My Final Post (for now)

And a really good title, too, I might add. :)

So, my dad is re-couping, we continue to speak in churches every weekend and the occasional student assembly, people continue to gather supplies for another container shipment, the work in Carrefour continues, and we are planning another trip to Haiti the end of March, the goal being to get to Jeremie.

I have loved keeping you all abreast of this adventure we have shared! I am sorry to leave this blog, regretfully having nothing new to report, aside from the above listed things. Please check back on occasion, in case of new developments.

I have no way of knowing who most of you 10,000 people are, but thank you for reading. Thank you for caring about this love of my heart. Don't forget her.

I am posting a link to a video that I hope you will all watch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd-RkzfTxzU

Love, Lisa

Dad Comes Back to the U.S.

Dad is in Tampa with Heidi at a hospital. April will be joining them tomorrow. They are running a bunch of tests on him and he's pretty exhausted. Thank you everybody for all your messages of concern and all your prayers! We appreciate it.

Angry in My Living Room

As of right now, a container full of tarps, supplies and a flat-bed truck, destined for Carrefour, is sitting at the port in Gonaive. It has been sitting there for almost three weeks now, while our friends in Haiti: Dieudonne, Jean-Michelle, Rodney, Bryan, (when he was there and now from here on the phone), and others, have worked to negotiate its release from Haitian port authorities, who are currently demanding $200 for each "piece of paper" (ie: manifests, signature documents, etc.). Of course the number of papers required for its release keeps increasing. Ah, life was good before customs was "back in efficient working order."

There are other containers in process of shipment right now from other organizations who are now helping the Carrefour area that will undoubtedly meet the same fate. We are all very frustrated and the government officials in Port-au-Prince claim that "their hands are tied."

When Rod's container ships to Jeremie, you can be sure it won't be going through Gonaive. I came home to hear Bryan yelling on the phone in Creole. He is very frustrated (understatement).

We used to just pay the bribes after wheedling them down. Now, however, we thought that surely, in the wake of such a disaster, there would be a general outcry against this kind of corruption, which is literally taking food from the mouths of children and shelter from their families. But nothing.

And the rain is coming.

Anybody want to call the New York Times? Anybody want to call God?

Update on Wes

Doctors on board the Comfort were unsuccessful in taking my dad off the ventilator today. It was discovered that he had also suffered a heart attack a few days ago, probably because of the overload of I.V. fluids that had to be given to him. Doctors are hopeful that he can come back to the States by the weekend.

It's hard for all of us to be far away and not even able to communicate with him. Even Heidi still hasn't been able to visit. Undoubtedly, though, Dad has probably made many friends on board the ship. The whole experience allows us all to more closely identify with some of the Haitian people, those lucky ones whose lives were saved.

Wes Recovers

My dad is stable and O.K. His blood pressure is back to normal and his breathing is better. He had some sort of bacterial infection and they're keeping him on the ship for a couple more days. Thank you everyone for your prayers. Heidi gets to visit him on the Comfort today. Lucky. I'd love to see that ship!

The Hands and Feet of God

The individual responses to the needs in Haiti have been so varied and astounding! From schools collecting money, to food drives, to container shipments, to banquet fundraisers, to linen drives for hospital sheets...It's been wonderful to see so many different people responding in so many unique ways.

So...if you would like to send some extra sheets that you may have in your linen closet, (or if you would like to buy brand new ones), send them to Everett, who has taken it upon himself to collect them. They will all go to Haitian households who need them and hospital admits who have no resources. In the public hospitals in Haiti, the patient must provide his own sheets, food, etc. Thank you, Everett, for this ministry! Questions can be directed to ramoseverett@yahoo.com

Everett Ramos

P.O. Box 80

213 Hadley Road

Stony Creek, NY 12878

And here's another one:

Rod Johnson writes:

We are going to ship a full container to Jeremie, Haiti! By networking and working together we will succeed. It will take some time and the logistics will need to be figured out, but we don’t have to wait to start collecting. I’m willing to provide storage space for everything collected that won’t freeze in my garage. I figure one bay full of totes ought to fill one shipping container.

Suggested items to collect: non-perishable food(not canned goods), large quantities of rice and dry beans, nutrition bars, cornmeal, children and adult vitamins, dry milk, bottled water, powdered formula, baby bottles, pedialyte(8 oz. size), baby wipes, clean t-shirts, pants/slacks, dresses, and socks/underwear.

Someone I love wrote, “As Christians we should expect to serve. We should seek opportunities to give. We should joyfully rise to these occasions(challenges)……….

