Los Angeles Catholic Worker

2/10/10
Dear Friends,
We did not want too much more time to pass without sending an update on our time in Haiti. We all are home safely. We can’t express enough our deep gratitude for what we were able to do and to bring to the people of Haiti because of your concern and generosity. Haiti is a devastated country and much of what we saw was overwhelmingly tragic and sad, but we were equally touched in a warm and positive way by the presence of people from all over the world who were in Haiti to serve. The desire to help and the outpouring of compassion was palpable. We were humbled and inspired by the strength, courage and relentless faith of the Haitian people whose suffering never seems to end. It is a blessing to walk this road with them.
After the long journey through the Dominican Republican to Port au Prince, it was a relief and so wonderful to see our dear friend, driver, and translator, Daniel Tillias, as planned, at the border. He and his friend did a marvelous job of accommodating us with our 18 bags of medicines and supplies in one truck. It was our first time in a “tap tap”the Haitian taxi. At the last moment our friend and human rights Lawyer, Bill Quigley, joined us, so we were six. In addition to Bill, in our group was Catholic Bishop Tom Gumbleton, Doctor Susan Rice, two Nurse Practitioners: Miriam Ford and Colleen Kelly, and Physician Assistant, Johanna Berrigan.
We went directly to Matthew 25 house. The atmosphere was entirely different from any other time at Matthew 25 house. As you know, it has been turned into a clinic and field hospital. The second floor of the building is uninhabitable. The rooms on the first floor have been turned into storage rooms and a pharmacy. The work being done there and the organization of the whole operation was most impressive. There were 10 people being kept as inpatients for ongoing care - 3 of whom had amputations on the dining room table. During the day, with help from various health care professionals from all over the country, they operate an outpatient clinic. In addition, there are upwards of 500 people living in sheet tents on the soccer field. Sr. Mary, Patrick and Vivian Tortora are doing an amazing job. However, Sr. Mary insists that none of this would be happening were it not for the leadership and organization of Tay, an unassuming, hard-working, humble Haitian man.
In spite of all of their hard work, organization, and professional help, we found it jarring to see people suffering, all bandaged up lying on the ground under open air tents - which serve as their hospital rooms. The soccer field, now home to more than 500 families living in sheet tents, was very organized, but one can’t help but to worry what will become of them and every other Haitian who is forced to live in these tent cities, both when the rains come and for the indefinite future. No one in Haiti is sleeping inside. Even if their homes were minimally damaged, or not at all, the fear is so deep that one person actually said that she will NEVER go in her house again. Never.
For those who prayed so much for our safety and well being, we want you know that we were fine. Of course, like everyone in Haiti, in the back of our minds was always the very real possibility of another aftershock. We appreciate your concern and prayers. We did sleep outside in tents, but we had access to cold showers and drinking water except for one day. We also had breakfast and dinner at Matthew 25. There were, at any given time, upwards of 30 community organizers, health care workers,and assorted others sleeping in tents and makeshift beds on the small field outside the house. Very cozy.
We started early the first morning unpacking and sharing some of the supplies with Matthew 25, and then went on to see our Klinik Sen Michel health agents to learn how we might help in the community. It was good to see a number of the women who work with us as health agents running with smiles on their faces up the dirt road to greet us. We then all boarded the tap tap to drive into the community to begin our work together. It was a wonderful moment of knowing that traveling to see them and be with them to serve their community during this tragic time was absolutely the right thing to do.
They wanted us to go to the neighborhood of Carre Dieu, because this neighborhood had had no health providers since the earthquake. They had received permission from one of the people in the community to use his land. So, we set about clearing the land of cinder blocks and setting up our tent clinic. It was heartwarming and rewarding for us to watch the health agents in action. Somehow, what we needed to function appeared: chairs, a table covered with a white lace table cloth, sheets to create exam rooms, a tarp etc. They worked quietly in an amazingly efficient and productive way. They ran a very professional clinic. Each one had their role of intake person, triage, pharmacist, assistant, etc. Miriam, Colleen and I saw patients along with Susan Rice or another doctor from Matthew 25 each day. We saw people with injuries from the earthquake, a woman who was hemorrhaging, a woman who had given birth 4 days before in field. We saw people that one would see on any given day at any primary care office. We saw children who had fevers over a long period of time who had never had care. We saw people who were still in shock, grieving losses, and suffering from psychosomatic effects of the earthquake. It is truly heartbreaking to think of them, their vacant eyes and fragility - all that they had, gone. Some of the elderly are living in tent cities with nothing - not even their children. The health agents intend to continue to visit them so that we may be able to provide whatever manner of support that we can. Thanks to Miriam Ford’s foresight, experience and planning, we were able to provide deworming medicine for the children. So many children and adults were dehydrated. Each day we distributed water as much as we could.
