Earthquake Update

We keep hearing terrible news from Port au Prince--everyone in the UN headquarters is believed dead, the Bishop in Port au Prince died, the National Palace is badly destroyed along with the cathedral. Having been to Port au Prince and seen the slums there, I know the devastation must be vast.

Most everyone in Haiti uses Digicel for cell phone service; there are few land lines. Digicel has been down since yesterday so no one in Ste. Suzanne knows anything about their family and friends in Port au Prince and the surrounding areas.

After hearing about the bishop, Jack and I are terribly worried about our friend Fr. Jean who lives in the same rectory complex.

For those of you who've tried calling or texting us, know that our phones are just down and that we're still okay.

Also, Catholic Relief Services has pledged $5 million in aid to victims of the earthquake; they've been doing great work in Haiti for years. I know some of you are looking for places to send donations, this would be a good organization. I'll let you know of others as I hear more.

We're so appreciative of all the prayers and concern. Please keep praying for those affected by the earthquake.

Andrea

Earthquake

About 20 minutes ago, Andrea and I were in our living room enjoying a little respite from mold, leaky ceilings, spiders, etc.

Then there was an earthquake.

Literally. We first felt the house begin to shake, like a big truck had parked under our house. However, there was no sound of a motor. The shaking increased and we started to hear our plates and cups rattling. I remembered learning in grade school that doorways were the place to be during an earthquake (growing up in Wisconsin, I don't know if this is true...). We opened the door and quickly walked downstairs. Our house is on the second story of a garage built against the edge of a ravine. The boy next door at the rectory pointed at our house and said something we couldn't understand. Once the initial shaking stopped, we went back inside and looked up "Earthquake" in our dictionary. The boys at the rectory confirmed, Ste Suzanne does get earthquakes sometimes, but they normally are not dangerous. They also couldn't stop laughing because one of the girls (Berlina) had started running in fright and tripped!

Even as I am writing this, we are still feeling tremors.

Apparently, there was a 7.0 magnitude earthquake near Port-Au-Prince, Haiti's capital. It is far away to our south, so we are fine.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/pt10012001.php

Please keep those near the epicenter in your prayers.

Jack and Andrea

What to Do When a Giant, Lightning-Quick Spider Enters Your House and Hides Under Your Couch?

Kill it with wasp spray! (shoots up to 40 feet)

Works every time.

More Fun with Mold

Today my toothbrush was green!

Hahahahaha.....

First Day of School! (or Rain Drops Keep Fallin' on My Head)

Today is the first day of the second semester of school. Everyone had a long break for Christmas and New Years. Now with polished shoes and pressed uniforms kids are getting ready to go back to school.

Only there is a problem: It is raining. I asked one of the girls at the rectory, Sonny, is she was excited for school, and she said that school would be closed today due to rain. It isn't even raining hard. However, she pointed out that many students have a long walk (sometimes an hour) and they don't want to get their uniforms dirty or wet. Growing up in Wisconsin, we barely ever had school closed, even for snow. But we had paved roads, rain coats, umbrellas, and, in a pinch, Mom to drive us to school. Our learning could continue uninterrupted day after day, giving us a sense of stability and routine.

Andrea and I have already seen many obstacles to a child's schooling in Haiti - tuition, unpaid teachers, lack of school supplies, and lack of sufficient school space. After adding "Rain" to that list, I marvel even more at the effort of those who have "made it."

Jack

PS: The picture is (from the left) Sonny, Noye, and Berlina doing laundry. Noye wasn't really doing laundry, he just wanted his picture taken!

Adoration in Haiti

Our Return to Haiti

Jack and I returned to Haiti yesterday. Our plane flew in very low over Cap Haitian to avoid a storm, and we saw whole sections of houses along the coasts covered in water. We had heard that there were two rainy seasons in Haiti, but only ever seen the summer version. This one seems far worse, as the rain has been falling day and night with little sun. Roads are a mass of clay and water, and as the rain falls down the mountains and into the sea, clay and mud is mixed with it.

When we arrived in Ste. Suzanne, two surprises lay in wait. The first--Anouse, the housekeeper at the rectory, our friend, and our source of support here, has been sick. She's gone, staying in another town in her own home and we don't know if she'll get better or if she'll return. The second--our house is covered in mold. It's difficult to describe how big a problem this is. All the furniture in the house is covered with it. All our linens, towels, and clothes. We will have to wash everything, but since it's been raining so much I have no idea how we'll get it dry. Our bed was spared, thank God. Only the mattress cover and pillows were moldy so last night Jack and I slept in our clothes on the bare mattress.

I've been advised to keep the entries short, so I'll conclude here. Be assured that we miss you all!

Andrea