Category Archives: Haiti

After a couple of weeks back in the office I am still thinking of Haiti. We have put much in motion following my visit, and yet there is still much to do.

There were bad storms there on Friday and the heavy winds and rain caused much damage. Our Country Representative Madsen Gachette advised me that there were several deaths and many tents were destroyed – even large ones. Even our own staff Gerard lost his tent to the winds and rain.
Continue reading →

Miami Airport. One word. Brutal.

A one hour and 45 minute flight from Port-au-Prince. A million worlds away.

Biggest difference though was returning to Pearson International in Toronto. The air feels more oxygenated somehow. The bright lights seem to happily light spacious corridors as you walk towards customs and then baggage area.
Continue reading →

Day of departure has arrived. Probably a good thing as I seem to have had some issues with my scrambled eggs yesterday morning…

Yesterday was a day chock full of meetings, so timing for feeling ill was unfortunate. Gachette and I went to visit the local offices of CIDA – CGF (Canadian International Development Agency operating in Haiti as opposed to their offices in Ottawa) with whom we are discussing a proposal in Leogane.
Continue reading →

Gachette and I have been meeting with some of the International NGOs – the big players – to learn more about their work, their areas of focus at this time, and potential ways we can align our work.

There has been so much aid money that has arrived in or been designated to Haiti that the big international NGO’s have had to scale up in the last seven months to handle the relief efforts as well as the influx of personnel, materials, operations infrastructure…
Continue reading →

I noticed something the other evening in Port-au-Prince when we were downtown.

I noticed a red stoplight. Shining away in the fading light of dusk overtop of all the traffic and destruction. It looked a little lonely.

I asked Gachette why there were so few stoplights and streetlights that were working…and he pointed up to a small solar panel on the nearby pole.
Continue reading →

Up at 5:30 am again today trying to get ahead of reports and findings and who knows what else. While I am learning so much and having the opportunity to speak directly to our partners and beneficiaries, these field visits are intense.

It is also a challenge when you don’t speak the local language of Creole and your French is a little rusty. Eight days in and I am starting to need much less translation…or at least I think I do!
Continue reading →

Today we head out to see more work of our partner OMES (Organisation de la Mission Evangelique Salem) and the work of Founder Dr. Georges and his Director Monsieur Pasquette. Saturday was an inspiring day to see their work in the rural community of Cameau, and today we will see their work in Carrefour – a dense suburb of Port-au-Prince.

Carrefour is just beyond the congested and damaged downtown core of Port-au-Prince, and getting there is a wicked traffic game…
Continue reading →