Unfortunately, I do not have much to update over the past couple days as I was out of commission since late Wednesday night. At least a dozen people and I became quite ill between Wednesday night and Thursday night and lasted about two days. I'm not sure exactly what spread through a decent portion of our camp, but the sudden 106º fever, hot flashes, nausea, and other ailments made it impossible to move, much less get any work accomplished. I had four doctors and nurses wake me up Thursday morning after someone reported I wasn't looking so good (of course, I asked them how that differed from any other day). Our medical team took great care of us and loaded us up on several medications and converted one of the tents into a quarantine area to eliminate further spread of the illness. I was feeling better this morning - just in time for my flight home. It was a long day of delayed flights typical of American Airlines, and finally around 6:00pm I landed in good 'ol Charlotte, NC. Amanda was a doll and picked me up from the airport, which was a good thing since I needed to get a feel for American style roads and driving habits (never thought I would say that).
As many things that wanted to keep me in or bring me back to Haiti, I can already see how many more things will want to keep me home, however, whichever way I am called to serve will be the way I go as neither option is poor in choice. Haiti is a country that needs lots of prayer. As I went to bed Thursday night, I had to go to sleep to the sounds of a Vodou ritual going on right outside our compound. The shrills, screams, and chants were unsettling and a reminder of the darkness that clouds the country. People that have this little and live in these conditions are always searching for something to believe in - something to hope for - a reason to live, and how easy it is for the spirit of this world to take hold of the desperate. Haiti is smaller than half the size of Florida. Haiti can be reached. I encourage anyone that has the opportunity to do mission work in Haiti to go. The people are just looking for hope, and we can give them that hope - we can give them Life; it's more important than any amount of money or buildings or food we can give. So I hope this short blog gave you a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to deliver a large scale relief effort, but more importantly, I hope it encourages and motivates you to spread the Good News, whether in Haiti or next door.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Day 21 - Changing of the Guard
Our medical teams have been busier than usual as we received a substantial amount of vaccines and other medications this week. We have a clinic in Cité Soleil that doctors and nurses run each day, and we have various other locations that vary by day. Our shelter building program has almost reached it's goal of 100 shelters per day, and with an average of four people per shelter, we can be putting around 400 people in a home every day! We're creating communities of these homes, some even with a simple road system - it's really amazing.
I wish I was able to take more photos at of the food distributions, shelter sites, and other areas for you all to see, but many times I can't bring myself to because I feel like I would be making a spectacle of their situation - it's just to awkward. I don't know how professionals do it.
My replacement, Rob, arrived on base last evening. I gave him a quick tour of the compound and a brief description of our systems here. We then ate dinner and watched the 1981 classic: Road Warrior on someone's laptop. This morning I completely went over everything with Rob and let him handle half of the work for the day. I spent the remainder of my day helping Reyas finish up the construction of an Alaska tent that our new long term people will be living in. Tomorrow I am taking Rob to our Grand Goave base for a brief rundown of their systems and to meet everyone over there, and hopefully Friday will be a day a relaxation before the day of traveling on Saturday.
Three weeks have flown by quicker than I ever could have imagined, yet enough has happened in these past three weeks that could have filled six months. My time is almost up, and with mixed emotions I find myself counting down the last few days. I've worked with some people here for my entire duration, others for just a few days, and with many it feels like I have known them for years. I am quite despondent to know I will be walking away from these friendships at week's end - with great probability of not seeing them again. It's strange to think about having this fragment of life - full of people, places, and memories - with no ties to my everyday life, isolated from everything before and after it; turned on and off like a light with a switch.
I wish I was able to take more photos at of the food distributions, shelter sites, and other areas for you all to see, but many times I can't bring myself to because I feel like I would be making a spectacle of their situation - it's just to awkward. I don't know how professionals do it.
My replacement, Rob, arrived on base last evening. I gave him a quick tour of the compound and a brief description of our systems here. We then ate dinner and watched the 1981 classic: Road Warrior on someone's laptop. This morning I completely went over everything with Rob and let him handle half of the work for the day. I spent the remainder of my day helping Reyas finish up the construction of an Alaska tent that our new long term people will be living in. Tomorrow I am taking Rob to our Grand Goave base for a brief rundown of their systems and to meet everyone over there, and hopefully Friday will be a day a relaxation before the day of traveling on Saturday.
