"Would you like a coffee?" such a simple gesture from a Red Cross volunteer, yet the act of kindness was enough to make me break. "Here you go ma'am. We have chili if you would like also" I could barely answer the man that stood their dumbfounded wondering why the girl he was trying to give a cup of coffee to was choking back tears. I am thankful that the package I blindly grabbed was sugar and not salt as I frantically tried to blink back the tears.
3:30 Tuesday we received a call from the Canadian Embassy telling us that arrangements had been made to allow our Canadian kids to go home. The flight was scheduled through an Air Transat plane and was scheduled to depart 9am wednesday. Unlike both our Dutch and US evacuations, the Canadian government felt it was best if they helped see the entire process through. According to them in order to do that it was necessary and feasible to pack up all 20 children, drive them down and check them into the Canadian Embassy by 5pm on Tuesday. Oh and yes, all 20 children along with their escorts would be expected to spend the night at the Embassy in anticipation for the flight the next morning.
You wouldnt believe how quickly the staff at GLA can get clothes, diapers, formula, snacks, sandwiches, juice, pajamas, paperwork and all the other necessities needed to care for that many children ready. It really is something to see, I had a hard enough time packing up my own personal belongings let alone having to worry about the kids. Within an hour and a half the vehicles were loaded and we were on our way.
The Canadian Embassy was not exempt from the destruction of the earthquake. In fact we were told that they are only able to operate out of 1\4 of the building as the rest of it has been condemed. So with the small amount of room that they had they managed to squeeze in our party of 20 kids plus volunteers. They were kind enough to feed us and lay foam mattresses on the floor for the kids. They brought us blankets and did their best to make us as comfortable as possible. Thankfully most of the children didnt have any problems falling asleep. The adults were another story. We had people sleeping in chairs, snuggled into any open mattress space, and curled up on the cold tile floors. We had everything from poopy diapers, to crying babies, to hands, heads, and feet sprawled all over the place. We were a sight to see.
I dont think a single adult was able to get more than 1 hour of sleep at a time so when the sun came up we were anxious to get on with the day. We changed the kids, some multiple times, fed them and loaded them onto the bus that would take us from the Embassy to the airport. I knew that we were in for a long day but you could literally feel the excitement in the air. The older kids knew that today was the day they would meet their families and I couldnt help but burst with excitement for the younger ones who would finally be showered with all the love and attention they deserved.
Everytime I have gone down to the airport we have taken a different route, which means everytime I get a little bit more of a picture as to the actual devastation the earthquake caused. Signs litter the streets asking for help, people are lined up blocks long waiting for what I can only imagine is food or water. What were once huge buildings have now been reduced to piles of rubble. It still amazes me that 35 seconds has changed this country so dramatically.
As hard as it was trying to get that many people ready in an hour and a half, spending the night on the Canadian Embassys floor and then waking up at 5 the next morning, it was worth it when we pulled directly up to the Air Transat plane. There was no waiting, no keeping the kids entertained, we simply had to get off the bus and climb the stairs to the plane.
Through this whole ordeal there has been a ton of media coverage. As the bus pulled up to the plane I have to admit that I started to get nervous as the cameras started flashing. Air Transat provided a plane full of volunteers that were ready and willing to help us off the bus and onto the plane. The first couple minutes were a whirlwind of activity. There were people everywhere and in the confusion our luggage never made it as carry ons. So for us that meant that all of our diapers, wipes, snacks, and winter clothes were sitting in the belly of the plane. Luckily for us, the volunteers were totally prepared. We were given food, diapers, bottles and virtually everything else you can think of.
The Transat volunteers explained that they had virtually as much notice as we did. They hopped on the plane and flew down to Port Au Prince solely to be another set of hands to help. They each took a child and prepared to turn around and fly right back. How cool is that?
The flight was 4 hours which translated to one meal, 3 snacks, 2 naps and 8 diaper changes. If that seems long just remember that I have sat in traffic in Calgary for longer. As we prepared to land we were told that there had been a change of plans and we would have to step out onto the tarmac rather than pull right up to the airport. I looked around and every child that we had on board was dressed in short sleeves, shorts and skirts. Again the Air Transat volunteers came to the rescue. They brought around boxes of boots, toques, scarves, and jackets. In no time we had kids dressed and ready for Canadian winter.