Rod Johnson 518-696-3644 or rodj43@frontier.com for information or assistance.

Rod is out of town for a few days but I will take messages for him at lisabartow@yahoo.com.

If God lays something on your heart, don't be afraid to pursue it! There are so many people looking for purpose, for opportunity, for ideas...many gifts, one purpose!

My dad, Wes Smith, who has been in Carrefour for a couple of weeks, is now on board the USNS Comfort, the floating hospital in the bay of Port-au-Prince...and yes, he is there as a patient.

Last night, he had a fever over 105 degrees, blood in his lungs and rock-bottom low blood pressure. He was given 9 liters of fluids and was hospitalized in Carrefour. The American doctors on staff said he had to be evacuated as soon as possible, since they couldn't figure out what was wrong with him...perhaps some kind of infection. TB, typhoid fever and malaria have all been ruled out. After several hours of attempting to get him relocated to a facility with a ventilator, he was finally choppered out of Carrefour to the USNS Comfort. My sister, Heidi, is with him. Pray for his swift recovery.

Jon Logs 200!

For those of you who are just coming into this blog, Jon is the man who has been our pilot. Bryan called him the day after the earthquake to ask him if he would fly us down and he said "yes." Jon also found a friend who would let him borrow a plane. And he's been in the air ever since, flying the many other people that soon followed us to help the Smoker mission in Carrefour toward recovery.

Jon just logged 200 hours of air time. That is TWICE the number of monthly hours a commercial pilot is legally allowed to fly. Fortunately for thousands of Haitians, Jon was sustained by a God who didn't limit him at all in this first crucial month after the earthquake... Instead, He energized him, and gave him total joy and peace in the process.

Jon is going home now...to a new job...and a bid for County Commissioner in Warsaw, IN. (Vote Fussle)

Despite immense sleep deprivation, frustrations with customs, and a ridiculous schedule, Jon says that his job flying to Haiti has been "the easiest of anyone's" and "a total blast." He said, "If this is serving God, then I don't know why anyone in their right mind wouldn't jump at the chance!" So, I guess the verse about "His Yoke being easy and His burden being light"...is true. :)

Jon...thank you. I think I speak for the thousands of Haitians we've been able to impact. I think I speak for all those who flew on "Little Tyke" with you. I think I speak for all the people who have cared enough to read this little blog and for the people who helped pay for fuel or who donated supplies. And of course, I speak for me and my family. Well done, Jon. We love you.

Now go home and get some sleep!

News from Jeremie

Frere Poteau, the head pastor of our churches in and around Jeremie, said that many, many people in these congregations are supporting big additions to their families, making it financially very difficult for them, especially since food is really expensive now.

For example, our friend Dieudonne's own household size has increased by five people, but some homes have as many as 15 additional people living in them now! We are sending the donations you have given directly to these people. Our precious pastor, along with Dieudonne and the other church leaders, will buy food with this money and distribute it to those who need it most. What a priveledge to be in a position to give directly to those who need it!

Brother Poteau also said that the weekend conference at Mission Par La Fois was amazing. He said the compound grounds could not contain the numbers of people who had flocked there from the town to pray and fast and worship. It is an enormous place, by the way, and he said people were sitting on the walls and on windowsills and even crowding outside in the street in order to be a part of it, so there must have been thousands and maybe tens of thousands in attendance. The faith of the believers has only increased in the midst of this tragedy. Some of the people who have recently abandoned voodoo have done so because they say, "the Christians are the ones who love."

Cool story Bryan just told me...

He was talking on his satellite phone from the roof of a house in Carrefour when an old Haitian guy on the ground overheard Bryan speaking English and shouted up (in English), "Where is the aid? What are you going to do?" Bryan responded in Creole, explaining that the group was a small operation, and he was getting as much aid to the people as he possibly could.

The man was surprised and asked Bryan where he learned to speak the language. When Bryan told him that he had learned in Jeremie, the man became animated, telling Bryan that Jeremie was his home town. Of course, Bryan explained that his wife (me) was the granddaughter of George Clerie, a pastor from Jeremie who founded many churches in the Grand Anse province.

The man was overwhelmed and elated to hear this news. Bryan wondered what the big deal was...and then the man said, "George Clerie baptized me!" My mom would have loved that little "coincidence."

On another note, USAID is getting some food to the Catholic hospital in Jeremie to help the people, which is a great relief. Almost all the refugees have been incorporated into the homes of people in Jeremie, many being family, and all is peaceful. This is a great testimony to the generosity of the Haitians there.

