Friday in Haiti

Update # 6 -  Jon Rose on the front lines in Haiti.

Yesterday was gritty. We received a new shipment of medical supplies and food the night before. It was going to be our first attempt at doing a food drop in one of the tent cities, called San Teresa. We tried to drum up some ideas that might help us organize the distribution prior to getting there. Something like a number system, etc…because if you don’t have a handle on things it will turn into a riot in the blink of an eye. Most of these people are surviving on one meal, every 3 days, and under circumstances such as these, people will do almost anything for that meal…and unfortunately, we came very close to seeing just that. We had people line up in specific lines — such as pregnant women, or elderly, etc. But as soon as we’d start to pass out food to one line all the people from the other lines would rush towards it, stampeding everything in their path. We had a lot of food to pass out but not enough for the entire tent city. So we wanted to make sure that the pregnant woman, children, an elderly got the first rations.

At one point, we had to make a wall with our bodies, standing side by side and locking our arms together, so that the pregnant woman could grab food and get through the crowd safely. It took every bit of strength to hold my position as we got pushed and pushed by the massive crowd. There were a few times where we all got neverous because of fights almost breaking out. We were severly outnumbered and would have had no way to truly protect ourselves. We did the best we could and got food into the hands of thousands of people, but as we headed back to camp we all agreed that our system could be refined for next time. The whole thing was a gut check for me because it clearly reconfirmed the fact that just surviving the quake won’t be enough for some of these people. The fight to stay alive now and over the coming months is an even bigger challenge.

I’m writing this post from the floor of a army cargo plane. I had to wait at the airport for 6 hrs but finally found a spot on this plane, along with 180 other people. Most of the poeple are Haitian/Americans that were checking on family, etc. Everyone had the same look on their face — one of utter disbelief. I’m headed back to the US to regroup and recharge the batteries. I’ll be going back sometime in the next couple weeks to manage our next shipment of filters. It’s crucial that the distribution networks I set up actually get everything I have promised them. So much is happening down there that aid shipments can get lost or stolen very easily. You really have to walk it through every stage until it is in the hands of those in need…something which I am more than proud to do.

It’s surreal sitting on the floor of a giant cargo plane with no windows. Especially under these circumstances. None of it feels real.

I want to say one more thing. These posts have been my theraputic platform to process what I’ve experienced. I’ve looked to them as a way to exhale from one day to the next. If the byproduct is such that you have been inspired to contribute, in your own way, then great! But, know this: I’m honored to share this with you, and I am humbled by the good nature of humanity. I witnessed it, in its purest form, and it warms my soul. The people of Haiti have an incredibly hard road ahead and I feel like my heart was left behind with them. I’m dedicated to this cause and will be working with this country for months, if not years, to come. If anyone has questions or input please feel free to reach out. This whole thing is symbolic, in so many ways. But if there was one thing that consistantly cried truth, it was this — We… as a people… are not alone.

This is not my last post….

Thank you! Jon
Sent from my iPhone

Thursday in Haiti

Update # 5 -  Jon Rose on the front lines in Haiti.

The lack of sleep is starting to take its toll. Plenty of time to sleep when I get home though. Another incredibly productive day yesterday. I went to Jacmel with David Belle to demonstrate our program to his network. The leader of this group used to be the Minister of Agriculture and has a lot of influence within the communities. He runs a network, called KROS, that helps manage all sorts of humanitarian aid projects. He is the guy!

On the way to Jacmel, we stopped by the town of Leoganne – epicenter of the quake. David had been working for a few days on getting a young girl transported from the makeshift tent hospital there to a proper one in the states. She needed urgent care due to a completely shattered pelvis. She had been laying on a funky mattress in the medic tents, which have been enduring 100 degree temperatures for two weeks now.

We found some Israeli medics in P-A-P that agreed to take her, so we had them follow us to Leoganne. When we got there the local medics in charge said we couldn’t take any of their stretchers…making it awfully difficult to transport someone with a shattered pelvis. The Israeli medic and I had to carry the girl in a blanket to the bed of a small pickup truck. Though we had to keep the tailgate down, we were able to place a crusty old mattress in the truck-bed. I fastened some rope around the end of the mattress and secured the bed so she wouldn’t slide out on the bumpy 2 hr long drive back to P-A-P. She was in immense pain because there were very few pain meds left in Leoganne. The Israeli medic gave her some morphine so she could handle the long ride.