Three weeks have flown by quicker than I ever could have imagined, yet enough has happened in these past three weeks that could have filled six months. My time is almost up, and with mixed emotions I find myself counting down the last few days. I've worked with some people here for my entire duration, others for just a few days, and with many it feels like I have known them for years. I am quite despondent to know I will be walking away from these friendships at week's end - with great probability of not seeing them again. It's strange to think about having this fragment of life - full of people, places, and memories - with no ties to my everyday life, isolated from everything before and after it; turned on and off like a light with a switch.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Day 18 - "Catching the Bug"
I want to start off thanking you all for your prayer support during these past couple weeks. I have seen firsthand the results and answers to prayer. Our long term staff members have almost reached double digits and many of the issues with customs are beginning to clear up. I've also remained safe in unsecured areas and have not gotten sick. Thank you! Our contract with World Food Programme for food distribution in Cité Soleil has ended successfully with no injuries or attacks on Samaritan's Purse workers (something no one could have fathomed). We will now be transitioning out of the 'emergency phase' of food distribution with WFP, into the SYOP program with USAID, which gives out food based on need and other criteria rather than just mass distribution to the community. This will insure that the neediest people will receive what they need to survive, and will also employ Food-for-Work and other similar initiatives. Our shelter building process continues to improve in speed and efficiency with a target goal of producing 100 shelters a day!
It was a perfect Caribbean night on Thursday evening here in Titanyen; temperature in the mid seventies and a cool, refreshing wind to blissfully put your mind and body at ease after a long day of work. I sat under an awning with Ray, our head of security and we conversed for at least two hours about our backgrounds, relief work, and other topics. Ray just finished a two year contract providing security in Baghdad, Iraq before coming to do the same here in Haiti. I learned about all the places he's been from Iraq to Sudan to Jordan to Africa and countless other countries. I mentioned how I wouldn't mind doing this long term, and he chuckled for a moment. "I call it catching the bug," he said. Many people that get into this field of relief/mission work and can successfully cope with the ever-changing conditions and nomadic way of life often make a career of it because they can't handle the slow-paced, predictable, structured 9-5 lifestyle when they get home. I had thought the opposite at first, but the more he spoke, the more I realized he could be right.
Yesterday was yet another tranquilizing evening in the Caribbean; not a cloud was in the sky and the constellation Orion was glowing brightly next to an amber crescent moon. It was room temperature outside, and the cool, peaceful wind that passed over our bodies felt invigorating after a blistering hot afternoon. I spent the better part of three hours talking with Nick who is the Deputy Country Director for our operations in Haiti. Part of our conversation was very similar to the one I had with Ray just two nights prior. He too mentioned about the addictive nature of this field and how he can't find himself working a regular job. Neither one of them, though, could precisely explain why it's so addictive - whether it's the constant hard work, the satisfaction of seeing people's lives changed, the experience of living in foreign places, the challenging living conditions, the mental stimulation of problem solving and adaptation, constant change, or something else entirely. After being here for just three weeks, I know exactly what they're talking about; I know the unexplainable feelings that develop. It's a common bond shared only with those who have participated, and no matter how hard you try to explain it to someone back home, they will never understand. I never would have understood. Nick asked me for the third time last night to sign up for a one year contract; I've also had the Country Director and a handful of other people express the same sentiment, and while I know I would enjoy dedicating that amount of time to this cause, I can't imagine being away from everyone and everything back home.
We have food distributions scheduled every day this upcoming week, and I hope to get out to a couple more before my time is up here. My replacement is coming in on Tuesday, which will create four days of overlap before I leave, and I hope to take advantage of that by doing as much non-computer work as possible before going back to work in Charlotte.
