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What We Know - Earthquake Updates
Posted Saturday, 16 January 2010
- AMENDED Shots from Leogane via Twitter
  
Posted Friday, 15 January 2010
- NEW End of Day Message from FHM Executive Director, Kathy Walmer
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your tremendous support this week. All your concern, willingness to volunteer, and partnership has meant a lot to the staff of Family Health Ministries.
We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends, from the young man and his older brother who baked and then sold brownies to their school group to raise support for the Fondwa orphanage to extremely generous donations of foundations. You are going to make a tremendous difference in the lives of our Haiti family over the months to come.
It has been a difficult week at best. What we do know is
- Jacky and Leon Dorleans and immediate family are ok.
- The Blanchard clinic in Port-au-Prince is still standing and sounds to be in a relatively good shape.
- Delson Merisier and his family are safe although their home is a total loss.
- The second floor of the Leogane clinic which was under construction collapsed, but the first floor held which saved Delson’s life.
- Jamalyn Williamson and her team made it safely to Leogane today and will go to the US embassy in Port-au-Prince tomorrow with hopes to fly to Fort Lauderdale the same day.
- Meagan Rohrmayer is confirmed to be with the team. We thank God for their safe arrival in Leogane.
- Sadly we hear that one of the younger sisters died as well as baby Jude, but Sisters Simone and Carmelle are ok.
- We still are not sure the condition of the orphanage, but we know the guesthouse and school are a loss.
We thank God for the small and not so small miracles we have experienced this week. Please continue to check our website for specific details regarding each of the communities FHM supports.
We continue to pray for our missing staff. There is a list posted on the website of all our partners and staff that have come to be like family to us. As we located each person, we will continue to post their condition. We know you stand with us holding them up in prayer as we sit, wait, and listen for news.
Many Blessings to all of you,
Kathy
- Jamalyn and Team Safe and in Leogane via email on Friday at 3:17 pm CST
Date: Friday, January 15, 2010, 3:17 PM
Hello Friends and Family--
Our team is in Leogane, Haiti. We arrived today after taking motorcycles down the mountain from Fondwa. The road is completely covered in dirt. Everyone is safe and healthy. Dr. Chin, Danny has food and plenty of insulin.
Sadly, Fondwa has been hit hard. The guesthouse is in ruins and so is the school. Jesula's house is gone too. The Sisters lost one of their own in the community--Sister Oudel. We also lost Jude--he was the young baby and he was with Sister Oudel.
Dr. Delson lost his house the second story of his house. We are staying at Hospital St. Croix tonight. The guesthouse is gone but we will sleep with John and Susie Parker. Tomorrow morning we will go to the Embassy and wait for US Aid plane to help bring us home.
Please continue to pray for us. I am so sorry this has been so difficult on all of you. We have been praying that God's grace will cover you and offer you peace.
Lot of love,
Jamalyn and the team
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Email from Megan Rohrmeyer that everyone is fine and will be flying out Saturday
Subject: hey i hopw u check this
we r all ok they r flyin us out tmrw thats all i know ill call when i can please call my mom i love u tell them i love them too
- Update from Pastor Leon Dorleans via email at 6:21 pm Thursday
- Marc Xavier's step-mother and little sister are alive and well. Marc is the husband of Emily Xavier, one of FHM's very active volunteers
- Prayer for Haiti
- Jamalyn Williamson and team are safe in Fondwa; much damage there
- Listing of names and status of those we have heard from at FHM facilities in Haiti
- Claude Pierre, pathologist and friend of FHM is okay
- Daphne Miraville, of the Fondwa ophanage and more recently at the Leogane Nursing School is well and providing healthcare in the town center in Leogane
- Update from Jacqui Labrom on things in PAP emailed 9:19 am and 1:04 pm on Friday
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Prayer Service, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Greensboro, NC, Sunday, January 17, at 6 pm
- United Methodist Church Collecting Health Kits for Haiti plus Ministry Resources
- Picture of St. Joseph's Home for Boys in PAP after the earthquake
Names and Status of Our Loved Ones in Haiti - Children, Friends, Staff, and Colleagues
Update from Pastor Leon Dorleans via email at 6:21 pm Thursday
We're doing fine but very concerned for our brothers and sisters who
lived around us. The situation is very critical as most people are
living with lots of fear thinking that the last days are in. Some
people heard on the news that this ordeal would last 'till Friday.
That doesn't help their behavior at all for too many of them are so
emotional and not being able to think for themselves on how to best
live the moment. I'm truly moved with lots of compassion for them.
No one wants to get close to their homes for fear of death, except
crazy guys like me, thinking that their house would fall on them. We
have over three million people living in Port-au-Prince most of them
have been sleeping on the streets since the warning. I'm sure some of
them would continue to do that even beyond Friday, the supposed last
day of the quake, for fear of death.
Our churches , schools and clinic buildings have all suffered much
damage. Two out of the four churches, Cite Soleil church and
Repatriate churches, are nonfunctional.Those buildings are still
standing up but look very unstable, unsecured for worship. I haven't
been able to visit Ibo Beach yet . I plan to do that today. I will
send more information to you after I visited Ibo Beach.