Tom Gumbleton became an official member of the health care team. He helped with the packaging and distribution of medicines and supplies. He assisted Miriam and Julienne, one of the health care agents, with the deworming project by marking the hands of each child who had been given medicine. We so appreciated him giving water to the children, calming a malnourished, crying baby, and visiting with people while they waited to be seen.
I am pleased to report that the woman who was hemorrhaging received wonderful care at Matthew 25 field hospital. She was to be discharged home the day after we left. We were also able to take a woman who is six months pregnant with a badly infected foot and 4 fractured toes to the General Hospital. She was kept for three days of treatment and is home now with a cast and antibiotics. She had received very good care. We understand that oversight of the General Hospital in Port au Prince is being done by Partners in Health.
The most important, comforting aspect of this one week emergency response effort is that we have an established group of 7 health care agents, one nurse, and our administrative assistant who will do follow up care with the patients whom we treated. The health agents will continue with the work that they have already been doing in the community. Our plan is to put up a permanent tent that will remain on this plot of land for the health agents to use for the duration of this crisis. The health agents have chosen a name for their project, which more clearly describes the scope of their work in the community. “Kay Lasante, Proje Pawas Sent Kle, Ti Plaz Kazo, Pou Prevansyon ak Edikasyon”. House of Health, Project of St. Claire Parish, Ti Plaz Kazo, For Prevention and Education.
In addition to working most days in Carre Dieu, and sharing supplies with Matthew 25 house, we were able to see a few patients, and share supplies and medicines with three other groups: Lamp for Haiti in Cite Soleil, Hospice St. Joseph, and St. Claire’s Parish community. Sr. Mary confirmed our belief that most of the aid that was getting directly to the people was coming from small groups like ours who had connections to Haiti before the earthquake.
The medical emergency relief for those in life threatening situations continues. What is imperative now, is follow up care for those who have received medical attention, in order prevent further complications and infections that could lead to amputations and death.
The Klinik Sen Michel building is in remarkably good shape. There are two walls with cracks in them. It did our hearts good to see it. It is a beautiful, functional building. As reported earlier, the Klinik did serve people in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake. Since the completion of the construction of the building, the services, organization and financial responsibility have been turned over to Dr. Romy Morency and others. We understand, since this crisis, there are groups of health care professionals coming to assist Dr. Morency. We will share medicines and supplies as we are able to during this time of crisis.
We are partnered with Fonkoze, a micro lending bank in Port au Prince under the name Klinik Sen Michel. We will continue to use this account for our ongoing work with the community health agents and for earthquake relief efforts.
In the late afternoon on a couple of occasions, we had the opportunity to see downtown Port au Prince. We would come home from these outings feeling numb and speechless. I can still hear Wilda, the Administrative Assistant, saying, “50 seconds, this took 50 seconds” the destruction is mind boggling. Wilda could not contain her shock and sorrow when she saw the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the Secretarial School that she graduated from, and a friend’s house all destroyed. She simply lowered her head and wept. We could only hold her hand and be there with her. She is carrying so much grief as she was with her friend when the earthquake happened. Apparently, Wilda was resting and her friend had asked the daughter of a friend to go into the kitchen to get an onion. In that instant, the earthquake happened. Wilda was trapped inside for 45 minutes, she and her friend were able to crawl out of the house with assistance, but her friend’s daughter was not.
