Haiti Earthquake - is there a thread?

[JerseyJanice]

Yes, that is my mother's team. Of the 12 of them, 10 (including my mom) arrived home on a chartered flight at 3:00 AM this morning. From there, we went to the hospital and spent several hours getting evaluated, cleaned up, scanned and medicated.

My mother was trapped in the rubble of the clinic where they were working for hours. She was very lucky- although very badly bruised, cut, battered and traumatized, she has no injuries requiring hospitalization and is recuperating at my home.

The most seriously injured of the group, Jean, suffered extensive internal injuries during the collapse of the clinic. She was evacuated to Guadaloupe where she was undergoing surgery, which we have just learned she did not survive.

I am very relieved to read that your mom is with you now, but I am heartbroken to read that a member of her group did not survive. Your mom must be devastated. So much trauma she's been through!

 

[Missy1961]

Yes, that is my mother's team. Of the 12 of them, 10 (including my mom) arrived home on a chartered flight at 3:00 AM this morning. From there, we went to the hospital and spent several hours getting evaluated, cleaned up, scanned and medicated.

My mother was trapped in the rubble of the clinic where they were working for hours. She was very lucky- although very badly bruised, cut, battered and traumatized, she has no injuries requiring hospitalization and is recuperating at my home.

The most seriously injured of the group, Jean, suffered extensive internal injuries during the collapse of the clinic. She was evacuated to Guadaloupe where she was undergoing surgery, which we have just learned she did not survive.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Ah ... now that I get. I was thinking of people who go and help build things or medical personnel. For them, disaster relief is not that much of a stretch.

I was thinking that those who are leaving have a different skill-set than those who are needed there right now.

OT completely, and hopefully no one will see this as inappropriate here, but I just came onto the thread to check on Kathy's mom and wasn't logged on at first, so I got to see the latest signature picture of your DD, Robin. Gorgeous picture! She is growing into an amazing-looking young lady; I loved the one you had of her during Hanukkah too.

 

[Anjelica]

American troops due there Monday, I believe.

Not soon enough. The gangs have started to attack the Police patrols now. I understand the #1 priority is to get people out of the ruble and to attend to those that are injured but they really need to get a large amount of people to be dedicated to keeping the security - hopefully that's what some of the American troops will help do.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/01/15/watson.haiti.security.ncd.cnn?hpt=T1

 

[robinb]

I was thinking that those who are leaving have a different skill-set than those who are needed there right now.

I can see that now and it makes sense. I can also understand that people with families would want to leave. One of my problems was that I do not know/understand the whole missionary concept to begin with so it didn't even occur to me that people would move their whole families full of young children with them! I was thinking more along the lines of Habitat for Humanity or the Peace Corps.

OT completely, and hopefully no one will see this as inappropriate here, but I just came onto the thread to check on Kathy's mom and wasn't logged on at first, so I got to see the latest signature picture of your DD, Robin. Gorgeous picture! She is growing into an amazing-looking young lady; I loved the one you had of her during Hanukkah too.

Thank you . That picture was taken last month at Apollo Beach next to the power plant where the manatees hang out in the winter.

 

[Anjelica]

Yes, that is my mother's team. Of the 12 of them, 10 (including my mom) arrived home on a chartered flight at 3:00 AM this morning. From there, we went to the hospital and spent several hours getting evaluated, cleaned up, scanned and medicated.

My mother was trapped in the rubble of the clinic where they were working for hours. She was very lucky- although very badly bruised, cut, battered and traumatized, she has no injuries requiring hospitalization and is recuperating at my home.

The most seriously injured of the group, Jean, suffered extensive internal injuries during the collapse of the clinic. She was evacuated to Guadaloupe where she was undergoing surgery, which we have just learned she did not survive.

I'm glad to hear your mother made it back safely. I am saddened to learn a member of her team did not make it. I can't even imagine how her family is doing. My thoughts and prayers are with the families.