Cells phone are practically dead except for one company (Haitel) which
I don't do business with for years since the other providers come on
the scene. Gas is very scarce and very expensive. One gallon of gas
cost as much as $12.50 (U.S. dollars) in some places yesterday.
Some people are taking advantage of the situation to practice black
market. Markets aren't open; food is scarce , expensive and rare, gas
stations aren't open either. Water trucks are not delivering water.
Schools and businesses are closed. It was a very unusual day in Haiti
yesterday. It sounds like what John talked about in Revelation is
beginning to be a reality at least for a short time in Haiti.
Yesterday, I was able to visit several families in their homes. Their
situation demands much attention. Many houses are destroyed; some need
major repairs, lots of them need to be totally rebuilt. So far we've
registered five deaths in the three churches that I visited and many
injured people. In the case of the Repatriate church, the quake
started while their were having 278 people showed up for Bible study
and prayer. Many people were injured while trying to ran to save their
lives. It was a sad thing to see. One young boy, about 8 years old,
died from a fallen wall while getting ready to go to church. Several
got injured.
Our church compounds (Cite Soleil and Blanchard) are being used as
places of refuge, away from the danger of any houses and trees that
could fall on the people. Thank God for the soccer field in C/S as
well as the one in Blanchard. Both being used as camping grounds for
the people in the community.
Some of you might remember Boselor, known to some of you as Bosie , he
was found died yesterday inside a class room with several other
students where he used to go to school. Another college student from
Blanchard church was also found dead in a class room in
Port-au-Prince. I heard of couple more from Cite Soleil church but
I've been able to confirm that information yet. Expect to hear more
about from me later on today.
The total people that have been injured and died from the quake
couldn't possibly be known by any one person or agent. I heard
reports anywhere from 50,000 - 100,000. I don't know how many but
I've seen too many dead bodies on the streets of Port - au - Prince
yesterday. It was a very sad and provocative day in my life. I
seriously question our government's ability, specially their
possibility and capability to help with the situation even half way
decently.
We called for an all leaders' meeting for this coming Saturday to find
out together how we're going to be and do church in the months to
come. We have so many needs to meet both physical and spiritual, we
don't know for sure where and how to begin. We don't know for sure
where we're going to meet for worship, specially with the C/S and
Repatriate folks. We recommend that several large and big tents be
sent right away to help momentarily with the situation. In C/S we
normally have between 2,200 -2300 in worship every Sunday. The tents
need to be big enough to hold at least 1,500 people We need two for
C/S church. We need two others that could hold at least 600 and 200
each to use in Repatriate.
We thank God for giving Allen & the Obrians the inspiration to
build the soccer field in C/S that is now being use as a camp ground,
a refuge place, a place away from any danger of being exposed to
fallen houses and walls. For all practical reason, the soccer field
could be used and a place of worship but we need tents large and big
enough to accommodate the people that we have. Most likely , based on
historical facts, we would have more people coming to know the Lord as
their Savior or coming back to the church as result of this ordeal.
We need to be ready and be prepared to receive and welcome them. The
sooner the better.
We hope to meet together this week end as a group of leaders to find
out what we should do to minister both spiritually and physically to
the people that the Lord has entrusted to us. Needless to say that
your prayers as well as your financial assistance and that of your
friends are needed for your brothers and sisters who are living in
Haiti.
Palms's water project is nonoperational at this time due to the wall
that felt on the building and destroyed some of the installation.
Moreover, the building that the project was in is half destroyed by
the wall that collapsed right on it. It was very sad to see that
yesterday.
We have a situation in C/S and Blanchard where water is coming up from
the ground because of too many splits (cracks) in the ground. The
wells in Repatriate are over flowed with water. Water is coming up
through the pipes into the streets like a spring. It looks very
dangerous.
The only decent building that we now have in C/S is the cafeteria and
the second school building built by Ferdie's group six or seven years
ago. All other buildings in that compound are questionable for future
usage. The wall in C/S and in Repatriate are totally destroyed. Their
is no security whatsoever in those two compounds. The sewing machines
in C/S are all destroyed.
Blanchard's buildings look very good except for a large crack that we
saw between the library building and the hall way that connects the
second floor of that building to the library. I plan to invite a couple of
engineers, after the situation is over, to see if there is any way we
could restore and secure all of our buildings for good usage in the
future. The situation is called for immediate action both for the
physical and spiritual needs of the people.
Please stay in touch . I would probably have more to share with you
as the situation is developing.
In the service of the King together with you on behalf of our brothers
and sisters in Haiti.
Leon & Jacky Dorlean
This prayer was given by Dean Sam Wells at a prayer service Thursday evening, contributed by Duke student Maggie Savage who went to Haiti in March 2009:
God of the living and the dead,
we wail in grief at the pain and loss and horror and distress
of our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
We do not understand your ways –
that those who already suffer the most,
now suffer so much more.
Lead us to repentance,
that we who have sinned so much are punished so little,
and they who already struggle have now impossible burdens to bear.
Where people are still breathing under collapsed buildings,
give them air and hope and courageous searchers.
Where children are injured or orphaned,
find them trusted friends and generous caregivers.
