We have clean water! And the pressure is awesome now. There are tap taps coming on the main road from Port au Paix now. The main problem we have now is the price of food, which has skyrocketed even more after the hurricanes. I heard this morning a gallon of oil costs 90 Haitian dollars. Before you could buy one for 40 or 50.
There are rumors there may be food drops coming here soon!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Friday, Sept 26, 2008
Ah! Mwen Chagren! Sara and Erica left today for Port au Paix, then tomorrow to home. They finally got the Haitian experience of riding in a taptap - it was a little difficult to see them as we waved goodbye amongst the two gigantic basins stuffed with live chickens, reems of plaintains and people. I hope they made it!
This week was an improvement from last but we still had some difficult days. Lovenie, the 7 year old with malnutrition who I NG fed the first day she came died on Wednesday. Her last night, oh how she suffered - whole body edema and pain. We all sat with her for a bit on Wednesday before her dad took her home where she later died. I sat with her trying to keep the little flies from crawling in her half open eyes - she was too gone to care. I whispered to her, she could go; go to Jesus because he just wanted to hold her. I don't think much of her family felt that way so it was almost a relief to hear when she finally passed away.
Then yesterday we had a 2 year old die also - malnutrition. It is getting pretty ridiculous. We already have a new admit of a 4 year old with kwashiokor malnutrition where Lovenie stayed. It's getting so ridiculous that together with Anne Marie, we are trying to start a new program that has been rolling around in her head for quite some time. Cinderella Program (Isaiah 61:3) - we will register kids we see who are at risk (mostly kids who's mothers have died - all but one of our hospitalized kids have lost their mom recently). We will weigh them, give them money for food and ask them to come back every couple weeks or month. I am so excited about this; finally trying to tackle the problem farther upstream.
But oh these past two weeks. I feel bad for Sara and Erica - the misery and emotions they went through here. We thought it was bad in Africa, but relly we had no idea. We all thought the Lord was going to do something big here with them and I think he did, but we have to wait to know just what that was.
Ah, but oh I'm going to miss my friends....a lot.
This week was an improvement from last but we still had some difficult days. Lovenie, the 7 year old with malnutrition who I NG fed the first day she came died on Wednesday. Her last night, oh how she suffered - whole body edema and pain. We all sat with her for a bit on Wednesday before her dad took her home where she later died. I sat with her trying to keep the little flies from crawling in her half open eyes - she was too gone to care. I whispered to her, she could go; go to Jesus because he just wanted to hold her. I don't think much of her family felt that way so it was almost a relief to hear when she finally passed away.
Then yesterday we had a 2 year old die also - malnutrition. It is getting pretty ridiculous. We already have a new admit of a 4 year old with kwashiokor malnutrition where Lovenie stayed. It's getting so ridiculous that together with Anne Marie, we are trying to start a new program that has been rolling around in her head for quite some time. Cinderella Program (Isaiah 61:3) - we will register kids we see who are at risk (mostly kids who's mothers have died - all but one of our hospitalized kids have lost their mom recently). We will weigh them, give them money for food and ask them to come back every couple weeks or month. I am so excited about this; finally trying to tackle the problem farther upstream.
But oh these past two weeks. I feel bad for Sara and Erica - the misery and emotions they went through here. We thought it was bad in Africa, but relly we had no idea. We all thought the Lord was going to do something big here with them and I think he did, but we have to wait to know just what that was.
Ah, but oh I'm going to miss my friends....a lot.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Crap has hit the Fan
September 20, 2008
The crap has hit the fan. This week has been hell on earth. Today we sat in the clinic to wait for the baby we've been taking care of all week to die. The fourth one this week. I woke up this morning and had to take a time out on the mountain to cry the culmination of this week out. Here's a recap:
Sunday: 3 of my friends arrived! Sara and Erica, nurses, to stay for 2 weeks and AJ to stay for 5. Crazy excitement on my part to see their faces in my world here. But still no water.
