The day the earth shook: Haiti earthquake
by David Darg
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – I was in Haiti less than a month ago working with Eric Lotz, our Haiti national director. Operation Blessing had been asked by President Clinton’s office of the UN Special Envoy to Haiti to carry out an assessment of the sewage system at the national hospital in Port-au-Prince.
A pump had failed in the system and waste quickly began accumulating in a cess pool on the grounds of the hospital. Soon raw sewage was bubbling up in the hospital buildings posing a huge health risk. The cess pool was horrific. Into it flowed all of the raw sewage from the hospital, all the drainage from the delivery room and the drainage from the morgue. The surface of the effluence writhed with millions of mosquito larvae while the rotting sewage bubbled like an evil witch’s cauldron.
The hospital staff told us of an urban myth where the last 4 people who tried to repair the sewage system died from exposure to the filth.
It was the ultimate dirty job but we accepted the challenge. I left Haiti and Eric began organizing the equipment needed to repair the sewer. A few weeks later on January 12, we began to pump out the sewage while a crew of (very brave) men shoveled and scrubbed the pool so we could get to the broken pump.
Eric and I exchanged several messages on our Blackberrys over the course of the morning. We joked about the nature of the job, “It’s crappy work,” etc. At 11:41 a.m. Eric sent me this message:
“About 18″ down now. Should start to move a little faster. There for a while the level did not drop at all, because the water from the box canal was flowing in. Definitely making good progress, though.”
At 11:49 a.m. Eric sent a photograph he took with his phone of the cleanup crew shoveling the sewage.
Then at 2:50 p.m. Eric sent this message: “We had about an hour (electrical) blackout, but other than that the pump has been running for about 4 hours straight, and we’ve probably removed about half the volume. Looking at another 4-5 hours to empty it all.”
That was the last message I received from Eric that day.
The next message I received about Haiti was from the US Geological survey at 5:12 p.m. In my position as director of International disaster relief for OBI, I have the USGS automatically send me an email when an earthquake (over 6 Mw) strikes anywhere in the world.
I glanced at the email and was shocked at the subject line: “2010-01-12 21:53:09 (Mw 7.0) HAITI REGION.” Even more concerning was the proximity: “16 km (10 miles) SW (227 degrees) of PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti.”
I immediately tried to call Eric but nothing happened. No ring, no busy signal. There were no lines open in Haiti. This was not good.
I had often thought and remarked to my colleagues in Haiti that a strong earthquake would be devastating in Port-au-Prince. The shabbily built homes suspended over steep ravines always looked so precarious and the narrow maze of streets would make any rescue efforts a nightmare.
In the minutes and hours following the quake (which struck at 4:53 p.m. local time), it was clear that the nightmare had become true. One early report was that a hospital had collapsed in Port-au-Prince. Knowing that Eric was at the hospital, I was extremely concerned. I tried calling him many times but just could not get through. I sifted through the internet for reports of damage and couldn’t believe the horror unfolding in a nation that has already endured so much. A day that started with us fixing a broken sewer tuned into a day of a broken city.
On the last day of my visit last month, Eric took me to a beautiful vantage point overlooking Port-au-Prince. Local artists painted vistas of the city and allowed Eric’s young children to paint tiny white dots on the canvas, each dot representing a house.
One of the first videos I saw after the quake was taken from that same vantage point, only now the tiny white dots had tuned into an ominous cloud of grey dust. I knew then that I needed to head to Haiti as fast as I could.
After 24 hours, we finally received word that Eric was alive. He had fled from the crumbling hospital and then walked 8 miles through the death and destruction to get home. His family are all alive but his home was destroyed. He snapped this picture with his Blackberry as he walked home.
Today I am flying into the Dominican Republic and from there will join colleagues for the long drive to Port-au-Prince. Once I arrive, I will be coordinating OBI’s relief efforts which are likely to last for a very long time.