Where despair is infectious and disease or looting spreads,
bring patience and forbearance and healing and strength to conquer temptation.
And when others look with compassion from afar,
release resources, empower expertise, shape political will,
and bring deliverance for your people in their distress.
Through him who was crushed and bruised for us,
in the comfort of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Jamalyn Williamson and team are safe in Fondwa, from an email from Dave Williamson at 11:30 am, Friday
Just wanted to give you the latest news and keep you updated. Last night we received word from a doctor named Vladimir Rosen that Jamalyn and the group are all right. Vladimir is a close personal friend of two members of Jamalyn's group--he has a practice in Jacmel and knew they were in Fondwa because the group was carrying supplies for his clinic. After the earthquake, he travelled to Fondwa by motorcycle and has given us first-hand account of group's safety. According to him, the group got out of the guest house just before it collapsed. We have Vladimir's contact information but have been unable to contact him (and he has also tried to call me on two separate occassions, but when I picked up I couldn't hear anything). We are still trying to make personal contact with the group or with Vladimir (who we believe to still be in Fondwa).
We have received word from other sources that the damage in Fondwa was pretty severe--apparently the aftershocks of the earthquake hit very close. A professor at UNIF (the University of Fondwa) traveled to Les Cayes after the earthquake and has contacted Rich Gosser, the president of Partners in Progress (and a close friend of ours). According to this contact, both the mission house and the school collapsed. We have no word on the orphanage. In addition, the university in Fondwa was destroyed along with most of "Tombgateau" (the market region along the Jacmel road--easily the most densely populated portion of Fondwa).
So I continue to be thankful that our group is OK, especially as it settles in how devastating the impact was in Fondwa. But my heart is also heavy for all of my friends who live in Fondwa, and I am praying for their safety.
As for next steps, we're just trying to make contact with the group so that we can coordinate their exit from Fondwa. We are lining up as many resources as we can in case we'll need them (evacuation teams, etc.). But the main objective for today is to try to establish contact with them so that we can find out how we can best help them in their efforts to get home.
Thank you for your concern and prayers, and we'll keep in touch--
David Williamson
Friday update from Jacqui Labrom
9:19 am
Hi there guys - well not very intrepid I must say. I have not been able to go out, as I don't want to drive myself on the streets in this terrible mess, and Felix, my driver's house collapsed and his wife was hurt in it, so I'm sure he's looking after her - quite rightly. But am getting lots of information:
Sadly my best friend, another English woman died in the UN HQ building collapse, as did Annabi and Da Costa, the Head and Deputy Head of the UN here!! They were in a meeting on the 7th floor.
We are still having the aftershocks which are absolutely horrible, cos even tho they only last a nano second, you don't know if it is going to go on for longer. Everyone is sleeping outside - I managed to persuade my household to sleep in my car in my yard last nite - instead of out on a spare piece of ground in front of the house. Thousands and thousands are sleeping outside, scared of another quake. We're up to 41 aftershocks and I hate them - I think I will have ulcers after this as my stomach goes into knots each time. It's worse in the nite as you lie there waiting for the next one. So I usually end up getting up and reading to take my mind off it. I keep thinking we;re having another tremble, and then realise it's my own body's nerves which are trembling. I guess it's a reaction in the aftermath of the quake.
Have been contacted by hundreds and hundreds of people, many from this list, friends and friends of friends and clients. I am fine still - worried about the lack of gas as any moment now my inverter will run out and I won't be able to use my generator and keep in touch with you all.
Still horror stories about so many dead bodies piling up in the streets - no-one to look after them or bury them,which is going to cause epidemics.
Poor Jacmel in a terrible state - gather the Florita is gone, the good block of Cyvadier Plage has collapsed.
The Cathedral and St. trinity church with the wonderful paintings - all rubble!!! The National Palace has collapsed too -so sad these beautiful buildings.
And it has affected rich and poor alike. Was at dinner with friends from the Canadian embassy at a beautiful house and now they tell it's finished and they lost of their possessions but not their lives, thank God.
But the people's spirits are high - they're singing in the streets at nite and praying and there's a great feeling of solidarity.
I was listening to a radio broadcast interview with a Haitian seismology expert and he said they had predicted this since the last one 240 years ago!! It was of the same magnitude in 1770 - under the Colonials, but couldn't of course predict the exact date. It lasted nearly a minute and was 7.3 on the Richter scale which is very high.
One of the owners of the Montana is thought to be under the rubble of the hotel - not confirmed yet.
The epi centre was 22 kms outside of PauP on the SW - if you go along the road after Carrefour, going towards Leogane - off to the left, up in the mountains, (eg down from the Kenscoff range) that's where it was and thankl God not in the sea as they were predicting a Tsunami - but it was a rumour however people panicked and the PauPers tried to go up to PV, Kenscoff etc. but it was just a rumour - this is the problem, it panics people.
Desperately need basic first aid supplies - cos the hospitals don't have anything.
It seems there are still people alive in the Caribbean supermarket bldg which collapsed but I don't know if Minustah are working to get people out - I certainly hope so. Thank God one good friend who works there, was not in it.
People have written that there are too many journalists and not enough doctors coming in and ain't that the truth!!
