Port au Prince Update
Thursday Mar 4th
Feb. 22
To all
Another week has gotten underway and as I look around the office Patrick, Vivian and I share, it looks a bit like parts of Port of Prince in a much smaller scale. Due to this time of the year with only a small amount of rain and due to the demolition of the 2nd floor above the office, everything is covered in a fine whitish dust. Any place one looks there is a pile of something as the bookcase crashed down and all its contents were over the floor and it fell into sections when we picked it up so the pressed wood has been used to make a table, or as something to put under a mattress when we slept in the driveway and most of it has finally succumbed to the rainy periods we have had the past few nights. Wet pressed wood makes a mess just in case anyone wants to know!
So, what else has taken place? Well we knew the cement roofs above us would need to be taken down but we first had to move the satellite dish on the 3rd floor roof and the stairs getting up there were a bit dangerous. The company we use for Satellite dish problems generally takes quite a while to respond to our calls so having them arrive the afternoon we called was quite a surprise. The demolition crew had already started sledge hammering so I was a bit surprised when I showed the men where the dish was only to find it already removed and waiting on the 2nd floor roof to be replaced in another section over the kitchen building. On that roof we have a 500 gallon container for water, 2 solar panels and now a satellite dish. We also have 2 clinical exam lights that are used at night to make a path through the “tent city”. I admit there were times when the hammering overhead caused us to get out of the office as the vibrations brought back lots of memories. There is only the skeleton of wood and iron rebar left along with the bathroom fixtures which will not be removed until we know what will happen to the rest of the house. It is just so good to look up and not see the slant to the roof heading into the soccer field!
Our septic system finally got cleaned out on Saturday. However the plumber hasn’t been well so the new hook up of the shower and sink hopefully will be done today. There is a big sign on the bathroom door that says “No Showers” but as Bishop Gumbelton was here for 2 days, I wrote under it, except for those over 76! The system could handle 2 showers not 32 and as he has returned to the States I am the only one who qualifies. The privileges of age have advantages.
Saturday night Patrick Tortora Jr. arrived to relieve our cook of her afternoon responsibilities preparing a meal for us. He had to come through the Dominican Republic and has yet to get his baggage. He certainly is a welcome addition. I wish all of you could see how the 2 members of our cooking staff relaxed yesterday afternoon. Theremise and Madame both had their hair done (a long job as it is braided in small sections) and a pedicure while sitting on chairs near the washing machines. We brought Patrick to a window so he could see what it meant to them to have these few hours away from the propane and charcoal stoves. He is here for a week and will take care of preparing our meals during that time. The kitchen folks will continue to prepare breakfast and late afternoon meals for the 25 to 30 staff folks working in the “tent city” and the 15 “malads” in our makeshift hospital. Last week they were preparing food for close to 45 of us as we had a group of 21 here who added to our normal 24-26 people. That particular group has relocated and it has made quite a difference, even though all slept outside in tents, the additional people just seemed to complicate an already stressed system.
As I write this the “Alleluias” have started and I am listening to loud “Amens” from around the field. (due to an aftershock) Yesterday, three of us brought food to an area that has received little in the way of assistance. It seems difficult at times to explain to disaster relief personnel that you have to go way inside major streets to bring assistance. So many distribution areas are right on main streets which causes traffic blockage that makes Atlanta’s 85 look like a raceway at 5 pm and only the young can get through the crowds so many do not leave their home (tents) to walk out to the area and thus go hungry.
The airport has opened up to commercial traffic but the airport itself was damaged so people are all over the place trying to find luggage and carrying it to parked cars. As Patrick has said “if someone doesn’t get killed in what is happening, that will be a miracle”. I saw my first American Airline on Saturday when 3 of us were picking up a shipment from St. William’s Parish on St. Simon’s Is., GA It was quite an experience seeing my name on 3 large pallets. It was like Christmas when we arrived back at MH25, especially when we saw boxes that listed “tent” as part of the contents. Tents are still a major priority and hard to come by, although I am seeing more and more land covered with regular tents and not the makeshift ones that are still so common. There are 2 areas we have been told that the people must relocate. One of the areas is a large one downtown near the palace and the other is near us. I don’t think we will get any new people as our number still remains close to the 2,000 each night as folks will not sleep in their houses. Now that our second floor is being worked on, I think we may start thinking about moving back inside but none of us are in a hurry.
Our medical clinic continues but not with the same emergency we had over the past month. We had a dentist for one day and he hardly stopped working as the line of patients got longer and longer when word spread there was one working in the soccer field. It was quite a set up as we have rather uncomfortable metal chairs but they have a high back so the person can rest his/her head. Most dental work here is extractions and having a dentist is so much needed and so very rare.
This week we are suppose to be visited by the Lion’s Club International President who happens to be an American. I am Presidente d’Honneur of the comite central as I refused to part of the decision making committee. The 3 of us are so proud of this central committee and yesterday when the Lion’s national president was here and began lecturing us about the need to have organization; it was delightful to bring out the minutes showing the committee and then the sub committees all with cell phone numbers. He was impressed as well he might, so I asked him where out toilets are and when would they be here.
This coming week will probably see the end of the work on the 2nd floor. The walls around MH25 are not stable but at least they provide some security, we just don’t park the cars near them. We continue to have aftershocks, the one this am around 4:30 I felt it as I was sitting in the same spot at my desk. This one was just above a 4 so all is well!
I had to bring clothes and soap to the washing woman and as I passed the stove I tasted home fries. So I am on my way to have an American breakfast…life is good! I love you all and so very grateful for you and your love and concern. I am fine, still holding the record of Not being sick. Mary
Via Sister Julia C. Lanigan, GNSH
Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart
1750 Quarry Rd.
Yardley, PA 19067-3998