Monday: Market day and a full moon is never a good combo. This day was something fierce. We didn't leave clinic until 5pm, I had a pounding headache and felt like I was going to throw up. Still no water today. Five people admitted to the hospital - malnourished babies and new TB patients. We have no more beds. This workload is getting out of control but Sara and Erica are taking on some of the older babies to feed and give milk. Ysemael pulled out his tube. I left it out because he is taking milk with a spoon. We will see if it is enough. My first night without him in three weeks and I slept the whole night.
Tuesday: I feel so beaten down, I'm not sure how I can keep going. I got a call from my mom tonight. My grandpa passed away today and how I will comprehend and process this without being home with my family I don't know. It was good to cry on the phone with my mom; it was good to spill all the grief of the past days out. So many sick, so many malnourished, so many hungry, so many thirsty, so many sick from river water. Hannah included, the baby twin girl we got last week whose mom died in childbirth. We almost lost her today. Maybe I didn't check her good enough last night but this morning she almost peaced out - severe dehydration. After IV fluid and NG tube, Sara, Erica, and I are taking her tonight. Night rounds the most frustrating yet - Ysemael throwing up, 3 malnourished babies not eating - one with a mom who is just not getting it, and Classilier, my 18 year old friend not doing well. I feel defeated tonight. No water yet, but washing my hair in the river felt divine after a day like this.
Wednesday: I started the day with tears and a hug from Anne Marie after she heard about my grandpa. I was tearful all morning - thinking about how I won't see him again and can't be home to be with everybody. Oh Lord he was a good man and how I wish I could zoom home for a bit and come back. But oh, this morning we stopped TB meds for Classilier because we think he has something else, maybe leukemia. His face was so swollen this morning. I was already tearful and when I thought I would lose him too, I lost it even more. I sat with him on his mat, held his hand and prayed with him. I don't think he knows the Lord. It's getting out of control. 22 patients in the hospital. Hannah still having massive diarrhea. No water yet.
Thursday: Wake up call at 6:30 by TiFrer because a baby at the hospital isn't doing well. Me and Sara running to the hospital in our pajamas. We took the baby back with us, David. He's not getting enough breastmilk from mom and has a weak cry. Frustrated with the mom beyond anything. A baby close to death when I arrived at the clinic 2 hours later. Sara sat with her until she died 3 hours later. Dustin and Annelies finally arrived today. And WATER at the hospital. I ran to it screaming, freaking out, most everyone was laughing at me. Presents from Amanda and Caitlin in Annelies's suitcase - a good supply of sweets and chocolate (it was perfect timing girls, you don't know how much it means to me!) Covered in body fluid, milk, etc and water has not reached the house yet. So...bathing in the river in the pitch black dark and headlamps was pretty much the best thing ever. And good time to talk with my friends and a little debriefing with some M&Ms.
Friday: David passed away at 4 am this morning and somehow I didn't feel so sad. Almost relief swept through me, which I feel a little guilty about. Yesterday his cry was so pitiful and sad and who knows if there was something dark in that room with him, mother? grandmother? But oh, Classilier had an ultrasound today and is going home...most likely to die. We think it's cancer, most likely metastasized. Oh, it's really too difficult to think about. I sat and talked with him today and taught him high five in english. I said I would wait for him when he'll come visit in October (so he says). HALLELUJAH...THE WATER HAS FREAKIN REACHED THE HOUSE. The pressure isn't good, but shower, oh the shower. It was heavenly.
Saturday: today...Hannah had a rough night, a pitiful cry and the diarrhea hasn't stopped. Anne Marie started an intraosseous IV for hydration, but she died with everyone sitting in the clinic around her. This one was the toughest so far and we all were crying. I don't understand. She had new American parents ready to adopt her, but the Lord took her anyway. Images of my grandpa playing with Hannah are floating around in my head. Who knows if it's true but it's nice to think about...
The crap has hit the fan. This week has been hell on earth. Today we sat in the clinic to wait for the baby we've been taking care of all week to die. The fourth one this week. I woke up this morning and had to take a time out on the mountain to cry the culmination of this week out. Here's a recap:
Sunday: 3 of my friends arrived! Sara and Erica, nurses, to stay for 2 weeks and AJ to stay for 5. Crazy excitement on my part to see their faces in my world here. But still no water.
