathing, washing
clothes and by pigs, goats, and an occasional cow, as well. If I was to guess –
I would say the bridge is AT LEAST 40 feet above the river bed. Since it was
merely drizzling at this point, I had no idea of the conditions around us.
It rained through the night and we woke to more rain. We soon
learned that there had been significant flooding, which had already taken the
lives of 11 people, with many more anticipated deaths. One of the employees
here is in his 30’s and he said he has never witnessed this much rain and
flooding.
Realizing there was so much devastation, nine of us ventured out
to see if there was anything we could possibly do to help. Near New Life is a
tent city which has been there for going on THREE YEARS. That was our first stop.
As we drove up we could see pools of water and mud. There were probably 40
children mingling around – some half dressed, most without shoes. The man “in
charge” came forward and explained that most of the tents had been flooded or
filled with mud and people were in terrible need. With his permission, he
graciously walked us around just the front of the “city” and we peered into
tents, only to see all these people have to call their own was sitting in mud.
The scene that sticks in my mind is looking into a small tent to find a young
mother sitting on an upside down bucket holding a 6 week old baby. She stared
back at me with dead pan eyes, not returning the smile I offered to her. Then
she began shaking her head back and forth and her expression did not change.
Someone tell me HOW are they able to withstand one tragedy after another? All I
could do was say, “Jesus loves you.” and look back at her with the most caring
expression I could offer, yet knowing she had no idea what I was saying.
As we continued, a wonderful Haitian man who was leading me,
tried to keep a step ahead of me as he flung pieces of broken cement or a rock
for me to step on so I didn’t slide or sink in the mud. Even without the rain,
without the mud these tents would bring you to tears to look inside – but to
see them with standing water and mud – was just about more than I could look
at. We learned there are 133 families who live here, which includes 500
children! None of these families can afford to send their children to school.
So – everyday is spent in the confines of these premises, with one tent right
after the next. We promised the people that we would be returning later in the
day with food. FOOD being their number one request.
As we continued down the main road, which is normally at a dead
stop because of all the traffic, we found the traffic very light and where
there would normally be people crowded on the sidewalks selling their wares –
there was no one.
We went down a side street/mud road and found an area in even
greater need. We learned 10 BRICK houses had already been washed away and a man
with his pants rolled up to his knees was throwing bucket after bucket of water
out of his house into the street that already held about five inches of water,
which would soon rush back into his home. In this area, people were standing
outside of their home – some in knee deep water. You could see their few
belonging were all stacked in various ways to keep them from sitting in water.
Without a doubt, the few articles of clothing they owned were surely wet.
Let me fast forward our day to share that by mid afternoon there
were about 20 people here at New Life making up bags of rice, beans, spaghetti,
cooking oil, and sardines which were then delivered to the tent city families,
as promised. They were of course beyond thrilled to have the food. Wonderful
yes – but what about food two days from now?
While that gesture served as a glimmer of light in all this
darkness, I have to admit that as it CONTINUES to rain and now that darkness
has settled in – I sit here wondering what are these thousands, upon thousands
of people in this country doing? I had a nice dinner of chicken. I am sitting
here with electricity – they have NONE. I have a suitcase filled with clothes,
more than they would probably EVER have, AND they are DRY. I am having one of
those times where I don’t understand the disparity – yet again. (GUN FIRE JUST
WENT OFF! Another sound you get used to…) As I said in the beginning of this
writing – I don’t know if you can even grasp what I am sharing to the level
that it exists. What do we do? We do what we can with what we have to those we
can. Quite truthfully – this is so overwhelming that it leaves you feeling like
there is nothing you can do and it’s paralyzing. But at the same time – WE HAVE
TO DO SOMETHING! I am going to assume that this hasn’t even made the news in
the states. Or maybe it received a 10 second clip showing people up to their
waist in water with all they own on top of their head. Millions of people MIGHT
actually think – “Wow – that’s awful.” But the truth is – people are drowning,
canals have overflowed and sewer water is running down people’s streets and
into their homes. There is a HORRIBLE food and clean water shortage and it
stands to reason that cholera cases will sky rocket.
IF this touches you and you would like to help – 100% of your
contribution will be used to buy food and clean water for those we are able to
help. By me being here, I encourage you to contact Jim, my husband at
jmeyer9544@aol.com for specific instructions. For me to come home in two weeks
and THEN share this emergency would be irresponsible of me. I send this offer
to you to be part of a humanitarian effort so together we can do SOMETHING – it
will NEVER be enough…but it WILL matter to those who receive it. I’ve only been
here a bit over 24 hours and my chest aches for these innocent people. May the
sun shine tomorrow.
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