Haiti tragedy and updates

 January 14th update from Haiti.  Update from our colleagues in Port au Prince.   We've learned that one of our regular guides when in Haiti named Serge is safe.  He was not in Port au Prince when the quake hit.  We are still trying to find word on the others.  We still don't have word from our project in Cite Soleil.   

This update comes from a location, Fermanthe a small community, which is about a 45 minute ride up the mountain outside of the city.  There is a house called Wings of Hope that takes care of mentally and physically challenged children.  It's part of St. Joseph's Home for Boys network.

Quote from update;

Day 2...is it really only Day 2. In 20 minutes will it really be that only 48 hours have passed since all our lives were turned (literally) upside-down. It seems like a lifetime ago.

Yesterday was shock and confusion. Today is mobilization. I went down to SJ for a few hours this morning and helped move stuff out of the main house and into the art center. The art center is damaged, but not anywhere near what St. Joseph's is like. There was a break-in there last night with people looking for food, so stripping the house was a priority. Michael and Walnes are still spending the night sleeping on the ground at a neighbors, like most of the neighborhood, but they are well.

Bill and TiPatrick are both out of the hospital and seem to be well, considering. They will return tomorrow for a check by some US doctors who were supposed to arrive today. No need now for evacuation for the states, for all those ready to try and arrange that.

Wings is crowded with all the Wings kids and now the SJ boys. Not a lot of space in the visitors dining room and the front of the house for 65+ people, but we are coping. Everyone is pitching in. KC and I moved things from our rooms that are the necessities for both our work and the kids today. The rest will be left. We are also starting to get the guys to move as many supplies from the storage rooms in the new part of the house as possible. Limited time is spent in the new part of the house, as we believe it is unstable and don't know if it will remain standing. There's a lot we don't know right now.

We were able to get a few toys out for the kids today and are trying to give them a sense of the "new" normal as we decide what to do next. There is a lot of organizing and planning to do.

PAP is a mess. There was a real difference in the feeling on the streets today too. People are more desperate for help, food, medical attention, a way out of the suffering and fear, etc.

The aftershocks continue. It is unnerving. I grew up in tornado-land and have been through several hurricanes in Haiti, but nothing is like an earthquake. At least with a tornado and hurricanes you can see them coming and know when they are gone, but with the earthquake there is a continued reminder that we don't know what is coming next and fear is rampent.

Lines of communication are getting better. I was able to talk to my Mom on the phone for a few minutes today. Thanks to all who have reached out to hear with your love and support. I just got word that the internet is working now at Wings (I'm at the Baptist Mission again), so that is good. The next step now is to get a source of power at Wings. The one plug we have is from an inverter and that probably won't last much longer. I gave the guys a bunch of money today to go and try to find a small generator for us. We don't want to run the big generators because of what the vibrations may do to the unstable house. We need one we can wheel outside when it is on, and secure inside when we are not using it. With everything closed down, shopping isn't easy, but they are resourceful!

If I can get online on my own computer I'll try to post some pictures, we'll see how the electricity and internet connection hold out.

Thank you for all your love, support, prayers for all of us. We feel your presence.

end quoted update