| Gonaives |
 | |  |
I took Peterson, Djooly, and Luckson to Gonaives on Monday,
September 29. We returned Tuesday, September 30. We were also
accompanied by Daniel Alexandre. Daniel is a preacher and former
student at the Center for Biblical Training (CBT). He is also a Gonaives
native. While he lives on the second floor in Gonaives, the house itself
sustained ample damage with the flood and the mud.
We all met with Emmanuel Alexandre, David's uncle and long time
preacher in Gonaives. Emmanuel informed us that because the church
building also received substantial mud damage, they have had to have
services at his house for all of September. They are planning on starting
back up at the building this coming Sunday, October 5. You can see from
the pics on the left, the 7th one down, that the downstairs is pretty much
cleaned. You can also see the benches all stacked up in the front.
Emmanuel informed us that there were a few families living on the
second floor of the church building. We went there to see them and
offer some assistance. We didn't have a lot of cash, but we gave them
what we had. As we were giving it out, more kept coming in, imagine that!
We talked to them also. I wanted our kids to get a feel for how bad
off they were. Even though they're in Haiti, our kids are fairly well off.
They get 3 meals a day and never have to worry about a place to sleep or
school or books or any other financial problems. I wanted them to see
these people. The first 6 pictures on your left are of those that are living
at the church building. We don't know how long they will be there. The
7th is of the church floor and the 8th picture, with Daniel, Luckson, and
Peterson, is in front of the church building. Notice the mud still there on
the street after over 3 weeks have passed since the last hurricane. Also
notice the steps. They're clean now, but that is how high the mud and
water had to climb to damage the first floor of the church building.
After visiting with those living at the church building and helping
them a little (this was some of the money donated by Healing Hands,
Nashville, The Hillsboro Church of Christ, also from Nashville, the West
End Church of Christ, also in Nashville, the Chesapeake Church of Christ
in Grasonville, MD, and an individual in St. Louis, Daniel took us on a
walking tour of Gonaives. I have never seen so much mud in my life.
Again, this is over 3 weeks after the last hurricane! Also one thing I
noticed, is that the streets that weren't muddy were extremely dusty.
Usually just a couple of blocks from where the mud was.
We met several church members who were affected by the flood and
the mud. There are pics with descriptions to your left. It was amazing to
see people with buckets and shovels everywhere we went just shoveling
the stuff out the old fashioned way. Most of it gets dumped in the street.
That of course causes more problems and we did see an argument once
about it, but there really isn't much more you can do.
After the tour of Gonaives, we went back to Daniel's house. They
treated us so well. We spent the night there and it was truly a delight.
Besides being treated as honored guests, it was cool to see how people
interact with each other in Haiti in the comfort of their own homes.
Daniel's landlord and wife have 4 kids and both sets of parents living with
them. It's a big house and Daniel and Ketlie rent a couple of rooms from
them. But after the sun goes down, with no light except candles or
kerosene lanterns, the talking and laughing continues for many hours. It
was just enjoyable to be able to participate, although not a lot, they speak
way too fast for me.
The next morning, September 30, we moto-taxi'd it back to
Emmanuel's house. Here I wrote out checks for the Haitian Christian
Development Project and gave them to Emmanuel. This group is made
up of men from the 5 churches in the general Gonaives area. Pacius
(whom I didn't get to meet because he was in Port Au Prince), Emmanuel,
and the others set this up back in 2004 so that everybody would be able
to share equitably in the relief efforts. David Smith of Little Rock
recommended it heartily and so they are the ones that got the money
from the aforementioned churches, Healing Hands, and the sister from
St. Louis. I will ask Pacius for a report on the distribution when it is
available.
After giving the checks to Emmanuel, we tap-tap'd it back to Cap
Haitien. It was a nice relaxing 6+ hour drive (NOT!). Tap taps are always
an adventure, this one put new meaning into that word.
All in all though it was a great trip. We got to see the devastation
first hand and got to help our brothers and sisters in Christ. Do I wish we
could have done more? Sure, but we did what we could and I know
they're very appreciative of what God did through these churches. Now,
I gotta go and clean the mud off my shoes!
September 29. We returned Tuesday, September 30. We were also
accompanied by Daniel Alexandre. Daniel is a preacher and former
student at the Center for Biblical Training (CBT). He is also a Gonaives
native. While he lives on the second floor in Gonaives, the house itself
sustained ample damage with the flood and the mud.
