Phone Conversation .. January 30

Mom was able to talk to Dad last night for a few minutes! He was super excited about the blog, and happy that everything was being logged, as he really has no place to write everything down. He gave my mom all this information, and asked that it be added.

When we landed in Florida, on our way here, we had to sit on the tarmac while a fresh crew boarded the plane. I was watching out the window and saw a police car, lights and sirens driving out to our plane. Behind the police car was a pizza hut delivery car. Pizza was put into the storage of our plane, not for us though. We took it to those who were already there serving the Haitians, specifically the 82nd Airborne Company. They were so thankful and have provided extra help and security for our group.

Our 6 acre compound is on a steep mountainside and at the bottom is a river. This river is used as their garbage dumping area, bathing and yes, they use the water for drinking. We have a small water supply for drinking and are hoping to have our water tank repaired so that it will provide water in the next day or two.

The Haitians are such hard workers. Little kids will help us move our supplies from the compound to the clinic which is about 500 yards away. Two of them will latch on to the sides of the 35 pound buckets and carry them down. One of the employees at Healing Hands for Haiti compound has a job of sweeping the leaves off of the compound that fall from a large tree each day. At 5:30 in the morning you hear the whoosh, whoosh, whoosh of her broom. They are hungry, they are thirsty. They continue to hope and to make things happen.

Another employee from the compound was trapped inside a collapsed building. His children stayed by the building, helping to get him out for 4 days. They kept speaking to each other through the rubble. His wife was at home where their home had collapsed on her, and she passed away. There is not one person here who has not lost a loved one, a friend, someone they knew.

Their building materials are so faulty. You can pick up a piece of concrete that was used in a building that has collapsed and it will disintegrate in your fingers. The clinic is a 'MASH' tent. All of the supplies are carried back and forth each day to protect them. Haitians are lining up to receive help. They come here for everything, it is really a one stop fix it shop! The people I am working with are so amazing. They have one goal .. To use their hands and hearts to heal.