For now, money that comes in to us through Full Life Crusade or our home church will be wired to Jeremie to buy more food from the local vendors to help these families feed all the extra people in their households. We want to support the local economy as much as possible, while we continue the process of shipping containers, and possibly get some helicopter lifts??? It's still all talk at this point, but that sure would be great!

My sister, Heidi, is on her way back to Haiti. This time she's going with a doctor and another nurse and perhaps some others. It will be a different camp than the one she helped to start a month ago. There has been so much progress!

The One-Month Mark

The word from Dieudonne is that there is no food aid getting to the 80,000 refugees in Jeremie. So far, only their families and the local people are trying to feed them. The hospital received the truckload of medical supplies that Dieudonne drove from Carrefour and were very thankful. Other people are trickling supplies to them, too, but the hospital is still overflowing with people needing treatment.

Mission Par La Fois, a huge mission compound up the road from my old family home in Jeremie, has opened their doors and is crowded with people. Evidently, the Haitian government has declared today, the one-month anniversary of the earthquake, a day of mourning.

But the Christians in Jeremie (and throughout the rest of the country) have taken it one step farther. They are praying and fasting (for those who weren't already fasting) for three days. All of the churches in Jeremie have combined to participate in this and they are having non-stop prayer vigils and services over the weekend at this Mission compound. Dieudonne said almost all the members of the churches are fasting and praying. Undoubtedly, this will help to preserve the limited food stores in the village.

Basically, the believers will be giving up three days worth of food, so that others may eat. This is yet another beautiful act of self-sacrifice. For every man who steals a bag of rice from a woman, there is another man somewhere on his knees, willingly going without. We have a God in heaven who hears us...and will answer.

Amy treated hundreds of people in the short time she was in Carrefour...mostly babies. She said that after her visit to the hospital, she was glad to be outside, treating them in mobile clinics.

The nearby hospital is disorganized and chaotic, with many patients getting no care at all. If there is no family to speak up on a patient's behalf, bring them food and water, wash their sheets, etc., it doesn't get done. That's typical of Haitian hospitals, even without these terrible circumstances, but now, it seems more tragic than ever. She said that one paralyzed girl had not had any treatment for two days. She had such a deep ulcer on her back that the bone was showing, but no one was helping her. Amy did all she could for her and then had to leave her to her fate.

Amy said there were several instances that stand out in her mind. One was a little girl, who didn't want to leave after she was treated. She preferred to stay with Amy, a complete stranger, over returning to the camps to live in misery.

Of course, an experience like this changes one's perspective. She said that when she went back to work, it was a very busy day, one that would normally stress her out, but on the back of Haiti, the day felt like a cakewalk. She had all the supplies she needed and everything was in it's place...it was clean and comfortable...but she did feel like dismissing half of her patients...telling them, "Oh, you have the sniffles? Go home." and "Oh, you think you're sick? Well, you're not! Go home." :)

She was amazed by the gratitude of the Haitian people...like the thankfulness of the children who received four crayons and one sheet torn from a coloring book. I bet Amy's girls are not going to get much sympathy in the whining department for a few days. :)

I am so thankful for the many people, like Amy and Duane, who have been willing to drop everything and go help. I am also thankful for their husbands, wives, children, parents, and co-workers, who carry the load in their absence. It takes many people, supporting this work in many different ways, to allow it to continue. Thank you to all those who have worked behind the scenes, or given financially. Without you, this wouldn't be happening.

The plane came in at midnight and put us all home by 2 a.m. Everybody slept in this morning. Jesse missed the bus so we had to drive him to school. Bryan and Kate are both under the weather, either from sickness or exhaustion or both. Kate slept in her dirty clothes. I might have to fumigate her blankets. Other than that, Bryan is back to making his contracting calls and Kate to her facebooking.

They said it was a great week. Bryan made a lot of headway in terms of coordination and the offfloading of containers in Gonaive, while Kate treated patients and helped Amy and the nurses talk to the Haitians. Every person who was fluent in Kreyol was otherwise engaged, so Kate was left to translate as well as she was able. Bryan said the last day, there were three or more people all talking to him at once with questions, translation requests, logistical decisions...he thought he might lose it.

Amy said that she has been forever changed by the journey and calls that an understatement.