Tags: Caribbean, clean water, David Darg, Disaster Relief, Dominican Republic, Earthquake, Eric Lotz, General Hospital, Haiti, National Hospital, OBI, Operation Blessing, Relief, Relief Aid, UN
Entries (RSS)
January 14th, 2010 at 9:21 am
Eric is a good friend of mine, please tell him we are all praying for him and his family.
January 14th, 2010 at 10:07 am
Everybody please PRAY for Gods Love to be given to all that has been affected by this horrible disaster.Our LORD please give the physical strength,and spiritual humanity needed to all of the Doctors,Nurses,Rescuers,and Caregivers as long as it is needed in Haiti.Keep Praying,and don’t ever give up! Gods speed,and strength Eric to your Mission now.From a Devout Humanitarian,and Christian,Pia.
January 14th, 2010 at 1:38 pm
I just made my VISA donation to help the devastated people of Haiti. Please consider at least $25.00 donation to help these needy, devastated people.
January 14th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
I don’t know Eric but Thank God he and his family are ok. I pray for the people of Haiti and for all the people that are ministering to them. I pray God will give them strength and that this disaster will cause people to turn to God. May God bless this country as they try to rebuild their city and their lives. I also Thank God for CBN and for all they do. That’s why I give to CBN.
January 14th, 2010 at 2:07 pm
MAY GOD BLESS EM ALL
January 14th, 2010 at 2:10 pm
I thank Jesus that when a disaster occurs, Operation Blessing seems to always be first on the scene. With tribulation on the forefront of the earth, we must keep our focus on the Lord listening for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. However, in this recent disaster, I wish there was more assistance I could offer. I never “feel” what I can do is enough. May God bless and protect the Operation Blessing workers as they continue to do the work God has placed before them.
January 14th, 2010 at 2:18 pm
Our prayers are with you David, Eric, OBI, and especially our Haitian brothers & sisters. We have been donating regularly to OBI and specifically for the clean water projects. My hope is the world turns its focus away from the perpetual madness that occupies the daily news buzz and help in whatever way possible. We are praying for the safety of survivors, rescuers/emergency crews, military personnel, medical staff, missionaries, and family members awaiting word from loved ones. The Lord give you all strength…
January 14th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
May our Lord Jesus Christ be Eternally Glorified as He reaches countless people here with His Saving Grace, Mercy, Healing, Help, and Deliverance as only He alone is able to do in ways we cannot see, think or imagine. In Jesus’ Name Amen.
January 14th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
David, I am so glad you & Eric were not hurt in the earthquake. We are thinking of you & all that needs to be done during this terrible time. Please be careful as you work to help the people in Haiti. Margie Ackerman
January 14th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
OBI is really God’s hand extended. Thank you so much to all of you blessed people who have definitely answered the call. I really wish the mainstream media would let others know what you do instead of bad-mouthing Mr. Pat Robertson about when he speaks the truth. I believe that God is in control of everything that happens even what happened in Haiti. God bless you all and I am praying for all my brothers ans sisters in Haiti and their families here in the US.
January 14th, 2010 at 7:30 pm
My prayers are with you. I have wept with a broken heart over this disaster. Thank you for showing us a clearer way to pray. My sister had tried to call Catholic Charities and could not get them, I will tell her to check your site, and send donations to you.
January 14th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Thank you for your report…
Why are we not able to get water in? That seems the most crucial, even for the living. Is it like Katrina? As things begin to get organized I would be willing to go and help in anyway I can, clerical, comfort, medical assistant…
Don’t forget to bring the mosquito eating fish for all the cesspools…
I am praying for all the relief effort people involved.
January 14th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
David, we will be following you with our prayers! May the Lord use you to “rescue the perishing”. Stan
January 14th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Who knew that the removal 18″ of sewage would be the bright spot in someones day. A vivid reminder that we are all but a breath away from death and/or disaster.
