1.28.2010
While standing in a hot shower today...
trying to relax my mind, I had the thought that I wish I could give one hot shower to every Haitian as a gift. I pictured their elation to just stand there and have the luxury to wash away all the grit and grime that I know covers them. The more I thought about it the more it brought despair knowing that 99.9% of Haitians have never stood under a hot steaming shower - PRE-earthquake let alone now.
Most have never even had the experience of standing under a little trickle or weak stream of cold water, or maybe slightly warmed by the sun. Those would be the lucky ones who had a big refillable water tank on their roof. A cold bucket bath is the norm. Just another minor daily occurrence that we take for granted. It's hard to understand all of this exists an hour and half from Miami!
January 28; Haiti Update
Today is Jim and my 21st wedding Anniversary. Marie always teased me and told me she was going to steal Jim from me....well, her wish came true. I can't think of another person I would like him to be with on our day of celebration. Unless of course it would be ME with Marie and him at home.
We just exchanged, "I love you" on the phone as he called while standing on the roof of the school for the best satellite phone connection. Plus, he has a bird's eye view as he described the scene. There are about 30 Haitian men with sludge hammers working away on demolition duty of the church/orphanage. He was excited to see some of the things that they are salvaging from the church and orphanage. While it didn't look that way to begin with, he thinks if you had been sitting down in the church when the earthquake hit you would have gotten a pretty bad headache - but that's about it. The roof of the church stopped just short of that. They were able to get out some of the pews.
He said that they have taken long pieces of rebar and bent one end into a 90 degree angle and hooked it inside of a section of brick and then they all pull on the rebar and sections come tumbling down. Jim just kept saying, "This is unbelievable!"
He brought masks with him and work gloves -- and while they almost gave away the masks, they see now what they were needed for. The men are all in masks and so excited to have a pair of work gloves. One group working with sludge hammers breaking up sections that have come down, while others prepare for the next section.
The VERY BEST thing about the call, for ME - was that I could hear the men singing down below through the phone as they worked. Tears form as I write this. I am not surprised in the least. You have NO idea, unless you meet one, of what Haitians are like. These men will be SO thrilled to be paid a miniscule amount for their horrific labor today. This means their family will be able to eat. I am sure they are all celebrating the hope of rebuilding and returning to some form of "normality". Jim said over and over, "We really have something to learn from the people of Haiti."
Jim had to hang up to go back to Marie's to get more gloves, but says he will call later.
One of us will share more later, but in the mean time. Pray for the men's safety and I say --- "Let the rebuilding begin!!"
ALL of you reading this are a part of this journey. Without you, progress would not be made. May you celebrate knowing your contribution and prayers are being utilized and answered in a mighty way. "ROCK ON"....a very sick pun. Patty
1.27.2010
Jim and Shawn in Haiti--Wednesday
Today we had a much smaller world that we lived in. After yesterday’s journey through tent cities and Port au Prince, today we spent with Marie and the orphans behind the confines of her security walls (if you could call them that now that they are leaning and broken. Marie is concerned with girls safety sleeping outside and the tremors have subsided to small almost unnoticeable movements, so last night the girls slept on the outside patio of maries home—a big step towards post earthquake living. Marie slept in one section of her house but was very nervous all night and did not sleep much.
After several car battery mishaps this morning we got to Marie’s and the girls had already been cleaned up and were already dirty. We did a little cleanup work inside the main portion of Marie’s home but things had already been cleaned by others for her.
The “men” (not Shawn and I) were given money to buy tools to begin the huge task of destroying what remains of the orphanage. Luckily they found several sledge hammers and they were working on putting the handles on them and practicing swinging them. They are preparing to break up the concrete and block into smaller chunks that can be hauled away in wheel barrows. I said they would probably do it with hand held hammers and they will—but I was talking a regular hammer so the sledge hammers are way better.
We met with the pastor of the second orphanage at Maries house and he verified that all his kids and staff are OK. His neighborhood is similar to all others, lots of destruction but not everything destroyed. Shawn and I hope to visit him tomorrow.
I think some of the Haitians who have homes they can live in are beginning to go back into them, maybe not for the night but they are becoming more comfortable that the quake is over—however there is a rumor going around that another large quake is likely to happen soon so many are still understandably afraid to be inside. Shawn and I are under a tin roof so we feel pretty good.
The battery in Maries car was changed at least five times today with other batteries and once it begins to run the old battery is put back in??? Not sure what that is all about but I would bet her car won’t start tomorrow just as it did not start this morning.
