Port-au-Prince
We just got back from a three day run into Port-au-Prince. Oddly, it’s difficult to describe what we saw. On one hand, there were buildings upon buildings flattened like pancakes. Endless lines formed at food and water distribution sites. Tarps and sheets were strung together housing thousands in “tent” cities on vacant lots. It was heartbreaking. On the other hand, cars filled the streets and traffic was bad. Vendors lined the curbs selling goods as they always have. People were out and about—everywhere. The only thought that came to mind was: this is the “new normal”. Yet, I struggle to believe anything normal could emerge from such a catastrophe so quickly. I drove around PAP with a guy who has been in New Orleans since Katrina, and he said New Orleans “looked” much worse after the hurricane.
We talked with a number of PAP ministries that we have been working with and got the impression that our services are now more of a luxury item 22 days post-quake. Requests for supplies have slowed down too. We expected this.
After visiting PAP and Fort-Liberte, we decided that it’s now time to shift this initiative toward refugees in the community where we live (see “Phase 2″ in the previous post). While in Fort-Liberte, friends reiterated their needs to us. People who fled PAP shared their stories—they have nothing. All of our neighbors have taken in at least one or two displaced family members. Next door, they took five.
Funding is now around $200,000. In the next few days we will be sending between $25K and $50K in food aid to Fort-Liberte for the 3000 to 5000 refugees the mayor’s office estimates. Pray for strength and endurance as everyone is growing tired and weary—and the road ahead is still long.