Here We Go

by Megan Cavanaugh

Sunday, February 7th, 2010 from the JFK Airport

Here we go. I'm sitting in the airport, waiting for the rest of "wave 1" of our team to arrive. I'm so glad this day is finally here. About a thousand emails and a few weeks of planning (and then replanning), logistics, packing, plane and bus tickets, procuring, budgeting... What an incredible group effort this has been already.

I can't explain how many people- family, friends, friends of friends of friends, coworkers, neighbors, teachers, complete strangers, all had to come together- be flexible with their lives and generous with their time- and money- so that we could all make this trip. In the midst of this tragedy it has never ceased to amaze me how many wonderful and kind people I have in my life who want to help in the haiti relief effort- and support Haiti Marycare. I am SO grateful. And now to be able to go and help the people of Haiti when they need our support and presence more than ever- to have been given that opportunity and ability, is a true and simple blessing. I have no doubt this will be as successful a trip as it could possibly be.

We are loaded up with medications and supplies (we are carrying few hundred pounds in total!) we have our destinations, team and contacts in place and we are all eager to get to work. And to hug our friends and team members in Haiti. I have no idea what to expect from here on out- this is a different trip entirely than ever before. I don't know how I will deal with all that I see, what I will take from this experience, how it will challenge me as a person- as a nurse- as a person with deep faith in God- but I am sure it will. Haiti always does that to me. Thank you to everyone that made this trip possible, please stay tuned to find out how your support and donations will be used to directly impact the lives of the many in need, on this trip and the many to come.

-Megan

Welcome!

Welcome to our new blog by Haiti Marycare. Because we know many people are interested in what is going on in Haiti and would like to keep up with the progress of our relief efforts, we have created this blog to provide more up to date information.

This weekend, February 7, a team of medical professionals associated with Haiti Marycare will travel to Haiti to assist in the relief. The team will travel through the Dominican Republic, to Port-au-Prince and run a medical clinic there for a few days before moving north towards Cap Haitien and Jacquesyl. We will update the blog to keep you informed of their experiences as they travel.

Here is our situation to date in Port-au-Prince:

Today we have received a generous grant from the Greenwich World Hunger Association to repair the school in La Plaine, a slum area of Port-au-Prince. Abner Romelus, the school director will take the lead in coordinating the repair efforts and it is our hope that once repaired, the school will provide shelter to the 250 students, their parents and the school staff that are now homeless due to the earthquake. Currently, these people are all staying in a large field, with no shelter, no sanitation, and no supplies of any kind and they have yet to receive any aid from relief workers in the capital.

Thanks to your generous donations, we have been able to send enough money to repair the well located on the school grounds. This well, powered by a hand pump rather than electricity, now provides up to 1,000 buckets of water per day. Haiti Marycare has also been been able to send Abner money to purchase rice and beans for the children. As the team from the US travels down to Port-au-Prince in the next few days, carrying hundreds of pounds of medical supplies by hand, it is our hope we can best determine how to provide further relief both now and in the difficult times still to come.

Please keep us in your hearts and prayers.

bove is a picture of the school children, Abner Romelus and the outside of the school, prior to the earthquake.