When I walked off the plane, we were greeted by Red Cross volunteers who draped us in blankets and helped us off the plane. I thought there were a lot of cameras in Port Au Prince but they had nothing on Ottawa. Camera crews took up the entire length of the hanger. I couldnt help but reprimand myself for not at least trying to fix my hair or put a little makeup on. I guess some things are just more important.
I am sure my eyes grew two sizes bigger as I walked into the hangar and saw all the people. The Adoptive families had been allowed to come in to greet us in order to take their children through Immigration. This was an unexpected suprise. The first person I spoke to was another Red Cross volunteer that asked the name of the child I was holding. She then went to work zig zagging through the crowd in order to unite us with her family. At Gods Littlest Angels each child has a box that is filled with personal belongings that their families send them that more often than not includes a photo album. As I weaved through the crowd I was begining to recognize the faces of excited family members, anxiously waiting for their children.
Finally I was able to see the couple I was looking for. My eyes filled up with tears as I presented them their daughter. I have never been a part of something so incredibly special. She never even hesitated as I passed her from my arms right into her Mothers. I watched as this beautiful couple clung to their little girl, so much worry and anxiety washing away in that very moment. Words dont even describe the joy that I felt as I looked around the room and saw children continued to be reunited with their Forever Families.
Immigration for me was drastically different from what the families had to go through. As I stood there and passed my passport to the nearest immigration officer, I wiped away a tear. He looked at my declaration card, then looked me straight in the eyes. "Did you bring anything special back with you today?" I answered grinning from ear to ear...."You bet I did!"
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Misery eats Itself
Kelvin touched my heart. I would guess that the young man was probably 12 years old and spoke English very well. Like most Haitians the earthquake had not been good to his home. He explained it to us as being cracked. I can only assume that his home crumbled as he mentioned that he and the rest of his family were sleeping outside. This intelligent young man met us on the walk from the Toddler house to the Baby house. He proceeded to ask us if we knew Madame Brad, he was convinced that if he could speak to Madame Brad he would be able to have food for his family for the day. He told us that no one in Haiti has work and since the earthquake things have only gotten worse. He said that his family has no money and if you have no money then you have no food. It broke my heart when he told me "In Haiti, if you have no money your misery eats itself."
Another man stopped us on the street and asked if we could help his family. Kelvin translated for us as we heard of the 5 children that passed and the 7 he had yet to care for. He told us of his wifes pregnancy and explained to us that he was worried for her and the kids. He had no money and his home had been damaged in the quake.
Another young man told us of his house collapsing and that he had nothing but sheets draped on trees for shelter. He told me that he prayed every night that God would keep the rain from falling so that they could continue to sleep outside.
Everyone has a story... everyone carries sadness....everyone needs love.
Its hard knowing that when I go home, I will leave the death and destruction behind. I get to go back to my nice comfortable life where I have a roof over my head, money in my account and food on my table. It doesnt seem fair! I am not sure why this happened and but I do know that through the pain and the suffering God has and will continue to emerge triumphant. What a loving God that we have that would use this tragedy to send this entire orphanage to their Forever Families.
We are finally in the talks with the Canadian embassy to get the canadian children sent home. It also sounds as though all the Canadian volunteers will be escorting them. I still dont have too many details about this but I am looking forward to seeing the faces of the expectant families waiting for their children.
I thank God everyday that he has allowed me to be a part of this extraordinary miracle. Even though we encounter sadness, more often than not we encounter hope.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for praying that God would heal these people, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The world is pulling for this beautiful country of Haiti.
Another man stopped us on the street and asked if we could help his family. Kelvin translated for us as we heard of the 5 children that passed and the 7 he had yet to care for. He told us of his wifes pregnancy and explained to us that he was worried for her and the kids. He had no money and his home had been damaged in the quake.
Another young man told us of his house collapsing and that he had nothing but sheets draped on trees for shelter. He told me that he prayed every night that God would keep the rain from falling so that they could continue to sleep outside.
Everyone has a story... everyone carries sadness....everyone needs love.