Monday: Market day and a full moon is never a good combo. This day was something fierce. We didn't leave clinic until 5pm, I had a pounding headache and felt like I was going to throw up. Still no water today. Five people admitted to the hospital - malnourished babies and new TB patients. We have no more beds. This workload is getting out of control but Sara and Erica are taking on some of the older babies to feed and give milk. Ysemael pulled out his tube. I left it out because he is taking milk with a spoon. We will see if it is enough. My first night without him in three weeks and I slept the whole night.
Tuesday: I feel so beaten down, I'm not sure how I can keep going. I got a call from my mom tonight. My grandpa passed away today and how I will comprehend and process this without being home with my family I don't know. It was good to cry on the phone with my mom; it was good to spill all the grief of the past days out. So many sick, so many malnourished, so many hungry, so many thirsty, so many sick from river water. Hannah included, the baby twin girl we got last week whose mom died in childbirth. We almost lost her today. Maybe I didn't check her good enough last night but this morning she almost peaced out - severe dehydration. After IV fluid and NG tube, Sara, Erica, and I are taking her tonight. Night rounds the most frustrating yet - Ysemael throwing up, 3 malnourished babies not eating - one with a mom who is just not getting it, and Classilier, my 18 year old friend not doing well. I feel defeated tonight. No water yet, but washing my hair in the river felt divine after a day like this.
Wednesday: I started the day with tears and a hug from Anne Marie after she heard about my grandpa. I was tearful all morning - thinking about how I won't see him again and can't be home to be with everybody. Oh Lord he was a good man and how I wish I could zoom home for a bit and come back. But oh, this morning we stopped TB meds for Classilier because we think he has something else, maybe leukemia. His face was so swollen this morning. I was already tearful and when I thought I would lose him too, I lost it even more. I sat with him on his mat, held his hand and prayed with him. I don't think he knows the Lord. It's getting out of control. 22 patients in the hospital. Hannah still having massive diarrhea. No water yet.
Thursday: Wake up call at 6:30 by TiFrer because a baby at the hospital isn't doing well. Me and Sara running to the hospital in our pajamas. We took the baby back with us, David. He's not getting enough breastmilk from mom and has a weak cry. Frustrated with the mom beyond anything. A baby close to death when I arrived at the clinic 2 hours later. Sara sat with her until she died 3 hours later. Dustin and Annelies finally arrived today. And WATER at the hospital. I ran to it screaming, freaking out, most everyone was laughing at me. Presents from Amanda and Caitlin in Annelies's suitcase - a good supply of sweets and chocolate (it was perfect timing girls, you don't know how much it means to me!) Covered in body fluid, milk, etc and water has not reached the house yet. So...bathing in the river in the pitch black dark and headlamps was pretty much the best thing ever. And good time to talk with my friends and a little debriefing with some M&Ms.
Friday: David passed away at 4 am this morning and somehow I didn't feel so sad. Almost relief swept through me, which I feel a little guilty about. Yesterday his cry was so pitiful and sad and who knows if there was something dark in that room with him, mother? grandmother? But oh, Classilier had an ultrasound today and is going home...most likely to die. We think it's cancer, most likely metastasized. Oh, it's really too difficult to think about. I sat and talked with him today and taught him high five in english. I said I would wait for him when he'll come visit in October (so he says). HALLELUJAH...THE WATER HAS FREAKIN REACHED THE HOUSE. The pressure isn't good, but shower, oh the shower. It was heavenly.
Saturday: today...Hannah had a rough night, a pitiful cry and the diarrhea hasn't stopped. Anne Marie started an intraosseous IV for hydration, but she died with everyone sitting in the clinic around her. This one was the toughest so far and we all were crying. I don't understand. She had new American parents ready to adopt her, but the Lord took her anyway. Images of my grandpa playing with Hannah are floating around in my head. Who knows if it's true but it's nice to think about...