Walls guesthouse - one of their buildings collapsed and 2 of their workers and 3 guests died in it.
St. Joseph's guesthouse on Delmas 91 is rubble and 2 of the guys were seriously hurt - Bill Nathan, the Director of the house was one of them, but I gather they're sending in some plane to evacuate them for medical help in NC - thank God for good friends.
You'll be pleased to hear that Jude Exantus from the Union Brothers is fine and is actually leaving for the States with his family. I was worried about him, but Wolff one of the other guys who's married and in the States let me know. Hope he will contact me from there.
If you want to give a donation to St. Jos - to help them and also Wings, the Handicapped kids home you can do it thru Hearts with Haiti - which you can contact thru their website. I'm pointing people who have asked me about donations to them, as I know them and their work and it's impossible to just give a blanket donation to Haiti !! It's so needy. My people are doing it in the name of Bill Nathan. Makes it more personal but it's to help St. Jos.
(FHM is of course ready to take donations for their partners as well.)
Phones are not working at all - I gather one service may be, but haven;t got that one!!
Well will cut this off as I want to get it round to as many people as possible.
Take care and keep praying for Haiti. I was just being so positive about Tourism the other day and now have realised that I was 2 steps ahead and now we're like 16 steps back!!! It will take years and years to recover from this. Give me a hundred hurricanes any day over this!!
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and concern for me and for Haiti.
Luv Jacqui
1:04 PM
Friends - if you have people coming in please send MASKS and RUBBER GLOVES as there's a HUGE need to move bodies and the people doing this need protection.
Jacqui
Prayer Service Sunday, 17 January, Greensboro
Westminster Prebyterian Church on Friendly Avenue in Greensboro, NC, will hold a prayer service Sunday at 6 PM in their chapel.
If there are particular prayers you wish to have us offer, please let Pastor Brainert know.
Mark S. Brainerd
Pastor for Congregational Care & Outreach Ministry
Westminster Presbyterian Church
3906 West Friendly Avenue
Greensboro, NC 27410
336.299.3785 church
336.601.7766 cell
336.638.5776 home
www.westpreschurch.org
United Methodist Church Collecting Health Kits for Haiti plus Ministry Resources
According to UMCOR (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=ovLYL8MRLmK3LnI&s=ghJXKaOMJmJVJ0PFIsH&m=iiJSK9PPLjIZF) (United Methodist Committee on Relief), there will be a great need for volunteers to help rebuild once the initial crisis is past, but it is not safe or possible for volunteers to go to Haiti at the present.
However, UMCOR's two relief supply warehouses are asking United Methodists to provide health kits that will be sent to Haiti. Instructions for assembling and shipping health kits are available here (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=krKQJWOCIaLMIbI&s=ghJXKaOMJmJVJ0PFIsH&m=iiJSK9PPLjIZF).
Ministry Resources
Following the Asian tsunami, United Methodist Communications produced a video and study guide titled "God, Why?" to help people cope with the spiritual and emotional impact of disasters. The resource, available from EcuFilm (http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=khKQJWOCIeLMI7I&s=ghJXKaOMJmJVJ0PFIsH&m=iiJSK9PPLjIZF), explores why such tragedies happen and God's role in them. The study guide provides a basis for group study and discussion.
During this time of pain and suffering, let us take comfort in the promise of Psalm 46:1, NRSV: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
Picture of St. Joseph's Home for Boys in PAP after the earthquake
Posted Thursday, 14 January 2010
 
Left - FHM's clinic with the security wall down and the roof collapsed
Right - Dr. Delson's house as seen from the FHM clinic; wall also collapsed
Below - close up of destruction at Delson's house
Via email from Rodney Babe about Sharyn at 6:33 pm, Wednesday
Thank you for your prayers. The situation in Port-au-Prince is very dire. Our 4th story apartment was one of the casualties. Sharyn had returned from teaching yesterday and was in the apartment for about an hour when the quake struck. Details are still difficult to write, but a wall and the ceiling (concrete) collapsed simultaneously. As they collapsed, she was thrown from her computer station and high backed office chair. The concrete slabs hit the chair which caused them to slide to the side rather than crushing her. She began to crawl toward an open space. About that time, another wall fell partially crushing her. Again there was some room to wiggle and she managed to continue to crawl toward open spaces as the building collapsed totally.
Eventually the 4 stories became a single story of rubble. She continued to crawl and eventually made it to the street. All told, perhaps 3 minutes.
Neighbors carried/ dragged her away from other buildings and walls. Eventually she went to a hospital that was overflowing and was given a couple aspirin—all they had for medicine. The hospital was closed shortly afterwards due to damage.
She finally got to the U.S. embassy. She was on a backboard by this time and was examined by a missionary doctor and the embassy doctor, neither who had x-rays. They both fear she has a broken back.
The embassy arranged for helicopter evacuation to a U.S. military hospital in Guantanamo, Cuba. This seemed prudent because she was in intense pain and had significant swelling of the entire waist area. She also had increasing problems breathing. She had some cuts and many bruises developing and was unable to move her right leg, although she has feeling in it and can wiggle her toes.