When she left we all felt good about our efforts, but that brief highlight was quickly overshadowed with thoughts of all the people in the camp we couldn’t help — a reality that makes it very hard to ever feel satisfied. In 30 minutes I saw the human life cycle in its simplest form. Case in point – just after we moved our girl to the truck I witnessed an elderly women start throwing up blood and cry out her last cry. Her body lay motionless and peaceful. Right now, everything happening here is on a very concentrated level. Like I said, in just a half hour we saved one life, just to watch another pass. Intense!

In Jacmel I gave a very organized demonstration of our water program to the leaders of KROS. After I was done they asked two things. “How many are you giving us?” I said, “3000!”. They answered with, “Can we get 10,000?” That was a great sign that my demonstration was well-received. I answered, “Yes! Over time, with the help of the American people, we will get you 10,000!”.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support. It IS making a difference.

Cheers!   Jon,   Sent from my iPhone

Wednesday in Haiti

Jon is traveling & working with the team: Jenkins/Penn Haitian Relief Organization.

Google ‘Sean Penn Haiti‘ to read more stories

Update # 4  -  Jon Rose on the front lines in Haiti.

Top o’ the morning!! With each new day, operations get smoother. It’s great to see  progress and synergy becoming more consistent.

I ventured out with the medical team and set up a mobile station in a downtown section of Port-Au-Prince that was hit incredibly hard. These people have had very little attention – mainly due to inaccessibility. Many of the roads are blocked because of rubble, etc.

We stopped at the top of a hill in the middle of the destruction so we could scout for locations to set up shop. The stench from decaying bodies was stronger than anywhere else  I’ve been so far. Almost every building in this area is collapsed and there’s just no way for people to get the bodies out. They have been trying to burn the rubble in areas where they know bodies are still entombed to eliminate the smells. A woman was walking around on the street, cutting orange peels, and handing them out for people to put under their noses.

This next part may be a bit graphic for some, and I apologize in advance, but this is part of the reality down here. Down the road a bit I saw the lifeless body of an unclaimed little boy. He was mostly covered by a sheet, but dogs had chewed away at his flesh and now just bones were left sticking out from under the sheet. In situations like this, it’s important to stay focused on your individual goal for the day, because if not, your emotions will surely get the best of you…and furthermore, hinder your ability to help.

We finally found a little shanty church courtyard where we could set up. The locals were inside singing sweet music and smiling despite all they’ve been through. These people are amazing!!! Being around them has impacted my life forever.

By the end of the day we had treated 340 people with varying ailments. One guy had his nose entirely ripped in the quake and it had been sewn back on by a first-response team. But he had not been looked at since and was developing an infection around the stitches. We were able to have our wound specialist restitch and dress it.

I had a personal moment that I’m still greatly touched by: A woman came in with a broken hip and her newborn. After the doctor was done checking them out she placed the baby in my arms because the mother needed her hands free to walk. I was instructed to carry the infant to the pharmacists, get some solution, and feed her. As I fed the child I realized that I was holding and nurturing the future of this country. I was overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude when I connected that. It was a symbolic moment that represented every reason for us being here.

Last night I had my first cold beer since I’ve been here. It was the best beer I’ve ever tasted! Still no shower, and my few items of clothing could stand upright on their own. I’ve gotten very accustomed to my daily baby wipe session.

All is good, and when I return home, there’s one thing I know for sure … My life will never be the same as it was before this.

If anyone is still wondering what, as a people, the purpose of our existence is…? Let me say, it is this! … To support one another and collaborate on making our planet better for those who will come after us.

Much love, Jon
Sent from my iPhone

Tuesday in Haiti

Update # 3  - Jon Rose on the front lines in Haiti.

Wow… Lots of progress in one day. Still awaiting the next shipment of filters but have tapped into another great local network via David Belle. He is from NY but lives here part time and is the founder of a film school in the southern part of Haiti called Jacmel*.  He has a very strong and established team down here that he’s worked with for over a decade. With the help of  the David Belle and Scott Bonnell teams we should be able to spread our program across the entire country.

Today I traveled with the mobile medical team to assist them in the field. They setup a station next to a tent city and a paramedic and I set out through the tents to do basic wound redressing and to look for people in serious trouble that couldn’t walk over to our temp. medical station. We went with a translator who would call out for people in need as we walked through the aisles. The smells were intense!

The first woman we came across was sitting on the ground of her tent with her family around her. She had a big bandage on her foot that obviously needed to be changed. We unwrapped it and found that the entire top of her foot was gone. You could see every bone and tendon in her foot. It was now infected and she said that she was affraid to go to the medical station because she didn’t want to be told she was losing her foot. But she didn’t realize that if untreated, the infection would surely move up her leg and probably kill her. We talked her into it and carried her over to our station to wait for transport to a hospital.