Its hard knowing that when I go home, I will leave the death and destruction behind. I get to go back to my nice comfortable life where I have a roof over my head, money in my account and food on my table. It doesnt seem fair! I am not sure why this happened and but I do know that through the pain and the suffering God has and will continue to emerge triumphant. What a loving God that we have that would use this tragedy to send this entire orphanage to their Forever Families.
We are finally in the talks with the Canadian embassy to get the canadian children sent home. It also sounds as though all the Canadian volunteers will be escorting them. I still dont have too many details about this but I am looking forward to seeing the faces of the expectant families waiting for their children.
I thank God everyday that he has allowed me to be a part of this extraordinary miracle. Even though we encounter sadness, more often than not we encounter hope.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for praying that God would heal these people, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The world is pulling for this beautiful country of Haiti.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Land of the Free
81 American kids went home. Can you believe that? Its incredible to think that within two days 118 Forever Families got to hold their new son or daughter. What a awesome thing to be a part of.
The aftershocks havent stopped. I felt another one up on the balcony and this one made the whole building start to shudder. My heart instantly started pounding even though it probably only lasted 5 seconds. Good thing I wasnt really awake for the 6.1 cause this 4.9 was good enough for me. Let me tell you that it is a whole different experience when you arent half asleep in bed. There is a website that volunteers have been checking out to see how strong the earthquakes are and it said that since the big 7.0 earthquake the country has felt 52 aftershocks. No wonder people are scared to go back into their homes. Sure enough after the shock the Nannies were trying to push the kids back outside. Their fear is still very present.
I am still amazed at the destruction. Driving through Port Au Prince and down Delmas Street the damage really is overwhelming. Forget the talk about riots and looting...people are suffering. There is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel as this time there were a few more street vendors that were selling food and the paintings were slowly starting to line the fences again. It is a wierd thing to witness, the normal against the backdrop of devastation.
Today things were planned a little bit better in that we didnt head for the airport quite as early. We did what we could in preparation of sending home over 80 kids. Because this was going to be a chartered flight with only GLA kids on it we didnt have to label them quite to the extent that we did with the Dutch. With them we had their names and birthdays written on their clothing, a piece of yellow construction paper taped to their clothes (this helped identify that they were from GLA) and their first and last name written in permanant marker on their arms. We were determined to make sure these kids were properly identified. Thankfully with the US kids we didnt have to go to the same extremes.
A couple of the girls put together bundles of clothes for the kids. Each child had two outfits, a pair of socks and a pair of shoes. The ladies were clever and taped each bundle together and wrote the kids names on each. A couple of others made over 100 sandwiches for the trip and then the nurses made sure that all necessary medicines were packed and ready to go.
Instead of a huge bus like we took for the dutch kids we piled into probably 5 microbuses (the size of a large mini vans) and began our trip down to the airport. You would think that transporting that many children we would have a real challenge on our hands but I can say with pride, our kids were amazing. They all behaved so well. When we arrived, the US base didnt provide us with the same luxuries as the Dutch. We didnt have a tent only an area of grass where we could sit with all the kids. Let me tell you it is quite the sight to see 80 plus Haitian children just hanging out in front of the US Air Force camps (I am very specific at recognizing that these were airman as a girl here made the mistake of calling them army members, we were quickly and sternly corrected). It wasnt long before we drew a crowd and we had just as many airman holding kids as we did volunteers and staff. That was really cool to see. The kids loved being that close to the helicopters that kept taking off and landing not to mention the HUGE US and Canada military cargo planes.
We were there for a couple hours before we loaded back on the bus to head over to the tarmac. At this point it was becoming emotional again. So many volunteers and staff were heading out on this flight that it was hard for the few of us that were left behind. We watched as child after child was hauled up the stairs and onto the flight that would take them home.
The most encouraging thing I had heard since arriving in Haiti came from one of our volunteers, Mary Jo who said, "Everytime I come down here I pray to God that he would let me take one of these beautiful children home with me. Today God is answering that prayer. Not in the way I expected but on a much larger scale, only the way God can".
Its blows me away to think how many people God has used to make this all come together. So many prayers have been answered!
