Update #4 from SRC partners in Haiti

Received from El Shaddai Ministries on Jan. 15th at 12:45pm:

"God is truly amazing! My God is truly amazing!"

Those words from a song are resounding in my mind as I write. Our C3 partners have been trying to get a hold of Dony and Louis as they hoped to meet in Port-au-Prince yesterday. Their plane, however, was not permitted to land and had to be diverted to Santo Domingo,DR. They were frustrated. Since they were in the DR, they thought of purchasing food and was able to contact a business woman who willingly helped with getting the vehicles. Were they ever encouraged to read update #3 that Dony was heading to the DR!! The next concern was how to connect with him.

God is AMAZING! They were able to do that this morning. C3 partners worked hard this morning in purchasing food, water, etc., packing the items and getting clearance to drive across. The plan is to meet up with Dony and DouDou who will organize the distribution from the Haiti end. Of course, the food will not be brought into PAP just like that. Food will be stored outside of PAP and brought in discretely.

Louis was in PAP yesterday with a Haitian team from the Les Cayes area. The 2 brothers have yet to meet.

Louis writes:

"I WAS AT PAP YESTERDAY, ALL DAY. WE ARE GOING BACK TOMORROW, SATURDAY.
WE BROUGHT FOOD, WATER AND MEDICAL SUPPLIES TO PETION VILLE.
WE RESCUED A YOUNG GIRL AT DELMAS 40.
BROTHERS, IT IS UNBELIEVABLE AND HORRIBLE, MORE THAN ANYONE COULD IMAGINE.
THE DISTRIBUTION WENT WELL.

INDEED, THEIR IS NO CAR RENTAL AT PAP. NO GAS IS AVAILABLE SO FAR. THEIR IS NO FOOD AT THE RESTAURANTS. CIRCULATION IS OK AT SOME PLACES. BUT THE SMELL IS HORRIBLE. IT IS WINDY AND ALSO THE DUST IN THE AIR MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO BREATHE. TOMORROW IT MAY BE CHALLENGING, BECAUSE THE SMELL WILL BE WORSE. THERE ARE MANY BODIES TRAPPED IN THE COLLAPSED BUILDINGS AND THEY CANNOT GET THEM OUT.

EVERY BODY NEEDS HELP. MOSTLY WHEN THEY SEE STRANGERS AND THE JOURNALISTS, THEY WILL APPROACH AND START TO ASK REPETITIVELY FOR HELP. THEY NEED TO SURVIVE AND THEY ARE STILL UNDER SHOCK FROM THE EVENT.

AT BROCHETTE (CARREFOUR), OUR KIDS ARE OK. WE CARRIED WATER, FOOD AND CLOTHING FOR THEM. WE WILL BRING MORE TOMORROW. WE WILL CARRY FOUR HUNDRED GALLON OF WATER FOR THEM TO DRINK. IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WATER AT PAP WILL BE NON PORTABLE...
PART OF THE FRONT WALL COLLAPSED. THE GATE IS DAMAGED (BENT), BUT THE HOUSE IS OKAY AND SO ARE THE KIDS. I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE THEM. THEY WELCOMED ME WARMLY."

Please check esmihome.org for current photos and videos from Louis. More will be posted today describing the drive from Les Cayes to PAP and what was seen and done yesterday in PAP.

On a sad note, those of you who have been to Haiti may remember Esaie, another driver we would use with Nader. His wife died in the quake and Dony had to do the funeral yesterday. Continue to pray for his family and so many who have lost loved ones in this manner.

Dony reports that many are returning to the provinces. There is now nothing for them in PAP.

Yes, there is a spirit of sadness and despair but thank God we can look to Him for hope, a hope that is eternal. We will continue to trust God to bring good out of this horrific situation. The Haitians are a resilient people, what says those who are firm believers in a Mighty God.

With His Peace,
Sharon St. Germain