I never would have realized how much is involved in a relief operation such as ours without witnessing and participating in it first hand - the amount of manpower, organization, planning, logistics, money and management that is needed. There is so much behind the scenes work to produce these food distributions and shelters, and it all happens so fast. The best times, however, are when you slow down and speak with the locals, and get a chance to share or encourage each other with the Good News. No matter how much food we deliver, how many homes we build, how much money we throw at this nation - none of it will change this country. It will remain in its current state unless the people change, and there's only One that can change hearts.
It was a perfect Caribbean night on Thursday evening here in Titanyen; temperature in the mid seventies and a cool, refreshing wind to blissfully put your mind and body at ease after a long day of work. I sat under an awning with Ray, our head of security and we conversed for at least two hours about our backgrounds, relief work, and other topics. Ray just finished a two year contract providing security in Baghdad, Iraq before coming to do the same here in Haiti. I learned about all the places he's been from Iraq to Sudan to Jordan to Africa and countless other countries. I mentioned how I wouldn't mind doing this long term, and he chuckled for a moment. "I call it catching the bug," he said. Many people that get into this field of relief/mission work and can successfully cope with the ever-changing conditions and nomadic way of life often make a career of it because they can't handle the slow-paced, predictable, structured 9-5 lifestyle when they get home. I had thought the opposite at first, but the more he spoke, the more I realized he could be right.
Yesterday was yet another tranquilizing evening in the Caribbean; not a cloud was in the sky and the constellation Orion was glowing brightly next to an amber crescent moon. It was room temperature outside, and the cool, peaceful wind that passed over our bodies felt invigorating after a blistering hot afternoon. I spent the better part of three hours talking with Nick who is the Deputy Country Director for our operations in Haiti. Part of our conversation was very similar to the one I had with Ray just two nights prior. He too mentioned about the addictive nature of this field and how he can't find himself working a regular job. Neither one of them, though, could precisely explain why it's so addictive - whether it's the constant hard work, the satisfaction of seeing people's lives changed, the experience of living in foreign places, the challenging living conditions, the mental stimulation of problem solving and adaptation, constant change, or something else entirely. After being here for just three weeks, I know exactly what they're talking about; I know the unexplainable feelings that develop. It's a common bond shared only with those who have participated, and no matter how hard you try to explain it to someone back home, they will never understand. I never would have understood. Nick asked me for the third time last night to sign up for a one year contract; I've also had the Country Director and a handful of other people express the same sentiment, and while I know I would enjoy dedicating that amount of time to this cause, I can't imagine being away from everyone and everything back home.
We have food distributions scheduled every day this upcoming week, and I hope to get out to a couple more before my time is up here. My replacement is coming in on Tuesday, which will create four days of overlap before I leave, and I hope to take advantage of that by doing as much non-computer work as possible before going back to work in Charlotte.
I never would have realized how much is involved in a relief operation such as ours without witnessing and participating in it first hand - the amount of manpower, organization, planning, logistics, money and management that is needed. There is so much behind the scenes work to produce these food distributions and shelters, and it all happens so fast. The best times, however, are when you slow down and speak with the locals, and get a chance to share or encourage each other with the Good News. No matter how much food we deliver, how many homes we build, how much money we throw at this nation - none of it will change this country. It will remain in its current state unless the people change, and there's only One that can change hearts.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Day 14 - Home away from Home
I've been here for two weeks now, and it's beginning to feel like home already. My cares and worries of everyday life from back in the States have dissolved into oblivion and have been replaced with the constant flow of logistical operations and new way of life on base. It's going to be weird, I believe, getting back to normal life in Charlotte.
We got a torrential downpour on Sunday night, and when we woke up Monday we had no power in our office buildings (which meant the internet was out as well). It took the electricians well into the early evening to repair all the damage. In the meantime, I drove a couple guys down to the port, and did some maintenance on some of the vehicles at the compound. I've been doing a lot of driving lately, and unfortunately most of it has been in Cité Soleil. I guess they feel pretty confident in my abilities already since they had me haul a 2 ton $40,000 generator through the slum back to the compound Monday afternoon. We also had a lot more trucks full of supplies released from customs, so we can construct more shelters. We are on schedule this week to have 250 more shelters built, and we also have food distributions set up for every day except Friday of this week! So it's been a crazy but productive week thus far.