Our pilot Jon has got a pretty bad cough from whatever illness he has contracted. The maximum legal flight time for commercial pilots is 100 hours/month. Jon has put in 180 hours in three weeks (that doesn't count flight planning, coordination of slot-times, loading, unloading, tarmac time, Haitian red-tape, and other coordinating).

Tomorrow night the team is going to get together to debrief. They'll need it, especially Amy and Duane, who were the first-timers.

Home Again

Bryan, Amy and Kate are coming home tonight. It was another good week. I'll give you all the news tomorrow. Trav and I spoke at Church of the Nations in Corinth this morning. As usual, we were met with so much support and encouragement that we are quite overwhelmed. Thanks everybody, not only for your financial support, but for the love and compassion you have poured into this little work in Haiti. For those many people out there wanting to go with us, we will start taking teams as soon as international flights are functioning again. Send addresses, e-mail, and all contact info. to me at lisabartow@yahoo.com. We'll keep you posted. Anyone collecting supplies for a container shipment, keep it up and hang onto them. We'll be directing you as to where to deliver so that we can get supplies moving regularly into Jeremie.

Duane's Report

Duane Moulton, a good friend of ours and cement contractor, arrived home last night to a grateful family. The man who told me his stories at my kitchen table was a jumble of emotions...everything from intense anger and frustration, to joy, to thankfulness for what he was able to do to help. He said, "This is not the third-world, this is fourth-world. It is the worst thing you could ever imagine...times 100. I saw the best of people, and I saw the worst. I've dealt with death and terrible situations, but this trip jerked my emotions from one extreme to the next..."

He said the situation on the ground in Haiti was maddening. The corruption of the Haitian police and government, the bullying of the strong, the arrogance of those in a position to help...Duane thought it was a good thing he didn't have a gun because he was so close to getting himself in real trouble in order to defend those who are helpless.

He said the women who stand in line for hours to collect food from USAID get their bag of rice, put in on their heads, and start running. He wondered why they were running until he saw that as soon as they are out of sight of the U.S. marines, gangs of men surround these little women, knock them down, and take their rice. The men laugh and cheer when they catch one of these women and steal her food. The peaceful lines of women may be peaceful for the USAID workers (so it's nice for those "distributing" the food), but it's not so peaceful for the Haitian women, 100 yards away. Duane said some women would get away, if the men were distracted with someone else, but not many.

He said that one night, he and Bryan picked up a load of baby food and medical supplies from MAF, a private airline company delivering supplies. At 7:00 p.m. they found themselves in a downtown Port-au-Prince traffic-jam, where they were quickly surrounded by Haitians looking into their truck to see what could be taken. Fortunately for them, at that very moment, the 82nd Airborne were moving some trucks through town so Duane hollered at them and told them that they needed some help. The 82nd guided our truck into their own convoy and escorted them safely through the crowds.

The group in Carrefour tries to distribute food at midnight, when it's not so likely they will be mobbed. Still, in 30 seconds, Duane said there were perhaps 60 people clamoring around the truck, even at that late hour. Much of the distribution must be done on foot. The Haitian police showed up and tried to stop the truck to take the food that Bryan and Rodney were distributing, so Rodney, who was driving, was forced to outrun them, knowing the police officer's only goal was to steal the food. He did actually manage to lose them and get most of the food distributed.

When they arrived back at the camp, however, the police were there...waiting to take the few remaining boxes of food for themselves. Rodney gave them a good tongue-lashing, shaming them in Kreyol for their behavior, but was forced to give them something anyway. Thankfully, it wasn't much.

The boxes of food had come from the German government, who has sovereign control of their own aid. Previously, a German kid had found the camp in Carrefour and decided to stay to help. He quickly saw the needs, and promptly went to his government to ask for supplies. At this simple kid's request, the Germans sent us a truckload of food (500 boxes with each box containing rice, flour, oil, sugar and beans), and a huge water purification system, which they hooked up to the well there. Generators pump the water from the well into stainless steel tanks where the water is filtered before flowing through two hoses that go out to the community. All day, people come with buckets to get pure water. Amy said parasites are becoming a big problem because of the lack of clean water, but this will certainly help.

Duane said that looking at the big picture makes you so angry you don't even want to try to help, but seeing the little people (one by one) and helping them makes it all worth it. When Bryan let Duane go "cool off" by doing some hard labor, Duane went to help Patrick clear the rubble from his home site. With sledgehammers and wheelbarrows, he and the Haitian men cleared Patrick's site of debris. Duane said they moved about 4 dump-truck loads of debris to the edge of the street but Duane couldn't understand why the city dump trucks weren't picking the stuff up until Patrick explained that he didn't have any money to hire the trucks. It costs about 30 US dollars per load (including labor), to have it hauled away. Duane peeled off $120 and gave it to Patrick. They both wept. Duane said, "It's that stuff. It's being able to impact somebody's life in a huge way that's awesome. For me, $120.00 is nothing. For him, it was everything."