She was medically evacuated about 2 p.m. today. I was not permitted to accompany her as only seriously injured people were put on the medivac helicopter.
I do not know when I will have computer access again as I am leaving the embassy soon. In Port-au-Prince, there still is no phone service or electricity.
Thank you,
Rodney
How to Help
Many of you are ready to help with the relief effort in Haiti. We are not currently accepting clothes, food or most other nonperishable goods as we do not yet have a way to transport large items to Haiti.
However, we will be sending money for emergency food and medical supplies to our Haitian partners.
And, we will be more than pleased to accept medical supplies, especially "wound supplies" - bandages, tape, antibiotic ointment, and similar items, and over the counter drugs, particularly pain medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen.
We are also collecting powdered baby formula, cloth diapers and pins.
We especially appreciate your monetary donation as we can get that on site the quickest. Thank you.
Daniel Auguste gets some good news
FHM's administrative assistant in the Durham, NC, office has received information about some of his family and friends. His sister and her children are okay, and at the orphanage where Daniel has been so involved, everyone is safe. Daniel has yet to hear from his brother who lives in downtown PAP.
Delson Merisier and family are okay
FHM's founder and chairman, Dr. David Walmer, spoke via phone to Dr. Delson Merisier, FHM's Ob/GYN in Leogane, at 1:00 pm on Wednesday. Delson and his family are safe. The second (partially finished) floor of FHM's clinic has collapsed but the first floor is intact. The Merisiers' house next door is a total loss.
We are still waiting to hear from other staff members in Leogane.
Update on Sharyn Babe at 2:13 pm, Wednesday
Sharyn Babe is receiving treatment at a Fort Lauderdale, Fla., hospital.
Her husband, Rodney, who was not home at the time of the quake and was not seriously injured, is attempting to join her in Fort Lauderdale.
Update on Hopital Ste. Croix at 2:13 pm, Wednesday
Presbyterian World Mission learned today that Hôpital Sainte Croix (Holy Cross Hospital) in Leogane, a major focus of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) mission in Haiti for decades, collapsed in the Jan. 12 earthquake. Deaths and injuries resulted from the collapse, but the number of dead and injured and their identities have not been released.
News from Emmanuel Occidor, one of FHM's translators, via Facebook
Emmanual is okay but his father is now in hospital and his mom is home sick. Two of Emmanuel's cousins were killed in the quake.
Volunteers needed
FHM has filled its volunteer needs for the week of 18 January in our Durham office at 2344 Operations Drive. We were very pleased to get so many quick responses. Thank you.
Message from David Williamson received Thursday at 5:08 pm
Dear friends--
I know many of you are probably wondering what is going on with the Haiti
team, and I guess so am I for that matter. But I wanted to let you know as
much information as I have at this point just to keep you all in the loop.
First off, we still have had no direct contact with the group in Fondwa.
This is not terribly surprising to me considering the lack of infrastructure
in Haiti. It wouldn't take much to knock out the satellite internet and the
cell phone tower that we depend on in Fondwa to communicate--I'm sure a 5.5
aftershock could do both those things, which is what they say hit near
Fondwa.
However, I'm starting to think it's a good thing we haven't heard
from them. If someone was injured, I bet they would have moved heaven and
earth to get them help and to get in touch with someone. When you're in
Fondwa, the logical place to go for medical help is Jacmel, and we've heard
from lots of people in Jacmel (I guess they have some working internet?).
Point is, I think if there were a serious injury they would've made the
difficult journey to Jacmel and tried to contact us (I say difficult because
the reports are that the road to Jacmel has been washed out in places--but
again I think in case of emergency the group would've figured out a way).
The fact that they haven't done so leads me to believe that they're OK and
just staying put in Fondwa until communication is back up.
Truth is, I can't think of a much safer place than Fondwa to be. It's a tight-knit
community, and the people there are very protective of all the Americans who
come to serve. There will be plenty of fresh water and food--they aren't
dependent on outside sources like in the city. There's not a lot of
buildings, and the ones there are a one to two stories, very different from
all the images you see on TV. So all these factors play in our favor, not
to mention the fact that there are a lot of capable people on the team and
Jamalyn knows the country and the area and the language inside and out.
On our end of things, we've done just about all we can do--contacted state
representatives who in turn have helped us work with the State Department
and even put us in touch with the U.S. Embassy in Haiti. I'm not
necessarily counting on anyone of these individuals or agencies to deliver a
miracle (they face the same communication obstacles we have), but at least
we've taken all the necessary steps.
I'm in constant communication with all the people I know who run ministries in Haiti, as I know many other people are as well. So we have cast as broad a network as we can--we just have to be patient and wait now. That's tough for a lot of people, especially the
families of the team members who are asking, "What can we do now?" But
that's all we can do.
I thank you all for joining me in the waiting and in
the praying, and like I said, I continue to believe with all my heart that
they are OK. I appreciate all your prayers and concern. I'll keep you
posted--
Love, Dave
Thursday End of Day Message from FHM Executive Director, Kathy Walmer
Dear Friends,
Another day has passed, but some good news has come into the office. We are
celebrating a call from Dr. Delson Merisier. He and his family are safe in
Leogane. Unfortunately, his home is destroyed and they have lost everything,
but things can be replaced. Our Leogane clinic lost the second floor which
was under construction. The first floor, which is where Delson was when the
earthquake hit, looks fairly intact.
Of course our largest concern remains with the people we have yet to
contact. The most obvious missing information is out of Fondwa. Delson told
us that Megan had left Leogane after the morning clinic on Tuesday to join
up with Jamalyn in Fondwa. Fondwa is not far from Leogane so she had plenty
of time to make this trip. Please read Dave Williamson's message and his
thoughts regarding Fondwa. It seems each day our communication reaches
further out from PAP. It is our hope to be able to get word from Fondwa
soon.
Please continue to keep Haiti in your prayers. We are overwhelmed by your
generosity and willingness to share your time, talents and resources.
God's Blessings,
Kathy
Posted Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Church News
In PAP (details below)
In Leogane
- We have not heard from anyone in Leogane and none of our contacts in the US have yet heard from people in Leogane
In Fondwa
- We have not heard from anyone in Leogane and none of our contacts in the US have yet heard from people in Leogane
In Tabar, home to FHM US employee Daniel Auguste
From Jacmel
Via Susan Rogers:
From a friend's sister-in-law, who is in Cyvadier: Am in small town of Cyvadier outside Jacmel. Our area relatively safe, our hotel partly demolished...last night pulled out mattresses slept in yard, we have food water. We are all okay here. Town of Jacmel in very bad shape at a time when all were sprucing up the town in prep for Carnival.
From FHM's Executive Director, Kathy Walmer
We are having tremendous difficulty getting information out of Haiti regarding Tuesday's events. We have been notified that contact has been made with Leon Dorleans and they are safe.
Unfortunately, as we go south toward the epicenter and nearer to our Leogane community we are unable to get through.
Please keep all of Haiti in your prayers, but selfishly we ask for prayers for our partners Leon and Jackie Dorlean’s, the community of Blanchard, the Blanchard staff, Dr. Merisier and his staff, Megan our US volunteer in Leogane, Jamalyn Williamson our Fondwa project coordinator and the team she took to Haiti on Monday, The Sisters of Fondwa, all the children in the Fondwa school and orphanage. We have so many friends and family…please keep them in your prayers.
Feel free to give me a call or send me an email. We are happy to let you know what we know which unfortunately at this point is not much more than what you can watch on CNN. tel. 919-382-5500 or kathy.walmer@familyhm.org
Please pray for the people of Haiti,
Kathy
From PAP:
There surely has been an earthquake here, a major one. A lot of
damages all over PAP. That includes Blanchard, where a wall behind
the school library has crumbled down. There are some cracks at the
church building based on what i have been told.
Part of the wall of my house has also fallen but, thanks God, we are
safe. The kids are fine. It is hard to get in touch Leon and other
people by phone in order to find out how they are doing. Please pray for Haiti. I can feel the house
shaking while writing this e-mail. It is scary...
Please pray for our people and country.
We'll stay in touch
Luc
FHM's lead partner in Haiti, Pastor Leon Dorleans, and his wife Jacky are safe in Port-au-Prince
and had email access:
Hi Kathy,
We are alive so far. PTL. We learned that the ordeal is not yet over. It is very , very bad. No one knows how many people died from it.
The Medical clinic at Blanchard suffered no damage so far. That's not true with the school. The church is fine. No one died inside of our buidings.
Cite Soleil compound suffered lots of damages. The medical clinic at Cite Soleil suffered the most.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Leon & Jacky
Another update from Bill Glass, Haiti Outreach Ministries:
Hello my friends,
I finally get connected.
The 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti very badly. Lots of building are
collapsed; others are damaged beyond repair. No body knows for sure how many people died. The situation is not yet over.
I was at Blanchard when the major event ( hit ) took place. It was very scary to say the least. The damages done in some of the construction works are in most cases beyond repair. I also visited Cite Soleil after I've seen what's happened in Blanchard.
From what I saw at 5:00 (the quake started at 4:53 and lasted 2 minutes; although, from time to time ,even now as I'm typing it continues to reappear for few seconds on different occasions) the Medical Clinic and the Church at Blanchard seemed to be OK , the school has major cracks in front of the building by Gladys's office and on the second floor by the library. I saw several cracks around the foundation which looks like the earth is split around the
foundation of the buildings . Thank God we encountered no deaths so fare in our compounds. Part of the wall in Blanchard suffered some damages but not major.
In Cite Soleil, we have lots of damages done to several of our buildings. The entire walls of the compound is collapsed, the back of the medical build is down. I saw water coming out of the ground due to several splits that were on the ground. The front of the church has some damages done to it but the building is functional. Other
buildings, such as the first school building we built has some damages done to it. The worst damages I saw in Cite Soleil are the wall and the Medical building.
I didn't have time to visit neither Repatriate or Ibo Beach. I plan to do that later on today when I think it's safe enough to drive. I heard that the quake might last until 6:00 a.m. I doubt it seriously if the roads would be safe enough to drive. I saw lots of debris as I was driving back home from Cite Soleil. I couldn't drive my car all the way home. Traffic was unbelievable and definitely indescribable. I left my car on the airport road and walked home. My wife was happy
to see me. Cell phones weren't working; she could get in touch with me to know how I was.
