Girl survives after five days buried in the rubble
by David Darg
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – This morning our team left the airport and headed to the soccer stadium that is now a temporary home to 2,000 quake victims. It seems like every time we exit the airport there are more and more people gathered outside the gates desperate for help. Note: Blog contains some graphic images.
The drive through the city is slightly nerve wracking. This morning we were stopped by a road block of tree branches manned by Haitians desperate for food. After our interpreter explained we only had medical supplies, the branches were pulled back and we were allowed to proceed.
Our convoy moved quickly through the crowded streets trying to stop as few times as possible. But at times, stopping is unavoidable. Before the quake, Port-au-Prince’s maze of narrow streets made driving difficult, but now the streets are strewn with the wreckage of crushed cars and collapsed buildings. When we did stop, crowds gathered around us. Some were banging on the window and gesturing they were hungry. A few tried to grab at the doctors clothing through the window.
At the stadium we hurried to set up our clinic. Local volunteers struggled to control the crowds as they surged forward shouting for food and water.
Once the crowd realized we were there to provide medical services they all reshuffled into lines for treatment, but it was soon evident that those in need of treatment were not those able to stand in line.
As soon as we began to set up, people began to bring injured relatives and friends and lay them on the ground in front of us.
Our Israeli paramedics kicked into emergency mode and began to treat the most critical cases immediately. We were astonished at some of the horrific injuries that people had been living with for the last 5 days.
Children with gaping head wounds lay screaming and confused, some had lost motor skills from the blows they had received to their heads. Men, women and children – young and old – were carried in on makeshift stretchers made of broken doors.
Many had broken legs, most now severely swollen. We had one local volunteer cutting plywood strips to make emergency splints. He was working flat out all day.
We were shocked that so few had received any kind of treatment. So many wounds had started to turn septic and the doctors had to create a section for people who would need to go for either emergency operations or amputations. Israeli paramedics are perfect for this type of work, they have all received military training and are used to treating patients in difficult situations where they might not have access to all the equipment they needed.
I was busy coordinating vehicles to transfer emergency cases to the Israeli hospital in another stadium when I noticed the already high state of pandemonium had turned up a notch.
Several men came running into the stadium carrying a teenage girl they had just pulled from the rubble. They laid her limp body on a table and we all thought at first she was dead, but one of the doctors detected a pulse and we saw her take a few shallow gasps of air. The doctors rushed into gear and immediately had her on multiple IVs.
She reeked of death having been buried next to other bodies that were killed instantly in the quake. We rushed her to the Israeli hospital where she underwent surgery, and now, 5 days after the earthquake, she is in stable condition.
Seeing this miraculous recovery and life saved before my eyes was one of the most profound moments of my life. Just this one life saved has made all the lost sleep, the sweat, the struggle to get here and any other adversity seem more than worthwhile.
Tomorrow we set up again early in the morning and will continue to save lives and reach out to Haiti.
Tags: Caribbean, David Darg, Disaster Relief, Earthquake, Haiti, IsraAid, Medical Aid, medical clinic, OBI, Operation Blessing, Port-au-Prince, Relief, Relief Aid, Relief Supplies, Survivor
Entries (RSS)
January 18th, 2010 at 5:38 pm
I thank you very much for the incredibly job your doing under such imposable conditions. God speed.
January 18th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
I’m so thankful that you are there helping these victims of the earthquake!
I’m lifting the whole situation before Almighty God and asking His mercy and Mighty Hand to stregthen you and support your efforts. I know He will!
God bless you always, in the name of Messiah Yeshua.
January 18th, 2010 at 11:02 pm
May God bless and keep us all – the victims, the helpers, the donors, the pray-ers, the providers, the reporters – in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died and rose to redeem as many as will believe.
January 19th, 2010 at 12:39 am
Thank you for what you guys are doing there. Thank you for your sacrifice. Sometimes it seems hopeless to see the people in need down there and not be able to reach out and help. But I’m thankful for your ministry, and the work you do. I’m trying to keep everyone I know updated on Facebook. And I was encouraged that my company recommended your ministry with others as a place to donate to for Haitian relief. We are all praying for your efforts down there, and for the people of Haiti–the Lord protect you!!
January 19th, 2010 at 1:15 am
God will help you for doing good work in this kingdom, thy kingdom will come
January 19th, 2010 at 3:03 am
Jehovah be thou glorified. Operation Blessings team and all those working to bring God’s love to such a hopeless situation may God bless you all abundantly.
