No Celebrity Endorsements, No Aid Flowing in Sen Rafayel, Cap-Haitien Haiti

* * *
Hello Everyone,

There are times when I am at a loss for words. That doesn't happen often but lately, I have fewer words and many more moments of reflection. Wrackspurts, as J.K Rowling's character Luna Lovegood calls them in the Harry Potter series.

With the exception of last Thursday, we have had rain every night since Monday, September 15. The rain has added to the misery and danger in many places, including Sen Rafayel. [Ed. note: See this page on Hurricane Center for current storm activity.]

Dieumane's mom died yesterday morning in Sen Rafayel. She was 43. Her house was flooded when TS Hanna went through and she had been sleeping in a ditch ever since . She became ill last week, probably a combination of malnutrition, typhoid, pneumonia -- you name it.

Dieumane's dad was drowned in the river 2 years ago during a storm. The victim list continues to grow here. Many of our kids are still unaccounted for. News from Haitian radio this am brings word of more flooding last Wednesday as a result of the daily rains.

The village of Dondon is just south of Sen Rafayel. It experienced flooding, loss of gardens, animal, houses, people as well. San Michel above Sen Rafayel was all but wiped out. Sen Rafayel sits mired in debris, illness, hunger, and renewed flooding. And still no support.

A friend of mine said in an email last week, "Hope the aid is flowing and things are returning to normal."

THERE IS NO AID FLOWING.
THERE NEVER IS AID FOR THE AVERAGE HAITIAN WHO LIVES IN ABJECT POVERTY.

I can only shout the message with capital letters and hope that awareness emerges. The only aid in Haiti is in the places that make the news, either by celebrity endorsement or misery caught on video.

Still no electricity or gas, ice
One tanker of gas arrived at our gas station in Champin on Sunday. The rest of the city was shut down. Vehicles were lined 3 abreast and police as well as private security were on duty. By Monday morning, every drop was gone. No ice anywhere. Apparently there is no gas for the delivery vehicle.

While we can do without ice and refrigeration, we cannot do without potable water. Let's hope that is not the next victim of this crise. Many stores are closed completely. Cost of a school uniform is doubled now as material is scarce, marchands unable to replenish stocks so doubling prices.

We will supplement for the kids who are coming in this week with results for State exams for 9eme. We are sending more to the clinics daily as hunger and illness grows but the Clinics are unable to perform many tests as generators are gas driven.

Cap-Haitien, Sen Rafayel roads to Port-au-Prince closed
We are completely cut off from the south now. The secondary route through Sen Rafayel and Hinche was extremely dangerous but people tried to navigate it. Another died trying yesterday so the route has been closed.

We have kids stuck in Port-au-Prince with insufficient funds, and we have kids stuck in Sen Rafayel who want to start university but they cannot get to Port-au-Prince.

The cost of a gode of uncooked rice (one cup) is now 40 gds ($1.00 US) up from 11 gds about a year ago. The same amount of charcoal for cooking it is roughly the same price, for a total of $2. US to buy and cook a cup of plain rice -- without oil, beans, spices, water, matches, cooking pot. [see convert USD to HTG info]

We will get through this. My mother always says that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. She was talking about her many cancer surgeries and treatments. She is one tough lady. But I digress.

Keep us in your thoughts . . .

Sharon

Hanna Does Damage in Haiti - No Hydro, No Supplies, No Gas

-------------------
Hello Everyone,

I arrived yesterday (Thursday) about 2 p.m. Cap-Haitien time after a somewhat turbulent trip. The descent was made from a different approach necessitating a very steep turn. One could see the devastation.

Petit Anse looked to be half submerged. We have 15 kids there. Fosenmichel [Ft. St. Michael] was as bad - we have another dozen kids there. People were just wandering through the long grass surrounding the airport, or sitting in small groups. How much more 'mize' (misery) can these people process?

Gas Lineups in Cap
Jackson [cab driver] met me with his taxi but my luggage didn't arrive. After a trip down to Lynx to be told to call tomorrow [Friday], we headed for home. As we passed a line-up about a kilometer in length at a gas station, Jackson told me he had waited 4 hours in the morning to get 2 gallons of gas to pick me up.

Bridges Out
As the bridge to the south at Gonaives was washed away (our bridge to Sen Rafayel has been out for 2 years), we are essentially cut off from the south, so no supplies, including gas, are getting here. Traffic was greatly reduced due to the gas shortage. Driving through the streets was a navigation test -- greatly enlarged pot holes, tree limbs and whole trees provided the obstacle course.

Storm Damage from Hanna
Our street (Impasse Soeurs Missionaires) was cut off by a huge tree which had been uprooted. It had fallen across the street and rested on the roof of the corner house. Jackson managed to brush underneath it and we arrived at the house.