The aftershocks havent stopped. I felt another one up on the balcony and this one made the whole building start to shudder. My heart instantly started pounding even though it probably only lasted 5 seconds. Good thing I wasnt really awake for the 6.1 cause this 4.9 was good enough for me. Let me tell you that it is a whole different experience when you arent half asleep in bed. There is a website that volunteers have been checking out to see how strong the earthquakes are and it said that since the big 7.0 earthquake the country has felt 52 aftershocks. No wonder people are scared to go back into their homes. Sure enough after the shock the Nannies were trying to push the kids back outside. Their fear is still very present.
I am still amazed at the destruction. Driving through Port Au Prince and down Delmas Street the damage really is overwhelming. Forget the talk about riots and looting...people are suffering. There is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel as this time there were a few more street vendors that were selling food and the paintings were slowly starting to line the fences again. It is a wierd thing to witness, the normal against the backdrop of devastation.
Today things were planned a little bit better in that we didnt head for the airport quite as early. We did what we could in preparation of sending home over 80 kids. Because this was going to be a chartered flight with only GLA kids on it we didnt have to label them quite to the extent that we did with the Dutch. With them we had their names and birthdays written on their clothing, a piece of yellow construction paper taped to their clothes (this helped identify that they were from GLA) and their first and last name written in permanant marker on their arms. We were determined to make sure these kids were properly identified. Thankfully with the US kids we didnt have to go to the same extremes.
A couple of the girls put together bundles of clothes for the kids. Each child had two outfits, a pair of socks and a pair of shoes. The ladies were clever and taped each bundle together and wrote the kids names on each. A couple of others made over 100 sandwiches for the trip and then the nurses made sure that all necessary medicines were packed and ready to go.
Instead of a huge bus like we took for the dutch kids we piled into probably 5 microbuses (the size of a large mini vans) and began our trip down to the airport. You would think that transporting that many children we would have a real challenge on our hands but I can say with pride, our kids were amazing. They all behaved so well. When we arrived, the US base didnt provide us with the same luxuries as the Dutch. We didnt have a tent only an area of grass where we could sit with all the kids. Let me tell you it is quite the sight to see 80 plus Haitian children just hanging out in front of the US Air Force camps (I am very specific at recognizing that these were airman as a girl here made the mistake of calling them army members, we were quickly and sternly corrected). It wasnt long before we drew a crowd and we had just as many airman holding kids as we did volunteers and staff. That was really cool to see. The kids loved being that close to the helicopters that kept taking off and landing not to mention the HUGE US and Canada military cargo planes.
We were there for a couple hours before we loaded back on the bus to head over to the tarmac. At this point it was becoming emotional again. So many volunteers and staff were heading out on this flight that it was hard for the few of us that were left behind. We watched as child after child was hauled up the stairs and onto the flight that would take them home.
The most encouraging thing I had heard since arriving in Haiti came from one of our volunteers, Mary Jo who said, "Everytime I come down here I pray to God that he would let me take one of these beautiful children home with me. Today God is answering that prayer. Not in the way I expected but on a much larger scale, only the way God can".
Its blows me away to think how many people God has used to make this all come together. So many prayers have been answered!
Friday, January 22, 2010
37 Dutch Down
There is no time for sleep, especially when you wake up to a 6.1 earthquake. Not aftershock but earthquake. The epicenter on this was one was quite bit farther away but that still didnt stop it from violently shaking my bed. I could lie and say that it was terrifying and that I was scared for my life but the truth is that I was so tired from the last couple of days that I was annoyed that the ground would dare shake and wake me up. I litterally groaned and turned over in my bed, trying to get in those few extra minutes of sleep. The night had been a rough one to begin with, dogs barking, roosters crowing (apparently no one has explained to them that crowing is for when the sun rises)and sadly enough you could here the community mourning. Lots of crying and sadness, and I am pretty sure at one point I heard gun shots. Cant say for sure as it seems very unlikely considering the neighborhood we are living in. And then to wake up to an earthquake... I knew what had happened but didnt have the energy to even care. That was definitely not the case for the Nannies. When we arrived at the Main House at 8am, the Nannies had the kids sitting outside in the driveway on blankets. I dont think you could have paid them a thousand dollars to go back in the house after that. They basically set up camp for the day right there on the cement, laying out blankets and stringing tarps above them for some shade. The boarded the perimeter with a few cribs and amazingly managed to keep the kids together and entertained.