Friday Sept. 12, 2008
I think I'm beginning to get a picture of what the hurricane did to these parts. Its hard to tell when I'm stuck in this little bubble of Passe Catabois and all I hear is what I get through email, and what Rob and Anne Marie hear from others. I was surprised to hear that Haiti made some headlines back at home and after so many emails, I'm beginning to think this is all bigger than I thought. It's about time Haiti got some media coverage and the attention of people in the States, I must say.
This week Rob took the girl who had died home via his 4 wheeler and was gone the whole day looking at the surrounding areas and the destruction. He seemed to be pretty shaken up by what he saw and all the houses that had fallen. He brought back a lot of pictures and there also seemed to be quite a few straw houses that were being propped up by large stick. I hate to think what a little more rain or wind will do. I wish I could explore a little and see what has happened with my own eyes, but here in PC I stay.
The response to Ike though, has been out of this world. I was overwelmed last night with the emails and hearing how people back home want to help. Rob wants to start a housing program with the money that was donated to them. And we have word that more money is coming! woah.
Also yesterday was quite the day. There is a lady in the states who used to be a missionary here in Haiti who couldn't wait to help the people here. After a lot of phone calls and pulling of I don't know how many strings, we got a delivery yesterday via a big group of donkeys: food for the people here and supplies for the clinic! Somehow, this lady got everything from Port au Prince to Passe Catabois in only a few days. Bags and bags of rice, beans, cornmeal, oil and so many IV bottles. The people who brought everything in the saddlebags of the donkeys rode for 8 hours to deliver everything. It was amazing. But then came the hard part...distribution. It started ok, Guerlande ran around to get people she really thought needed it, but then it turned ugly real fast. Herds of people came and it turned into almost a mob at a few moments. Distributing is ugly because there is never enough for everyone to have, and people turn ugly too: pushing, lying that they hadn't gotten any yet, and so on. But it's survival and everyone is hungry. Anyway, people got food and we just have to pray in landed in the right hands!!
Also yesterday I spent the day tube feeding a 7 year old girl, Lovenie, because she came to us with severe malnutrition. She had been admitted earlier this year and had gone home healthy! Yesterday, her feed, hands, and face are already swollen and she would not eat or drink anything. I carried her from the hospital to the clinic in the morning and somehow really felt joy in what I was doing. I'm no good with the babies, but the older kids, oh... She must have been feeling better last evening, because she said in her tiny voice that she would eat today if we only took out the tube!
Other than that I'm preparing for another change (it seems to come every month). Three of my friends are coming this Sunday; and Dustin and Annelies are scheduled to come back on Wednesday. I have a burning urge to clean everything before they come, but we still don't have water. uggg. maybe tomorrow, but we keep hearing that everyday. So I guess I will have to say goodbye to my single life here that I've grown to like (besides Ysemael of course). No more hanging all my underwear in the kitchen to dry anymore I guess (don't tell Dustin).
This week Rob took the girl who had died home via his 4 wheeler and was gone the whole day looking at the surrounding areas and the destruction. He seemed to be pretty shaken up by what he saw and all the houses that had fallen. He brought back a lot of pictures and there also seemed to be quite a few straw houses that were being propped up by large stick. I hate to think what a little more rain or wind will do. I wish I could explore a little and see what has happened with my own eyes, but here in PC I stay.
The response to Ike though, has been out of this world. I was overwelmed last night with the emails and hearing how people back home want to help. Rob wants to start a housing program with the money that was donated to them. And we have word that more money is coming! woah.
Also yesterday was quite the day. There is a lady in the states who used to be a missionary here in Haiti who couldn't wait to help the people here. After a lot of phone calls and pulling of I don't know how many strings, we got a delivery yesterday via a big group of donkeys: food for the people here and supplies for the clinic! Somehow, this lady got everything from Port au Prince to Passe Catabois in only a few days. Bags and bags of rice, beans, cornmeal, oil and so many IV bottles. The people who brought everything in the saddlebags of the donkeys rode for 8 hours to deliver everything. It was amazing. But then came the hard part...distribution. It started ok, Guerlande ran around to get people she really thought needed it, but then it turned ugly real fast. Herds of people came and it turned into almost a mob at a few moments. Distributing is ugly because there is never enough for everyone to have, and people turn ugly too: pushing, lying that they hadn't gotten any yet, and so on. But it's survival and everyone is hungry. Anyway, people got food and we just have to pray in landed in the right hands!!