Inside the compound looked like a war zone. Our garden area was covered with downed branches as the staff had been busy cleaning up. The largest tree on our lawn had the top removed. It landed on our hydro wires in to the house.

There is no electricity anywhere so we'll try to repair today. Our banana tree was uprooted as well, and most flowering shrubs are gone. The water which came into the house entered the office and soaked the backpacks we had just prepared for Sen Rafayel.

School Supplies Lost
Mold and mildew are already growing so we will have to burn most. Replacement cost will be enormous and the back packs we just cannot get here. Although we have not yet paid school fees due to shortage of funds, we did inskri (register) many so had sent the first load of backpacks (with text books, notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, pencil sharpeners, hygiene products) last Wednesday with Claudy and Louisena.

Haven't heard an update from Sen Rafayel as it is difficult to charge batteries with no gas for the generators. I had Jack charge our solar batteries to half using the generator in order to check weather this morning. Gas is almost gone so next update may be some time coming, unless we have enough sun to charge from the solar panels.

Hurricane Ike Coming
We had overcast skies and rain last night. Can only hope Hurricane Ike takes a hike north. Will try to get to town today for supplies as the cupboard is bare. So much clean up to be done and we need to try to check on our kids in the hardest hit areas. With no gasoline we may have to wait for them to make their way to us. Housing has always been a challenge and this will compound the problem.

Will touch base when possible.

Be safe
Sharon

P.S. Deb and Stan In USA : So good to hear from you. Your shining faces were missed on the shuttle yesterday to the airport. Glad you arrived home safely.

TS Hanna Battering Northern Haiti Flights from Florida Canceled

Hi All

A quick update as I sit in Ft. Lauderdale hoping to return home to Cap after a weekend of meetings here. Hopefully we can do an end run around TS Hanna [see National Hurricane Center for tracking map, and location of Haiti from east coast Florida]

It was good to see Alex and Laura's blog post. Another perspective is always enlightening for me. I look forward to their impressions of our home visit program.

I just talked to Lynx Air about the flight back to Cap-Haitien scheduled for this morning (Tuesday), and Lynx says to show up at the airport in any event, as no decision reached yet. Don't see how we can go, though, as all flight paths are contaminated.

###

Just talked with Lynx rep again. The flight is delayed and may be cancelled but I need to show up as per ticket. If cancelled, I will come back to the hotel.

###

Just arrived back to the hotel from the airport. Flight cancelled as Cap-Haitien is being hit hard by TS Hanna, and the Cap-Haitien airport is closed. According to one American with whom I am travelling, there are reports of bodies (10) floating in the street in Cap.

He had been speaking to folks in Cap who were waiting for his flight to arrive. They strongly advised against travel in the event the flight was not cancelled. Lynx is prudent and would not risk anyone. I have confidence born of 10 years of travel with them.

Apparently Artibonite and Gonaives flooded again as well. Will try to contact staff to find out how they are doing, and let them know that maybe tomorrow I can get a flight out.

[With the coming storm / hurricane] I think I am the only guest in the hotel so have the computer to myself. Will check in every few hours.

###

Just got through to the house in Haiti. I spoke to Auguste, who said they had some flooding at the house and they are cleaning up. The kids couldn't get home last night, so they stayed at the house; I told them to stay again tonight if necessary. They have had no hydro, and no solar, so soon, the phones will lose charges. Hanna is still blanketing North Haiti.

If I am unable to inform them of future flight change and arrival time, I will take my chances at the Cap-Haitien airport. Lynx not certain which day we will get out. Apparently, Ike and Josephine are following Hanna. I hope we find a window. I am glad the kids are safe (as far as we know).

Pi ta
Sharon
_________________________
Wednesday, Sept. 3 2008 update:
_________________________|
Hello again,

I will fly out on Lynx to morrow (Thurs) at noon. TS Ike is set to hit Haiti on Saturday, so that gives us a day on Friday to buy groceries, purchase cleaning supplies and help clean and repair as many ti kay yo as possible.

Here is the email I just received from Auguste in Kreyol, with translation. Reading between the lines, Sen Rafayel is again all but wiped off the map. This happened a year ago last Christmas too. They were just rebuilding and replacing animals etc Status quo has a very different meaning here.

Bonjou, Mme

jodia gen sevis internet paske gen piti soley. Dlo antre nan kek kay okap si tou moun ki rete Petit-Ance ak Fort-Saint michel.

Sen-Rafayel riviere desann li pran jaden ak bet.
Mesi, Bondye beni-ou.
Auguste

Today we have a little sun so a little internet. Hardest hit with flooding are many of the houses where our kids live in Petit-Anse and Ft. St. Michel.

In Sen Rafayel the swollen river came down the mountain and washed away gardens and animals (once again)

Thanks - Blessings