Duane told us that a mega-church group from Texas arrived from the U.S., video equipment in tow. They had heard about our little camp and wanted a "heartwarming story." Do you remember the little boy who lay under the rubble for three days with his dead mother? Well, Kate brought that same little boy and his aunt to this group, who interviewed the two while Bryan translated. The aunt has no way to care for this boy, who lost the rest of his family, and wants him to find a home where people will love him and take care of him. The group from Texas was so moved, that one of them is going to adopt the boy. Papers are in process.

Bryan said Amy had the opportunity to leave Haiti this morning but refused to take it. She said she needed to go back to the mobile clinics that they've set up. Duane said she's the "man in charge" right now. She is the one giving direction to the many nurses who are there right now and has done an absolutely amazing job of treating the people. As a PA, she is the top-ranking physician in these tent communities. Her first stunned words upon arriving in Port-au-Prince were, "What in the h--- (censored for the good Christian readers) did I get myself into?" That's so ironic now, since she doesn't want to leave!

Bryan said Dieudonne has arrived in Carrefour from Jeremie. They were in the process of loading up a truck with food and supplies while he was talking to me. Pray that this one load makes it safely to the hungry and injured in Jeremie. There was also a lot of hammering going on. The people are constructing a building to house the precious supplies in order to keep them safe from thieves.

Duane is exhausted and overwhelmed and got little sleep during the time he was in Haiti. I asked him if he regretted his decision to go. His answer?

"No way...no way."

An Anonymous Letter

This is directed to Janice Waterhouse, one of the teachers involved in the fund-raising effort to help Haiti at our local high school. We are so honored to have read this, and so thankful that hearts have been changed! I am publishing it in its very embarrassing entirety, in hopes that others may read the beautiful words of this teenager, and be inspired too. Know that we are only clay pots, in the hands of the potter....and very grateful to be used for His Glory.

To the student who wrote this letter,

Travis and I have struggled with staying here in the U.S. right now. You've made us so thankful that we did!

Dear Mrs. Waterhouse,

Yesterday was an eye opening day for me. I was given the opportunity to see and hear about the unimaginable magnitude of suffering occurring on the island of Haiti. Yes, I knew that an earthquake caused tremendous damage and that aid is desperately needed. I knew that hundreds of thousands of people died, and that those left behind are in a living nightmare. I knew that there is not enough food, water and medicine for those who need it. However, I also knew that Haiti is thousands of miles away, and countries across the globe are working to help. Why should I act? What good could I possibly do?

I like to think that Lisa and Travis Bartow slapped me in the face yesterday. I'm grateful to them. They proved to me that, no matter where I am or what little aid I can provide, I can make a difference. The children starving in the streets, the injured that are experiencing absolute agony, the family members that have watched their loved ones die--they can be affected for the better by the compassion of one person. Whether I donate 50 cents or 125 dollars, I now know that I have the power to change the world. Together, here at Hadley-Luzerne and beyond, we can do so much not only for Haiti, but for everyone who needs a helping hand.

It amazes me how selfish I have been. Too often I focus on the "negative" aspects of my life---the challenges, failures, and problems that now seem so insignificant. At least I have a life to live! I have comfort and security, a family, a home, and more than I could ever need. The Haitian's don't. Just thinking of the little boy who spent three days crushed against his mother's skull, or of the sound of bodies being compressed by a garbage truck...I feel sick not only because of their pain, but because of my lack of pain here. Simply being miles away from the problem is not an excuse for apathy. It is time for me to change--I need to act.

With this letter you will find $125.00. It is my wish for this money to go into the "Hearts for Haiti" fundraiser. I am so thankful for the opportunity to donate towards the Bartows' efforts--they are courageous people, performing terrifying yet incredible tasks. Even more so, there is no doubt in my mind that the donations gathered through "Hearts for Haiti" will go directly towards helping the Haitian people. If it is not too much to ask, please hang 125 blank hearts within the school, just like all the other hearts with names. Hopefully, through these visual reminders, we may never forget the suffering of the Haitian people--and, equally as important, our ability to change the world.