We all met with Emmanuel Alexandre, David's uncle and long time
preacher in Gonaives. Emmanuel informed us that because the church
building also received substantial mud damage, they have had to have
services at his house for all of September. They are planning on starting
back up at the building this coming Sunday, October 5. You can see from
the pics on the left, the 7th one down, that the downstairs is pretty much
cleaned. You can also see the benches all stacked up in the front.
Emmanuel informed us that there were a few families living on the
second floor of the church building. We went there to see them and
offer some assistance. We didn't have a lot of cash, but we gave them
what we had. As we were giving it out, more kept coming in, imagine that!
We talked to them also. I wanted our kids to get a feel for how bad
off they were. Even though they're in Haiti, our kids are fairly well off.
They get 3 meals a day and never have to worry about a place to sleep or
school or books or any other financial problems. I wanted them to see
these people. The first 6 pictures on your left are of those that are living
at the church building. We don't know how long they will be there. The
7th is of the church floor and the 8th picture, with Daniel, Luckson, and
Peterson, is in front of the church building. Notice the mud still there on
the street after over 3 weeks have passed since the last hurricane. Also
notice the steps. They're clean now, but that is how high the mud and
water had to climb to damage the first floor of the church building.
After visiting with those living at the church building and helping
them a little (this was some of the money donated by Healing Hands,
Nashville, The Hillsboro Church of Christ, also from Nashville, the West
End Church of Christ, also in Nashville, the Chesapeake Church of Christ
in Grasonville, MD, and an individual in St. Louis, Daniel took us on a
walking tour of Gonaives. I have never seen so much mud in my life.
Again, this is over 3 weeks after the last hurricane! Also one thing I
noticed, is that the streets that weren't muddy were extremely dusty.
Usually just a couple of blocks from where the mud was.
We met several church members who were affected by the flood and
the mud. There are pics with descriptions to your left. It was amazing to
see people with buckets and shovels everywhere we went just shoveling
the stuff out the old fashioned way. Most of it gets dumped in the street.
That of course causes more problems and we did see an argument once
about it, but there really isn't much more you can do.
After the tour of Gonaives, we went back to Daniel's house. They
treated us so well. We spent the night there and it was truly a delight.
Besides being treated as honored guests, it was cool to see how people
interact with each other in Haiti in the comfort of their own homes.
Daniel's landlord and wife have 4 kids and both sets of parents living with
them. It's a big house and Daniel and Ketlie rent a couple of rooms from
them. But after the sun goes down, with no light except candles or
kerosene lanterns, the talking and laughing continues for many hours. It
was just enjoyable to be able to participate, although not a lot, they speak
way too fast for me.
The next morning, September 30, we moto-taxi'd it back to
Emmanuel's house. Here I wrote out checks for the Haitian Christian
Development Project and gave them to Emmanuel. This group is made
up of men from the 5 churches in the general Gonaives area. Pacius
(whom I didn't get to meet because he was in Port Au Prince), Emmanuel,
and the others set this up back in 2004 so that everybody would be able
to share equitably in the relief efforts. David Smith of Little Rock
recommended it heartily and so they are the ones that got the money
from the aforementioned churches, Healing Hands, and the sister from
St. Louis. I will ask Pacius for a report on the distribution when it is
available.
After giving the checks to Emmanuel, we tap-tap'd it back to Cap
Haitien. It was a nice relaxing 6+ hour drive (NOT!). Tap taps are always
an adventure, this one put new meaning into that word.
All in all though it was a great trip. We got to see the devastation
first hand and got to help our brothers and sisters in Christ. Do I wish we
could have done more? Sure, but we did what we could and I know
they're very appreciative of what God did through these churches. Now,
I gotta go and clean the mud off my shoes!
The front part of this
woman's house just
collapsed from the
water. Daniel says
she is also sick.
woman's house just
collapsed from the
water. Daniel says
she is also sick.
This small mountain
is an example of the
deforestation that
has exacerbated the
floods and mud
problems.
is an example of the
deforestation that
has exacerbated the
floods and mud
problems.
We couldn't make it
to this brother's
house because of
the mud. In addition
to being nasty, it's
also unhealthy.
to this brother's
house because of
the mud. In addition
to being nasty, it's
also unhealthy.
Just another
example of what you
have to do just to
have access to your
own house.
example of what you
have to do just to
have access to your
own house.
This is a shot almost
right in front of
Daniel's house. The
kid is Djooly. I can't
imagine the force
that did this.
right in front of
Daniel's house. The
kid is Djooly. I can't
imagine the force
that did this.