Also yesterday I spent the day tube feeding a 7 year old girl, Lovenie, because she came to us with severe malnutrition. She had been admitted earlier this year and had gone home healthy! Yesterday, her feed, hands, and face are already swollen and she would not eat or drink anything. I carried her from the hospital to the clinic in the morning and somehow really felt joy in what I was doing. I'm no good with the babies, but the older kids, oh... She must have been feeling better last evening, because she said in her tiny voice that she would eat today if we only took out the tube!
Other than that I'm preparing for another change (it seems to come every month). Three of my friends are coming this Sunday; and Dustin and Annelies are scheduled to come back on Wednesday. I have a burning urge to clean everything before they come, but we still don't have water. uggg. maybe tomorrow, but we keep hearing that everyday. So I guess I will have to say goodbye to my single life here that I've grown to like (besides Ysemael of course). No more hanging all my underwear in the kitchen to dry anymore I guess (don't tell Dustin).
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Tuesday Sept. 9
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
I don't know how to put this world I've been in into words. But I will try...
Today I watched my 14 year old patient die right in front of me. I'm trying to grasp just what happened and am wondering if my face was the last thing she saw or if Anne Marie's yelling at the crowd that had gathered for entertainment to get out was the last thing she heard, or if she was already too far gone this morning. She came two weeks ago with lymphatic TB and seemed healthy enough. The past 3 days she declined fast - fever, vomiting, diarrhea - perhaps it was the TB, perhaps drinking river water, perhaps voodoo. I'm wondering if the last is true. We found a red scarf with her mother yesterday and old questionable scars on the girl today. Her getting worse so fast left us speechless. Never the less, she was just a girl, yearning for attention everytime I entered her room...
This is all to add to the aftermath of Ike. Life is going on as normal but it seems I hear of more and more destruction with everyone I talk to. Hannah took out the gardens and the roads, Ike took out the houses, animals, and whatever progress was made on our water system. Six houses in Passe Catabois were destroyed and we hear maybe a quarter of the patients in teh hospital lost homes as well. I don't understand. Everyone already has almost nothing and it can actually get worse. Anne Marie said it well, if you keep working you don't have time to sit down and think about the misery that's happened. It's true, but I feel a little distant from the effects of it all, besides that fact we have no running water. I still have a solid house, a bed, and food to eat. My existence doesn't depend on the fruit of my garden or my animals that are now destroyed.
Needless to say, it has not been a good day. But, among the hardship there has been some light. After Rob and Anne Marie asked for help, a dutch foundation is donating 10,000 euros for rebuilding houses. And we've heard of two potential helicopters that can fly in with food from Port au Prince. It seems it takes a hurricane to get the attention to help the people here.
So today we are surviving.
I may smell, this is true, but I have one coke left in the fridge when my water runs out!
I don't know how to put this world I've been in into words. But I will try...
Today I watched my 14 year old patient die right in front of me. I'm trying to grasp just what happened and am wondering if my face was the last thing she saw or if Anne Marie's yelling at the crowd that had gathered for entertainment to get out was the last thing she heard, or if she was already too far gone this morning. She came two weeks ago with lymphatic TB and seemed healthy enough. The past 3 days she declined fast - fever, vomiting, diarrhea - perhaps it was the TB, perhaps drinking river water, perhaps voodoo. I'm wondering if the last is true. We found a red scarf with her mother yesterday and old questionable scars on the girl today. Her getting worse so fast left us speechless. Never the less, she was just a girl, yearning for attention everytime I entered her room...
