Monday, January 18, 2010 - 6:20 PM
Sorry I didn't get the chance to write yesterday.
Everything is going as good as one could expect. Last night there was about 1/3
less Haitians camped out on our street. That could be good or bad. A lot of them
are heading to the provinces to live with extended family. That is good. A lot
of them are moving back into the ravine and that is clearly not safe. Every time
I look, there is another house down back there. And if the right one would fall,
it could easily take out 3-4 more. Tim Heath has a good camera, and took
pictures of a family hanging their laundry out on a line. They were on the
rooftop, and the roof is leaning at a 35 degree angle!!
Many of the Haitians living on our street were using the restroom in part of our
neighbors property. Several would use a shovel and cover it up, but others
weren't. We dug a hole for them and Tim built them a privy. They seem to
appreciate it!
As bad as everything is here - there are still bodies on the street, some
buildings have a smell emanating from them, and many, many homes have been
destroyed - the Haitians in our area are doing what they can as fast as they can
to have life return to normal or near-normal. The Haitians are a proud people,
and very clean. Every morning, by 6 at the latest, the Haitians that we gave
permission to live on CSI property are up sweeping the driveway, sidewalks, etc.
Cleaning every little thing they can, even though there is a block wall laying
in the yard. They all take baths the moment they have some water. Where do they
go? Right over on our property. We keep telling the Heaths that they are running
a day spa. It doesn't matter who is watching - they just want to be clean. They
also brush their teeth as frequently as possible. The street vendors are out
selling whatever they can, and traffic is moving, even though gas is $12 a
gallon now, but the problem
is finding it. I saw a line at the station that had at least 200 Haitians in
it, standing single file, each trying to fill up their little gas can. Stations
close down early every day, and cars park their for the night so they are first
in line. But, life is going forward.
Today we secured 100 bags of Portland cement, and we were busy picking them up
and delivering them to the orphanage. We also picked up a doctor from Philly who
has been on many CSI med teams in the past. Tony worked at a hospital downtown
for 24 hours as said it was a madhouse. For many patients that he saw, there was
literally nothing he could do. They would be dead and stacked up within a couple
of days. Gang green set in on many patients, and so there was a doc there with a
bone saw. The only problem is there will be no doctors or nurses there to care
for them after the surgery. They will still get infections, and most of them
will die as well.
Still, with all the sadness, there is joy. There is hope. As I walk the streets
and make eye contact with the Haitians, the moment I say, "Bon jo" or "Bon swa"
or "Commo ye?" the Haitians immediately light up, smile ear to ear, and wonder
what in the world this "Blanc" with the ugly yellow hair and ugly blue eyes is
doing in Haiti. But there is no doubt they appreciate what we are doing here.
The kids especially love to see us, and I had the chance to throw a football
with several of them today. Playing a modified game of keep-a-way, the kids were
entertained for quite some time, and if nothing else, it took their mind away
from all the death and destruction if only for a brief period.
Everyone wants to know about security guards. Do we have them? Is it safe?
Because of our reputation in the community, the Haitians themselves are our
security guards. Tuesday night, after the quake, a Haitan went to our gate and
tried to break in. He starting yelling and pulling the doors. The other Haitians
quickly grabbed him and took care of the problem. Just like the Haitians who
helped to rebuild the wall at the clinic, we take care of them, so they take
care of us. Having an armed guard could potentially send the wrong signals. That
is not what our ministry in Haiti is about.
If all goes well, I will be flying back to the States tomorrow. I should make it
back to Indiana late tomorrow night or early Wednesday.
Please keep praying for Haiti, and also pray for our missionaries down here.
With all the money going to relief, it is also important that the missionaries
still get support or there will be no way to provide them with the relief.
Specifically, I'd like to ask everyone to consider sending support to Tim and
Carol Heath. They are doing a fabulous job in Haiti, but are in need of both
your spiritual and financial support.
Jon
