Back to Haiti

It has been about 4 days since Hurricane Matthew tore through the southern peninsula of Haiti.  Rick and I were able to take our children to Sabetha, KS to stay with family until the situation at HL stabilizes.  I am posting from the Atlanta Airport as we wait to board our flight to Port-Au-Prince (PAP).  We are taking in some medical supplies, a chainsaw, tarps, water purification tablets and other miscellaneous items.  

We were also able to assemble a small team to come help.  Jon Zeller from Morton, Il will travel with us and plans to assist the missionaries and missions in Cayes.  David Zimmerman is returning about 10 days early from his furlough.  Linda Sprouffske is an RN that served at the Hopital Lumiere in the 1980's and she is coming to help with medical care and preparations to deal with a possible Cholera outbreak.  Lucas Nussman from Forrest, IL and Darrell Stoller, Goodfield, IL are coming to help with clean-up and getting the campus wired for electricity.  

Our group will spend the night in PAP this evening and then start to make our way to the hospital in the AM.  We hope to be able to pick-up some additional medications, food and facilities supplies in PAP as well.  We anticipate the trip will take much longer than usual, but hope to arrive in Bonne Fin before dark as the mountain road is quite treacherous after the storm and our homes and the GH do not have electricity.  

Prayers for our travels as well as for the missionaries still on the ground in Bonne Fin are needed and appreciated.  

Joan Plattner was able to take a walk in the community and talk with some of the local Haitians that have lost much of their homes and belongings.  I will close with a few of her pictures.  

Clothes Drying Out

This last picture is Osmond standing the shell of his home.  Osmond is a retired laborer that worked for the hospital for many years.  At times, he does some painting and works with some of our work teams.