We were told that the Dutch and Luxenburg kids were being evacuated today and that all hands would be needed. It started by seperating these kids from the main group, dressing them, labelling them, and getting them ready for the long journey ahead.
We left for the airport with 37 kids at just after 11am. The Main house is located at the bottom of quite a steep hill so we had to pile into GLA vehicles and drive to the top. It was here where we met with a team of Dutch Search and Rescue members who were waiting to escort us to the airport. It was here that we piled into a shuttle bus and each adult sat with a minimum of two kids on their laps. Seat belts and car seats are foreign concepts in Haiti, so we made due with every inch of space that we had and headed towards the airport.
When I had originally driven up to GLA with our convoy it was dark and we took a more secure route. This meant bypassing the majority of the devastation. It was much different this time. It was early morning so there were people everywhere. Nothing seemed out of place at first until we hit Delmas street. The devastation there is indescribable. Building after building was pancaked, rubble and garbage had rolled into the street. A make shift body bag that exposed the feet and the head of a woman was lying in plain view on the side of the road. A man pushing a wheelbarrow held a body wrapped in potato sacks as he powered down the street. This was not the Haiti I remembered. Thankfully the kids were too young or too occupied to see or notice what was going on.
The Dutch Search and Rescue team was amazing. They were singing, handing out cookies and keeping the kids, and the adults throughly entertained. I overheard them saying quite a few times throughout the day that it was these kids that made the trip worthwhile.
I dont think I have ever sweat so much in my life as I did sitting on that bus. For the last mile until we reached the airport we were at a traffic standstill. We were barely inching along with the sun beating in through the windows. All the windows were open but the air was so stagnant that you couldnt help but sweat. The two girls that were sitting on me had fallen asleep and had quickly sweat through their clothes as well as my own. It was pouring off my face and rolling down my back. There was just no relief.
When we finally made it to the airport we drove straight to the Dutch camp. It was there that we were given our very own tent and were able to allow the kids to play. The Dutch Rescue team was joined with their air force and together we created a lot of attention. They all clapped as we walked off the bus and it wasnt long before each adult had a baby in their arms. It was great to see how much joy these kids were bringing to all the soliders and airmen.
Then the wait started. It was a little before 2 when we got there and our flight wasnt arriving until 7:40 pm. I will be honest in saying that 5 hours does not go by quickly with 37 children in a military tent. We played games, we changed diapers, we fed them, we changed more diapers and we waited.
The send off was very bitter sweet. As exciting as it is knowing that these kids get to go home to their forever families the selfish part of me was sad to see them go. Even in that short amount of time you can create a solid bond and the thought of never seeing them again is admittedly upsetting. This was the first time I had been emotional the whole trip. I couldnt seem to hold back the tears for these kids. A mixture of sadness, relief and amazement that I get to see and be a part of Gods work being done.
It was wierd the way they took the kids to the plane though. They needed to call each kid out by name, check them off the list and then send them with the Search and Rescue team to board the bus and the eventually board the plane. As GLA Staff and Volunteers we literally had to hand these children off to total strangers. For some of them it was exciting and fun, to others it was scary and then of course there was the group of children that were far too tired to care. It may not have been the best way to get the kids checked and loaded but in the end the goal was accomplished. About 10 hours since leaving the orphanage, the tears were flowing as we waved goodbye to 37 kids.
The same bus that brought us in took us home. You might not think that that is worth mentioning but this same bus that would have easily held over 50 people was now barrelling through the streets of Port Au Prince at 60 miles an hour with less than 10 people on board. We made it from the airport to the GLA drop off point in 32 minutes. This was only possible due to the constant horn honking, red light running and eratic driving that only a Haitian bus driver can do. It was impressive, not necessary, but impressive.
37 kids gone and a 32 minute bus ride....life is good.
We were told that the Dutch and Luxenburg kids were being evacuated today and that all hands would be needed. It started by seperating these kids from the main group, dressing them, labelling them, and getting them ready for the long journey ahead.
