Earthquake

As I was talking with the 102 year old woman the floor began to shake and people began to chatter. The woman I was speaking with did not feel anything but clearly we were being shaken by the earth. Actually, it was more of a sway then a shake this time.

The last earthquake I was in was centered just 55 miles away and literally shook the ground.

During this earthquake that struck Hispaniola (Jan12) I was more than 85 miles away as the crow flies. I was happily talking to an elderly woman in Hato del Yaque with the Montan family. As the earth swayed we could not believe it because we could not stand without losing balance. The moments passed and we quickly went on with our lives.

As is usual for the lifestyle here we do not get news very often. We did awake to lots of news the next morning. The streets were a buzz and there was a lot of talk of damage. We tried to cover our bases of Haitians who we know and also tried contacting our friends in Haiti not knowing that telephone lines would be down for many days ahead.

I did not know on that day that my life would be changed forever in the way I think about people, places and one very special thing.

It is now 16 February and my memory cannot hold all of the things that have happened in the time since.

Let me say unequivocally that I am so proud of how G.O. Ministries has responded to this disaster where we work. It is not just the American GO Ministries it is also the Dominican and Haitians who make up GO who I have grown to respect and admire during this time.

One quick example of dedication during this time is of Dr. Belsebeth Augustine. She is a GO supported doctor. She is Haitian but living in the Dominican. She went on her own accord to work in Port Au Prince for four weeks. During that time she slept the hours she could on the cold hard ground. She did not have a pillow nor a mattress during her attending to literally thousands of suffering patients. She thought the patients needed the mattresses more than she did.

The outpouring from our supporters has been great. I urge you to continue praying for those suffering still of malnourishment and also infection. There are still people fighting for their lives.

Please let me say thanks to all of my fellow workers at GO and all over who have given so that others might be comforted. MESI ANPIL !