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."