Tuesday was interesting as the day started off with no power again. After lunch I took our Grand Goave base director to the U.N. for a meeting with Michelle Obama and Jill Biden. It was a small meeting of only a 100 or so people, and Michelle pretty much just thanked all the NGOs for their efforts and promised the U.S. would be here for the long haul. She also mentioned that she learned a Haitian proverb about how the bird builds its nest one branch at a time, and Haiti will do the same (paraphrased). After that, we went to downtown Port-au-Prince looking for Digicel (Haiti's main cell provider). I had a 4"x4" google map printout and that was it. Needless to say, we did not find it. In the entire city, I saw 2 street signs. Driving in third world countries is certainly in art and skill and requires much concentration - especially after an earthquake. I felt even though we did not find Digicel, that the trip was successful because I did not get a scratch on the vehicle or blow a tire or get lost in the confusing maze of 'roads'. It's difficult driving through Port-au-Prince and looking at all the destruction and damage and the diminished quality of life. Even through all the things we are doing down here, you still feel helpless - knowing you can't help everyone. It's going to take at least 10 years to clear out and rebuild this nation...at least.
This week, we are getting in several long term team members, which is a huge answer to prayer; thanks to all who have been lifting that up. Our new fleet manager just arrived which will free me up from some of the vehicular duties. I hope to be a part of the food distribution in Titanyen tomorrow and maybe some shelter building. Most of my work thus far has been behind the scenes, and it would be nice to get out and see some happy, smiling faces in the community as we deliver food and homes in the name of Jesus.
We got a torrential downpour on Sunday night, and when we woke up Monday we had no power in our office buildings (which meant the internet was out as well). It took the electricians well into the early evening to repair all the damage. In the meantime, I drove a couple guys down to the port, and did some maintenance on some of the vehicles at the compound. I've been doing a lot of driving lately, and unfortunately most of it has been in Cité Soleil. I guess they feel pretty confident in my abilities already since they had me haul a 2 ton $40,000 generator through the slum back to the compound Monday afternoon. We also had a lot more trucks full of supplies released from customs, so we can construct more shelters. We are on schedule this week to have 250 more shelters built, and we also have food distributions set up for every day except Friday of this week! So it's been a crazy but productive week thus far.
Tuesday was interesting as the day started off with no power again. After lunch I took our Grand Goave base director to the U.N. for a meeting with Michelle Obama and Jill Biden. It was a small meeting of only a 100 or so people, and Michelle pretty much just thanked all the NGOs for their efforts and promised the U.S. would be here for the long haul. She also mentioned that she learned a Haitian proverb about how the bird builds its nest one branch at a time, and Haiti will do the same (paraphrased). After that, we went to downtown Port-au-Prince looking for Digicel (Haiti's main cell provider). I had a 4"x4" google map printout and that was it. Needless to say, we did not find it. In the entire city, I saw 2 street signs. Driving in third world countries is certainly in art and skill and requires much concentration - especially after an earthquake. I felt even though we did not find Digicel, that the trip was successful because I did not get a scratch on the vehicle or blow a tire or get lost in the confusing maze of 'roads'. It's difficult driving through Port-au-Prince and looking at all the destruction and damage and the diminished quality of life. Even through all the things we are doing down here, you still feel helpless - knowing you can't help everyone. It's going to take at least 10 years to clear out and rebuild this nation...at least.