So, in summary things are slowly progressing toward more of a normal Haitian life—people feeling a little better about going inside. The neighborhood construction workers will now deconstruct the orphanage with sledge hammers—amazing.
One more side note, Shawn and I observed an older man within Marie’s walls, working on a bicycle that was clearly “destroyed” in the earthquake—at least if we were looking at it. He spent the entire day replacing spokes, making spokes, and worked on straightening the front wheel. He got close to getting it straight. I am not sure how he is going to fix the rest of the bike but I know he has a plan and he will carry it out. It is clearly a bike that would be garbage in the USA and no one would ever consider “fixing” it—but we are not in the USA—we are in Haiti—and the people here are determined. God bless them all.
After several car battery mishaps this morning we got to Marie’s and the girls had already been cleaned up and were already dirty. We did a little cleanup work inside the main portion of Marie’s home but things had already been cleaned by others for her.
The “men” (not Shawn and I) were given money to buy tools to begin the huge task of destroying what remains of the orphanage. Luckily they found several sledge hammers and they were working on putting the handles on them and practicing swinging them. They are preparing to break up the concrete and block into smaller chunks that can be hauled away in wheel barrows. I said they would probably do it with hand held hammers and they will—but I was talking a regular hammer so the sledge hammers are way better.
We met with the pastor of the second orphanage at Maries house and he verified that all his kids and staff are OK. His neighborhood is similar to all others, lots of destruction but not everything destroyed. Shawn and I hope to visit him tomorrow.
I think some of the Haitians who have homes they can live in are beginning to go back into them, maybe not for the night but they are becoming more comfortable that the quake is over—however there is a rumor going around that another large quake is likely to happen soon so many are still understandably afraid to be inside. Shawn and I are under a tin roof so we feel pretty good.
The battery in Maries car was changed at least five times today with other batteries and once it begins to run the old battery is put back in??? Not sure what that is all about but I would bet her car won’t start tomorrow just as it did not start this morning.
So, in summary things are slowly progressing toward more of a normal Haitian life—people feeling a little better about going inside. The neighborhood construction workers will now deconstruct the orphanage with sledge hammers—amazing.
One more side note, Shawn and I observed an older man within Marie’s walls, working on a bicycle that was clearly “destroyed” in the earthquake—at least if we were looking at it. He spent the entire day replacing spokes, making spokes, and worked on straightening the front wheel. He got close to getting it straight. I am not sure how he is going to fix the rest of the bike but I know he has a plan and he will carry it out. It is clearly a bike that would be garbage in the USA and no one would ever consider “fixing” it—but we are not in the USA—we are in Haiti—and the people here are determined. God bless them all.
Haiti-Tuesday Jim and Shawn
We started our day at Maries where the orphan girls sleep, eat, and play. They were all up and fed and cleaned up when we got there. Went with Marie inside her house, she was very nervous and we only stayed there for a little while. Everyone in Port au Prince (PAP) is sleeping outside for fear of another quake.
We then got in Marie’s car with several Haitian friends and drove into PAP. Incredible destruction nearly everywhere. Stopped at my friends store to see if she and her daughter were OK. They survived and went to the US. Her husband was managing the store. Her sister died when the store down the street (ABC Market) collapsed, many died in that collapse. This is a common story here. Everyone is affected. Many have incredible survival stories and many have stories of those who died.
We went to Marie’s sisters three story church—it is a pile of rubble now. Six people died, 20 plys injured. They were practicing for an upcoming adult immersion baptism to be held at Maries the following day.
We went into the tent city in her area which are formed everywhere there is open land away from walls and buildings—everywhere. We walk through the tent city and talked to many people. One woman had given birth to a baby boy on Monday, they were doing OK considering they live in a 6 by 4 “tent” made of sheets, and delivered right there. A first aid station was set up by a Haitian nurse from the neighborhood and she was treating people with the little she had in supplies. One woman, thousands of people. She looked weary.
From there we drove into PAP a few more miles. Massive destruction everywhere. The amazing thing is that the Haitian people are going about their day amongst the rubble. Street vendors selling their wares, store reopening, tap taps running. The Haitians are so resilient, so determined, they are amazing people. Death is not new in Haiti. “Stupid deaths” are a way of life here and have been for a long time. Conditions under which they all live would be incredible to any American—before the earthquake. They are worse now but the people are going about their day—surviving.
Many are still digging through the rubble but probably not for survivors they are digging for things. Many people are breaking up what is left with hand held hammers—solid concrete with hand held hammers. Construction vendors and laborers are hauling twisted rebar down the street, it will be used again somewhere in the reconstruction efforts. Anything that can be salvage will be. Crushed cars are being dug out for parts. The Haitians use everything they can for whatever they need.
