Blogs from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Central America Caribbean - page 8

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May 28 - Petit Goave This trip was to the west from PaP along the seacoast. What once was probably a very pleasant ride now is a very sad trip. Damage from the earthquake goes on for miles and miles through this countryside. The quake was centered just off this coastal area, causing significant damage; estimates are in the range of 93% and I believe that to be true by what I’ve seen. There is a great deal of damage to the road infrastructure all along the route. Large sections are under reconstruction. They are also laying up stone, wire and cement drainage ditches (remember, the rainy season is here) to protect what they have managed to rebuild and to also prevent severe washouts of the still damaged areas of road. Since most of the road ... read more
Petit Goave rockslide 2
Petit Goave damage
Petit Goave girl


I have been asked about the Emotional and Spiritual Care component of my responsibilities here in Haiti. Briefly, I am responsible for support for the staff here. Essentially, this means daily devotions and prayer with the team prior to our evening team debriefing. This occurs at 5:30 p.m. with dinner following. Also, there are many opportunities to come along side staff on a daily basis. We are all far from home and family and sometimes this gets hard. Internet connections are dicey at best, making communication difficult. Just ask my husband John! There are also many frustrations in accomplishing what we would consider to be a simple task. On a daily basis, we see the miseries and the destruction and work to do our very best to help in any way we can. Additionally, there are ... read more


My husband John has located the website for the Numana food I have been talking about. If you are interested - check it out. http://numanainc.com/?page_id=2... read more


Along with Concern Worldwide program for the poor children of the SA camp, they are instituting an adult literacy class. Two classes each with 25 students will run each week day afternoon. Training 100 people in the camp in first aid; will be completed on Monday, 31 May 2010. Each participant will receive a certificate and cash for work payment. Anticipated use of these personnel as key part of ongoing health monitoring and health education plan. ... read more


Some of you may have heard about the demonstrations here in PaP. They generated from a government run camp in the center of the city. Residents there are extremely upset with conditions and services. This is quite far from where I stay and also DHQ. Just wanted to reassure everyone I am safe. At the gated entrance to the hotel, there is an armed guard stationed. Just a reminder of the potential for violatile reactions. For several days, NGO's (Non Government Organizations) were told to remove any insignias from vehicles...just in case. We complied and that recommendation has now been lifted. I am safe...doesn't mean I'm not appreciating the prayer coverage you are all giving me!... read more


May 26 - on the road again - this time to Saint Marc, which is a port town north and west along the coast from PaP. Again, damage to the roads are considerable. . You do get some glimpses of the sea as you drive along. Also, see scrawny cattle grazing on what we back home would call 'scrub land'. Tried to get a pic, but they were too far away. Image from the day: a young boy in a bright red shirt tending a small herd of cattle through the brush. Damage to roads is a major factor and much work is being done to repair and make more passable. Whole long pieces of it are simply scraped aside in piles. Road crews are working hard here to re-establish this main thoroughfare connecting Saint Marc ... read more
Saint Marc - Sea
Saint Marc - roadside tents
Saint Marc welcome


Rossignol - to get Rossignol, we traveled further on, the road changing from paved to dirt and then to narrower and narrower dirt road. Remember, we’re in a big truck, so meeting any other vehicle or even donkeys carrying bags of grain was an exciting experience. The countryside changed - more poverty stricken area. I see and I think “oh my God - how sad this is” but, then I try to remember that this was probably life before the quake as well. I see rice paddies and women planting rice. Small gardens planted in what looks like the poorest soil. Little fields of corn. Again, there are a some scrawny cattle, a pig, a goat here and there. I see no tents - only makeshift small shelters, mostly of wood or 'mud' mixed with what ... read more
Rossignol road view
Rossignol graveyard
Rossignol


To continue the story surrounding the camp. Next to the camp is the SA school that has been operational for many years. School suffered damage, as well as did the large SA church on the grounds. School re-opened for its former students in April. However, classes, by necessity are held outdoors under tarps. For awhile, this was good - as the day I toured and took pics. However, the rainy season has begun in full earnest, which will make conditions very hard. ... read more
SA class
SA class


There are many elderly within the camp that have no family support. The American Red Cross has set up accommodations on the very outskirts of the SA camp for them. Pics are of the private shower areas and also a 'hotel' unit housing them. Every effort is made to provide medical attention and to meet their very specific needs. The day I toured, there were a number of elderly out under a tarp sitting and talking. I asked personnel in attendance if I could take a picture, but the requested that I not. I respected that request. Needless to say, there are many without families or resources that are homeless.... read more
Elderly housing


Going back to a previous thread of thought. You will notice the number on the shelter in the pic attached. It corresponds to a registration number for the family residing there. This represents the original registration data. UPS donated a tracking system that has been modified by the SA to include data relevant to the household and to identify the head of the household. This has been transferred to a plastic card produced and used for distributions. Scanning this card immediately identifies the family and their data. We hope to add more data as we go along. For example, gathering health data, clinic visits, meds, etc. One of the real time benefits of this will be to 'see' health issues early on; for instance, a malaria outbreak, children's diseases, etc. Every effort is being made to ... read more




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