This week, we are getting in several long term team members, which is a huge answer to prayer; thanks to all who have been lifting that up. Our new fleet manager just arrived which will free me up from some of the vehicular duties. I hope to be a part of the food distribution in Titanyen tomorrow and maybe some shelter building. Most of my work thus far has been behind the scenes, and it would be nice to get out and see some happy, smiling faces in the community as we deliver food and homes in the name of Jesus.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Day 11 - Glad it's Sunday
The past two days have been pretty uneventful for myself. I spent all day Friday (6:00am-7:00pm) at the port providing security for a barge full of supplies and equipment that was partially loaded on trucks, partially scattered all over the dock. It was sitting there for a few days and guys here have been taking turns watching over it as we can't trust the port security. I don't think any eager fierce Haitians would be intimidated by me (maybe after a few more months of P90X and wielding a gun), but I was there nonetheless. It was a rough day of dealing with customs and standing in the hot sun with nowhere to hide - reflecting off the water and penetrating from above. I got a really nasty sunburn on my face and forearms. Customs has been giving us all kinds of trouble and making things as difficult as possible. We have 7 vehicles sitting there for weeks that we desperately need for helping with the shelters and food distributions. A customs officer came out around 3pm to do a 'fraud audit' on our most recent delivery. We had to show him every item on the bill of laden, and he proceeded to make us count every piece of lumber, sheet of metal, screw, and nail to make sure it was exactly right (not the normal procedure). Without going into any further detail, all I can say is that the corruption in Haiti is terrible; it's made its way into every form of business and government. Bribes are almost a necessity to get anything done as everyone wants their cut, but we're not about to concede, no matter how difficult and long they make it.
The only pleasant part of the day was when I got to talk to some of the workers and security guards at the port. I've been picking up on some of the Kreyol language and was able to communicate with them primitively at best. They also knew a little English which made things easier. Rick and I used every opportunity to talk to them about Jesus, and many of them proclaimed to be Christians. Every Haitian that we spoke with asked us if they could work for us as I guess word has been spread that it is a great job. The security guards told me they work from 6am-6pm for $5.00; I couldn't believe it. Two others told me about how they lost family and homes in the earthquake and have been sleeping in containers at the port between shifts. It just breaks your heart to see good people suffering so much.
We finally got to leave around 7pm at which point it was already dark; which was not good as I had to drive through Cité Soleil to get back to base. That may have been the most scary and unsettling thing I've ever done. There is just about no electricity in this slum town, and people are everywhere in the streets. All I had to see with was the headlights from my pickup truck and all the miniature fires people started on the side of the roads. Many vehicles were driving with no lights on. I did my best not to go below 10mph and to pass any slow moving vehicles. I can't and won't describe some of the things I saw going through there. I had to keep my eyes on cars coming up behind me, coming towards me, on people running or biking across the street, people trying to get in the truck from the sides, all in the dark. During the quake, the prison was damaged and all of the notorious slum lords and gang leaders of Cité Soleil that were gradually captured all escaped and have made their way back home. There is constant kidnapping, murders, and rape here and now the worst of the worst are back on the streets, and the police and U.N. have virtually no presence. This city is a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.
Saturday I spent catching up on some computer work and recovering from my sunburn. Later in the evening, a few trucks were released from the port, and I helped unload them at the base.
And now it's Sunday; a day to relax a little. I finally got a chance to upload some pictures to Facebook if you want to check them out.
The only pleasant part of the day was when I got to talk to some of the workers and security guards at the port. I've been picking up on some of the Kreyol language and was able to communicate with them primitively at best. They also knew a little English which made things easier. Rick and I used every opportunity to talk to them about Jesus, and many of them proclaimed to be Christians. Every Haitian that we spoke with asked us if they could work for us as I guess word has been spread that it is a great job. The security guards told me they work from 6am-6pm for $5.00; I couldn't believe it. Two others told me about how they lost family and homes in the earthquake and have been sleeping in containers at the port between shifts. It just breaks your heart to see good people suffering so much.
We finally got to leave around 7pm at which point it was already dark; which was not good as I had to drive through Cité Soleil to get back to base. That may have been the most scary and unsettling thing I've ever done. There is just about no electricity in this slum town, and people are everywhere in the streets. All I had to see with was the headlights from my pickup truck and all the miniature fires people started on the side of the roads. Many vehicles were driving with no lights on. I did my best not to go below 10mph and to pass any slow moving vehicles. I can't and won't describe some of the things I saw going through there. I had to keep my eyes on cars coming up behind me, coming towards me, on people running or biking across the street, people trying to get in the truck from the sides, all in the dark. During the quake, the prison was damaged and all of the notorious slum lords and gang leaders of Cité Soleil that were gradually captured all escaped and have made their way back home. There is constant kidnapping, murders, and rape here and now the worst of the worst are back on the streets, and the police and U.N. have virtually no presence. This city is a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.