This is all to add to the aftermath of Ike. Life is going on as normal but it seems I hear of more and more destruction with everyone I talk to. Hannah took out the gardens and the roads, Ike took out the houses, animals, and whatever progress was made on our water system. Six houses in Passe Catabois were destroyed and we hear maybe a quarter of the patients in teh hospital lost homes as well. I don't understand. Everyone already has almost nothing and it can actually get worse. Anne Marie said it well, if you keep working you don't have time to sit down and think about the misery that's happened. It's true, but I feel a little distant from the effects of it all, besides that fact we have no running water. I still have a solid house, a bed, and food to eat. My existence doesn't depend on the fruit of my garden or my animals that are now destroyed.
Needless to say, it has not been a good day. But, among the hardship there has been some light. After Rob and Anne Marie asked for help, a dutch foundation is donating 10,000 euros for rebuilding houses. And we've heard of two potential helicopters that can fly in with food from Port au Prince. It seems it takes a hurricane to get the attention to help the people here.
So today we are surviving.
I may smell, this is true, but I have one coke left in the fridge when my water runs out!
Monday September 8, 2008
I think Jesus is trying to teach me what it means to wait, to be still, to be quiet before him. How I do this, I don't know.
"I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'"
"it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord"
"Let him sit alone in silence"
and Matt 6:25-34 is beginning to come to life.
"I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'"
"it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord"
"Let him sit alone in silence"
and Matt 6:25-34 is beginning to come to life.
Round Two
I don't even know where to begin. Round two is here. Hurricane Ike is what I hear. I've decided that everything here can have more strength (fos) than I've ever seen before - the people, the wind, the rain, the rivers, the thunder that cracked through my body last night. Right now I'm holding down the fort in the kitchen wondering how everything will be able to withstand this fos. I stood on the top of the hillside to see the river and the storm and thought at one point the wind would knock me to the ground.
This morning started with some laughs however. After pondering about just what I must do with a hurricane, a baby who needs milk, and people and babies in the hospital waiting for essential medicine at the hospital, I see Anne Marie and three giggling girls come around the corner drenched to "pick me up". After bringing Amelia, our sheep, close to the house, we set off for the hospital - Ysemael wrapped in a raincoat! After a lot of giggling and sludging through mud and trails that had turned to rivers, we made it without a fall. I'm pretty sure the Haitians think we're insane most of the time.
So now I find myself with a whole afternoon to dry off and hideaway inside - maybe I'll make myself some coffee and pretend I'm in Seattle.
Hightlights of the past couple days:
-I somehow managed to make swedish pancakes from I don't know what. I couldn't stop eating them.
-I finally had to do something with my pile of dirty laundry and washed clothes at the river with the haitian women. I got the best stares ever.
-we now have four babies at the hospital who need milk and we will be running short soon. Pray for more milk to arrive soon.
-listening to 'Your Love is Strong" by Jon Forman is powerful in the midst of a hurricane (thanks Erin for making me download it before I left)
-water: as of yesterday, the hospital was beginning to have some water (drips). It hasn't made it's way to our houses yet because I guess it has to gain pressure. There is plenty of rain water (duh) (I filled the huge igloo thermos this morning in like 10 minutes of rain). And we found Dustin's water filter a few days ago.
This morning started with some laughs however. After pondering about just what I must do with a hurricane, a baby who needs milk, and people and babies in the hospital waiting for essential medicine at the hospital, I see Anne Marie and three giggling girls come around the corner drenched to "pick me up". After bringing Amelia, our sheep, close to the house, we set off for the hospital - Ysemael wrapped in a raincoat! After a lot of giggling and sludging through mud and trails that had turned to rivers, we made it without a fall. I'm pretty sure the Haitians think we're insane most of the time.
So now I find myself with a whole afternoon to dry off and hideaway inside - maybe I'll make myself some coffee and pretend I'm in Seattle.
Hightlights of the past couple days:
-I somehow managed to make swedish pancakes from I don't know what. I couldn't stop eating them.
-I finally had to do something with my pile of dirty laundry and washed clothes at the river with the haitian women. I got the best stares ever.
-we now have four babies at the hospital who need milk and we will be running short soon. Pray for more milk to arrive soon.
