Day 15 - We're in Miami!

Everything went smoothly at the airport.   We arranged for a tap-tap to pick 9 of us up at 5:30am.  We figured the earlier we get to the airport the better.  The tap-tap arrived, but was the size of a small jeep... with luggage, had to make 3 trips to take all of us... Raine & Khiyas super-huge hockey bag was just thrown on the roof of the car, but was heavy enough, it didn't fall off.    My back-pack was not so lucky.   Don saw it fall of the back and yelled for the driver to stop.  It got a bit muddy (which transferred to my only clean clothes when I held it on my lap), but could have been a lot worse - we'd just driven through a huge pot-hole/puddle.   At the airport, the line-up was not too long, but we still waited 1 1/2 hours before we started moving.  Everyone that enters the airport must go through a security scanner - and there's only one.  This isn't the real security - that comes later.   There are several people along the way that check your ticket/boarding pass, initial, and pass you on to the next person.   Seems like a make work project.   We got through all the checkpoints easily enough, and were able to spend a couple of hours having coffee and relaxing.    It was a real relief to be on the plane and seat-belted in.

It has been quite an adventure..I am so glad that I came.   I thank God for giving me the courage, strength, health and desire to travel to Haiti.   I am again reminded of just how blessed we are in this beautiful country of ours.  I believe we are blessed for a reason, and that is to help those who are struggling - in whatever manner.   In our two weeks, we have helped such a tiny little bit - in comparison to the size of the problem... but in the words of Lucio, one of the Haitian volunteers at GRU, now that we have seen it with our own eyes, we can go back home and remind people not to forget Haiti.... that she still needs our help.  God bless the Haitian people, and all those who so willingly spend their time, energy and money to help them.    Cheers, everyone!

Day 15 - One more sleep...

Today was very laid back....not too much to help  with around the base today; I taped together a few more posters, and that was about it!   Worked my way through a way-too-difficult crossword puzzle (with a minimum of cheating).  Raine hired a young girl to braid Khiya's hair - took 8 1/2 hours!

After 8 hours, only the beads to go....



Fini!

 All of us have checked in online & printed our boarding passes.   We've packed up our tents, and will sleep in the house tonight; our tap-tap will pick us up at 5:30 tomorrow morning.   Our flight doesn't leave until 10:50, but we've been told to expect long line-ups - particularly because American Airlines has been shut down since last Tuesday, and many have been frantically trying to rearrange flights.  Not looking forward to the airport-frenzy; hope it's not as bad as our arrival!   Pray that we're early enough to avoid some of the craziness...

Took some pics of our "digs".... this is as close as a hippy commune as I'll probably ever experience.  They really are a friendly bunch, and we've really been made welcome, for which I'm very grateful.


All secured yards have solid metal gates like this... notice the barbed wire on top of the walls....Security guards on inside only let in those who are suppoed to be there!



This is the tire/pop bottle house I mentioned earlier...

 



This is the composting toilet... with handwashing station beside - always with disinfectant soap and hand sanitizer.  Rice hulls are used to cover the "you-know-what".  The waste is composted for a minimum of 6 months to ensure anything harmful is killed, and then is used as fertilizer.

Hole in the wall.... literally.... can buy cold pop & beer here all day! 



This bus was donated by a school division - packed to the rafters with tools & supplies - better than a container, because it's useful afterwards!

Will make my final post from Miami tomorrow.... just to let you know we've succeeded in getting out of the country!   I think just in time.... they are releasing the results of the recount tomorrow.... It's been quite an adventure...




  

...

Day 14...

Poured rain all last night - terribly humid and stuffy in our tents.   The fly wasn't on our tent properly, and although I managed to stay reasonably dry, poor Betty was soaked.  At 3:00 in the morning, ended up moving into the house and found an unused cot.   She didn't sleep much, though,worried that the cot-owner might return!  We've fixed our fly, so hopefully tonight will be better - because it's again pouring rain... and this is supposed to be Haiti's dry season!