Saturday I spent catching up on some computer work and recovering from my sunburn. Later in the evening, a few trucks were released from the port, and I helped unload them at the base.
And now it's Sunday; a day to relax a little. I finally got a chance to upload some pictures to Facebook if you want to check them out.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Day 8 - Off the Compound
It's amazing how fast one goes through tires here. Everywhere you drive, you will find little canopies or shops on the side of the road doing tire repair and replacement. The roads are ridden with cracks, pot holes, craters, and jagged rocks and there are no crews to clean up boards, nails, and other debris. Since I've been here, our fleet vehicles have gone through six tires. On Tuesday I drove up the road in Titanyen to the marketplace to have a new tire mounted on a rim for one of our Dodge pickups. It only cost us $6 US dollars, but took almost 45 minutes to complete. These shops don't have tire mounting machines, computerized balancers, or power tools, and I watched this older gentleman mount a tire with just two curved pieces of metal and his foot. He then inserted an old, dirty tire tube between the rim and tire and pumped it up with a tiny rusty air compressor until the bead seated. He then craftily removed the tube and aired up the tire. When you look deeper - past the first observations, you realize the resourcefulness of the Haitian people; they don't have much, but they use what they have to its maximum efficiency.
Later on that day after doing some computer work on base, I was able to help out at a food distribution at the Mission of Hope compound in Titanyen where we delivered 5 truckloads of rice (which is about 70 metric tons). This distribution was less hostile than the ones in Cité Soliel (currently, no other organization besides Samaritan's Purse will go into Cité Soliel). Most of the people were extremely grateful and many were smiling and we played Christian Creole music in the background. After that was over, I came back to the compound and drove a 4-wheeler down to a 30'x5' pit full of trash and lit it on fire, which is always fun.
I spent the entire day Wednesday with Kyle driving around the city. We had to purchase two new tires from one shop, a box of supplies from another, and then pick up a gentleman at the airport to bring back to the base. In Haiti, that takes up your entire day; everything is so slow down here. Plus, we had two nationals with us for translating and navigating and I'm pretty sure they took us the scenic route to avoid going back to work on the compound. Needless to say, Wednesday was a little frustrating.
Today was much better, though. I started off the day early helping R.L. load and transport building materials and tools to one of our shelter building sites. R.L. drove a flatbed, and I had a Dodge pickup and trailer. The fun part was when my trailer came unhitched driving down the road. Fortunately I wasn't even doing 30mph, so it didn't do any damage when it slammed into the back of the pickup when I slowed down. R.L. was too far ahead to see what had happened, so I had to get out and manually pick up the trailer and mount it back on the hitch - this time secured! When we got to the site, there were already about 20 - 30 Haitian men waiting on us to continue the building. As soon as we dropped the trailer from the pickup and the guard rails on the flatbed, they began grabbing tools and supplies and started working. I have some pics of the shelter villages we've been constructing.
As soon as I got back from that at 8am, I took a helicopter over to one of our sub-bases in a city called Grand Goave to do some computer work for them. It's a 3.5 hour drive (or a 17 minute helicopter ride) from our main base in Titanyen. As we made the trip, we passed over the city of Léogâne, which was at the epicenter of the earthquake. I never saw such complete destruction; 90% of the buildings in Léogâne are destoyed - no exaggeration. From the sky, all you see is rubble, tents, and makeshift shelters. The city of Grand Goave is completely different from Titanyen. Titanyen is desert-like with dust and dry heat; Grand Goave is very tropical with lush vegetation, vibrant green colors, and extreme humidity (and mosquitoes like mad). It's amazing how just 17 minutes separates two distinct climates. I spent the entire workday there doing pretty basic computer work and unloading rice for a food distribution. The best part about my stay at the Grand Goave compound: they have toilets - AND they flush! After landing back at the main base, I got barraged with several computer and cell phone issues, ate some dinner and then took some Creole lessons. It's been a good day, but a long day, and on that note - goodnight!
