Day 3 Update

Just got off the phone with Judy this morning. From the sounds of it, they have been incredibly busy since their arrival Tuesday night and today won't be any different.

Judy said that despite the incredible destruction and that buildings are in shambles, life continues to go on. She didn't want to use the word normal, but basically she said that people are doing what they can to go about life and the things that need to be done... pushing forward.

The kids and everyone from the house continue to sleep outside. They now have tents to sleep in, both the ones that the trio brought with them and some that the US Army was able to give them. However Steve, Judy and John have been sleeping on the roof**.

Yesterday one of the babies from the orphanage was sick, clearly from dehydration. Ed Amos (for those of you that don't know Ed, he lives in Haiti full-time and runs medical clinics throughout the area on a regular basis) tried to put an IV in and was unsuccessful and suggested that the baby be taken to the hospital. He needed to go to the hospital overnight, since the women that care for the children were scared to spend the night inside at the hospital Judy went and spent the night there instead. There he was treated with an IV by a Jamaican doctor. There was also Jamaica military maintaining order at the hospital.

Today Ricot, Judy and John are headed to the DR today to buy food. The current food situation is this. They have limited food and the only food that they have they have purchased. So to those of you that donated funds - THANK YOU! They are using this food to feed the children. Also - know that whatever food they do purchase they are doing their best to share with the entire neighborhood (not just the school, church and orphanage) as Cite Militaire and Village Solidarity have not seen any aid in terms of food. The US Army was able to help with tents and water at the orphanage, but not with food. Thus the number one goal continues to be: FOOD!

The food is much cheaper in the DR, so they are headed there today to purchase as much as they can. While they are there, Steve has a busy day planned in Port-au-Prince. This morning he is headed back to the airport to try and see what he can do there in terms of getting food, then he plans to go to Cite Solei where he heard the UN World Food Programme (I believe this is what she was talking about - but don't quote me) is handing out food to try to make some connections there and help bring them to the neighborhood.

In other news, last I heard Pastor Rigaud is trying to return to Haiti today. With him he will bring a generator that the Amidon's from VT (who supplied the first generator that's stuck in Boston) were able to get purchased and picked up by Rigaud in Miami. This new generator will be able to power a small appliance, charge batteries and run the water filtration system that John brought - all at the same time.

Rick, thank you for mentioning prayer requests, here's a list for today:

-safe travel for the trio and Ricot as they travel to DR and throughout PaP

-the baby sick from dehydration remains in the hospital (hopefully the IV will do the trick soon and he'll go home at some point today)

-safe travel for Pastor Rigaud as he returns to PaP and that the new generator makes it on the plane with no hassle

-strength and energy for Ricot (Pastor Rigaud's son) as he has been running things in his father's absence and continues to be called to help in many directions

-that is doesn't rain!

-that aid in the form of food reaches that area as soon as possible.

** for those of you that have never been to Rigaud's house before, the roof is flat and there is an area there that is often used to sit and have social time as missionaries and when it's really hot, missionaries often sleep out there for some relief from the heat.