Haiti: News from the front lines

The Rev. Dr. Jan Dunnavant, Chair of the Companion Diocese Commission and Pam Knight are currently in Haiti. This report was received from Jan on Wednesday, February 4.

I visited with Bishop Duracin today and saw the former site of Trinity Cathedral and School. He was very happy to see us and we heard good stories of the care that he is giving our flock in Haiti. I am very proud of him and thankful for our time together. We delivered the letter from Bishop Sauls, and Bishop Duracin sat down immediately and eagerly read it. We also delivered quite a bit of cash, both the $1500 from our Diocese and lots of cash from elsewhere. We have a big bag of food, clothing, lots of medicines from the clinic, including some of the $9000 worth of Augmentin that came from the Diocese of Lexington. I also had a big bag of stoles for him to give to his priests, and he gave me a big smile on that. He was very grateful and very warm to our entire team as we visited. He is currently staying in Petionville, and Mrs. Duracin is recovering on the U.S.S. Comfort. She has a crushed leg. It sounds like she is very lucky to be alive. Thank God.

He has no idea when she will be released. It sounds like it will be awhile. One of the teachers from St. Trinity School was with us and she has been trying to hold school. The entire city looks worse than anyone could possibly imagine. It is worse than any war zone that I could imagine. There is nothing left but the faith of the people. I watched as women and children washed their faces today in the sewage of the streets running through Port au Prince. In the clinic today we saw malaria, yellow fever, scabies, worms, fevers, vomiting, everything imaginable, even typhoid. We visited Cite Soliel Community Church today. Some of the structure is still standing but all of what had been houses in Cite Soliel are almost gone. The Haitians are working very hard are extremely hospitable wherever we go. I wish we could go everywhere. The children are suffering especially because everything is so disrupted and toxic.

On the way back to the clinic tonight after our visit with Bishop Duracin, Trinity, the President's Palace, etc., one of the doctors spotted a guy on the road with beer and he bought a bunch so one of the teams in the clinic rooms could have some. I am not a beer drinker, but I am happy for them. