Post Earthquake Trip to Haiti

March 11:

Arrived at the Port au Prince airport currently operating in an air cargo warehouse.

Visited the Heartline Ministries temporary hospital and mourned the loss of the World WIde Village guest house.

March 12:

Visited the village of Luly and assessed the damage to their church and school.  World Wide Village has recently agreed to provide school lunches for the 169 children attending the 24 feet by 60 feet primary Christian school.

Children at Luly

Traveled to Leogane an area suffering from 90% earthquake destruction.  We saw the 50-bed mobile medical hospital and surgical suites donated to World Wide Village.  Since the earthquake, 11,000 patients have been treated and over 70 new babies welcomed into the world – including a 3 pound premie.

Surgical Suite in World Wide Village portable hospital in Leogane

March 13:

Returned to Leogane.  Taught the displaced children from tent city how to play kickball in the tropical Caribbean heat and humidity.  Distributed tiny toy cars, bubbles and jump ropes to the children.

March 14:

Visited Pastor Jean-Claude’s church in Jacmel which was destroyed in the earthquake.  They now hold services in the hallway of a children’s home.  The crowded conditions do not dampen their spirits.  They are joyful and praise God with all their hearts.  From there we drove to Port Salut on the south coast of Haiti – surviving a multitude of “killer” speed bumps.

March 15:

We visited Coeur School and began taking individual photos of the students.  After school, we taught the children how to play Team Handball.  Sunburns all around for the white visitors.

March 16:

Returned to Coeur School to distribute photos to the children.  They were thrilled!  Some hugged them to their chests and smiled HUGE smiles!   We taught crafts to the older school classes and helped serve lunch to all 240 children.

Coeur School Children with Photos

After leaving Coeur School, we stopped by a children’s after school feeding program where 40+ children are given a meal three days each week.  One of the supporters of the program was recently murdered.  World Wide Village committed to providing Feed My Starving Children fortified rice to expand the program to daily feedings.  For some children, the meal at the feeding program is the only meal they receive.

Children Awaiting Lunch

March 17:

Today we returned to Coeur School in Dumont and taught the older children about snowflakes.  They cut snowflakes out of paper and decorated them.  It was astounding to learn that many children did not know how to use scissors.

Dumont students learn to make snowflakes

The smaller children were excited about their crayon drawings.

Colored creations!

We were blessed to connect with two sponsored children and deliver special gifts to each child from the Anderson Family who sponsor them.

More to come…

Cuba – Brazil and Haiti Sign Cooperation Agreements

Several cooperation agreements between Brazil and Haiti were signed in this capital, in the presence of the presidents of both nations, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and Rene Preval, respectively.

Westborough High sings and dances for Haiti relief – Milford, MA

Westborough High School students were in the midst of rehearsals for “Once On This Island,” a musical set in Haiti and rooted in its culture, when the devastating earthquake hit the country’s capital of Port-au-Prince.

Opposition leaders express desire to help rebuild Haiti

Faced with a disaster of overwhelming proportions, Haiti’s fractious political opposition is trying to set aside its differences and work with President Rene Preval to reach a consensus on how to rebuild the devastated country.

Looking For Lessons In Haitia S Epic Tragedy, Adv28

Tons of rice and beans tell how the world is helping Haiti. Missing tents, tarps and toilets show how it is falling short.

Grave flooding in quake-hit Haiti kills 11

Flooding triggered by heavy rain killed at least 11 people in Les Cayes, Haitia’s third most populous city and an area unscathed by the devastating January 12 earthquake that flattened much of the countrya s capital.

Haiti Plans Changes, for Now and Later

The government here has drafted a broad plan to remake the country after last month’s devastating earthquake, reducing the size of the capital and boosting other population centers in moves that would reverse two centuries of its history.

Chile was ready for quake, Haiti wasn’t

The earthquake in Chile was far stronger than the one that struck Haiti last month – yet the death toll in this Caribbean nation is magnitudes higher.

Young Haitian lost leg to save his sister’s life

Mornings remind him of the feeling just before his leg was amputated three weeks ago

UN Calls for Action to Prevent Spread of HIV

A United Nations agency is calling for action to prevent the spread of the AIDS virus in earthquake-stricken Haiti.