FLM's board members have been receiving numerous calls and emails, asking about the state of our work in Haiti. We are pleased to let you know that our school and clinic are intact. We have not yet gotten a full report on the state of our teachers. We do know the following:
Thomassin does not seem to have experienced significant damage. Boutiliers, however, where we operate mobile medical clinics, was harder hit. Our treasurer in Haiti, Rev. Bossière Jérome, was conducting a Bible study in his church when he was called outside for a moment. And in that moment, the church collapsed, killing four of the people he had just been with.
Jean Bernard Santimé, our school principal and overseer of all our work in Haiti, was leaving Port-au-Prince when the earthquake struck. He had just purchased a pump and water tank for the clinic and loaded it onto a truck driven by his brother Lionel. Jean Bernard was forced to stop when the traffic light turned red--and all the cars that had made it through the light were crushed by a falling building. The supplies in the back of Lionel's truck were destroyed, but Lionel was able to escape.
The clinic administrator, doctor, and nurse are all well and have been assisting in treating the wounded in Petion-Ville. Petion-Ville was severely damaged. The hotel where our teams stay when they go down, the Villa Therèse, was destroyed.
Earthquake Relief and Recovery:
We had 26 people ready to go to Haiti on January 23rd for our regular semi-annual trip. At this time the team is sitting tight, waiting for word that we can get a flight, get safely up to our site, and find shelter, food, and water when we get there. Meanwhile, the first member of our team, Dr. Bill Markle, will be on his way shortly, traveling under the auspices of the American Refugee Committee. He will be carrying medicines and medical supplies and have access to funds provided by us. His work with the ARC, as well as other partnerships currently under development, will give us avenues for getting supplies and money into our communities.
We are working out details to work with some of the larger aid organizations, combining their capabilities on a large scale with our intimate, long-standing knowledge of our communities of Thomassin, La Boule, Boutiliers, and Kenscoff. Over the coming weeks our volunteers will be involved in relief and recovery efforts. We expect that the financial cost of everything we hope to do will be extremely high, given the widespread devastation.
1064 Premier St., Pittsburgh, PA 15201 | 412-784-0342 | info@flmhaiti.org