Our children's homes have always been and continue to be a priority for Food For The Poor. Therefore, rest assured, that with all the food, water, medical supplies, tents, tarps, building supplies, clothes, shoes, etc that we are mass shipping into Haiti, our children are receiving each and every one of these items as a priority. Unfortunately, the children are still living primarily outdoors, but due to the continued aftershocks the home directors and administrators do not feel comfortable moving all the children back indoors. We have been able to address all the urgent basic needs and satefy concerns for the homes. The security walls have been rebuilt and the water systems have been repaired. We are currently working on repairing and rebulding the physical structures of three of the five centers. The children, despite, the circumstances, always remain in high spirits and continue to find new ways to keep themselves entertained in their new living conditions.
In the last update we had not yet been able to visit our older boys home (003H) in Gressier (near Carrefour). Since then we have been to the site several times. Given that the facility is located very near the epicenter of the initial earthquake, they suffered severe damage. The entire facility is destroyed and has crumbled to the ground. The first story of the main buildling is completely gone and the second story of the building seems to have been shifted about one foot horizontally and dropped on top of the rubble of the first. Praise God that all of our boys are ok. They all ran out of the buildings and no one was severly injured. We sent out nice brand new camping tents and the boys are living in a little cluster of bright red tents until we can complete plans for a new structure on site.
One of our girls from the Maison d'Amour (002H) had suffered a severe injury to her right leg and was being treated at the US military hospital at the airport. She was selected for medical evacuation to the United States and is being treated at a hospital in St Petersburg. Her sponsors have been contacted and we are keeping them up to date with her progress. She was at high risk of needing an amputation and now with the excellent medical attention she is receiving, that risk has been eliminated.
Keep all of our children and the staff of the orphanages in your prayers. As we continue to make progress with the rebuilding of the centers I will keep you updated via this blog. If you would like to donate to the Haiti Earthquake Relief fund please go to http://www.foodforthepoor.org/. Thank you for your continued generosity towards the children of our Angels of Hope program and for all of those in Haiti who are suffering through this devastating tragedy.
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