 

[horseshowmom]

First off, Kathy, I wish the best for your mother and her friends. I'm glad that she made it out safely and have deep sympathy for what they've all been through. I'm so sorry for the loss of their friend Jean.

Originally Posted by Aisling
And please don't tell me that you didn't post but you gave this much money to donate to haiti. This isn't SMALL TALK, as a poster described it in another thread. This is a nightmare!

Since I'm probably the poster you quoted, please let me say "talk about taking something out of context". This is a public message board. What is happening in Haiti is the nightmare. They are not the same thing. The fact that someone chose to post about it doesn't make them any more caring than those of us who have been speechless at the devastation.

I would rather people be doing something, instead of posting on a message board. I and several others I Know have already done so, and none of us posted here.

People really think that makes some of us un-caring? That we didn't post on the DISboards?

Prayed yesterday, prayed today, will pray tomorrow.

I agree. Just because someone doesn't post about something that is this horrific doesn't mean they don't care. I'm sure many of us are trying to find ways to help in some small way other than posting on a message board.

Lovemygoofy, right you are that even though there aren't daily threads supporting our military, many of us do keep them in our thoughts/prayers. Thank your dh for me

Same here.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Kathy,

I'm glad to hear that your mom made it home. I had originally thought she was one of the people flown to the hospital. I'm also saddened to hear about her friend not making it.

OT completely, and hopefully no one will see this as inappropriate here, but I just came onto the thread to check on Kathy's mom and wasn't logged on at first, so I got to see the latest signature picture of your DD, Robin. Gorgeous picture! She is growing into an amazing-looking young lady; I loved the one you had of her during Hanukkah too.

It's fun watching her grow. I LOVED the Hannukah picture.

 

[luvmy3]

Kathy, I am so relieved for you and your mom and the other members of her group. I'm very sorry for their loss, as well.

 

[JerseyJanice]

It's fun watching her grow. I LOVED the Hannukah picture.

Isn't it? She has such a radiant face!

(Sorry for the OT stuff, people!)

 

[N.Bailey]

Not soon enough. The gangs have started to attack the Police patrols now. I understand the #1 priority is to get people out of the ruble and to attend to those that are injured but they really need to get a large amount of people to be dedicated to keeping the security - hopefully that's what some of the American troops will help do.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/01/15/watson.haiti.security.ncd.cnn?hpt=T1

This really shouldn't be too shocking to anyone. It happened after Katrina right here in the good old US of A. When people are starving and/or are watching their families starve, many will stop at nothing to get their basic "needs" met. Katrina has shown us that we don't have the luxury of lots of planning time. Relief needs to get there ASAP and if it doesn't, the situation turns for the worse and much more aid is required after that point.

 

[wdwfan16]

Kathy, I am glad your mom is well but I am sad to hear about Jen.

 

[okeydokey]

It's also so alarming that all the convicts have escaped from the prison that fell down. What a mess.

 

[shrubber]

This really shouldn't be too shocking to anyone. It happened after Katrina right here in the good old US of A. When people are starving and/or are watching their families starve, many will stop at nothing to get their basic "needs" met. Katrina has shown us that we don't have the luxury of lots of planning time. Relief needs to get there ASAP and if it doesn't, the situation turns for the worse and much more aid is required after that point.

Perhaps I misunderstand, buy surely you cannot compare the earthquake in Haiti and the Katrina flooding in the context of planning time. They were watching that storm for days before it hit,

 

[Anjelica]

This really shouldn't be too shocking to anyone. It happened after Katrina right here in the good old US of A. When people are starving and/or are watching their families starve, many will stop at nothing to get their basic "needs" met. Katrina has shown us that we don't have the luxury of lots of planning time. Relief needs to get there ASAP and if it doesn't, the situation turns for the worse and much more aid is required after that point.