This morning, we all helped with clean-up around the house for about an hour, then assisted with various tasks.   I taped together posters used for cholera education.   The posters, and instructions on how to use them are given to leaders in various communities & camps to teach  the causes, prevention and treatment of cholera.   This afternoon, I volunteered to go with one of the regulars, Delphine, to renew licencing of their Association.  This involved 2 different tap-tap rides, and walks inbetween each - I got to see a lot of the city, and experience riding in a closed in tap-tap with a minimum of 17 people, some hanging off the back!  People were going about their business, and everyone was friendly... so it appears that things have calmed down.... Thank God!  You can't imagine the filth and garbage everywhere - mounds of it, and everyone seems so oblivious to it.  Delphine said she doesn't even notice it anymore - she's been here 5 months, and she's quite used to it.... she is going home to France for a couple of weeks and says she's sure she'll be amazed at how clean it is!

Raine's Mom & Dad have been in contact with Bob Merrifield, our MLA,about our situation here, and long-story short (Raine can fill you in on the details), he contacted Ottawa, and Raine's received an e-mail with a emergency phone number to arrange for safe transport to the airport on Wednesday!   So all is well.....

One of our local volunteer friends here at Grass Roots, Aldy, shared the story of his horror on January 12.   He told us he argued with his Mom about going to church that Sunday, and wasn't going to go.   After his Mom left, though, he grabbed his bible and did go.  The earthquake happened while he was in church.   There was a stampede to get out of the church; his mother got knocked down and trampled - he didn't say whether she survived.  He ran home - very difficult while the earth was shaking.... to find his home flattened.  His sister met him outside; he asked where her children (his nieces) were - they were both inside.   He found one with her arm pinned by concrete.  The other had concrete smash her head open. Where his bedroom was - where he would have been if he hadn't gone to church, the entire slab from the roof - 6" of concrete landed.   His bed was flattened.   I told him that God saved him for a purpose... he said others have said the same thing to him.   He helped wherever he could trying to get people out - he decribed body parts everywhere, legs, arms, decapitated bodies.... Aldy hasn't slept in a building since - he's too scared. He sleeps in a tent here at Grass Roots.   He still has nightmares.    But still... he smiles.... the human spirit is an incredible thing.

On a lighter note, Aldy told Betty that she sounded like an American, not a Canadian, and he asked her if she spoke French.  Betty replied no, he said (with a straight face) - well, your English is very good.  

It's really raining cats & dogs right now...hope it quits by bedtime!...

Day 13 (oops skipped another day...)

We arrived safely in  Port au Prince this morning.  Roads were cleared, and everything was fairly quiet.   A lot of the population attend church, and it was very cool to see families all dressed up... the little girls in frilly dresses and ribbons in their hair, boys with long-sleeved shirts & ties.  They take a lot of pride in their dress.

Grass Roots United works with several NGO's, kind of as a middleman.  They are experimenting with building of different types of homes, using materials readily available in Haiti.  One is built of tires & pop bottles covered with concrete, another of rice straw.   Pop bottles are a real problem here.   There's no recycling, no garbage pick-up - so pop bottles are strewn everywhere.    Composting toilets are also made on site.  I spoke to a young Haitian, Lucio, who builds the toilets, and he told me of his goal of getting lots of these toilets out into the community.     He has a passion for his country, and chooses to put his passion to good use - doesn't see any useful purpose for the demonstrations.  Believes that each individual is responsible to make a difference - that expecting the government to make a difference is a waste of time.

Because this is a city, we have some city amenities... actually had a ham & cheese sub on fresh bread for lunch from the corner store, and we're bbqing hamburgers for supper, plus mashed potatoes!   Beats rice & beans!  The stuff for supper was purchased from an actual, air-conditioned supermarket.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow..... until then...

Day 11/Day 4 of lock down...

