Road to Haiti
by Bill Horan
Port-au-Prince, Haiti – I’ve been awake since 4 a.m. The rest of the Operation Blessing team is still sleeping, but a life-long habit of rising early along with some raucous roosters have me wide-eyed and bushy-tailed.
We are staying in a “guest house” in central Port-au-Prince. For $65 per head per day they feed us excellent family-style Haitian meals, offer wireless internet access and AC, but hot water is not on the list of amenities. It’s been a while since I started my day with a cold shower. I can assure you, one doesn’t linger long under the needles of an icy spray. It does, however, take one from feeling half-asleep groggy to full-alert awareness without the aid of espresso.
I am not complaining, only letting you know what life is like here for our overworked team that puts in 18-hour work days, 7 days a week. In comparison, the residents of Port-au-Prince are suffering unimaginably, and do not have the luxury of our gated compound, armed guards and hot meals.
Today we head to Lake Azuei, where OBI’s tilapia-growing friends have the floating fish cages that we sponsored. Their village was not affected much by the quake, but they have been cut from supplies for over three weeks. We are bringing a truckload of relief packages (food and hygiene items) bottled water and a team of Israeli doctors with medical supplies. There is too much salt in the lake for a WMI purifier, so we have many cases of bottled water that the Navy shipped here for us from Norfolk. Ironically, the water, that was donated to OBI by a Pennsylvania company, was bottled in Iceland. It seems so odd, melted iceberg water for villagers in the hinterlands of earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
Yesterday I came in from the Dominican Republic. We left Santo Domingo at 6 a.m. in a rented car with local driver. He drove way too fast for my taste but I didn’t complain. The road was busy with truckloads piled high with relief streaming toward Haiti, so we spent lots of time passing trucks. The countryside in the Dominican is beautiful, with scarlet and orange beauganvilla planted in hedgerows along the highway and banana plantations covering the verdant valleys and lush foothills.
The border crossing into Haiti at Jimani is like a scene from an end-of-the-world 3D movie. Hundreds of trucks raising clouds of yellow dust and diesel smoke are bunched up waiting to squeeze through the funnel that is the narrow, iron gate to Haiti. Heavily armed soldiers with bandoleers of ammunition crossing their camouflaged chests swing the gate open to allow in one vehicle at a time. We clutched our passports and held our breath as we pulled up to the gate. The solders barely gave us a second look and swung open the rusty gate, and then, we were in Haiti.
More tomorrow….
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February 16th, 2010 at 4:05 pm
We are praying for you and all who are volunteering their time, funds and care for the Haitian people. We are praying for them too. We were in Jimani at the hospital and the clinic that is adjacent to a new orphanage two days after the earthquake. Life was hard there and impossible at best before the earthquake, it made scratching a daily existance much worse than before. I also pray that our news media does not lose interest in covering the needs of the people there and the need for more medical supplies, helpers and food and water. God Bless you all.
February 16th, 2010 at 4:22 pm
I feel joyful that I can help even in the little way that I do. God bless you for God’s work you are doing. Floyd
February 16th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Wow! I can’t even imagine, though I try. Reading your stories really puts a visualization behind it and it helps put things into perspective. What you (and everyone else) is doing over there is very brave, and I admire and respect you all greatly – I wish I could be over there helping myself.
It doesn’t sound like there’s any way I can get over there to help, but if there is, I’d love to know how. If it’s not an option, what can I be doing to best assist everyone over in Haiti trying to help? I’ve thrown fundraisers, and donated to several organizations – but there’s got to be more.
My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone in Haiti, and I wish you all the best – you’re all heroes.
Thanks for giving hope.
Best,
Wes
February 16th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
Bill,
God Bless You and Keep You and “the team”. Keep up the good work!!
February 16th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Thank you for Operation Blessing’s rapid, well-organized response to this natural disaster and meeting so many needs. When I was reading your blog about OB and the Israelis working together, I felt a warmth in my spirit. Also, I have complete confidence that the gifts are being used very wisely. May God bless the work of Operation Blessing all over the world. So refreshing to know you’re out there where we can’t be.
February 16th, 2010 at 9:41 pm
God Bless the hardwork and dedication of Operation Blessing in Haiti. You are in my prayers.
February 16th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
Good work! So glad to hear of all the good work you are doing and the lives that are being touched! I pray God’s blessings for all of you there and that more and more needs will be met, ongoing!
February 16th, 2010 at 11:58 pm
Thank the Lord. These are the most remarkable articles I have read, and they put me right there with the wonderful people there to help the Haitians survive. God bless them all and thank you CBN and OBI for the marvelous work you are doing for God’s hurting people. Sincerely,
February 17th, 2010 at 1:16 am
Good report. I thank God for the wonderful work you are doing for our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
May the good Lord continue to bless you and your team for such a recommendable work you are doing.
Patson
February 17th, 2010 at 10:39 am
I read your blog, and it was very interesting! I appreciate all the hard work you are doing for the poor people of Haiti. I will remember to pray for your efforts, and God Bless your work there.
February 18th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
God bless you and the team and the works of your hands.
February 20th, 2010 at 2:59 am
May God bless you all out there.
February 20th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
May God continue to bless, strengthen, and keep you and the OB team; you are doing a wonderful job where so many of us would like to be physically but can’t. Will hold you all up in prayers.