Back on the Ground

We are back on the ground in Haiti.  After two weeks away we were able to secure flights from Fort Pierce, FL to make our way back to Haiti.  Along for the ride are David Nahkla from Calvary OPC in La Mirada, CA and Dr. Gordon Zubrod from a PCA church in York, PA.

We awoke this morning at 5AM to get down to the Missionary Flights International hangar for 6AM.  Their organization of the whole process is very impressive.  They had folks out directing traffic in the dark.  They had pallets out and ready to receive our bags.  They collected passports, checked their lists and then sent us inside.

The giant warehouse was full of boxes awaiting shipment to Haiti.  Inside also sits one of their DC-3 aircraft undergoing maintenance.  They also had a waiting area set up.  It rivals anything the airlines can put together.  There was hot coffee, muffins, water and Gatorade to take on the trip as well as Florida oranges.  By 8:30AM we were on the tarmac heading to the planes.

In God’s providence we ended up on the exact same airplane that brought the Hopp family out of Haiti two weeks ago.  Hendrick Motorsports was doing their last day of charter flights for MFI.  It meant a quick and very comfortable ride to the Port-au-Prince airport.  We were on the first of three flights.

The very smooth ride brought us over Haiti by 11AM.  We came in over the coast mountains and we had a beautiful view of Lagonav out the right side.  We came in over the bay into Port-au-Prince and there below us was a whole fleet of ships.  This included the USNS Comfort which currently is caring for 3,000 patients.  You can tell a real effort is being made to help the Haitian people.

On the ground we first had to get our passports stamped by Haitian immigration at the domestic terminal where the aircraft arrive.  It is certainly a more organized affair than when we left Haiti.  It is a busy place.  We did have the joy of seeing Pastor Eric Hausler at the airport.  He has been in Haiti for the past 8 days acting as an interpreter at a medical field hospital in Leogane, one of the hardest hit areas very near the earthquake epicenter.  Pastor Eric mentioned the great needs, particularly for many who live in great fear because of continuing aftershocks.

We are very thankful that parts of life in Haiti are returning to normal.  I was able to change money with my normal guy, Simeon.  We also filled up with fuel at the gas station.  The price is the same as it was before the quake.  In some ways it was a little surreal as you know that in other areas of Port-au-Prince people continue to suffer.

Part of the road out of the city have 2-3 inch cracks – obvious results of shifting earth from the quake.  We passed several areas on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince where they have buried people in mass graves.  They are just piles of dirt covering the bodies along Route National 1.  There is also evidence of the living who have left Port-au-Prince.  Small tent cities are springing up in various flat areas along the coast.  The market in Titayen was busy today, just as it usually is on Fridays.

Everything was in order at our house in Kaliko.  We are now preparing for a trip to Lagonav.  Gordy and David had brought a couple suitcases full of donated medicines.  The picture shows us sorting everything on our kitchen table.  We will meet up with the Wesleyans at their wharf tomorrow and travel on their boat to the island.  Thanks for continuing to pray.