Earthquake - MP Eye Witness - DR

This note is from Joyce Dora who led a team to the Dominican Republic January 13 through the 20^th. Here are her words…

My usual line is it was a great trip, but for some reason that just doesn't fit. So much heart break, so much pain and so little we can do to help. So we prayed and did whatever we could to help in whatever way they needed us to.

When we arrived in Barahona on Thursday, January 14, two days after the earth quake, many still did not know if their family in Haiti was safe. We heard the Mission Possible group in Haiti was safe up to that point and was hoping to make it to the border where Pastor Renald and Pastor Manuel Antonio of Ebenezer Church would be waiting for them with the bus. Moise’s heart was so heavy not knowing how Ruth and his family were. Ruth had gone in to Haiti on Tuesday morning with Moise’s sister and other family members to visit family.

By late afternoon on Thursday, Moise came to us with the good news that the team made it to the border and Ruth also was there. They were all on their way to Barahona. They all arrived safely that night. PRAISE GOD!!

The hospitals in Barahona and surrounding cities were filling up with Haitians who needed medical attention. A young woman from Ebenezer church, Sophiane Pierre had gone to the hospital to see how she could help. In these hospitals, a patient is given a bed and medical attention, but they need a family member with them to make sure they get fed, bathed and made comfortable. Finding there were so many Haitians that were in the hospital with critical medical needs and they did not have a family member or anyone they knew with them to help or comfort them, Sophiane used all the money she had to buy water and food and gave away everything she owned to help them. She then recruited Nahomi, a young woman from Ebenezer, who also gave all she had. They then asked  Renald to help. Renald immediately started making plans to get the church members involved by donating supplies and time to carry stretchers and attend to those in need.

As a group, we decided buying supplies would be the best way to help. So we purchased items that were needed like water, sheets, nighties, soap, towels, toothpaste and toothbrushes. We brought them to the hospital so the women could distribute them. The earthquake victims just kept pouring into the emergency room for help. So we went to several stores and back to the hospital as Renald and the women made lists of items they needed.

Renald told me they chose who to help by assessing and helping only those who had a chance of living. I know of one teenage girl they were helping. Her arms were gone and she had no one she knew there to help her. Also, a young man who was badly burned on half of his face and body and he had no family with him. A three year old who had part of her face ripped away and it had been three days before she was brought in for help. Also a 18 day old baby with a broken nose and cheek was brought to the hospital.

Sunday morning service was mostly prayer and organizing groups to be able to help at the hospital. Injured people were still coming into the hospitals and by this time Sophiane, Nahomi and Renald were exhausted to the point of collapsing.

So the church put together groups of 6-8 people, in six hour shifts around the clock. These volunteers spoke both Spanish and Creole, were able to carry people in on stretchers, and stay with them to help with their needs. They were also getting church members to take into their homes people who did not need to be in the hospital any more but did not have any place to stay in the Dominican.

Many people in the church have lost family members or do not know where their family members are. One man in the church lost nine close family members. Many others are traveling back to Haiti to search for their families. Some family members have lost their lives in the after shocks due to unstable buildings, and others to violence. Lack of food and water has caused rioting and has made Port-au-Prince a very dangerous place.

Sunday evening we went to the Creole church service. The usual high energy praising God service was heavy with heart break. They still praised and gave thanks to God as they supported each other. Many had lost close family members and were emotionally drained. It was a short service as they prepared to open church members’ homes to those Haitians without families in the Dominican.

By Monday the Hospitals and churches in the area were very organized. Ambulances were coming in to transfer people to other hospitals in Cabral and Azua. The worst were taken to Santo Domingo after being stabilized.

In the Dominican needed resources and supplies are available so donations of money are important so they can purchase the items they need to continue to help the Haitians refugees.

All in all it was a great trip. We felt we did what we could and were blessed by the experience. As a group, we feel now our best way to help is to let people know what's happening and give them opportunities to get involved.

Blessings,

Joyce Dora