Good news - looks like the demonstrators take weekends off, so things are quiet in both Leogane & Port au Prince.   We are taking advantage of the weekend to travel to PAP.   Arrangements have been made with another NGO, Grassroots United,  for us to stay there until our flight leaves on Wednesday. We will be tenting it; they don't have bunks.    Expectations are that on Monday, demonstrations will start up again, and we don't want to take the chance of being stuck in Leogane.   This organization's site is close to the airport; it's a 5 minute ride,  or a 30 minute walk (only if we have to).   We are all relieved to be moving close to the airport, and on a day that is more than likely going to be quiet.  In case American Airlines again cancels flights, we can check with other airlines.   Apparently, American is the only airline that has not been flying!  What's with that?  Keep praying that we can get out as scheduled on Wednesday.  Throughout it all, God's peace has kept me calm... I know we're under His protection, and even if we don't make the flight on Wednesday, we will eventually make it !

Tomorrow, All Hands is removing the lockdown, and allowing everyone to go out in the community... which tells me they are really comfortable that tomorrow will be quiet.

Last night some overheard a voodoo service occurring nearby; chanting, drumming, singing - it went on for hours.   With my earplugs, I never heard a thing....

Today was actually very fun-filled; the first, hopefully not annual, lockdown olympics were held:)  A fellow Canuck, Will, planned several events which included a relay race, tight-rope walking, human sculpture, tai-chi, juggling, jingle creation, wife-carrying, and spanish & chinese pick-up lines.    It was a lot of fun.   My team, Team Beaver (because all 3 of us were Canadians - plus one honorary Canadian who was actually British), came in 3rd - don't ask me how!  Here's some pictures of our athletic (& Other) feats....   Next posting.... from Port au Prince!

Human Inukshuk

Team World demonstrates sports from each country; US - basketball, China -gymnastics, Canada - hockey!

Team Beaver sings their Canadian jingle to the tune of Jingle Bells...

Day 11... Day 3 of Lock down...

Well, we're still here... we didn't get out today, blockades are still up in town, and there's still unrest - rock-throwing, tire-burning, etc.   From our roof, we can see some of the street in front of our building, and it seems so normal from that vantage point.   People are chatting, going about their business.   It's definitely not the majority, but those who are promoting the demonstrations get angry when it appears that others are not standing in solidarity with them.   In the marketplace today, rocks were thrown at vendors - presumably because  they were working.   

The recount was occurring today; a preliminary rumor is that all 3 candidates will be allowed to run for President in January (which apparently is against their constitution).    If that is the case, then there's hope that the unrest will die down, at least until January. 

The group is being as creative as possible with filling their time; young people do not "do nothing" well! Basketball, rope climbing, someone built a "Clue" table.   As for the "old people", we read, fall asleep, read, fall asleep.....and walk... we walked around the Joint Logistics Base (JLB) several times. Did I tell you about the JLB?  It's a large yard used by several NGO's (Habitat is one).  I borrowed a guitar, and Raine, Khiya, our new friend Katie and I sang praise & worship songs... we needed that!

I really hope we can get out on Wednesday... just got word that American Airlines has cancelled Monday's flights.... why on earth they would cancel flights 3 days ahead of time, I'll never know.   Anyway, we will take one day at a time.... cause it's all we can do!   Not exactly what we signed up for, but still an adventure nontheless.  All things work together for good...

Sure doesn't feel like Christmas.....

Day 10... or Day 2 of Lock-down...

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Lock-down continues... there are still many blockades between here and Port au Prince, lots of things happening there (as you have probably heard on the news).   Leogane was fairly quiet, so we may get out in the community tomorrow.   We'll find out in the morning.   It rained all day today, which may have helped to keep things quiet.  We're all looking forward to getting back to work (even clearing rubble:).   Cholera has come to Leogane; there were 46 cases reported on just Monday & Tuesday this week.   It's so difficult to control because there is such poor sanitation and hygiene - no understanding of what  causes it.  The other day, between base and the corner vender where we buy Cokes, there was a woman bathing in the gutter - which was absolutely filthy.  They don't understand how something you can't see can make you sick.  So instead, they blame blancs (whites) for bringing it in.   

Nothing more to report...please pray that the airlines will start flying out of Port au Prince again, and that everyone who has re-scheduled flights for Sunday will get out.   Also, that our flights next Wednesday will leave as scheduled, and for safe journies between Leogane and the airport.   Thanks everyone!  Talk to you tomorrow!