I rejoice that Eric and his family have survived. I pray for their continued health and safety, for the health and safety of those who are still living though this event and for those who are coming to their aid.
Your sister in Christ, Karen
January 14th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
So glad that I found your organization through a referral listing on http://www.cnn.com yesterday. You’re an awesome group. And, this is such a testimony of what God can do. I pray for the safety of your staff and all Haitians. God bless you for giving us the opportunity to share our resources with Haiti!
January 14th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord. Ps 130:1
January 14th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
I will bw praying for those in Haiiti.
January 14th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
God Bless you bro…chronicle so the world will know and help…Blessings from Manila…This is Greg your OB photographer.
January 14th, 2010 at 10:49 pm
Dear Eric, I really shocked to learn bout Haiti”s Earthquake. I praise GOD that HE has protected you and your family out of this calamity,and i really felt very sorry to those who lost their family members. May LORD protect them through his instruments like you people working midst them personally. My prayer is always with you.
Thank you,
In CHRIST,
jacobrajkumar
January 14th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Thanks for the work you are doing for the Haitians and on behalf of us who cannot physically go there. God Bless you and keep you safe, and bless the Haitian people.
January 15th, 2010 at 3:36 am
Safe travels and may God bless you and keep you safe as you travel and do what so many of us wish we could do …. HELP the people HAITI by being there and doing whatever needs doing.
Please let the people of HAITI know that God and the world is with them.
Blessings
Mel
January 15th, 2010 at 8:23 am
Will be praying for OB efforts and other relief agencies as the battle is on to bring relief to the sufferingpeople.
January 15th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
Oh Lord Jesus, You’re our strength and our High Tower, bless all who are working to help the poor, injured, and those that don’t know you Lord Jesus. I am so thankful for OB and CBN, the Lord tells us to feed the hungry, cloth the poor and touch the sick, I know that giving through CBN and OB, that command from our Lord can be done. Praise the Lord for OB & CBN being there assisting, so that we who cannot be there, can give donations, which makes us “right there beside our brothers and sisters,” it is so awesome, thank you Jesus, thank you for your mercy and grace and providing safety for Eric and his family. Please place a safety net around those that are working in the midst of this destruction in Haiti, Your hedge of protection, and send your Spirit to their hearts when it is dark, they are exhausted, but Your Spirit tells them YOU are there, confirming to them “YOU will not leave them,” most Holy Lord Jesus. I continue to pray fervently, for the country of Haiti, thank you OB and CBN, in Jesus name, amen. Rev. Dr. Carolyn Forister-Chemel S. Dakota
January 15th, 2010 at 5:13 pm
God Bless all of you and I will send a donation. Won’t be big but all I can afford. God be with you and everyone in Haiti.
January 17th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
[...] Our emergency paramedic team arrived yesterday morning from Israel. We immediately equipped them with medicines and transported them into the heart of the quake zone and to the National hospital, the same hospital where we were working on the day the quake struck (see day 1 blog). [...]
February 15th, 2010 at 11:09 am
I love giving to Operation Blessing on a monthly basis. I encourage others to get on board and do the same with the automatic withdrawal system set up through your bank or credit card.
What a miracle it is to watch Operation Blessing relief at work from day 1 and throughout this devastation.
I have a mother-in-law and sister-in-law with her family who live in Haiti.
Praise God they were untouched by all harm and we were able to send our brother-in-law there to get them out on the 4th day after the quake.
As of now they do not want to go back to Haiti ever again.
I pray that Haiti will be restored better then before and Haitians can live in peace one day soon. For the sake of the children let us pray for their future, in Christ Jesus our Lord Savior , King and God.
March 28th, 2010 at 4:03 am
I have several relatives who were also vicitimized by the earthquake in Haiti. Thank God that they were not seriously hurt. I hope and pray that Haiti would be able to recover soon from this disaster.
July 11th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Eric is one of my cousins. I am so proud to call him family!!!