Hello,
It has now been a week since severe rainstorms hit Haiti (along with at least one earthquake not far from Leogane.) We have received updates from Michael Anello, our Executive Director, and I can pass on some headlines. He also sent pictures! Hurray for restored (if intermittent) internet!
The guest house has been cleaned. This is the main story Michael tells — of being bleary with exhaustion, of having people show up to help who themselves have flooded shacks, of welcoming the power back on, of eating – well – mostly rice. But, the sun is shining, and the mattresses are being bleached and “sunned” along with some of our HRP paperwork. Although there is little time for reflection, Michael speaks of the feelings evoked in a moment of such trauma and tragedy. For him, Haiti never gets a break. It’s one step forward and ten backwards. But the people are amazing – showing up, leaning in, and persisting.
All the CODEP nurseries have lost their seedlings which were being grown for the fall planting. That doesn’t mean it won’t happen. Everyone is scrambling for seeds and creating new sets wherever possible. Those small bags of soil and seeds will yield some seedlings – but nowhere near the tens of thousands that were lost.
The pictures below will tell you more than I can.
Martha Johnson
Member, HRP Advisory Council
PS: One thing you can do to help is to forward this email to FIVE people. Tell our story to your friends and family.