We left for the airport with 37 kids at just after 11am. The Main house is located at the bottom of quite a steep hill so we had to pile into GLA vehicles and drive to the top. It was here where we met with a team of Dutch Search and Rescue members who were waiting to escort us to the airport. It was here that we piled into a shuttle bus and each adult sat with a minimum of two kids on their laps. Seat belts and car seats are foreign concepts in Haiti, so we made due with every inch of space that we had and headed towards the airport.
When I had originally driven up to GLA with our convoy it was dark and we took a more secure route. This meant bypassing the majority of the devastation. It was much different this time. It was early morning so there were people everywhere. Nothing seemed out of place at first until we hit Delmas street. The devastation there is indescribable. Building after building was pancaked, rubble and garbage had rolled into the street. A make shift body bag that exposed the feet and the head of a woman was lying in plain view on the side of the road. A man pushing a wheelbarrow held a body wrapped in potato sacks as he powered down the street. This was not the Haiti I remembered. Thankfully the kids were too young or too occupied to see or notice what was going on.
The Dutch Search and Rescue team was amazing. They were singing, handing out cookies and keeping the kids, and the adults throughly entertained. I overheard them saying quite a few times throughout the day that it was these kids that made the trip worthwhile.
I dont think I have ever sweat so much in my life as I did sitting on that bus. For the last mile until we reached the airport we were at a traffic standstill. We were barely inching along with the sun beating in through the windows. All the windows were open but the air was so stagnant that you couldnt help but sweat. The two girls that were sitting on me had fallen asleep and had quickly sweat through their clothes as well as my own. It was pouring off my face and rolling down my back. There was just no relief.
When we finally made it to the airport we drove straight to the Dutch camp. It was there that we were given our very own tent and were able to allow the kids to play. The Dutch Rescue team was joined with their air force and together we created a lot of attention. They all clapped as we walked off the bus and it wasnt long before each adult had a baby in their arms. It was great to see how much joy these kids were bringing to all the soliders and airmen.
Then the wait started. It was a little before 2 when we got there and our flight wasnt arriving until 7:40 pm. I will be honest in saying that 5 hours does not go by quickly with 37 children in a military tent. We played games, we changed diapers, we fed them, we changed more diapers and we waited.
The send off was very bitter sweet. As exciting as it is knowing that these kids get to go home to their forever families the selfish part of me was sad to see them go. Even in that short amount of time you can create a solid bond and the thought of never seeing them again is admittedly upsetting. This was the first time I had been emotional the whole trip. I couldnt seem to hold back the tears for these kids. A mixture of sadness, relief and amazement that I get to see and be a part of Gods work being done.
It was wierd the way they took the kids to the plane though. They needed to call each kid out by name, check them off the list and then send them with the Search and Rescue team to board the bus and the eventually board the plane. As GLA Staff and Volunteers we literally had to hand these children off to total strangers. For some of them it was exciting and fun, to others it was scary and then of course there was the group of children that were far too tired to care. It may not have been the best way to get the kids checked and loaded but in the end the goal was accomplished. About 10 hours since leaving the orphanage, the tears were flowing as we waved goodbye to 37 kids.
The same bus that brought us in took us home. You might not think that that is worth mentioning but this same bus that would have easily held over 50 people was now barrelling through the streets of Port Au Prince at 60 miles an hour with less than 10 people on board. We made it from the airport to the GLA drop off point in 32 minutes. This was only possible due to the constant horn honking, red light running and eratic driving that only a Haitian bus driver can do. It was impressive, not necessary, but impressive.
37 kids gone and a 32 minute bus ride....life is good.
Haiti Bound
Its hard to remember everything that happened on Tuesday... First things first, we made it on the plane! I dont know how and I dont know why they changed their mind but God saw us through!
We met with our team at 7am showered, fed and ready to roll. We had been told that Aaron and Tanya had been working hard at putting together supplies to take with us on the plane. I cant believe how naive I was. I was envisioning a couple things of water, some diapers, wipes...you know, the usual. Wow was I wrong. They pulled up in a 20 foot U Haul packed full of supplies. We were told as a team that we had a 20 minute window to land in Port Au Prince and if we missed this window of opportunity the whole operation would be shot. With that in mind we got down to business. We had camera crews filming us bombing supplies off the U Haul. We had chains of people all cooperating in order to get everything unloaded and into the airport. It was pretty incredible to look at 12 thousand pounds of supplies and know that it would all be on our plane to take to Haiti.
