Owen 8:00pm: People are starting to come back with news of who’s dead and who’s alive. Its pretty horrific. Every time someone arrives there are some people who are relieved and others who are horrified.
People are standing outside of the gate of the school, everyone
waiting for news from Port-au-Prince. I walked to Nan Kafe today with Tiyouyout, while walking we heard a lot of cries and screams, one family lost five kids when the roof of their house collasped in PAP.
It is really though when ever a call comes in or someone comes, many
people are relieved, while others are crushed. Robert was going to go
to PAP today with one of Lubna’s uncle’s from Plenn Mapou to search
for her [Margaret's daughter], but they got news by the time they reached Ansa-Galets that she was fine, so they didn’t go. Again, its tough, a lot of people dead, as you know, eveyone here has family in PAP.
Tommorow a lot of people will be coming, Makanaki, and most of the
people from Josianne’s house. Today I was walking by a young man up
here, Jephte, I asked what was up, he said his sister is dead, gave a
little smile and kept walking. There’s not much to do but keep
walking.
January 14th, 2010:
Keep walking
“People here are already hungry.” Enel is home.
Owen 7:48 am: The biggest issue for Matenwa and Lagonave will be one of finding food and other resources. People here are already hungry. It is very difficult to find cooking oil and other necessities, as the merchants who travel back and forth from the mainland have stopped. All places removed from the city are sure to experience these difficulties, but Lagonave, a 2 hour long boat ride away will be especially bad. The already poor infastructure leading to the Island was shattered, and people are afraid to leave. Enel Angervil, Millienne’s husband, arrived from Port-au-Prince, he reported walking over dead bodies and walking most of the hour and a half long car ride to the Carries warf, only finding the sailboat running to Lagonave. The reality has not really set in. Looking across to the mainland, one would never know what had happened. As I write, there are still slight tremors. In the library of the school, as soon as they happen, everyone picks up and runs towards the door. On Lagonave we will wait and see. It is still early, but already the lack of food and supplies can be felt. The price of rice has already gone up 20% in the area. It will be very difficult here. The shortage of food, is sure to effect everyone here and with no connection to the mainland it is unclear when or how it will be resolved.
Supporters please remember us.(Daily updates and John’s video links below)
Please give generously to the MCLC. Friends and family from PAP are coming on boats everyday. There is a 20% increase in population of Lagonav already and the boats keep coming in. Many of my neighbors were already struggling to feed their children something, anything, once a day. Now the burden even greater.
The world will be contributing to the major rescue organizations and as usual the people in the bay, on Lagonav, will be forgotten and suffering without the media to send out their call. After the hurricanes we recieved generous donations to rebuild half the homes that went down during the hurricane, and the others remain to this day in leaking homes. Our staff on the ground will get your donation to the neediest people here to rebuild before the raining season arrives, keep them from starvation in the coming weeks and months, and help pay for funerals (that we hope will be minimal) of their children and loved ones in PAP .
Earthquake news, daily updates and video clips from John Engle in PAP.