Sincerely,

A Changed Student

Silver Linings

Wonderful news from Bryan! And we need it, since my friend Rod told me that these blogs are getting really depressing.

Here are the details: Until today, Bryan has not been able to make any contact with Jean Gary, who is our good friend in Port-au-Prince and the man we always hire as the driver for the teams we have led to Haiti over the years.

Today, Bryan went to a place in Carrefour to rent a truck, and Jean Gary was standing there!

I don't think I need to remind anyone that this is a city with a population of three million. The chances of Bryan "bumping into" Jean Gary are....hmmmm. Not much.

He, his wife, and all their children survived the earthquake! It was the shot in the arm that Bryan needed so badly. It was the voice of the Father in the midst of corruption and chaos saying, "See. I'm still here. Trust me."

So Rod...there ya go. Cheer up!

Food and Supplies to Jeremie

Bryan's had it with the beaurocracy and just told Dieudonne to come with a truck from Jeremie to pick up a load of stuff from Port to take back with him. Bryan will make sure it's loaded. It's a 15-18 hour trip, so Dieudonne won't arrive until tomorrow, but at least he and Bryan will be able to talk and make a plan to get supplies into that town and distributed, with or without help from the big boys...or at least until we have help from them. May I suggest Dieudonne Ettienne, for one of those Haitian Senate seats? For those non-French readers...his name means, "God-given." So true. And there are many, many Haitian men just like him. May everything they are doing for their people be blessed 100x.

My dad, who flew into Carrefour with the Smokers, is going to continue talking with USAID even after Bryan has to leave.

Red Tape

There are now 80,000 refugees in Jeremie!

And we have no way to get there! Jon can't fly there because there's no gas so he has no ability to refuel in Port-au-Prince. And we don't have time to take a truck or boat. Jon was hassled for a long time yesterday when he was trying to fly out. Hassled by the Haitian government, who is trying to get their sticky fingers back in the pie. They used to collect a lot of money at this airport in "taxes." They are also quite resistant to deregulation of the adoption processes, as that was also an enormous source of revenue for them.

They still have not opened Jeremie as a port so we are forced to go through Port-au-Prince. Everybody keeps whining about the bottlenecks, but nobody's making the simple decisions to open the floodgates. The days of small relief planes may be drawing to a close if they continue to complicate flights.

We used to be able to drive back and forth from Gonaive to Port-au-Prince with food. Those days are over. Now, we go to Gonaive to pay for a piece of paper to take back to Port-au-Prince (8-10 hours round trip) to get an extortionists signature (more money) before returning to Gonaive to try for the food again. This process can be repeated a couple times before food is actually released from USAID. But it is the Haitian government's involvement now with USAID that is making this even more excruciatingly wasteful in every sense of the word. Yesterday, one of the Americans finally just bribed people to try to get food. Welcome to Haiti.

Evidently, Amy almost got caught in the midst of a food riot. She said she is completely overwhelmed by the need. This was a pretty rough introduction to the the third world. She's going to need some major decompression when she gets home. She said she treated a lot of babies yesterday. The Carrefour camp is well-organized and well-supplied, though, even to the point of being able to give supplies to other clinics and hospitals. But it's because all those supplies have been flown in on our little planes. The immense ship-yards offer nothing.

Bryan did talk to another man with USAID yesterday about supplying Jeremie, specifically. He was much more open than the chick was. The guy seemed to be surprised and concerned by the vast numbers of people Bryan said have arrived empty-handed and unattended there. Dieudonne said he thinks the numbers are accurate because he's there and he says all the buses and ferries end up at the dock, where they are counting heads. Bryan is hopeful that this man will direct aid toward Jeremie. USAID said they only have access to 11 helicopters in the country. Bry told him that he could fill a boat and have it shipped down the coast quicker, with more supplies on board, and cheaper. The guy seemed to show interest and they will talk again today. Bryan sounded pretty desperate on the phone. Pray that they will move the food more quickly! It will get increasingly more frustrating to distribute the longer people go hungry.

Duane is on the plane and coming home tonight. He went to evaluate the rebuilding situation and has seen plenty in just a few days, so his job is done. Plus, the camp is getting another influx of volunteers today or tomorrow, so we all must make room for fresh troops.

Evidently, Kate is begging to go on to Jeremie by truck to stay there with our Haitian friends and to volunteer her help at the public hospital. Bryan is saying no, so it looks like she'll be coming home with Bry and Amy (perhaps Sunday). In which case, Travis and I will be the preachers again on Sunday for a church service and youth group, without Bryan home to speak. It's OK. We have no shortage of words.

