Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The election is over but things are very far from clear as to what will happen next. About 3% of the polling stations were compromised in one way or another and many people are complaining they did not find their names on the electoral lists.....not surprising after so many homes etc lost after the earthquake. Since the election a group of the presidential candidates supposedly got together and agreed to ask collectively for the election to be annulled due to the irregularities. The next day several of the group held press conferences and denied they were in the "group of 12" . This has caused a great consersternation among them which stirs up the pot some more.

The coming days are going to be "interesting" to say the least. Thus far things are pretty calm in PAP but several other towns have experienced demonstrations over the last two days.

I have heard that the Cholera has reached the Ganthier area but haven't heard that any of our students have been affected. The health center in Ganthier has been set up as a treatment center so the folks do have some quick access to care if needed...... that is if the promised materials are delivered to the Center.

Today, I will be greeting a small team from Pennsylvania who will be acting as Christmas Elfs, helping me to start to prepare for the gift distribution which another team will conduct in the middle of the month.

Please keep Haiti and the Village of Hope school in your prayers as we continue to meet the variety of challenges that Haiti presents.

Debbie

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Hello and good Sunday afternoon: There is never a dull moment around here as was witnessed this afternoon when Joel came in and told me the hydro pole outside our gate with some of our electrical attachments for Hope House electricity connected to it. You could actually see flames coming out of the top of it. There were gray skies overhead and I was praying that the rain would come and help us out. But no luck!

Not long after a wire burned through and one of the elements detached from its place but we still had electricity. I will not tell you what happened over the next hour but before EDH who was supposedly called by a neighbour, could do anything, the whole wire fell, there was a loud exploding sound and now for sure we had no electricity.

We finally got the fire out as "fireman" Joel went up the extension ladder with your hose and hallelujah.....the water pressure and the stretch of his arm was enough to just get the water to the top of the pole. Then one of the neighbours who was helping out came with a long pole which we tied the hose to and that really did the trick. Joel was able to direct the nozzle of the hose right into the middle of the pole. That was a relief!

Now I know that a trip to the EDH office's is added to my list of chores for tomorrow. Luckily it is quite nearby. I just hope it won't take too long to get things back in order. I have heard we have an employee of EDH (in the upper levels) who lives further down our road so maybe that will help. We have been very fortunate to have a lot of electricity lately so we are getting "spoiled".

...and I wondered what I would write about to you today.

Other than that life goes on. Probably most of you are more up to date than I on the Cholera situation as you watch the nightly news. My mom called today and told me the airport was closed....I didn't even get that news here. I was out and about on Saturday and everything was business as usual...or at least in the area I travelled through.

The elections are Sunday and not surprisingly things are getting a little stirred up as the different parties and their supporters make their last ditch efforts for support and to make their points known. Of course the Cholera epidemic for sure has been added to the mix and needless to say the UN is dealing with what I think would be a public relations nightmare, since a group of their troops is being blamed for the outbreak in the Artibonite Valley.

Wilner tells me it is waning a bit in his neck of the woods but I know it will be sometime before it finishes making its rounds in the country and things are "back to normal".

I leave you with a picture or two of Joel putting out the fire.



Saturday, November 13, 2010

Good Morning all: A beautiful tropical morning greeted us this AM...much different than last weekend. I have had a team of construction crew here since Wed and they have worked like beavers completing renovations on the small apt. and doing some odd repair chores for me. One of the fellows was even brave enough to go and "attack" cleaning up the "hardware" section of the depot. Everything looks great.

The visit with my brother and sister in law sped by but it was nice to be together if even for the brief time we were. We managed a quick visit to Deschapelles to see Wilner and then spent a few hours by the ocean, even if it was a bit overcast. The one beach that we usually go to was flooded so we went a little further down the road to another one.

Other areas of the country did not fare as well and are now dealing with the results of the flooding and winds destroying farm areas and fishing villages.

Of course the cholera is still a great preoccupation for many. It is now spreading to several different areas of the country including PAP as we are not getting reports of sporadic cases being reported from various sites. The information campaign continues as the MSPP and NGO's try to organize observation and treatment centers for those too ill to be taken care of at home.

People are very afraid and I heard on the radio yesterday that some folks in a provincial town could not get to the clinic for treatment as the motorcycle and tap tap drivers were too afraid to carry anyone sick on/in their vehicles. Education and prevention is certainly the key to keeping the epidemic under control.

Now, I wish you a good weekend and please continue to pray for VOH and the people of Haiti.

Debbie

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Sat 1:00 PM: Hi all....welll Tomas has come and gone and now everyone works to dry out. At Hope House we did not fair too badly. The winds and rain were not too too strong and we did not suffer any damage. I just got back from errands over on Delmas. We went through a few big "lakes" of water at several intersections this AM but by time we headed back there were pretty much dried up. All of the tent camps seems to be intact but now folks look forward to the sunshine to start drying out their clothes and the muddy ground.

I have only heard of 7 deaths as a result of the storms and they occurred in the southern region which was hit worse off than PAP. You will probably have seen more on the news than I.

Its a short note I know but I figured some folks would be anxious to hear how we faired.

Family is visiting so I am off to enjoy a few hours with them.

Debbie

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Hello folks: What next for Haiti? That is a question many are asking as we all prepare and hunker down as best we can for the arrival of Hurricane Tomas. We awoke to grey and cloudy skies today and a lot of wind. The Ministry of Education closed schools for today and tomorrow. As I type it is just starting to rain a bit.


However it did not stop me from doing some errands and taking my brother and sister-in-law who are visiting, to the Metal workers area to do some shopping. The civic protection has done a great job of keeping the people informed and sending out warnings and instructions over the radio. In different areas around the city there are a number of sites being prepared with temporary housing. The picture below isn't the best but it will give you and idea of the type of temporary housing that is being put up. Hopefully some of them will be habitable for folks to take refuge from the storm.
















The public health dept and civic protection at the same time preparing for the hurricane are also still working hard on public awareness to prevent the spread of the cholera. They have been handing out soap, potable water and other such necessities.

So keep up your prayers for Haiti and its people.

Debbbie