Thank you for the wonderful, caring emails we've received, and regret we haven't been able to answer each one. We want to update you though on some of what's happening -
Food Distribution - last Tuesday in Cabaret, a town just north of Port au Prince, where Ann went to help. A river flows through this town, and because of the tremendous force of the water, it forged a new channel for itself, washing away many homes and people. The devastation throughout the town is immense and these people had been without food and good drinking water for over a week. The glazed expressions and obvious physical and emotional trauma was clearly seen as we gave each one food and water (we gave them MRE's which is food already prepared and cooked). Words can not describe the experience in Cabaret.
This river forged a new channel for itself, washing away all the homes and people who lived there partial view of a banana grove destroyed by flood waters; notice the debris that's wrapped around the tree on the right side.
It is unimaginable as we begin to hear statistics, figures of the damage and far-reaching consequences of what has happened here in about 3 1/2 weeks from tropical storm Fay, and hurricanes Gustav, Hanna, and Ike coming one right after the other. These storms hit all 10 of Haiti's regions, knocking out bridges, washing out roads, and created isolated pockets of misery all across Haiti. Reports have come out stating that over 1 million people are homeless, 151,000 people are fortunate to be in shelters, and 45,000 homes destroyed. The last death total we heard was 328, but that will rise as well as the number of people missing. With sub-standard housing and crushing poverty, Haiti is in a full-blown humanitarian crisis.
The UN is helping with humanitarian aid, Canada is sending down engineers to help build bridges. The US Kearsarge is here making food drops in isolated areas-45 metric tons to Jeremie and Cayes, and 85 metric tons to Gonaives. There are also missionaries in these isolated areas, and we know of one situation where a friend drove his vehicle loaded with water as close as he could to where the missionaries lived, and the missionaries were sending donkeys down the path with the hope the donkeys could bring the water on the return trip. At this point, we don't know if this worked out or not.
The destruction is taking it's toll on those not affected directly also. It is overwhelming to think about all that has happened, realizing it will take a very long time for this tiny country to recover. The whole country seems to be in shock and dazed by the events of these past few weeks. The newly confirmed Prime Minister, Michelle Pierre Louis and her cabinet have huge challenges ahead of them.
We have given food to people here in Port, have helped with a food distribution with Ann helping with second one. The Chapel congregation will be collecting things to give, and MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship) here in Haiti, whose families come to the Chapel, will be flying these supplies into some of these isolated and needy areas.
Please be praying for -
* the President Preval and PM Pierre Louis, for wisdom as they grapple with these very difficult challenges
* for the Haitian people - may this horrific situation bring people to solid faith in Him.
* wisdom and discernment beyond our own to know His plan for us in the midst of such need
Blessings,
Karl and Ann
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