We then treated more people throughout the crowded tent city and when we got back to base, once again, I felt incredibly humbled and inspired by the experience.

Thank you for your continued support.
Jon    Sent from my iPhone

*Jacmel Film School | Haiti earthquake: Jacmel film students document city’s desperation

Monday in Haiti

Update # 2  -  Jon Rose on the front lines in Haiti.

Greetings!  Yesterday was an incredible success. Scott Bonnell and I ventured to some of the outer regions (that are getting less attention) to link up with his network of churches and schools. I was really looking at this network to be a potential plan for the distribution of our filters etc… We needed to find people that were trustworthy… with a far reach… and in addition to themselves, have the drive to help their fellow people.

We went to St. Marc and met with Scott’s pastors and teachers. I gave a full fledged seminar inside one of the schools, demonstrating the assembly of two complete systems – one with a power drill and the other with my knife, just to show how easy it is to build one. I had about 500 filters but, because of limited acces to the marketplaces, and part of our original shipment not making it, we did NOT have any buckets. So we had all the people at the demonstration run home and grab buckets from their houses. The 5 gal buckets needed for our systems are widely used here. They all assembled their own systems, with my guidance, and ultimately became our first group of instructors that will assist in teaching others throughout various communities. It was truly a collaborative process and  exactly what I hope for in a place like this.

At the end of our workshop the new teachers gave us a formal thank you in which each said some words. Organically, and from the heart, they covered everything I could ever hope to acheive with this work. Their vocabulary was such that I knew we had sparked change that would influence a positive change in their community for a long time to come. They said, “Thank you for this unexpected gift. Thank you for your program. The water in Haiti is poison. Thank you for teaching us this program so that we can help our people. This will save thousands if lives … Thank you”.

They absolutely get it and are now clean water teachers that will show others how to set up and use this amazing filtration system – using the loads of inventory we’ve just hand delivered. I am humbled … and witnessing miracles daily.

I am also getting more and more confident in the potential for our friends in Haiti to fully recover from this. It will be many years but they are a strong people that are very experienced with surviving.

Much love … Talk soon, Jon
Sent from my iPhone

Sunday in Haiti

Update # 1  -  Jon Rose on the front lines in Haiti.

Here’s the latest from ground zero.

Day one we felt two more decent sized aftershocks. Everyone in this country is sleeping outside. Most buildings that were left standing are still considered hazardous and will probably collapse within the next few weeks. Most businesses are closed and there is still no electricity in most areas. Our base camp is running off one generator and the entire team is sleeping outside in a yard. No showers since I got here. The devastation is like nothing I’ve ever seen. It looks like the structures were blown up by dynamite. I really question what the ultimate rebuilding solution will be. There’s almost no choice but to relocate everyone and just scrap the city. We’ll see…

I linked up with rev. Andre Louis yesterday and gave him an in depth demonstration on the water filtration systems. He is a sweet man in his 70′s. He’s in charge of 30+ churches and we developed a distribution plan for the filters with that network. It was great! I gave him a bunch of inventory to get his operation going. Today, I broke away from the crew and  am in route to some of the more out of the way villages with an American pastor named Scott Bonnell*. He has a network of 115 churches that he’s been working with for 3 yrs. We are hoping to use his network to distribute 3000 filters and raincatchers amongst the entire country. I’ll know a lot more after today. The people are great here. I feel safe and completely greatful about having this opportunity to help them.

People at home need to know that their support is making a difference. As fellow humans, it is our duty to help facilitate in their recovery. They are beautiful people!

Keep you updated… Thanks, Jon

* Scott is the founder of Hope To Haiti, which has been bringing needed relief to Haiti since 2007.

Haiti Relief Project

“You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing

Soon the tropical rains will arrive in Haiti . . . and we will be there to catch it and clean it. Our Waves for Water team is already on the way, traveling Wednesday on a charter plane from Miami. This plane will be packed with surgeons, medical supplies, generators & equipment and all our materials: filters w/buckets, tarps, plastic trash cans and lots of rope.

Jon Rose, just returning from our Volcano Villages Project in Bali and the earthquake zone in Sumatra, will be heading up our rain catching and water filtration projects in Haiti. We have been working round the clock to prepare for the Thursday departure. Detailed stories, with images, will be posted soon.

Those who want to help us can push the donate button.

While Jon is working on the front lines in Haiti, you can direct any questions to jack@raincatcher.org When our base of operations gets up and running, and conditions on the ground are safe, we will set up a volunteer program where  w4w friends can come down for a week to help us.