Finally I am able to post something since I made it to Port-Salut and Les Anglais.
Saturday 10/15/16
It took us two days to get to Les Anglais because we were unable to cross the river that provides access to the city. We then spent the night in Port Salut at a friend's residence. The devastation of Port Salut by Hurricane Mathieu is unexplainable and sad. When you look at the city, you think of winter in Haiti without the snow on the ground. Port Salut was known for it beauty, a well located costal little city with a good touristic reputation. All the resorts are non functional because of severe damage.
Sunday 10/16/16
The following day we were picked up early to continue to Les Anglais, our final destination. Again, there is no way I can put into words what really happened here 2 weeks ago. It took us 2 hours to get there.
It's unbelievable, what the south coast looks like. The only way you can really understand how devastating Mathieu was is to see it yourself; it's like a war zone to me.
All the farms are gone. :( All the forest has been destroyed (looks like there was a big fire), bridges are collapsed, which makes it impossible for big trucks to bring food and water for the people in Les Anglais and surrounding cities.
The impacts of Hurricane Mathieu are big, a lot of effort is needed to coordinate the relief effort. The news has only reported a little piece of what I am seeing.
The needs are complex and multiple. The impacts are going to last for years. I have not seeing much effort from the government yet, nor their presence.
Monday 10/17/16
The town of Les Anglais is a small coastal flat city surrounded by mountains. A more than 200 feet large river bed gives access to the city. No bridges have ever been built. The residences were poorly constructed. Only 10% of the homes were built in concrete and have partially resisted to the furor of the hurricane. The owner of the hotel where we stayed reported that he saw many people and animals flying down the mountains during the hurricane.
One of the patients I had today at the dressing change clinic and some witnesses, told me that he was flying in the air after the wind took him off of his porch. Somehow he landed in the water, which saved is life.
The day started this morning with the death of a 9 year old boy from cholera after many attempts to get IV access. He came to the cholera clinic too late and the cholera center wasn't well equipped.
Later we helped a lot of people by cleaning their wounds and changing their dressings. For some of them we couldn't do much because their wounds were so infected and complex.
The hospital was filled with the smell of infected wounds, which gave me a flash back of the post earthquake experience in 2010.
The death toll in Les Anglais 13 days after Mathieu is around 60 and some people are still missing.
Praise God we were able to get a satellite phone because regular cellphone don't work here, and we were unable to communicate with the rest of the world. Adding to that, any drizzle in the mountains, can make it impossible to cross the river which gives access to the city.
Every other day we coordinate food drops and distribution. Two marine helicopters landed today and brought food and supply for the villages. We are praying for more to come.
Besides all, Haiti is still beautiful. The smile on the people faces gives hope. Prayers are needed!!
On Tuesday and Wednesday, we drove to two different villages and did mobile clinic and tarp distribution.
We received some tetanus toxoids vaccine from a group of friend who visited us, which we were very grateful for. We gave the vaccine to about 50 people.
I am finally home with my family. I can't spot thinking about the families in Les Anglais. I am planing on going back very soon .
Your prayers are needed, pray specially for the kids, for school to reopen, for diseases prevention, food, safe water to drink and finally for the economy of the area .
I want to thank my team leader and teammates for their effort to make it possible to make this little change in the life of the people we served in Les Anglais Dr. Abby Blackmon, Janice Rivers, Cindy Balio, Dr. Aubree Ruzkowski, Jacques Yonel, Samuel Dumond, Mauricio and Hyppolite Fanfan.
And some organizations like Harvest Field Ministries, Mission of Hope Haiti, International Medical Corps, Community Health Initiative, working together to bring food, medical care and tarps to this region.
