Latest e-mail from Marlaine. (1-26-10)

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1.26.10

Good Morning!

First, thank you so much for your prayers as I traveled the past few days to the Dominican Republic and Jacmel, Haiti! I could not have done it without those words of safety and encouragement!

On Wednesday afternoon, I flew from Ft Lauderdale to Santo Domingo. Sebastian Velez, a new and amazing friend, had arranged transportation from the airport to a hotel for the night. Early the next morning, we drove for 6 hours to Pedernales, Dominican Republic where the navy ship was. I had wired money before leaving the US and this made it possible to purchase the supplies in Pedernales before racing to the port. It was amazing to witness the work the ship crew, Red Cross and other volunteers put in to load the ship with supplies in Pedernales and unload the ship in Jacmel. After hours of loading, we left around midnight and made it to Jacmel at 7 AM Friday. I felt so much joy to find all the boys from the Home at the port waiting to come onboard and help with the unloading of supplies and putting them in trucks. Some Haitian policemen were there as well to make sure we got all our supplies home without incident.

We are so grateful to every one that responded so quickly with their donations to help us to purchase the supplies! Your contribution allowed for the purchase of about 20,000 lbs in foods, hygiene/sanitation products, cleaning supplies and tents that have either already made it to Jacmel or is leaving for Jacmel in the next couple of days. Daniel is leaving tomorrow morning on a flight to Jacmel with more supplies. We are blessed with a good staff that continues to work hard to make sure that the children stay well and they have food. They have also started distributing food to people in the surrounding neighborhood through a make-shift feeding program. For those able to find somewhere to cook and something to cook in, they have started passing out 3-5 days worth of food. It was heartbreaking to leave the kids and staff during such a difficult time, but I had decided to return with the ship to Pedernales as families in the adoption process were waiting to get their written proposals so their children could come home. There is no gasoline, electricity, or systems in place where I would be able to complete their paperwork while in Haiti.

I am so grateful to the Lord to have found everyone safe and to hear the testimony of the children. Renel was on the 4th floor when his school building collapsed, and he is one of three students alive today. Both Homes have some minor damages but everyone is still outside because aftershocks are still strong and houses just keep falling suddenly. The retaining wall withstood the earthquake, so praises for that!

In Marbial, it has been reported that both buildings collapsed and help has yet to arrive to the people up at such remote areas. People there are hopeless for food, medical supplies and potable water. I did not have a chance to see the kids at the two orphanages that we support in Port au Prince, but was able to speak to the staff there: everyone is alive, the building is damaged, and the kids are sleeping outside as well. The roads from Jacmel to PAP are not completely cleared and so I sent money for them to try and buy food/supplies. What few stores and warehouses that still remain have raised their prices exponentially.

What to do next:

The needs are overwhelming. We need to continue providing food to the people. The staff at the Home says that even throughout the night, more people come knocking at the gate in search of a meal. I always try and see things in a positive way but it is very hard to do that right now. Families who survived do not know what they are going to do with their children. People are sleeping on the dirt streets without even a sheet and with no hope to have a place again to stay.

We need to get more tents, sleeping bags, blankets and sheets on the ground. Instead of bringing bottled water, we need a water purification plant right away. We have one well working and we need a generator that will enable the second well to function. And medical supplies are a big need at the clinic working in Jacmel --- they are doing surgery without anesthesia. There are medical groups on the ground but they can’t bring with them enough supplies to respond to the needs. It is awful.

Our children have food now, but until we can move them inside the house, we need more tents as temporary shelter. And this applies to all of Jacmel, and the entire country! One policeman came to me at the port to explain how hard it is for him and his family to survive. He said I know that you could help me with some food but what I need the most is a tent: we are all sleeping on the dirt.

There is no propane yet in Jacmel, I have to make another arrangement to provide that from DR. We are blessed that the children are all accounted for and currently have food but the same cannot be said for the rest of Jacmel, Marbial, Les Cayes, or Carrefour! I am back to work again on a second load of specific supplies, and I pray that you will be able to continue the support that has been saving lives!

Please continue to pray for all those in Haiti who lost friends, family, homes, and everything they own.

Marlaine