Update

Well, thought that I'd give you another little update on what is happening here.  Please realize that this is just my own personal view on what is happening around us.  I am not going out of my way looking for stories nor for issues to work through. 


Yes, I know, I'm lacking pictures for the picture readers.  That would be me.  Got lots of words for you though - you'll have to imagine the pictures. 

Think that I heard just recently of a reporter who said that the issues in dealing with the medical situations here is not the availability of doctors - that its availability of supplies and facilities number one and possibly the logistics of placing the doctors is number two.  I think that my blog entry regarding our own personal experiences with the medical team came to that very same conclusion - long before the reporter. 

I really have no specific purpose for this blog entry, so I'm likely going to ramble a bit.  You've been forewarned.

Well, today, we worked at the site.  I had two people drop by looking for work.  This is not uncommon - but I think the sense of urgency or desperation was a little stronger.  Unfortunately, I cannot hire everyone that comes along. 

I have been riding my motorcycle a lot the last few days.   Since we were able to finally purchase some gas.  Actually, noticed that the gas station that we frequently go to looked more like normal.  It was open, but without all the congestion and frenzy of people trying to get some fuel before they run out.  There were a couple of vehicles at the pumps, being serviced normally.  No propane yet - and somehow it makes you wonder if the fuel supplies will last.  The roads are certainly busy again - so people are able to buy fuel - the tap taps are everywhere again - all good signs. 

I am seeing what appears to me to be lots of heavy equipment working on the collapsed buildings.  While I think that there may be a little bit of search and rescue going on, I believe that it has mostly changed to treatment of injured and the recovery of bodies.  The smell of death that I talked about being so strong the first few days is clearing.  Large areas where the smell was horrible after the 2nd day have been cleared.  The heavy equipment will go through the ruins of a collapsed building floor by floor - stripping away the concrete piece by piece and recovering bodies as they go.  Many buildings that had completely collapsed - layered floor on floor just after the earthquake - have now been turned into a pile of rubble as the heavy equipment goes through the whole building bit by bit recovering the bodies. 

As I said earlier, I have been using my motorcycle a fair bit the last few days.  It is a lot easier to get through traffic for one thing and to get around other obstacles for another.  Here in Haiti, motorcycles do not wait in traffic - you essentially have 3 or 4 options: you can go up the shoulder of the road, you can go up the center line, you can use the opposite side of the road as long as you duck out of the way for oncoming traffic, and finally you can do a mix of all of the above - weave up through the traffic.  It seems to be quite well accepted, rarely do you have a vehicle that will not co-operate with you.  The number of obstacles has increased and includes concrete and tangled metal from buildings, sometimes some broken furniture, perimeter walls that have fallen and people "camping" on the street.  Often streets are blocked or partially blocked when "camps" have been setup on the street.  Oh yes, there is now one other obstacle - heavy equipment that is working on recovery from the ruins.  I have seen many buildings being demolished in this way, but I have only seen one building that was demolished and completely removed from the site by dump truck.

On my way home the other day, a got into a little bit of traffic in an area that is normally pretty clear.  So, seeing that there wasn't any traffic coming the other way, I zipped up the lane for oncoming traffic.  When I got to the front, found a power line down - I guess the pole had just toppled for some reason.  One nice thing about Haiti and its power distribution is that the lines are never (well almost never) live during the day - so its reasonably safe to go over/through/around downed lines.  So, that's exactly what I did - as did the traffic (now behind me) only a little more slowly. 

We are having some issues with our neighbors.  I naively think that we can apply logic - pretty much my approach to most things.  Doesn't work here.  First it was the medical team.  We did not have a chance to properly brief them as the trip was a real whirlwind - normally teams are prepared before they come - we did not have the opportunity to do it before nor during their short stay.  The team, well meaning and all, made some pretty big gaffs that really compromised our position in the community.  As well, as I have mentioned already - the neighbors felt that we should have a clinic for them - which didn't happen.  So, within a week of the quake we are down a couple of key points already with our neighbors.  We have a young man who lives next door.  Its kind of an extended family next door - an uncle, nieces and nephews, and some cousins all sharing a property with two houses.  Pastor Michel and Louise have all but adopted the girls and a brother who live in one of the houses next door - they have a really good relationship with them.  However the uncle and now a cousin are a handful.  The cousin was deported from the US after spending some time in prison there.  He grew up in the US from about the age of 8, but was forced to return to Haiti when he was deported about a year or so ago.  He likes to feel important and he likes easy money - and of course that makes us a target.  He likes to play us against the neighborhood - "making" an important role for himself in the middle - oh yes and of course never passes up any opportunity to make a little money.  You cannot trust his stories, he has many - and he loves to make them up - so he has spread some vicious rumors around the neighborhood since the quake.  He is a handful and does not make our lives any easier.  Ah yes, and one more tidbit of info - one of his friends - I think you'd call him that - is the local witch doctor. 

