Author: bryan@bmeyers.net (Page 57 of 101)

From the Washington Post: A month after Hurricane Matthew, 800,000 Haitians urgently need food

Hi, everyone,

Things are slowly getting back to normal, at least in our villages. In the southern part of Haiti no one else has any idea what it will take because it was so badly damaged. Some of the towns were the hardest hit by the earthquake. Of the approximately 1,000 deaths, many were those still living in tents from the earthquake, and many were just washed away. It just makes a person sick to think of that happening to someone. Help is slow getting to those areas because of the roads and bridges that were washed away.

To a point, it was that way going north but not quite as bad. Anyone who has crossed the bridge mentioned before, knowing the water was up to the bottom of it, will wonder how it is still even there. It is amazing it hasn’t fallen even before this.

Most of “our” damage was limited to damaged roofs. Mud and debris filled houses and schools but thankfully there were no injuries. The schools are back up and running, as are the feeding programs.

We just don’t know how we can ever thank all of you who gave, some more than one time, and those who have offered prayers for our friends and the country. Since the feeding programs are funded, those were going to operate anyway. We were concerned about all the extra people we knew would show up. Your help alleviates that concern. Including the money received and pledged, the total will come to right at $10,000. That amount will allow us to feed many more for a much longer time. We think this picture may have been staged, but it shows kids eating; to us and we think you, that’s all that matters

Those who have been with us for any length of time know we rarely ask for money, but in times like this we don’t know what else to do. The few times we have asked, you have always responded just as you did this time.

It is our prayer that you will be blessed knowing you are helping so many people.

Steve & Terry

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