Later on that day after doing some computer work on base, I was able to help out at a food distribution at the Mission of Hope compound in Titanyen where we delivered 5 truckloads of rice (which is about 70 metric tons). This distribution was less hostile than the ones in Cité Soliel (currently, no other organization besides Samaritan's Purse will go into Cité Soliel). Most of the people were extremely grateful and many were smiling and we played Christian Creole music in the background. After that was over, I came back to the compound and drove a 4-wheeler down to a 30'x5' pit full of trash and lit it on fire, which is always fun.
I spent the entire day Wednesday with Kyle driving around the city. We had to purchase two new tires from one shop, a box of supplies from another, and then pick up a gentleman at the airport to bring back to the base. In Haiti, that takes up your entire day; everything is so slow down here. Plus, we had two nationals with us for translating and navigating and I'm pretty sure they took us the scenic route to avoid going back to work on the compound. Needless to say, Wednesday was a little frustrating.
Today was much better, though. I started off the day early helping R.L. load and transport building materials and tools to one of our shelter building sites. R.L. drove a flatbed, and I had a Dodge pickup and trailer. The fun part was when my trailer came unhitched driving down the road. Fortunately I wasn't even doing 30mph, so it didn't do any damage when it slammed into the back of the pickup when I slowed down. R.L. was too far ahead to see what had happened, so I had to get out and manually pick up the trailer and mount it back on the hitch - this time secured! When we got to the site, there were already about 20 - 30 Haitian men waiting on us to continue the building. As soon as we dropped the trailer from the pickup and the guard rails on the flatbed, they began grabbing tools and supplies and started working. I have some pics of the shelter villages we've been constructing.
As soon as I got back from that at 8am, I took a helicopter over to one of our sub-bases in a city called Grand Goave to do some computer work for them. It's a 3.5 hour drive (or a 17 minute helicopter ride) from our main base in Titanyen. As we made the trip, we passed over the city of Léogâne, which was at the epicenter of the earthquake. I never saw such complete destruction; 90% of the buildings in Léogâne are destoyed - no exaggeration. From the sky, all you see is rubble, tents, and makeshift shelters. The city of Grand Goave is completely different from Titanyen. Titanyen is desert-like with dust and dry heat; Grand Goave is very tropical with lush vegetation, vibrant green colors, and extreme humidity (and mosquitoes like mad). It's amazing how just 17 minutes separates two distinct climates. I spent the entire workday there doing pretty basic computer work and unloading rice for a food distribution. The best part about my stay at the Grand Goave compound: they have toilets - AND they flush! After landing back at the main base, I got barraged with several computer and cell phone issues, ate some dinner and then took some Creole lessons. It's been a good day, but a long day, and on that note - goodnight!
Monday, April 5, 2010
Day 5 - Hope for a Nation
I've become fully accustomed to the flow here; waking up at 05:30, breakfast at 07:00, chapel at 08:00, lunch at 12:00, dinner at 18:00. The rest of the time is spent working. The temperature has been in the upper 90s during the day, but the heat really hasn't bothered me at all. The bigger problem is dust. I'm using a 3" paintbrush to daily wipe dust, sand, & sediment from laptops - a nightmare situation for an IT person.
Not too much went on the past couple days as it was a holiday weekend. On Friday, a few of us went to a local church in Titanyen for their Good Friday service. In Haiti, it is not uncommon for church services to last over 3 hours. This particular service lasted almost 4 hours, and was full of worship and scripture reading. Since Creole is the native language here, I could not understand anything the preachers were saying, but it was an awesome sign of hope and faith to see the Haitian people praising and worshiping God. The church was packed to capacity and they were carrying benches in from outside to seat more people as they came in - a completely different picture from what I saw the first day.
