Tropical Storm Gustav

Well it has only been a week since Fay hit Haiti, and already there is the threat of another tropical storm.  Just south of Haiti is Gustav, the ugly younger brother of Fay, who has targeted Haiti's southern peninsula. Like the typical younger brother vying for attention, Gustav is following closely to Fay's path. That means we are under a hurricane warning until Wednesday.  

For those of us up the hill from Port-au-Prince, the risk is only that we will see some strong winds and thunderstorms. But for the southern part of Haiti the risk is much greater. They haven't even recovered completely from last year's hurricanes and storms, let alone from Fay's damage last week. 

If that wasn't enough, food prices are going up again and there are threats of protesting. Some of our students weren't at school today because the overall security situation is not that great. 

Please keep Haiti in your prayers as we get ready for more storms and protesting. 

Tropical Storm Fay

I just received this email from a family that works in Deye Mon, Haiti in the south. Their area is usually the hardest hit during hurricane season. Please pray for the people affected by the storm's damage, which long outlasts the storm's passing:

Friday afternoon David realized that Storm Fay was heading to Haiti.  He called Dinel (assistant mission director)  to tell him to warn everyone.  Dinel had not heard anything about the storm.  Dinel and his wife just returned from harvesting their corn.  After Dinel heard from David he went back to continue his garden work,  storms destroy gardens.

 

Sunday morning it was still raining on the mountain.  Madam Dinel reported to David that gardens and animals were lost.  A large cargo truck from Jeremie was washed down the Ice River,  killing 37 people.  The river is a 45 minute drive from our mission.  When we are out of water David goes there to fill out water barrels.

 

You may remember that last year the hunger was worse than ever due to gardens and animals being destroyed,  by storms,  in October and December.

 

From January to May we added 100 severely malnourished children to the nutritional program.  When gardens are lost hunger increases. Starvation multiplies. 

 

We will be returning to Haiti on August 28.  Please pray that God will give us wisdom as we return to this situation.

 

Partners for Haiti,

David and RaeLeen