Bryan says the little outdoor church services the Haitians are having are precious times, with singing, prayer, thanksgiving and healing. Beautiful.

School Assemblies

Travis and I spoke yesterday at the King's School in Corinth and at the Hadley-Luzerne High School this morning. The kids were very respectful and responded positively. They are actively pursuing ways to contribute to the work in Haiti. The teachers, too, are helping the kids find ways to get involved. It's pretty great to see the schools take time out to hold assemblies on behalf of Haiti. It is a huge encouragement to all of us. Thanks to all those who made that possible. More drops in the bucket.

Travis did pretty well, speaking. It's still hard for him to talk about some of his experiences. His face clouds over and I can tell he's reliving some of the more difficult sights and sounds of the suffering. It's probably good for him to have to keep talking.
He's also done a terrific job of holding down Bryan's business details, even though he's frustrated to be here, so I'm pretty proud of him. And I'm glad he doesn't read this blog. :)

Amy called home and said she's seeing some pretty bad stuff and is working as hard as she can, together with a nurse. Maybe Sabrina, I'm not sure.

Still waiting to hear whether or not it's possible for them to get to Jeremie.

Lloyd and Darlene, the founders of the mission in Carrefour, arrived today. It is the first time they will see the devastation with their own eyes. So many of their closest friends are dead. Pray for them as they grieve...and begin to heal.

The Ups and Downs

Bryan spent most of the day trying to get his hands on some of the acres and acres of supplies and food at the airport and docks. He, along with hundreds of other small organizations throughout Port-au-Prince, could distribute food to thousands of people who are still unreached, at their own expense. Many have connections, vehicles, and manpower...but no food.

Instead, Bryan was directed from one person to the next from morning until late afternoon, before finally being turned away by USAID, who has taken control of food distribution from the U.S. military. And the control won't be shared.

The USAID woman in charge told him that "there is plenty of food getting to the people." Perhaps that is true in some areas (the areas they are servicing) ...but not ours, and especially not in the villages experiencing the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees. But there was no convincing her otherwise. I guess she has a funny idea of what "plenty" means. Her stomach must be full tonight.

Bryan was more than angry, as was Duane, who had accompanied him. Bryan finally told Duane to go help the Haitians, who are still clearing rubble at the site in Carrefour. Duane was happy to forego any more beaurocratic runaround and gladly got his hands dirty. I'm sure the work helped him to simmer down, but Bry was still pretty frustrated when we spoke. He told me it's a good thing I wasn't with them because I would be in jail by now. I told him I could bunk with the Baptist "traffickers." :)

Amy and Kate spent the entire day moving from camp to camp, treating the sick. Amy said she was seeing things that still couldn't be treated for lack of supplies. Amy was flushed red with the heat and the work, but in her element, as was Kate.

Bryan wants to get to Jeremie tomorrow, but is beginning to doubt that they'll be able to make it. Flights to Jeremie are sporadic and seats are difficult to come by, and Jon's fuel supply wouldn't hold out for him to fly them, since there is no ability to refuel in Port-au-Prince. It has been a frustrating day for him. Pray that tomorrow is more profitable and that he will be encouraged.

There is a Danish organization that has building supplies they are giving to people who have cleared their plots of rubble. Apparently, they are little temporary homes with tin roofs that can be easily erected. That is an exciting prospect to many who are left, who are literally starting over from scratch.

There is great affection among the Haitian people for the Americans right now. Not so much for the UN, however, which the people see as an idle military presence, both historically in Haiti, and currently. They have seen the U.S. military presence in Haiti during this crisis as active and kind. So thumbs up to our men and women in Haiti. This is great news for us Americans who have worked there, since it will make it relatively easier to get things done.

Bryan confirmed that it is true. Of the thirty people holding senate seats in Haiti, 20 senators are dead. No comment.

Yo Arrive! (accent grave over the E)

No, this is not a Sylvester Stallone impression. They have arrived in Port-au-Prince. Bryan called long enough to get cut off.

The most recent team is on the ground and safe and sound with Rodney! And good news from Rodney, by the way...he says that the emergency crisis they have faced in Carrefour the last couple of weeks is over. Well, not over...subsiding. You know what I mean. :) The edge of extreme tension is off. Or maybe Rodney's just used to it....hmmmm.

Evidently, many areas of Port-au-Prince have not fared as well as this little section of Carrefour, which has now survived the worst of this disaster. To think that it's all because little people all over the U.S. decided to do something big! You gave money, supplies, planes, pilots, trucks, encouragement, prayer, yourselves...Unbelieveable!