We ran into a bit of a snag when we realized that every single item needed to be tagged by aiport personal before going through TSA. This meant that one person who worked for the airline had to put these stupid little tags on absolutely every case of water, package of diapers and box of supplies. At first things ran quite smoothly but the clock was ticking and not enough stuff was getting through. Our flight had been changed from the original 6am boarding to 1pm and still we were running out of time. I cant even explain how frustrating it is to see one person try and tag this much stuff. The printer couldnt keep up (printing the tags) and we were all standing around helpless.
In this time Aaron was constantly on the phone, organizing, rearranging, getting clearance to land from the Pentagon (not even kidding). In fact even Oprah called to try and get in on the action, okay so it wasnt Oprah herself but it was Oprahs people. We quickly learned that this was becoming much bigger than the 14 people that were about to board that plane.
With 2 federal agents, one police man and two security guards we felt we were ready for just about anything. We took off from Miami and were Haiti bound
After landing it was a whirlwind of activity. We had 3 trucks and a couple SUV's waiting to load our supplies and take us up to GLA. The airport looked like something straight out of a movie. There were helicopters and huge military cargo planes everywhere. We had to unload all of our supplies ourselves and it was quite a process. People everywhere, luggage everywhere, camera crews everywhere. I think only pictures can explain what we had seen.
Driving through Port Au Prince in the dark prevented us from seeing the real devastation of the earthquake. The streets were empty and quiet, a couple burning garbage fires and some rubble was all we could see. We arrived at GLA in our convoy and were welcomed with open arms. It felt like coming home!
We met with our team at 7am showered, fed and ready to roll. We had been told that Aaron and Tanya had been working hard at putting together supplies to take with us on the plane. I cant believe how naive I was. I was envisioning a couple things of water, some diapers, wipes...you know, the usual. Wow was I wrong. They pulled up in a 20 foot U Haul packed full of supplies. We were told as a team that we had a 20 minute window to land in Port Au Prince and if we missed this window of opportunity the whole operation would be shot. With that in mind we got down to business. We had camera crews filming us bombing supplies off the U Haul. We had chains of people all cooperating in order to get everything unloaded and into the airport. It was pretty incredible to look at 12 thousand pounds of supplies and know that it would all be on our plane to take to Haiti.
We ran into a bit of a snag when we realized that every single item needed to be tagged by aiport personal before going through TSA. This meant that one person who worked for the airline had to put these stupid little tags on absolutely every case of water, package of diapers and box of supplies. At first things ran quite smoothly but the clock was ticking and not enough stuff was getting through. Our flight had been changed from the original 6am boarding to 1pm and still we were running out of time. I cant even explain how frustrating it is to see one person try and tag this much stuff. The printer couldnt keep up (printing the tags) and we were all standing around helpless.
In this time Aaron was constantly on the phone, organizing, rearranging, getting clearance to land from the Pentagon (not even kidding). In fact even Oprah called to try and get in on the action, okay so it wasnt Oprah herself but it was Oprahs people. We quickly learned that this was becoming much bigger than the 14 people that were about to board that plane.
With 2 federal agents, one police man and two security guards we felt we were ready for just about anything. We took off from Miami and were Haiti bound
After landing it was a whirlwind of activity. We had 3 trucks and a couple SUV's waiting to load our supplies and take us up to GLA. The airport looked like something straight out of a movie. There were helicopters and huge military cargo planes everywhere. We had to unload all of our supplies ourselves and it was quite a process. People everywhere, luggage everywhere, camera crews everywhere. I think only pictures can explain what we had seen.
Driving through Port Au Prince in the dark prevented us from seeing the real devastation of the earthquake. The streets were empty and quiet, a couple burning garbage fires and some rubble was all we could see. We arrived at GLA in our convoy and were welcomed with open arms. It felt like coming home!
God is Good
I cant even start to explain the miracles that I have witnessed in the past week. Things that I never thought were possible were done with ease. This has been the trip of a lifetime and a once in a lifetime experience.
As I sit here and write this I am nibbling on a chunk of chocolate that is part of a case of Dutch army rations. I have a sleeping baby on my lap and I am grateful to be here.