We held a seminar on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for the health agents. We thought that this would be appropriate for our health agents to be aware of, as they try to meet the needs of their community that has been traumatized in every way. We began by listening to each person’s personal story of where they were, how their families were, and what their losses were. Colleen Kelly graciously shared her story of her brother’s death in the World Trade Center on 9/11 to begin the sharing. It proved to be a comforting healing circle for all of us. Many spoke about calling on the name of Jesus. A few spoke of surrendering to God’s will - whatever God wanted in that moment for them and for their children. A few concluded that God had spared them so that they could be of service in the community. One woman said that this made her realize that she had to get prepared for when the real end of the world happens. Another young woman is now more determined than ever to become a nurse or a doctor. It was very emotional and we were filled with amazement as Wilda shared, “God is so good that God would have never done this to us, it just happened, and now we understand better that we should examine our lives, live differently, and take better care of the environment.”
We visited the Pax Christi Soccer Club in Cite Soleil with Daniel and Wilda. They use this club house, on a narrow cobblestone street, and the game of soccer as a means to reach children in the community to teach them about non-violence, peace making, and human rights. It was inspiring to listen to Daniel tell about some of the projects that he has done with the children. Cite Soleil is the poorest slum in Haiti. To see Daniel in this dark building, surrounded by the poorest of the poor, talk about how they try to hold up for the children a vision different from growing up to be gang members, was awe inspiring. One project consisted in asking each young person what they dreamed of being. He then took a photo of each one in a borrowed suit and tie with their name and dream written below their photo so that they could begin to see themselves differently and have confidence to pursue their goal. He was quick to give credit to “the whole team” working together - not just him.
We also visited St. Claire’s Church and the food program facilitated by Margaret Trost and the What If Foundation. It was heartening to see that meals were once again being prepared and served daily to upwards of 3000 children. The people of St. Claire’s were running a very organized, dignified distribution of meals. As far as we know, this is the only place that is providing a regular, daily meal. Food and supplies are obtained in the the Dominican Republican and transported by truck to the food program. It is through generous donations, and because of the tireless efforts of Margaret and Caitlin of the What If Foundation in California, and Lavarice Gaudin, her co-worker in Haiti, that this program continues. With your support, we were able to contribute to this worthwhile effort.
On Sunday evening, prior to a very early Monday morning departure, Tom Gumbleton concelebrated Mass with Fr. Pierre Andre Pierre, President of Notre Dame University in Port au Prince. Mass was outside on the soccer field at Matthew 25 house. Even under the distressing circumstances, there was quite a large crowd gathered: people working at Matthew 25, the Haitian people living in the sheet tents, the inpatients that we staying in the open air tents, and people from the surrounding community.
It was a faith-filled and even joyful celebration in spite of the circumstances. As usual, we were inspired by the Haitian people.
Many have asked about the situation in Haiti and what can be done to help. At this point Haiti remains in dire straits with many needs. What we observed is that there are still communities without access to health care, food, water, or shelter. The best that can be said seems to be that aid that has poured into the country, but the distribution is uncoordinated, disorganized and sporadic. People remain desperate.
We hope to discuss in the very near future with other organizations that have long been involved in Haiti how we can best advise people what to do. We will be sending updates with those suggestions as soon as we have them.
We intend to continue to visit Haiti more frequently. We do know that we must continue to help with this immediate crisis by hand carrying medicines, supplies and tents as we are able. The Fonkoze office in Port au Prince is operational, so we have the ability to send funds to support the work that is being done by our health agents.
We must support the efforts of organizations working in desperately poor communities to provide food and water. We must, as the Institute of Justice and Democracy has done, urge our Government and the UN to improve the distribution of aid, especially to outlying communities that have had no services. We must join with Congresswoman Maxine Waters who is calling for debt relief for Haiti. We must insist that the Haitians have the leadership role in the rebuilding of Haiti. We must, as the news reports on Haiti dwindle, keep our eyes on Haiti.
Thank you again for your generous support of the Haitian people during this time of crisis.
Peace,
Johanna Berrigan, for the House of Grace Catholic Worker Community
Bishop Tom Gumbleton, Detroit, MI

To donate: Checks can be made out to: Fonkoze USA, memo line: Klinik Sen Michel.
Send to Johanna Berrigan, House of Grace Catholic Worker 1826 E. Lehigh Ave. Phila., Pa. 19125.

Note: If you are not concerned about a tax deduction, checks can be made out to: House Of Grace Catholic Worker and sent to the address above. This makes obtaining cash quicker and easier.