Our house so far is safe except for few blocs that felt from a shade that I built when I had the generator. I couldn't get to my office because the bookshelves are all over and blocked the doors. I couldn't get inside the office. My wife, Andremene, Nadege and I are all fine.
My mother- in - law's house is beyond repair but everyone is safe.
Most people including my wife decided to spent the night sleeping on the street away from any danger from any houses or walls. Several millions of people are doing the same for that's what is recommended and made sense.
That's all I could share with you for the time being; expect to hear more from me later on today after I gathered more information.
Please keep Haiti and its people in your prayers.
In the service of the King of Kings.
Leon & Jacky
Jacqui Labrom is safe and has email access:
8:04 Wednesday, January 13
Hi there friends. Many of you have written and I am sure by now you've all heard the news.
First of all - I'm fine so don't worry about me.
Amazingly I actually have Internet and email access!! Didn't think we would as digicel, one of the biggest telephone providers was off air until this morning and even now all the circuits are busy busy.
I was sitting in Epi d'OR, a big bakery/cum cafe having a meeting when the earthquake hit. At first we all thought it was a big truck going by shaking the ground, but then soon realised it was an earthquake!! Everyone took to their heels and fled the cafe, but I stayed inside, thinking that I would either fall to the ground, or be trampled on by the crowds. And for what seemed like about 3 minutes I clung to a table and survived it. I lost my Business phone with everything going on.
My driver Felix, was outside so we left quickly to go home - around the Delmas 75 area. A new building being constructed across the way was in ruins and on the way home there were many other walls fallen down. We couldn't go into Delmas 75 as it seemed there was some wall or something else which had fallen and they were saying that 6 people had died.
On our way home people were in a state of hysteria, probably due to the fact that they had possibly never seen an earthquake of this magnitude in their lifetimes. I heard on the radio that it measured 7.3 on the Richter scale.
A popular church had completely collapsed - having folded in on itself and other houses and walls were down. People were wailing and crying and didn't know what to do. They said that although there had not been a service there were some people inside the church praying or having a meeting and they were sure that if they hadn't already died they were seriously injured.
This morning the local hospital, Hopital Espoir had people laying around in the front of it, people who were injured.
My household all slept outside on a spare piece of ground as throughout the nite there were more and more tremors - only slight, but some enough to send me running out of my house in case of any danger. The tremors continued right up until around 3.am but thank God they stopped after that. Needless to say I didn't sleep - the kids did though.I think that was almost the most frightening bit, cos although we had survived the big one, no-one knew if there was another big one coming along. Most people seemed to have stayed out in the open so that they wouldn't get caught inside. there are reports in my local area of people's houses having collapsed with them inside and nothing could be done to help them.
I have no idea what Minustah are doing in the situation - although one of their main offices is in an old hotel 7 floors tall, so I can imagine there must have been panic there for them to get out. I can't get thru to any of my mates in Minustah to find out and have been trying to ring other friends to see if they're ok but no lines available. Several helicopters went overhead last nite.
There was a Tweet message from Richard at the Oloffson who said that the Hotel Christophe - which is one of the main head offices of Miinustah - an old hotel which is 7 floors high, and the Montana !!! were flattened!! I can't believe it until I hear it reported for sure, but a friend just rang me and I repeated that to her and she said normally she can see the Montana from her terrace but she can't see it. I hope it is not true - a disaster and I am anxious about one of my good friends, Ann Barnes who works for Minustah in the Christopher building. I can't get hold of her on the phone, but that may mean nothing as impossible to phone out!! She was on the first floor so I hope to God she made it out alright.
The radio was reporting that the Palace, several Ministries like the Ministry of Finance, Justice and Culture had all suffered damage to their offices. Plus schools had collapsed with children inside, but thank God it happened around 5pm - first of all in the daylight, but also when most children had already finished school.
I was waiting for Metropole radio but they've just gone off the air - possibly because they've run out of electricity.
There is no electricity of course as all the wooden electricity poles were down. This is going to take a long time to get sorted. WE saw gas pumps which had been wrecked.
This is as much as I know at the moment from my perspective in my area.
I couldn't get in touch with Felix my driver all nite of course but got his son this morning and he said that their house had collapsed - I hope and pray it's not too bad, but have no idea really. Plus his Mother, Felix's wife had a fractured foot from the incident.
But I'm fine and still positive.
I read on MSN that 3 million were affected - so the Red Cross says, but don't know how they can come up with a figure like that. I heard that Aux Cayes in the S. West and Jacmel in the S. East and Cap Haitian werel badly affected. Haven't heard anything about poor Gonaives and I pray that God missed them out!! I'm waiting for the radio to give more information but of course they are reliant on people in local areas phoning in and that's going to be difficult. I don't know where the epicentre was.
I'm fine and certainly in a better state than many many people here.
I'll keep you in touch with anything new that comes up.
Pray for Haiti once again hit by a terrible tragedy!!
