For anyone to insinuate that the mere rendering of financial assistance following a disaster excludes a helper nation’s citizens from prosecution by the government of an offended nation is a very strange interpretation of biblical truth, not to mention international law.
Medical missions in Haiti, Part 2
Being part of a medical mission team in an emergency situation can be a dicey proposition. Unless you are in a controlled environment like the University of Miami field hospital located near the airport in Port-au-Prince or a city hospital run by the Red Cross and guarded by the US military the response can be unpredictable. On my first full day in Haiti, we were asked to visit an orphanage not far from where we were staying. We loaded up all our needed supplies, both medical and personal, and set out. About a mile into the trip we hit a very steep hill which stopped our bus in its tracks. We finished the rest of the long climb on foot with several of the young German team members carrying our supply containers. Our destination was at the top of a very steep and sometimes narrow flight of stairs, a building with two or three small rooms and a single large one. It did not take long to realize that the “orphanage” was more a meeting place that had filled with children and parents. While we were setting up the clinic, a man with a bullhorn stood on a sidewalk high above the community and announced our arrival. He apparently invited all the weak, sick and infirm to come get in line. What was supposed to be a clinic to assist 50 or so children resulted in a clinic that saw 150 people of all ages. Because of the influx of people, we had maxed out our supplies in the early afternoon. Tickets were given to the 60 people who remained in line for a return clinic that will take place this week. On another day we set up clinic immediately beside the Capitol building, across the street from one of the largest tent cities in Port-au-Prince. One’s presence is announced by making a red cross from duct tape on the nearest wall. Once seen a line quickly forms for whatever care is available. Wisely, our team leader had secured the services of two state police to help with crowd control both of whom did an excellent job. At this clinic there were more people who had sustained injuries from the earthquake including a young boy of about 10 who had suffered a blow to the head from falling rubble. Specifically a portion of concrete block hit him directly on the top of his head, causing a small puncture through his skull. The sum total of treatment seemed to be the band-aid stuck over the wound. Dr. Richard Kowalske treated the young man who acted as if nothing had ever happened. Also treated that day were three Haitian ladies who were attacked as they attempted to clean sidewalks nearby. An ear wound, a facial laceration and a bloody wound to the head from a length of pipe were the repayment of attempting to clean in an area where help was not wanted. The incident was reported to the local police, but with little expectation of the crime being solved. I am thankful that we never faced any truly unruly people or dangerous situations. Two or three very distraught people forced their way into the front, but all they really wanted was someone to take their situation seriously. Read Part 1 of this series. A few of the available books on Haiti:
My relief trip to Haiti with pictures, Part 1
Last week I was given the opportunity to travel with Helping Hands Foreign Missions to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, providing logistical support to a medical team in the earthquake relief effort. It took two days to get there flying from Atlanta through Miami to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. We left early the morning of the second day for an 11 hour bus ride to Port-au-Prince. I was told the distance is 156 miles as the crow flies, but, since both capitals are coastal cities the road meanders close to the water on each of the trip, then strikes out over the interior and a couple of mountains, making the distance closer to 250 slow miles. We began seeing destruction quite a ways outside Port-au-Prince, mostly smaller buildings here and there. Often it could not be determined whether the earthquake was to blame or time, decay and poor craftsmanship. Nevertheless, the closer we got to the center, the more intense and frequent the damage became. Entire multi-story buildings were pancaked spraying concrete blocks, dust and rubble onto the street or vacant lots. Cars damaged or crushed. Tents erected on sidewalks, in parks, on rubble and in one case on top of a smashed car. Having ridden through many parts of Port-au-Prince over the course of four full days it appears that there is not a block where at least one building is not completely destroyed with more damaged. Large buildings, small buildings and everything in between. The Ministry of Justice building was leveled like a child’s building blocks. The facade and supports of the majestic capital building are crumbled. The back of the presidential palace is ruined with decades old timbers exposed. Piles of rubble 20 feet high cover an unknown number of corpses some of which may never be recovered. The clean up effort moves at the pace of a snail with bunions. Over the course of four full days and several more hours we saw about four dump trucks in action and fewer track-hoes and tractors. Once we rode past a line of 25 or more dump trucks not in use. Logistically it remains a nightmare. We were told that food, water and medical help had yet to make it to Carrefour which was closer to the epicenter. Tomorrow I’ll be posting more pictures and writing about the medical work done last week. A few of the available books on Haiti:
Meet new advertiser, Mark Dowd Design Services
The header space at martyduren.com this month advertises Mark Dowd Design Services. MARK DOWD graduated from Nossi College of Art in 2002 with a degree in Commercial Art. He has worked for Source Marketing Group in Gainesville, GA, as Senior Graphic Designer and Blackshear Place Baptist Church in Oakwood, GA, as Communications Associate. Mark is skilled in production from concept to prepares to production. He has had experience working directly with the client and through a project manager. From working in a few print shops he learned the requirements of prepress. Mark is self-taught in motion graphics and video editing. He has developed front-end user interface for websites and email newsletters. He has much interest in furthering his knowledge of 3D motion graphics and web design. Contact Mark through his website to see some of his work and get him involved in your project. He’s a great guy who does great work. If your company is hiring, give him a call; if not, throw some contract work his way.