I agree that it shouldn't be to shocking to anyone especially in Haiti with the known issues for years. The looting for food from rubled buildings is not the issue. But for almost two decades in Haiti there has been so much unstability and corruption. You had Gangs overthrow the government in the early 1990's. You had an ex-prime minister of Haiti blantly say to NEVER give money to the Haitian government because they are corrupt. It's not quite the same "before" picture as New Orleans was in terms of "before" Katrina.

My point from day one has been that having security should be almost at the top of the list of things to get done there. Before the earthquake there were over 3000 UN folks in Haiti just to act as police.

The U.S. has poured over 3 Billion dollars into Haiti since the early 1990's. Where has it all gone? Definetly not to the needy or to even help educate the many illiterate in Haiti. President Clinton tried to help stabilize that country but failed (and no that's not a dig at Clinton at all).

If I were a betting woman I would say that the majority of the marines being sent down there will be dedicated to nothing but security.

 

[Art 1]

It's also so alarming that all the convicts have escaped from the prison that fell down. What a mess.

Makes you wonder how many will find their way to the US.

 

[starann]

I HAVE to stop looking at the photos posted online....the amount of bodies is unnerving, esp when you see a baby at the top of a pile.

I saw on this mornings new about a family who was waiting to hear about the baby they were in the process of adopting, they didn't know if he/she was even alive and how nervewracking it was that they had no way to find out. Another couple had adopted 2 children and just needed 2 more signatures as a formailty to be able to pick their kids up, but now with the country and government trying to resuce the people trapped, they have no way of knowing when they will be able to get their kids.....if the paperwork could ever be found.

Heartbreaking

 

[horseshowmom]

I saw on this mornings new about a family who was waiting to hear about the baby they were in the process of adopting, they didn't know if he/she was even alive and how nervewracking it was that they had no way to find out. Another couple had adopted 2 children and just needed 2 more signatures as a formailty to be able to pick their kids up, but now with the country and government trying to resuce the people trapped, they have no way of knowing when they will be able to get their kids.....if the paperwork could ever be found.

Heartbreaking

We have friends who adopted a child from Haiti. The little boy is really worried about his birth mother and brother. They haven't been able to find out anything either and probably won't be able to for quite awhile.

 

[autumnpalm]

My church has a connection with the Dominican Republic and one of the coordinators is helping out with the Haiti relief aid. She is heading over the border on Saturday with a truck full of food and supplies. I know there are already a lot of charities that have been posted but I just thought I would give you guys the link to the blog just in case anyone can support her work in any way- prayer would be greatly appreciated!

http://www.shannonconaghan.blogspot.com/

My heart is just breaking over this situation. I have had to stop watching the news because it is all I can think about. I feel so absolutely helpless and I cannot even imagine the devastation in experiencing it first person. I spent nearly all day yesterday watching CNN and reading online about the earthquake and it left me in tears.

I have donated what I am financially able to but I just feel like there should be more that I can do! It just seems so unfair that I should be sitting here in my warm, dry house with food and shelter while there are so many people in the world right now going without. I don't know why or how I ended up being born into such a privileged position but I want to make sure I am not taking it for granted when I could just have easily been born in Haiti or India or any other region of the world.

It is being reported on the Toronto Star right now that the death toll is estimated at 140,00. That makes me just sick to my stomach. Over 1,400 Canadians are still missing.

I can barely wrap my head around this.

 

[disneymom3]

Not soon enough. The gangs have started to attack the Police patrols now. I understand the #1 priority is to get people out of the ruble and to attend to those that are injured but they really need to get a large amount of people to be dedicated to keeping the security - hopefully that's what some of the American troops will help do.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2010/01/15/watson.haiti.security.ncd.cnn?hpt=T1

That is just so heartbreaking to me. I can't even express myself. However, there was another link on there about some military troops from the US who were bringing relief supplies. There was a comment about how smoothly it was going on the unloading and the marine (I think) just said "This is what we do." I started to cry. We are so blessed to live in this country and I am honored to be represented by people like that man.