January 19th, 2010 at 4:23 am
God Bless all you people who are working so hard to save lives, I am praying several times a day for everyone, especially the poor people that have been so many days without food, water, & meadical care
Thanhs for all the information and keep up the very good work
Leonard
January 19th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Please keep us updated here at Lamb who is a Lion Outreach Ministry and we are preparing to send money to help with the Medical Outreach to the people of Haiti ta the present time.Sincerely,Mr.Michael William Sochacki.Senior.
January 19th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
Thank you David for tirelessly putting down this info for the rest of us back home.
January 19th, 2010 at 1:14 pm
Thank you David!! To you and all of Operation Blessing’s Team!! God Bless each one of you for what you are doing to help the Hatian people in dior need, I know He is and will do so. We can’t all be there to help, but find comfort in the fact that you are there doing the work of the Lord for all of us. May the Lord keep you safe until your return home and thereafter.
Sincerely & In Christ,
Mrs. Candice Baird
January 19th, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Thanks for getting the story out. I can only imaginge how difficult it is to write about the events you encounter each day. Stay safe. Looking forward to seeing you soon
January 19th, 2010 at 2:31 pm
Thank God for the wonderful work you are doing. I would like to suggest that disaster-prone places like Haiti have emergency medical supplies, tents, baby formula, bottled water, and non-perishable food supplies kept in a disaster-proof bunker or other facility so that these needed items will be ON HAND when a disaster strikes. Too many lives are being lost due to the time the U.N. personnel take in making an “assessment” of the situation. Dr. Sanjay Gupta spoke of his frustration on TV last night, and it would be good for your team to take the lead in setting up storage facilities for emergencies so that another one will not catch the Haitian population unprepared the next time.
It also would be good if Habitat for Humanity could rebuild the Haitian towns and neighborhoods into clusters of small towns divided into segments of 250-500 homes and have each centered around a medical clinic-hospital, school, church, local government and post office complex, and recreation-community center. Perhaps the disaster equipment could be housed in one of these locations so that 1000-2000 people could be reached and served immediately. Habitat has built such “Habitat towns” in Mexico so that the people can govern themselves and easily can reach services they need very quickly. Please pass this along and also acknowledge my email suggestions.
January 19th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
thank you for being there for those of us who can’t go. And thank you for what you are doing and for reporting it here.
God bless you!!
January 19th, 2010 at 6:44 pm
I’m praying for all of you several times a day. God Bless you with strength for all that you are doing. So thankful for the Isreali doctors there. I haven’t heard anything about them on national news.
God Bless
January 20th, 2010 at 8:07 am
I have tears in my eyes. So thankful for the team and the doctors who are being God’s hands and feet. Prayers continue to flow for all of you.
January 20th, 2010 at 10:42 am
You guys are doing a great job! I am proud to call myself a christian partly because of people like you. You are where the need is the greatest. That is why I give to your organization.
May the good Lord continue to bless you all.
January 21st, 2010 at 2:59 am
oh my goodness, I knew of the earthquake happening but reading your blog ~~~~and I don’t know how you have the time to blog with all you are doing over there, but I am glad you are…because it is making me realize just how critical the situation is over there!- I lived in Los Angeles most of my life, I am 50 yrs old. and have lived through many earthquakes…but none of this magnitude or devastation. Thank you for helping me to understand just how really really serious the situation is in Haiti.~~~ I will keep you in my daily prayers and will continue to donate what ever $$$ I can. I will also pray to God who gives seed to the sower that He will bless me a hundredfold so it can come to me and through me. I want to help all I can $$$ since I am not able to be there physically. May God bless you with all the strength, wisdom and guidance you will need as you do the humanistarian work you are doing. and may he keep you from all harm. safe in His loving arms…under the shadow of his wings. In Jesus Name. In His Love, Ty
January 24th, 2010 at 4:51 am
God bless the ministry. Keep speaking the truth in love as God seeks to set the captives free. He uses us to deliver a message that transcends! Despite what the world says, Jesus is Lord!
January 26th, 2010 at 11:14 am
Praise God Praise God Praise God for all HE is doing through each one of you. I pray for grace and strength and courage for each of you as you fight for the lives of these dear people. I pray for Jesus to send angels from Heaven to minister. Jesus is Lord, pouring His love through you. Thank you for doing what we cannot do here and stay safe and encouraged knowing we are with you all in spirit. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe.”Prov 18:10 – May God keep you safe. God Bless, Susan D.
March 4th, 2010 at 3:34 am
Thanks, Keep up the Good work