Horror in Haiti

[The Weekenders]

It was global warming what caused the quake.
[Move over, Pat]]

PS. Notice how there is virtually no damage in Dominican Republic? I mean, just how big is that island? Building standards, I reckon.

[BigDavy]

It was global warming what caused the quake.
[Move over, Pat]]

PS. Notice how there is virtually no damage in Dominican Republic? I mean, just how big is that island? Building standards, I reckon.

Hi Weeks

Hispanola - the island containing Haiti and the Dominican Republic has a little under half the land area of California (76k square km v 163k suare km).

David

[SteveShaw]

It was global warming what caused the quake.
[Move over, Pat]]

PS. Notice how there is virtually no damage in Dominican Republic? I mean, just how big is that island? Building standards, I reckon.

The Dominican Republic is much further away from the epicentre of the earthquake than the heavily-populated areas of Haiti, which were very close to it. The epicentre was less than ten miles from Port au Prince and was to the west of it, putting it at an even greater distance from the Dominican Republic, which is the eastern end of the island. Living where you do, Weeks, and having had a strong earthquake off your coast only a few days ago, I'd have thought you'd have had a better understanding of these things.

[Lambchop]

USGS Quake Reporting Site

It was felt as far north as Orlando and Tarpon Springs, Florida, which is just north of St Petersburg, and apparently also in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I'm not so sure about the reports in New Jersey and New Hampshire, but . . .

[A-Musing]

I've had to stop watching TV, and the Haiti situation.

Too frustrating, too strange, too awful.

Patrick...thank you for what you've done, what you're doing, and what you will no doubt continue to do...to help the people of that broken, broken place.

Blessings on you and yours, and the people of Haiti.

[Doc Jones]

More news from our director in Haiti.

He has confirmed that one of our houses is indeed destroyed. Thankfully our new building fared well though the wall surrounding it was badly damaged. He has moved the kids from the damaged house to the other two. Crowding is a terrible problem. We are going to move all the children to the new building site as soon as we can get the wall repaired (the wall is essential for security). He is looking for tents to set up a camp for the kids. Port au Prnce is just to dangerous and we need to get the little bugs out to the country asap.

They will soon be out of food and water at their PaP locations. THere is some food stored at the new facility and there are large gardens we've been using for produce for the kids. We still need to drill a well at the site and do some electrical work etc...

He said that even with money one can't acquire acquire food or water in PaP for now as there is simply none to be had and nowhere to buy it if it could be had.

Thanks to all who have expressed encouragement, offered prayers or sent money or instruments to be sold through The Irish Flute Store to raise funds. Your friendship is a great blessing at the best of times and more so at the worst.

We're looking into getting some of the children into the country as refugees or with emergency visas or some such. Many of them are in the process of being adopted (a long and tedious process in the best of times) anyway.

If anyone knows anything about going about such things i'd be much obliged if you could PM or email me.

Thanks again

Doc

[Denny]

Gary Tuchman reports on an orphanage in Haiti destroyed by the earthquake but all 25 children are alive.

[chas]

Anyway, our news could have been much worse with regards to loss of life and injuries.

Patrick, I love your attitude (and your general approach to life). No matter how much worse it could be, I know it still hurts, and I can't imagine what you're going through.

[s1m0n]

PS. Notice how there is virtually no damage in Dominican Republic? I mean, just how big is that island? Building standards, I reckon.

The size of the tectonic shift governs the intensity of an earthquake, but the area affected is governed by the depth in the earth's crust at which the shift happened. The deeper it is, the wider the area affected. This quake was quite shallow, and apparently located 10 miles off the Port au Prince coast. It was a big move, so the earthquake was intense, but the shallowness meant that the intensity dropped off quite rapidly the farther you were from the epicenter. Thus, the Dominican Republic felt the shock but it was a lot less intense.

[Doc Jones]

Update:

LDS Humanitarian Services showed up at one of the facilities that's housing a lot of the kids tonight with food and water and medical supplies...Full bellies!

Still trying to figure out a way to bring the kids to the States under some sort of refugee provision. Every child we get out of the orphanage makes a spot in our facilities to get another off the streets.

If there are any immigration "legal eagles" (or if anyone knows one). I'd sure love your input.

Thanks again to all who continue to generously support these little guys. You've been a great blessing.

Doc

[Doc Jones]

Some pictures of my boys Belgarde (9) and Bidley (15).

I was once on an inspection tour of our facilities. I sat on a porch late one December evening in 95 degree heat playing Christmas tunes in the tropical dark on a Hamilton Practice Flute. Belgarde came out and sat down by me on the porch and started belting out the words to the carols in Kreyol at the top of his lungs. The little guy knew a ton of songs. After our "session" he turns to me and says "Eske ou vle se papa mwe?" Rough translation: So, how would you like to be my dad? I told him in Kreyol that I didn't know if I could be his dad but that I sure liked being his friend. He smiled his huge smile and said "Wi! Bon zanmi mwe!"...Yeah! My good friend! Then we did a few more tunes.

When I got back to the states we started the adoption process...'Cause, you know, we needed more kids.

Bidley was a good friend too but was slated to be adopted by another couple. When one of those parents tragically died, we added him to our docket as there wouldn't have been time to start from scratch with finding a new family. These things have to be done by the time the kids are 16 or Haiti won't let them go.

Anyway, just a couple of smiles I thought you might like to see.

Doc

[devondancer]

Patrick, you are amazing. You have the love and respect of our whole community, I know. You and the kids remain in our prayers.
Lesley and Ro

[SteveShaw]

A comment from one of our local enlightened ones.

The Rev. Pat Robertson, on his CBN broadcast today, offered his own explanation of the earthquake in Haiti:
"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it," he said. "They were under the heel of the French ... and they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, 'We will serve you if you'll get us free from the French.'
"True story. And the devil said, 'OK, it's a deal,'" Robertson said. "Ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after another."

This kind of tragedy brings out the best and worst. Somebody I know said Haiti is being punished by God for voodoo.

It's gratifying to know, though, that the Devil has replied in person to Pat Robertson, and doesn't seem overly happy with his earthly compatriot's intervention. Here's the reply, courtesy of a wonderful, inspired lady from Minneapolis: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/201 ... rtson.html

[crookedtune]

[Doc Jones]

Just a quick update:

A plane-load of goods will be leaving Orlando tomorrow for the orphanage.

We're going to try to re-locate all the kids to the now orphanage site as it's much safer in the country than in Port au Prince. Need to get a well dug and the building habitable...lots still to do.

Thanks to all who have and are participating.

Best

Doc