Hi From Haiti...
I'll try to post this while I have both an Internet connection and electricity... First of all - the children and people would like to thank all of you for your support, encourgement and wonderful well-wishes...
Over the past days - much of the time has been spent securing food, delivering medicine and trying to make some order.. Things in Les Cayes are in dis-array, as I've never seen the city and town so overcrowded with refugees from PaP.. People are arriving with friends and family - and the already short food supply is being more of concern as many from PaP have been told that there is food available down in this area...
For that - I want to take a minute and thank the many private pilots who have kept Les Cayes on a "shoe-string" of medicine, food and basics. Most are from the USA that I've worked with - but it really is a global effort..
For our efforts - Pastor Andre's orphange is fine.. We will have enough food to last for a bit, and as well - assist some of the children and refugees from PaP alongside Pastor Vilnor's school - attending to newly made refugees and senior citizens who are doing without... It's heartbreaking on one side - and inspiring on another...
At the orphanage - Adrien and myself are trying to get things back on track quickly. I set the task that 15 large, deep holes in the front yeard were to be filled (by hand - using rocks, a wheelbarrow, a pick, shovel and machete) - AND with dozens of the older children.. Two days later - the holes are almost filled!! It's amazing what these little guys are capable of... Next on the agenda is to create a garden - and have the children grow and care for it. In the meantime - I think it's our task to ensure that they have the basics and prepare the orphanage for more orphans from PaP in the near future..
Another bit of good news is that tomorrow, we've been assurred that a Pilot will be bringing in a plane load of food for the orphans - and for as much as we can assist those streaming in from PaP. I'm not certain of how much to expect - but - I do know it will be more than we have now and can be used immediately for many in dire need...
Medical supplies... I would like to thank Meg DesFosses and a friend of hers for kick-starting the purchase of much, much needed medical supplies... We delivered those a few days ago - and if you could see the clinic at the hospital and the wards - you'd understand how much these victims have endured without anything. I want to also send on the thanks of Dr. Moses and his staff to all of you. Fifty - 80 pounds of topical antibiotics, bandages, gauze, etc. - were well recieved - and much needed, as when we arrived, those meager stocks had been depleted. Today, we visited that same hospital again - the doctors and nurses look a bit haggard...
The school is fine - and we toured that today.. Pastor Vilnor is as upbeat as ever, and has dedicated some of our funds for those arriving in the village from PaP and again, the children and senior citizens.. Our thoughts and prayers go with him...
On a personal note.. I can not really describe PaP, nor all I saw. I can't really write the words to make all of you "see" all I have seen over here. When I get home - I'll let some pictures do that for me - not so much of the tradegy, but rather pictures which hopefully inspire all of us to not only keep our current efforts going, but more importantly - be able to expand them...
Tomorrow - I need to meet the plane with our food, deliver it to our children, the mothers who are caring for our kids, the village, etc... I hope to have some time to also visit with Pwoje Espwa - as Marc and his staff are fighting their own battles to get as much to as many - in a hearbeat...
Again - simply - thank all of you... Your support and contributions have been awe inspiring... And as well - somehow - I know we are just beginning - so the "tough work" is still in the future...
From Les Cayes, Haiti,
John
(BTW - sorry if this is a ramble.. there is so much to say - and so many words... And - I'm trying to write it before the electricy and/or internet goes away - typically both...)
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