Haiti: Mass graves & makeshift clinics

So we are finally here in Haiti and settled in. It was a long drive of 10 hrs from the Dominican republic to here. As we crossed the border the only indicator that we were entering anything unusual was the presence of UN soldiers and their armoured vehicles. There were lines of flat-bed cargo trucks and the a stream of Canadian army trucks arrived with heavy duty equipment.

We continued our journey, bypassing Port-au-Prince and it all seemed strange to think that out there somewhere in the distance was one of the worst ever humanitarian disasters. The hints though were the streams of smoke in the distance rising from what is the largest tent city in PAP. Then as we drove past beautiful hills and lakes our driver pointed out the men with a digger making a big hole in the side of one of the hills. This he told us would be a hole for a mass grave... A stark reminder that we are in a grieving country.
We arrived in St Marc, the location of the YWAM base and got orientated. There are people here from around the world, including a great crew from Pennsylvania - it seems where ever there is a need for hard working people to put up a building, you can bet there a gang from this great state - normally Lancaster!!! They are building a new residential block for the base.

Here in St Marc they are receiving 1000's of displaced refugees. They are being registered here at the base, which qualifies them for food and assistance. There is also an overflow facility from the hospital, a treatment area set up in the sports arena- rigged with makeshift lights, tarps and beds. The nurses tell me most of their work is wound care... They have seen some horrid huge wounds. People have been afraid to go to the Dr incase they are told they need amputations. Then because they have not had treatment, something that would have been okay has become so bad it does need amputating.

We are working to clean, paint and prepare a clinic building for opening. Some of our team will be working in the medical facility once it is open, especially as the nurses that are here leave at the weekend.
Martjin is busy training Terry Snow's son on how to use the video software do they can continue to get good footage. Some of them have gone into PAP today, whilst I will be registering new refugees today.
It has been interesting to process how we are all feeling. I think we all hoped we would be in PAP, in the thick of the action. But here in St Marc it seems a little detatched. The reality is that there are 10,000 people here in St Marc who have come fromPAP who need our help and assistance. They have lost everything. Whilst most of the other NGO's are focusing on immediate relief and will ge gone soonish, the YWAM team are looking at how to see the whole nation of Haiti can be transformed in the long term. Two years ago a hurrican flattened part of the nation,YWAM has been rebuilding homes for those people affected. This work has not stopped, so now they are responding to two disasters.

Please continue to pray for the workers here, there are so many needs and logistically it is overwhelming. There are many offers of people wanting to come but it is a logistcal challenge and space is limited. We are not in PAP because they cannot accommodate us and the workers were getting sick. Pray for people's health, wisdom in how to go forward in planning. Pray the Haitian people are able to see there is hope and a God who lves them. Apparently many of the Haitians believe the earthquake is God's judgement on them- pray they are able to come to know God is a loving, compasionate Father.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. We know you are on this journey with us. We will update as the Internet allows!
Love to you all and thanks for reading... Please do pass this onto others.
Jo and the team