We passed several buildings where Renee, our driver, would tap my shoulder and hold his nose indicating a building that had the stench of decaying bodies. He was right the smell was bad. We did see a couple of burned corpses on a couple of street corners. Skull and spine was all that was left of the bodies. Probably done a couple a days after the quake before anyone was able to move around. Very sad. People walking by them, carrying on with their life.
Drove to the Presidential Palace—massive destruction. Many federal building gone. Ninety percent of the school and colleges in PAP were destroyed. Tent cities in every park downtown. Thousands of people in the streets. I was very comfortable amongst the people as I walked with them. Everyone was peaceful and orderly. Lines at the banks were long but everyone was peaceful. There is a strange peace in the air and perhaps I am mistaken, maybe it is numbness instead. The Haitian people often have a stoic look about them anyway.
We drove by several familiar landmarks for us, the Caribbean Market is a pile of rubble. They would not let us into the site of the Montana hotel as they were still digging bodies out. I spoke with a US Army man there. Nice to find someone to have a conversation with.
Back to Maries and we walked down to the collapsed orphanage for the first time. This was difficult as it is a huge mess and will require lots of work tearing it down to rebuild—especially with hand held hammers. The Haitians will figure it out and get it done. We will continue to discuss our options with Marie and she will need time to think but she is ready for action and planning ahead—God bless that woman.
That’s all for now.
We then got in Marie’s car with several Haitian friends and drove into PAP. Incredible destruction nearly everywhere. Stopped at my friends store to see if she and her daughter were OK. They survived and went to the US. Her husband was managing the store. Her sister died when the store down the street (ABC Market) collapsed, many died in that collapse. This is a common story here. Everyone is affected. Many have incredible survival stories and many have stories of those who died.
We went to Marie’s sisters three story church—it is a pile of rubble now. Six people died, 20 plys injured. They were practicing for an upcoming adult immersion baptism to be held at Maries the following day.
We went into the tent city in her area which are formed everywhere there is open land away from walls and buildings—everywhere. We walk through the tent city and talked to many people. One woman had given birth to a baby boy on Monday, they were doing OK considering they live in a 6 by 4 “tent” made of sheets, and delivered right there. A first aid station was set up by a Haitian nurse from the neighborhood and she was treating people with the little she had in supplies. One woman, thousands of people. She looked weary.
From there we drove into PAP a few more miles. Massive destruction everywhere. The amazing thing is that the Haitian people are going about their day amongst the rubble. Street vendors selling their wares, store reopening, tap taps running. The Haitians are so resilient, so determined, they are amazing people. Death is not new in Haiti. “Stupid deaths” are a way of life here and have been for a long time. Conditions under which they all live would be incredible to any American—before the earthquake. They are worse now but the people are going about their day—surviving.
Many are still digging through the rubble but probably not for survivors they are digging for things. Many people are breaking up what is left with hand held hammers—solid concrete with hand held hammers. Construction vendors and laborers are hauling twisted rebar down the street, it will be used again somewhere in the reconstruction efforts. Anything that can be salvage will be. Crushed cars are being dug out for parts. The Haitians use everything they can for whatever they need.
We passed several buildings where Renee, our driver, would tap my shoulder and hold his nose indicating a building that had the stench of decaying bodies. He was right the smell was bad. We did see a couple of burned corpses on a couple of street corners. Skull and spine was all that was left of the bodies. Probably done a couple a days after the quake before anyone was able to move around. Very sad. People walking by them, carrying on with their life.
Drove to the Presidential Palace—massive destruction. Many federal building gone. Ninety percent of the school and colleges in PAP were destroyed. Tent cities in every park downtown. Thousands of people in the streets. I was very comfortable amongst the people as I walked with them. Everyone was peaceful and orderly. Lines at the banks were long but everyone was peaceful. There is a strange peace in the air and perhaps I am mistaken, maybe it is numbness instead. The Haitian people often have a stoic look about them anyway.
We drove by several familiar landmarks for us, the Caribbean Market is a pile of rubble. They would not let us into the site of the Montana hotel as they were still digging bodies out. I spoke with a US Army man there. Nice to find someone to have a conversation with.
Back to Maries and we walked down to the collapsed orphanage for the first time. This was difficult as it is a huge mess and will require lots of work tearing it down to rebuild—especially with hand held hammers. The Haitians will figure it out and get it done. We will continue to discuss our options with Marie and she will need time to think but she is ready for action and planning ahead—God bless that woman.
That’s all for now.
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