I got the call at 4:30pm on friday afternoon from Jean Bell asking if I was willing and prepared to go into Haiti and serve at Gods Littlest Angels. She said "I can give you time to think about it....as long as you only take 5 minutes." Well in 5 minutes I had quit my jobs and began to prepare to go to Haiti. From the little information I was given I knew that I had to be in Miami by Monday at the latest. A team of us would be boarding a charted plane from Miami to Port Au Prince at 6am Tuesday morning. This was about all I knew. So I booked my flight and crossed my fingers. A couple hours after the ticket was booked I received another call from Jean telling me that the people who would be flying us into Haiti did not want to take in any Canadians, citing that it was simply too much paperwork. Jean told me that they would do their best to get us on that flight but ultimately I would be taking a risk at not getting on the plane. I told everyone I knew to pray that this wouldnt be an issue.
So first thing Monday morning I hopped a flight to Miami. I have to tell you that that was by far the most stressful day of travelling I have ever experienced. I was terrified that I was going to have my 70 pound bag of medical supplies taken from me. It was full of syringes and medicine that I didnt even know how to pronounce. I dont think I have ever prayed so much as I did that day.
I had exactly 40 minutes from when I arrived in Toronto to get on the plane for Miami. In this short amount of time I had to find the luggage, push them through one set of security. Take them through customs, walk through the scanners, drop them on the belt to be loaded again, go to the bathroom, get my purse checked, get a full on body pat down and then board my plane. Not to mention that this all happened in the Toronto airport where the line ups are enormous. I am not lying when I say that it was purely an act of God that got me through. Other team members that flew the same route the day before took 3 hours to do that same process. God stopped time for me! That in itself was absolutely amazing.
When I arrived in Miami I was at baggage claim for less than 5 minutes when I heard my name being called. Garner and Michelle Haayema were there to greet me with huge grins and an excitment that radiated from them. Us three Canadians had arrived and we were ready for anything. It wasnt long before I met the rest of my team. A quick bite to eat, sleeping arrangements organized and we were ready for a new day!
As I sit here and write this I am nibbling on a chunk of chocolate that is part of a case of Dutch army rations. I have a sleeping baby on my lap and I am grateful to be here.
I got the call at 4:30pm on friday afternoon from Jean Bell asking if I was willing and prepared to go into Haiti and serve at Gods Littlest Angels. She said "I can give you time to think about it....as long as you only take 5 minutes." Well in 5 minutes I had quit my jobs and began to prepare to go to Haiti. From the little information I was given I knew that I had to be in Miami by Monday at the latest. A team of us would be boarding a charted plane from Miami to Port Au Prince at 6am Tuesday morning. This was about all I knew. So I booked my flight and crossed my fingers. A couple hours after the ticket was booked I received another call from Jean telling me that the people who would be flying us into Haiti did not want to take in any Canadians, citing that it was simply too much paperwork. Jean told me that they would do their best to get us on that flight but ultimately I would be taking a risk at not getting on the plane. I told everyone I knew to pray that this wouldnt be an issue.
So first thing Monday morning I hopped a flight to Miami. I have to tell you that that was by far the most stressful day of travelling I have ever experienced. I was terrified that I was going to have my 70 pound bag of medical supplies taken from me. It was full of syringes and medicine that I didnt even know how to pronounce. I dont think I have ever prayed so much as I did that day.
I had exactly 40 minutes from when I arrived in Toronto to get on the plane for Miami. In this short amount of time I had to find the luggage, push them through one set of security. Take them through customs, walk through the scanners, drop them on the belt to be loaded again, go to the bathroom, get my purse checked, get a full on body pat down and then board my plane. Not to mention that this all happened in the Toronto airport where the line ups are enormous. I am not lying when I say that it was purely an act of God that got me through. Other team members that flew the same route the day before took 3 hours to do that same process. God stopped time for me! That in itself was absolutely amazing.
When I arrived in Miami I was at baggage claim for less than 5 minutes when I heard my name being called. Garner and Michelle Haayema were there to greet me with huge grins and an excitment that radiated from them. Us three Canadians had arrived and we were ready for anything. It wasnt long before I met the rest of my team. A quick bite to eat, sleeping arrangements organized and we were ready for a new day!
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