Dear Sponsors-
I would like to thank you so much for your generosity and quick help in helping me raise enough money to go severe the people of Haiti. Within a matter of days, we raised all the funds necessary for me to participate. Friday, I received word that I was 1 of 25 selected out of the 42 wishing to go! I have always wanted to participate in a medical mission trip.
We had our first meeting Saturday afternoon. Two groups from my college have already went over and so the leader spoke to us on what to expect while over there and the necessary items for us to bring.
He started by explaining a little about the background of Haiti. It was once owned by the French and so a lot of people speak French there. It was also a place where slaves being brought to the United States stopped to get "shinned up" before coming to be sold in the US so there are a lot of African decent there.
They are very much ruled by Voodo to the extent that if you are told you will die tomorrow that person dies the next day (not murdered!); however, many people now believe that the earthquake was a sign from God of their wrong ways and so instead of people crying and being devastated they have accepted this and are singing in the streets.
The population is understated because they do not count the poor/squatters in the city's official population so the affected people are more like 4 million (there is a refugee camp that is holding 1 million people). The death toll is equivalent to the entire city of Lincoln, NE being completely wiped out.
People are terrified to go into ANY building even if it is deemed safe. The people are sleeping in the streets without any blankets or anything. They may have some personal items within reach from their crumbled home but refuse to go in to fetch them for fear that another earthquake will hit and they too will be killed.
The rainy season is quickly approaching and there is a struggle to figure out how to house all the people. There are absolutely no parks or grassy areas for the people to set up protective tents. The only open areas are the streets and that does not allow enough room for the amount of necessary tents to be put up.
We are unsure exactly where they will being going/doing. The leader said that assignments are given each morning; however, often the assignment changes by afternoon to a more pressing task (it could be medical, helping with children, building stuff, moving bricks, clean up, etc). One of the biggest problems the Haitians are facing right now is the lack of uncontaminated water. It is extremely HOT and a person could drink more than 3 quarts of water and still be dehydrated. Currently the water is coming in plastic zip lock bags instead of bottles.
The leader has been told that the Union group will be guaranteed water to drink but not food and the water will be limited (but this guarantee could also quickly change). There is a clinic across the street from the Adventist University that prepares 2 meals a day for 2200 people. If the group stays near there, they will have 2 meals a day; however, if the do not, they are on their own for food. They said, you can pack food or you can pack clothes.
The medical clinic sees over 4000 people a day (I think that's what they said); however, each day people are turned away due to running out of medical supplies (they have to go to the distributer each morning to collect supplies). The surgical teams have resorted to reusing medical gloves and masks.
We were warned/instructed to NEVER go anywhere alone and to carry a whistle on us at all times. We are also to keep our travel pack with essentials and passport on us at all times. Volunteers have been assulted, molested, etc as the merely cross the street. As the people become more desparate for food, water, shelter, and medical care their actions may become more irrational.
This is definitly going to be an experience unlike any I have ever encountered and possibly ever will. Yes, our accomodations and living conditions are going to be not even bare minimum but at least I get to come back to the comforts of home.
We were warned that it will be very easy to get depressed thinking that we did not do anything to help because the devastation is so great that we won't even make a small dent in it, but we will touch some lives and to those we do reach, it will make a huge difference (and those of you who donated made it possible for me to reach those lives, thank you!).
I will continue to post updates as we continue to plan for our trip. I plan to take pictures and will not have any access to communication devices while gone but I will log about the trip upon returning.
Oh, we are allowed to bring 1 carry on bad and two checked bags on our trip; however, the school is only allowing us to use 1 checked bag because they will be using the other to fill with medical supplies to take over. If you are interested or know anyone else who might be, can make donations in the form of money or supplies. Things I know off hand that they are needing are medical gloves and surgical masks.
Donations can be mailed to:
Union College
Department of Student Missionaries
3800 South 48th Street
Lincoln, Nebrask 68506
*Make sure to mark your donation for supplies as just that- Haiti Supplies Donation.
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