Best regards
Jacqui
Church News via Presbyterian Church USA
A message to all members of PCUSA Haiti Mission Network (13 January, early)
Dear Friends in Christ:
We have devastating news to share with you from Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake yesterday. According to reports I have received here in Les Cayes, the damage in Port au Prince and areas around it is terrible.
There is no Cathedral. The entire Holy Trinity complex is gone. The convent for the Sisters of St. Margaret is gone. The Bishop's house is gone. College St. Pierre is gone. The apartment for College St. Pierre is still standing. Bishop no longer has a house in which to live.
In Trouin, four people were killed during a service.
In Grand Colline, the church is gone.
In St. Etienne, the church is gone.
In Les Cayes, BTI is OK, but some people were injured trying to get out of the buildings during the quake. The rectory in Les Cayes is in very bad condition
The Rev. Kesner Ajax
Executive Director, Bishop Tharp Institute (BTI)
8 Rue du Quai, Cayes
Tel. Office: 011-509-2286-4676
011-509-2286-4677
Mobile: 011-509-3445-3346
011-509-3724-8376
Mailing address:
100 Airport Ave
Venice Fl. 34285
Or
Partnership Program Coordinator
Episcopal Diocese of Haiti
C/o Lynx Air
P.O. Box 407139
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33340 |
A message to all members of PCUSA Haiti Mission Network (13 January, 4:40 pm)
Statement regarding PC(USA) mission personnel and partners in Haiti
Our concern for our brothers and sisters in Haiti continues to grow as we hear news accounts and receive information from our partner church, the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti. We have learned that four people were killed while worshiping in an Episcopal congregation in Trouin. Several major Diocesan buildings in Port-au-Prince were destroyed, including theHoly Trinity Cathedral, the bishop’s home, the Sisters of St. Margaret convent and College St. Pierre. The earthquake also destroyed church buildings in Grand Colline and St. Etienne. We anticipate additional reports of casualties.
Sharyn Babe, the PC(USA) mission worker closest to the earthquake’s epicenter, and her husband, Rodney, have communicated that Sharyn is hospitalized in Port-au-Prince. We are waiting for additional information from Rodney about her condition.
Mark Hare, the other PC(USA) mission worker in Haiti, and his wife, Jenny, live in Papay, a town about 100 miles from the epicenter. The Hares have told Presbyterian World Mission that Papay did not receive major damage and that they are safe.
—Issued by the World Mission Security Team on January 13, 2010 |
News from Matthew 25
"We are all OK physically at the house, including Domond and family and Vivienne Haitian. Have not heard from Ricardo. We were home when it hit. The house stood up well, does not appear to be any serious structural damage.downstairs, but upstairs is pretty bad, unusable as a matter of fact.
Matt 25 cooked up 4 big pots of soup for the people coming for treatment, and served as a triage and treatment center. We were able to climb over the fallen bookcases and shelves and retrieve a lot of meds and supplies we had in our depot
Sr Mary, Vivian and our 6 guests performed superbly in treating many injured. Eventually, 3 Haitian doctors showed up, I think when they heard we had supplies.
Worked till about two in the morning. We were also one of the few houses to have power with our inverters and batteries, so we set up 3 o4 4 lights on the soccer field to help with the treatment.
The hospitals are either badly damaged or destroyed, and have stopped taking patients as they are overwhelmed.
Pray for our sisters and brothers.
Pat, Viv, Sr. Mary"
News on St. Joseph's Home from Hearts with Haiti
The St. Joseph house in Port au Prince has been devastated. The five floors beneath the chapel collapsed. Most of the kids were outside and all survived and are accounted for.
Bill Nathan, the director, was in the chapel on the sixth floor at the time of the earthquake. He jumped down to a neighboring roof and worked his way to the ground. He is injured but stable, and is at the small clinic next door.
There were guests traveling to Jacmel and they made it safely. As far as we know, the kids at Trinity are safe. Wings of Hope has structural damage but all the kids are safe and are living in the new kitchen.
A recent update from Rene Dietrich sent at 12:36 pm, Wednesday:
Major earthquake in Haiti. Limited email and electricity. None of either at Wings. I am borrowing a computer at the Baptist Mission, blessings to them. I will post updates on Facebook as I can and hopefully those will also be posted on the Hearts With Haiti, Broken Wings and Haitian Timoun websites.
St. Joseph's is destroyed.Wings has major structural damage. All the Wings and SJ kids are now in the front building at Wings. Bill and TiPatrick were both seriously injured. We're trying to get them into a hospital but all are full. No status on them yet. Limited word from Jacmel is that Trinity House and the TH kids are okay.
But the road between PAP and Jacmel is not passible. Please keep the SJF and all of Haiti in your prayers. This is a major disaster. The Caribbean market is totally destroyed, as is the Palace and the National Cathedral. The images are UNBELIEVABLE! Lots of death and destruction.
Peace and Love, Renee
Message from Stan Wiebe via email sent at 1:37 pm, Wednesday:
Just wanted to let you know that we are all safe. An amazing experience. We are heading to Gves. The airport is closed so am assuming the group is not coming. Job, Fequens & Fonsner are alive from what we were told. Most/many bldgs flattened. We were at Sam's - ran for our lives out of the bldg. All slept on the grass outside.
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