There isn’t a lot we can share with you that you haven’t seen on the news. It’s very bad…about as bad as it gets in the southern part of Haiti. For those in Missouri and Arkansas and especially those of us who had kids go to college there, it reminds us a lot of Joplin. It’s just gone.
All of our workers are okay with the exception of damaged roofs, water and mud damage, and lost animals; none were hurt and “our” kids are OK. The schools survived as well, although they are being used to house people whose homes are beyond repair.
USA Today had an excellent article that showed just where all the damage is, how many people are affected in each area of the country, and how many are known dead as of today. But, like the earthquake, the real number will never be known.
If you look at this article , the area all of our schools are in is the Ouest (West) and is just to the right of the word Ouest. This graphic shows over two hundred thousand people in the area we work are in need of humanitarian aid.
As we mentioned before, this is very unlike the earthquake. There just isn’t any food to be found and when there is, it will be far out of the price range of the average person. Add to that is the re-emergence of cholera, and people are already dying of that.
To date we have received $2,250 for food. The day after receiving the first $500, we sent it to Haiti to start a food program in Bayelle and we sent more as soon as it came in. Steve is still trying to find reasonable prices to go, but we won’t pay inflated prices just so we can say he went. We feel it makes better use of the money to send it for beans and rice, and we think you will agree.
Thank you to all who have sent. Thank you to all who have said you will, and for all who keep this country and those affected in your daily prayers.
Steve & Terry