-listening to 'Your Love is Strong" by Jon Forman is powerful in the midst of a hurricane (thanks Erin for making me download it before I left)
-water: as of yesterday, the hospital was beginning to have some water (drips). It hasn't made it's way to our houses yet because I guess it has to gain pressure. There is plenty of rain water (duh) (I filled the huge igloo thermos this morning in like 10 minutes of rain). And we found Dustin's water filter a few days ago.
Friday, September 5, 2008
The storm
Hi all,
I've finally been able to get online again. And woah, I guess the media has really given everyone a scare with the hurricanes. We've definitely had some excitement here. I'm feeling a little uplifted now, but things were feeling rather hard and serious here just a few days ago. We had heavy winds and rain that started on Monday, and today is the first day with no rain. I long to be dry, walk on dry land, and be able to put on dry clothes again!
Wednesday was when the heaviest hit. It started out somewhat like a snow day - everything stopped because of the rain and wind. We took several trips down to the river to see what was going on. The little creek in the valley below my house turned into a monstrous huge river, that looked to be pure mud tumbling through the valley. In the aftermath we've seen that most of the gardens in the valley are demolished. There were also three men who got stuck in some trees in the middle of raging river when they were working in their gardens. We all just could look at them from the edge, helpless. No one could do anything. I've heard since that they were able to wait it out until the river receded and were able to get out safely!
Our other problem though: the storm took out our water system. We've been without water since Wednesday evening. Rob and AnneMarie have a tank of stored water they are using, and I have a tank on top of my house that I am living off of until it's gone. It's been raining a lot so we are able to catch water that way and boil it. And if need be we still have the river water that we can boil or filter. It's making life a little more difficult here though and Thursday night I was longing for the carefree days I had when I first came here with the big group and water and food galore!
I still have Ysemael with me. His mother is taking care of him for part of the days, so that helps me out quite a bit. But oh, caring for a baby without water is a challenge. I woke up yesterday to a diaper so filled with poo, oh...
But seriously we could used some prayer:
1) water. there are rumors there are only 5 places the pipes are broken and the water committee may be able to fix them soon. But the surounding towns also don't have water and I think their system will take a month to be fixed!
2)that Ysemael will be able to start breastfeeding.
3)that the road will be fixed soon. The storm took out the road on both sides of us too.
I've finally been able to get online again. And woah, I guess the media has really given everyone a scare with the hurricanes. We've definitely had some excitement here. I'm feeling a little uplifted now, but things were feeling rather hard and serious here just a few days ago. We had heavy winds and rain that started on Monday, and today is the first day with no rain. I long to be dry, walk on dry land, and be able to put on dry clothes again!
Wednesday was when the heaviest hit. It started out somewhat like a snow day - everything stopped because of the rain and wind. We took several trips down to the river to see what was going on. The little creek in the valley below my house turned into a monstrous huge river, that looked to be pure mud tumbling through the valley. In the aftermath we've seen that most of the gardens in the valley are demolished. There were also three men who got stuck in some trees in the middle of raging river when they were working in their gardens. We all just could look at them from the edge, helpless. No one could do anything. I've heard since that they were able to wait it out until the river receded and were able to get out safely!
Our other problem though: the storm took out our water system. We've been without water since Wednesday evening. Rob and AnneMarie have a tank of stored water they are using, and I have a tank on top of my house that I am living off of until it's gone. It's been raining a lot so we are able to catch water that way and boil it. And if need be we still have the river water that we can boil or filter. It's making life a little more difficult here though and Thursday night I was longing for the carefree days I had when I first came here with the big group and water and food galore!
I still have Ysemael with me. His mother is taking care of him for part of the days, so that helps me out quite a bit. But oh, caring for a baby without water is a challenge. I woke up yesterday to a diaper so filled with poo, oh...
But seriously we could used some prayer:
1) water. there are rumors there are only 5 places the pipes are broken and the water committee may be able to fix them soon. But the surounding towns also don't have water and I think their system will take a month to be fixed!
2)that Ysemael will be able to start breastfeeding.
3)that the road will be fixed soon. The storm took out the road on both sides of us too.
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