It's hard to believe but it has
been fifteen days since Gonaives and the island of Haiti
suffered the onslaught of Hurricane Gustav.
First Impression
Driving into Gonaives last Thursday and Friday (Sept.11-12),
I was amazed to see the people going about their daily
routine as if nothing had happened. But this is what I could
see on the outside. There were merchants selling a little of
this and that. People were entering their homes cleaning
the feet of mud that had now settled in their home. The
word that came to mind to describe these dear people was
"resilience." They have to move on with life. They have to
do what they can.
Saturday morning (Sept.13) was a different story. As we
drove into Gonaives with the medical team, there were
hundreds of people walking into the city. When asked what
was happening, they said they came to get food. There were
a few with bags of rice but most of the people were walking
back empty handed. The need was still there.
The Medical Team in Gonaives
The medical team wanted to ensure that the
children at the Gonaives Mission Site orphanage were fine.
Not only were our children there but there were many from
the community wanting to see the doctors. After leaving the
Gonaives Mission Site, the medical team went into another
area and saw several more patients. The third stop was in a
slum area called Raboteau. In this area the water level was
still high. I cannot describe to you the emotions of the
medical team but it was expressed in their tears and sobs as
they saw adults and children suffering from pneumonia, high
fever, stomach pain, diarrhea, etc., all a result of the
flood. It was obvious that significant help hadn't reached
that community. Arrangements are being made to get more
food into that area. This is just one of several areas
that is still in desperate need...two weeks after the
flooding.
The team wanted to visit the Gonaives General Hospital.
They were shocked at what remained of the hospital. Windows
and doors were wide open exposing the feet high of mud that
had gathered in every room. The hospital had lost
everything. I leave you to imagine what will happen
later to the very sick in Gonaives. The medical team hopes
to return in two weeks.
Taking Photos of the Plight in Gonaives
In the city of Soleil, the water is still knee high and even
higher in some areas. It was difficult after awhile to take
any more photos. I felt almost as if I were robbing the
people of their dignity. This is just what they had to do
to survive. I saw people making their homes on the roof,
waiting for the water below to recede; a pregnant woman
taking a bath on the main road, a gentle man sorting through
clothes in the mud; and an old man dressed in a child's
shirt, khaki pants, and white girl's shoes a size smaller
than his feet. I saw people using their toes to grip their
sandals on their feet as they walked through the slippery
mud.
Journeying to the South
On Sunday, Sept 14, we started our journey
south from Gonaives to Les Cayes. We had heard that the
south was cut off because of the high waters in Miraguane.
The only way across was on a canoe. We were in a rental and
made the daring venture across. With the vehicle turned
off, we made our way to the roof of the car with our
luggage. Eight men were hired to push the vehicle across
the 3/4 mile of water. The flood rains from Gustave had
made a lake of 4 feet high water and in some spots as high
as 5 feet. The hired men made their way across, pushing the
vehcile while one was in the front feeling with his feet the
raod underneath.
Returning the same way yesterday morning (Sept.16) was
different. This time no vehicles were allowed to cross the
waters because 3 huge trucks were stuck. They dared to
venture in the night, after 6:00pm, and two people lost
their lives. The only way to get back home was to hire a
boat to take us across and then a bus to take us into
Port-au-Prince. The rental would have to be left on the
south side and returned later. As we were waiting for our
boat, a tractor came by and was able to pull one of the
trucks out. We boarded our boat and began making our way
across. As we came on the north side, we saw DouDou, yes
DouDou, with several hired men pushing the rental across.
Because of this difficulty in Miraguane, all the cities to
the south are slowly feeling the effects of not having
enough food and gas. A container of food donated for the
south is to arrive this Saturday. Pray for protection as
this is done because the atmosphere at Miraguane is, shall I
say, nothing short of chaos. (Photos below)
What's Next?
We will still continue to give food to the
communities in need, both in the north and the south. This
will have to be done for awhile.
Thanks to several of you who are planning to send containers
of clothes for the people. Please don't forget to send
new or gently worn clothing. Complete list on ESMI
website-
www.ESMIHOME.org
A container will be at El Shaddai Presbyterian Church from
Sept. 22-29. The address:
El Shaddai Presbyterian Church
11303 NE 13th Avenue
Miami, FL 33161
At all the mission sites, there are repairs to be done.
Some are major such as the bridge to the Cambry orphanage
that was destroyed. At Gonaives, all the cement bought to
finish the church and the school were washed away in the
flood waters. School opens on October 1, so ESMI staff is
working hard to have the construction men back on site to
finish the second floor of the Gonaives school.
Much to pray about with us. Thanks for all your support.
Please send funds to:
MNA
1700 North Brown Road, Suite 101
Lawrenceville, GA 30043
Memo: Haiti Disaster ReliefOr
DONATION
Thanks to brother Frantz who is updating our website with
all the latest info.
www.ESMIHOME.org
Photo Story below:
Flood waters in Soleil, Gonaives, 2 weeks
after Hurricaen Gustav.
The massive force of the flood waters toppled
cars, broke down strong concrete walls, washed away gas
stations, moved a 40 ft. container to the top of another
vehicle.
Thanks to Spanish River Church in Boca Raton,
FL who partnered in the construction of this church on the
Gonaives Mission Site. This area remained dry as it is situated
on higher ground. However, most of the cement bought to
complete the work was washed away.
The Gonaives Mission Site is an unusual one for ESMI in that it
was started because of the many left orphaned after Hurricane
Jeanne in 2004. When the south could not provide a home for the
older orphaned children, the promise was made to build a home
for them in Gonaives. This promise was made possible with C3
Mission. Now there are 250 orphans onsite. We anticipate that
another home will be built for 300 children left as orphans from
this flood. By God's grace, this will be their home church.
This is the lake formed by the flood waters at
Miraguane in the south. Via ground transportation, there is no
other way to get to the south. Here we are, on Sunday, on top
of the roof of the rental. One man is in the front directing
the others how to push the vehicle. Be in prayer this Saturday
as we try to send a container of food to the south.
This was taken yesterday morning, Sept 16,
trying to cross Miraguane. In the middle, there is the white
rental being pushed across with DouDou at the wheel. To the
back of the rental are the two trucks stuck in the water. A
tractor was able to remove the third.
Medical team visit the kids on Saturday,
Sep.13, at the Goniaves Mission Site
Dr. Jim with one of the patients from the
community around the orphanage.
Children and adults waiting to be seen at the
Gonaives Mission Site.
This lady trying not to get her skirt wet as
the vehicles pass.
Food being prepared at the Gonaives Mission
Site for the orphans.
Here's a blind lady with her granddaughter
taking refuge in the Fox's Clinic on the Gonaives Mission Site.
This is just one of many families who are there at night.
During the day, they go out to clean their mud-filled home, or
to look for food, or to do what they have to do to survive.
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E-mail: donysha@aol.com