My main purpose here is to maintain the wireless network system, all of the computers used on the base, and the cell phones; however, on Saturday I got to put my automotive skills to work. There is an International diesel truck on base used for making food distributions in the city. The ignition switch was broken so it would not start, and the truck was out of commission for over a week. Someone had ordered a new switch, but it was for the wrong vehicle. It would be at least a week before another switch could arrive, so I cut off the old switch and with a little rewiring and God's provision, got the wrong switch to work and even mount in the stock housing. The truck was able to make a food distribution today. Samaritan's Purse has been hiring nationals to perform general labor to allow them to give back to their country as well as provide them with some income. We hired two local Haitian mechanics to work on the vehicles here, but it's proven to be a bad decision. Our Billy Graham Ford van broke a transmission when they either put the wrong fluid or no fluid at all in it, and it locked up driving down the street. They were then found sleeping in a vehicle instead of working on it, among other things. Most of the nationals, though, have been doing a great job and many of them have strong work ethic.
It's been a controlled chaos here. I think the primary reason is due to the constant changing of personnel every 14-90 days. We are currently looking for more people that can dedicate 1 year or more to the effort here. There is so much involved in making this happen - from controlling barge deliveries and dealing with customs, to fleet and heavy machinery operations, to construction and hiring contractors, all the way down to food services for the compound. The constant changing of key leaders in these areas is definitely noticeable. Please pray that God will provide men and women that can make the long commitment here.
It was a good day today overall. We got some more shelters built, distributed lots of food and hygiene kits, and made progress on several other projects on base. A new shipment arrived on a barge tonight and will hopefully be unloaded tomorrow depending on customs. There are just too many things we are working on to list, but I can assure you that much is being done in Haiti. The Lord's presence is definitely here and your prayers are felt.
I will try to upload some pictures soon, but now it is time for me to crawl under my mosquito net and get some sleep as 05:30 comes early.
Not too much went on the past couple days as it was a holiday weekend. On Friday, a few of us went to a local church in Titanyen for their Good Friday service. In Haiti, it is not uncommon for church services to last over 3 hours. This particular service lasted almost 4 hours, and was full of worship and scripture reading. Since Creole is the native language here, I could not understand anything the preachers were saying, but it was an awesome sign of hope and faith to see the Haitian people praising and worshiping God. The church was packed to capacity and they were carrying benches in from outside to seat more people as they came in - a completely different picture from what I saw the first day.
My main purpose here is to maintain the wireless network system, all of the computers used on the base, and the cell phones; however, on Saturday I got to put my automotive skills to work. There is an International diesel truck on base used for making food distributions in the city. The ignition switch was broken so it would not start, and the truck was out of commission for over a week. Someone had ordered a new switch, but it was for the wrong vehicle. It would be at least a week before another switch could arrive, so I cut off the old switch and with a little rewiring and God's provision, got the wrong switch to work and even mount in the stock housing. The truck was able to make a food distribution today. Samaritan's Purse has been hiring nationals to perform general labor to allow them to give back to their country as well as provide them with some income. We hired two local Haitian mechanics to work on the vehicles here, but it's proven to be a bad decision. Our Billy Graham Ford van broke a transmission when they either put the wrong fluid or no fluid at all in it, and it locked up driving down the street. They were then found sleeping in a vehicle instead of working on it, among other things. Most of the nationals, though, have been doing a great job and many of them have strong work ethic.
It's been a controlled chaos here. I think the primary reason is due to the constant changing of personnel every 14-90 days. We are currently looking for more people that can dedicate 1 year or more to the effort here. There is so much involved in making this happen - from controlling barge deliveries and dealing with customs, to fleet and heavy machinery operations, to construction and hiring contractors, all the way down to food services for the compound. The constant changing of key leaders in these areas is definitely noticeable. Please pray that God will provide men and women that can make the long commitment here.
It was a good day today overall. We got some more shelters built, distributed lots of food and hygiene kits, and made progress on several other projects on base. A new shipment arrived on a barge tonight and will hopefully be unloaded tomorrow depending on customs. There are just too many things we are working on to list, but I can assure you that much is being done in Haiti. The Lord's presence is definitely here and your prayers are felt.
I will try to upload some pictures soon, but now it is time for me to crawl under my mosquito net and get some sleep as 05:30 comes early.
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