Update # 3, Trip 2 – “You Ready?”

There’s really no substitute for putting in the hours. The only way to have an even semi effective operation down here is to personally oversee every stage. Simply put, it just comes down to time spent … There’s so much chaotic energy that it’s so easy for good intentions to slip through the cracks a fall apart.Yesterday was a good day. I was finally able to return to the northern region and deliver the filters I had promised Scott Bonnell’s group. When we arrived to the church the main pastor, Albert, who manages 130 churches, greeted us. It was Sunday morning, so church was still in session. Because Albert wasn’t able to attend my filter demonstration a couple weeks ago, it was crucial that he was here today. We unloaded the goods and he said – “You ready?” I replied “sure”, not really knowing what he was talking about. I followed him and all of a sudden I was standing at the podium with the local pastor in front of everyone. He said, “You ready to teach?”. I was planning on just dropping the stuff off, but since the entire community was there for Sunday service, why not use the opportunity to demonstrate. It was classic! – with a PA system and everything. Was such a moment. To truly connect on a grass roots level with the community is what this whole thing is about. I felt so damn good to deliver on my word. Everyone really had a look of surprise on their faces when I returned.On the way home my driver/translator, Sylla proceeded to give me a history lesson on the tremendous violence that has plagued his country for generations, and has only recently (past 3-4 years) slowed down. We drove through an area that he said is (still) considered the most dangerous part of Haiti. I might add that the prison was ruined in the quake as well, and 4000 inmates lived through it and were able to escape. Sylla mentioned that most of them would certainly be hiding in this area, as they have always claimed it to be theirs. He said that four years ago he wouldn’t have dared drive through there, but it has since gotten better… And,with the earthquake, things have slowed down even more. It sounded much like the violence we Southern Californians are so aware of in Baja. This area is on the outskirts of PAP and no police ever go there. He said they used to hide in caves in the neighboring hills and would set up road blocks for ambushes on passing cars. Kidnapping was the primary business. A little unsettling since we were passing directly through it. However, I have still yet to feel unsafe. I really believe that in doing this work, I am protected. and everything will work out for the best. It’s just a feeling… hard to describe.

Looking up right now, my mind is adrift … Nothing but stars!!

Jon   It’s a new day… and productive one at that!

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.