Let us not rest on our laurels, though. Continue to pray. Continue to give in any way you can. There are hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti still waiting. Still suffering. Let us press on.

Yet Another Flight Out

Jon is in the air and on his way to the Providenciales, where he will refuel before going on to Port-au-Prince. They should land tonight at 6 or 7. Bryan said Amy and Duane are pretty psyched! This makes a total of around 20 people we've been able to take to Haiti to help, as well as untold amounts of relief and medical supplies! God is good!

I talked to Jean-Michele in Jeremie this morning. He thinks perhaps upwards of 30,000 refugees have arrived. Food is a BIG issue. We hope that Bryan can find a way to get relief to the southern provinces of haiti, which are full of refugees who have been largely cut off from help, due to their geographic location on the island....so far from Port-au-Prince (or any other port of entry). Pray for success in dealing with the powers that be, who make decisions that may expedite this process.

Stay tuned. Bry should call me from the ground (tonight, I hope).

Carrefour Update

The following is a letter from one of the German volunteers at the camp in Carrefour to his supporters as translated into English.

Hello dear friends,

Thank you very much for your prayers and for caring. We are doing well. Right now we are in Carrefour. For two days I have been sleeping in a tent on a mattress. Before I was sleeping outdoors with the others.

Yesterday it was raining for the first time, but only 10-15 minutes. It was enough to get wet. We pray, that it will not rain anymore - because the people do not live in their houses. The word building has become a sensitive word. Everybody who walks into a building, tries to get out as soon as possible. Every day we still feel afterschocks.

In Port-au-Prince people are trying to get back to a normal life. Here you see a lot UN and other Aid Oranisations as well as mobile clinics. Many people leave the city to go to the countryside.

In Carrefour the situation is different. In this part of the city there are almost no Aid Organisations and no physicians. Ricardo´s house was levelled off and several tents were built up where some of the group stay overnight. Today a large tent will be put up and equipped to examine and treat the sick. Our group is consisting of Haitians, Americans, French and Germans. Every morning we have a prayer meeting and review the situation.

One group is working in a hospital, another one is going into camps, trying to take care of the sick and injured, another one is going “from door to door” and one group is trying to transport the seriously ill to the hospital. Yesterday we have put together 6000 $ US to buy a suitable vehicle, but they were either too expensive or in need of repair. So for now we have rented a car. The sick and injured people are so seriuosly ill, that they can not wait another day, but need medical help right away. In the meantime our partner church in the USA shared our urgent need for a pick-up truck and God heared our prayer. Somebody donated a 2006 Nissan King Cab, which is to be used for transporting the injured.

In Port-au-Prince there is an international organisation with enough physicians to help us. But everyone is frightened of Carrefour (security problems). A group of the German television station ZDF promised to join us and report on it, but today we are still waiting for them. We have called them a few times, but they preferred to stay in Gonaives.

People here are very thankful when we visit them. The fear of violence that many organisations have is understandable yet not very helpful – when the Haitians are treated decent, the great majority of them responds very friendly. Off course there are many criminals who went free from the prisons after the earthquake and now terrorise the people.

When we have to take the seriously injured to the hospital, one of us foreigners has to be present, otherwise they are not admitted to the clinic. Some had been waiting up to 3 hours only to return home without any treatment. It is hard to describe what we are expieriencing here. Sometimes we move around till late at night.

Right now we are trying to provide food to the needy. A lot of food is coming into the country and we are trying to get some before we have to buy it at high prices. Arche Nova, a German Aid Organisation from Dresden will pass by - to see whether they can give us a water purification system for the people here. The GTZ, also a German Aid Organisation, is providing food for the people. A Dutsch Organisation will supply us with a truck, so that we can transport food to Carrefour maybe on Monday.

From another organisation we can get tarps, so that the people are better protected against the rain. Yesterday evening we prayed for a man who had lost so much weight that he is only skin and bones.

Since we have still problems with our internet-connection and Jonas has not been able to send pictures we have posted two pictures from Beth McHoul. She and her husband John - and many others do an incredible work in Haiti. We bless them!

Prayer requests:

most urgent:

prayer for strength, courage, wisdom, comfort

we still need another vehicle for transportation of food

physicians, nurses etc.

for the long term:

work teams

earthquake-proof housing

housing for orphans

schools

healing for spirit, soul and body

finances

Lots of love - Jonas