We're Here! - September 18
Greetings from Haiti.
I invited many of you to see us off when we left the church this morning, but since it was 4 AM, I guess I should not be surprised that the only folks who showed up were our team, the spouses of the team members, and a few hardy souls who helped transport the 18 footlockers of medical supplies to the airport.
We arrived safe and sound.
As you may know, this is my first time in Haiti. Many of the others here have been here several times and are veterans. But for me, everything was new and fresh.
The ride from Port au Prince to Leogane took about an hour. The ride was very exciting! Driving 50 mph through crowded streets, and coming close to other vehicles and pedestrians was an interesting introduction to the country.
The strongest impression, however, is the poverty. More than that even, is the lack of sanitary conditions. Trash is everywhere. As you probably know, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, and it is easy to see.
Almost everything is dirty. Trash is everywhere. We're not talking about a little bit of litter -- it's a lot and it's all over the place.
Part of the sanitation problem is the absence of an adequate sewage system and public restrooms. Men and women relieve themselves in public, making little or no effort to find any privacy. On rare occasions, churches and schools have outhouses. The hospital in Leogane has its own septic tank system and has effecient toilet system. I understand that the Hotel Montana in Port au Prince (where we will stay on our last evening) also has American style bathrooms. But these are rare exceptions.
I'll try to write more later about the specific work everyone is doing, but for now, I just wanted to share the news that we are here, we are safe, and we are all enjoying the opportunity God is giving us.
I invited many of you to see us off when we left the church this morning, but since it was 4 AM, I guess I should not be surprised that the only folks who showed up were our team, the spouses of the team members, and a few hardy souls who helped transport the 18 footlockers of medical supplies to the airport.
We arrived safe and sound.
As you may know, this is my first time in Haiti. Many of the others here have been here several times and are veterans. But for me, everything was new and fresh.
The ride from Port au Prince to Leogane took about an hour. The ride was very exciting! Driving 50 mph through crowded streets, and coming close to other vehicles and pedestrians was an interesting introduction to the country.
The strongest impression, however, is the poverty. More than that even, is the lack of sanitary conditions. Trash is everywhere. As you probably know, Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, and it is easy to see.
Almost everything is dirty. Trash is everywhere. We're not talking about a little bit of litter -- it's a lot and it's all over the place.
Part of the sanitation problem is the absence of an adequate sewage system and public restrooms. Men and women relieve themselves in public, making little or no effort to find any privacy. On rare occasions, churches and schools have outhouses. The hospital in Leogane has its own septic tank system and has effecient toilet system. I understand that the Hotel Montana in Port au Prince (where we will stay on our last evening) also has American style bathrooms. But these are rare exceptions.
I'll try to write more later about the specific work everyone is doing, but for now, I just wanted to share the news that we are here, we are safe, and we are all enjoying the opportunity God is giving us.
posted by Maynard at 7:30 PM
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