A FEW GLIMPSES OF THE HAITI I SAW

These few photos don't tell the whole story, but something of what I observed in Port-au-Prince last week

Haitians are taking sledge hammers to mountains of concrete, steel and rebar.  They are picking up and sweeping away the debris.  Aid organizations are employing many in the relief and recovery effort.

At their request, I trained ICCM staff to assemble Sawyer water filters.  Using 5-gallon buckets, the filters clean 5-gallons of water in 20 minutes--enough for a family for a day.  We delivered 200 filters ($50 per) and have 1000 more to send.  The ICCM staff is sharing these in the refugee camps, where clean water is a critical issue.

Indianapolis missionary the Rev. Jeanne Acheson-Munos perished in the collapse of the Friends Of Haiti Organization building where she and her husband, Jack Munos, lived. Her body remains there until the building can be excavated.  Jeanne was beloved to the neighborhood.  Someone paid tribute with this graffiti in Creole:  "Farewell, Pastor Jeanne. May you rest in peace.  We will never forget you."

 

The Santo ICCM School in Port-au-Prince had a brand-new second and third floor in 2008. It was a model facility.  But it was no match for the 7.0 quake on January 12.  Three students died and more were injured in this collapse.

The amazing thing to me is that these boys can smile 17 days after the quake crumbled their world.  The mood is changing in Port-au-Prince. Shock and bewilderment is yielding to acceptance and readiness to rebuild out of the brokenness.

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