Incident today came to a head - thanks Mark.  Just after the quake, when we were working to rescue people from the school where our friend Gandy was inside - there were a good many workers there and they were searching for tools of all sorts.  One of our roles of course was to provide some of these tools and support around that.  On one of our many trips back up to the house for equipment, we borrowed a bottle jack from one of our neighbors.  Unfortunately that jack was left inside the building and it was never recovered.  We decided that we would replace the jack, but as of this morning we hadn't done that yet.  My fault for sure, but we've had a few things on the go over the last couple of weeks.  At one point, I addressed a group of men and asked that they provide a description of equipment - never got that - I know, it's being too logical.  Well it came to a head today with some of our favorite members of our neighborhood.  Not by the way including the man who owned the jack - just some of his "friends" and neighbors.  The group  had decided that they did not want a jack back - they wanted money - lots of money and of course much more than the jack was ever worth - 9 or 10 times more.  The men were irate and of course nothing would do, except money.  I liken it to the incident with the women looking for medical attention - who, when our nurse looked at her - she really just wanted some money.  When your skin is white here - it almost always comes to favor and money. 

Anyway after much cafuffle, the man who had loaned the jack was more than happy with the replacement that we had for him.  It was in much better condition than the one we had borrowed.  Seems at least the man was happy - his "friends" well not sure that they will ever be happy. 

Guess who the instigator is behind the jack cafuffle today - you guessed it our "friend" next door.  Yes, also looking for us to give him some money.  He has actually had a few schemes were we are to essentially "entrust" him.

Pastor Michel is awesome in dealing with all of this.  He determines what he is willing to do and what he is not.  He has an excellent way of listening and talking.  The locals get worked up - they get in your face and they want to intimidate you into doing it their way - Pastor Michel listens and explains why it won't work that way.  I think that in some sense the fact that he will not get worked up with them kind of in a way aggravates them.  I know my dad, had and still has some fire in him - not a man to back down from a situation - of course not looking for one, but willing to stand in there where there is one.  I have a little of that blood running in my veins and I sure appreciate that Pastor Michel can calm situations so well and move towards a solution. 

Again, a second little cafuffle today - it involves rumors and allegations.  Guess who is prominent in this one as well - our "friend" next door.  Seems that Pastor Michel has single handedly told all of the aid organizations to stay away from this area.  Of course, there is nothing like a good rumor and our neighbors like to get worked up.  Seems rumors and allegations are a big part in the way this neighborhood (and this country) works.  I guess when you have somebody to blame - its no longer your fault and you don't have to be proactive - just point the finger and pass the buck.  Quickly thinking back in time - its really been a part of human history - I am thinking for example of burning witches at the stake - I'm a lefty, so I'm very happy that I wasn't born a century or two earlier. 

Many of our "neighbors" have their kids in the program - you'd think that might be worth a point or two.  Apparently not. Of course when I am talking about the "neighbors" - its not everyone in the neighborhood - just a handful of men. 

So, as I said in an earlier note, we are regrouping.  Dealing with many issues as they arise - determining our next steps.  The feeding program has not been running since the earthquake.  Friday will be the first.  It's moved from the afternoon to 10 am for the kids and the parents - there is some concern about the kids heading home later in the day.  Some may walk for an hour or so from their houses to be here. 

The workday - well it went okay - the people are certainly happy to be back on the job.  We paid them today - they had two days worth of pay owing - the Monday and Tuesday (11th, 12th)  before the quake.

It is my feeling that the people of Haiti are generally dissatisfied and disgruntled.  They were poor, hungry and thirsty before the quake - many in our area at least have survived the quake without injuries, without losses - but they are still poor, hungry and thirsty - that has not changed.  Haitians can be opportunistic and I think that many see this as an opportunity to address their own personal needs - needs that they certainly had before the quake. A kind of hope that their situation will be fixed for them by someone else. 

I should also tell you that I think the situation in PAP is a little different from the rest of the population of Haiti.  In other areas - particularly  rural areas and villages there is much more a sense of community and family.  People know each other - families have a history - and that breaks some of these barriers.  Here in the city, many of the people have come here from the country - they are "alone" - little or no extended family - little or no sense of community.  The stress in the city is much higher - the competition for opportunities is much greater - certainly less of a spirit of co-operation.  Much more opportunistic.

I am guessing that I'll likely slow down on posts for a while.  As we are putting a plan together and a direction for moving ahead that I can share.

In the interim, please continue to pray for us.  For our safety and for wisdom in the various situations that we now face.  Please pray for calm; for understanding; for our protection.  This ministry is a real light in this city and I ask that you pray against any spirits that would want to bring upheaval and unrest. 

Thank you for your interest and your support.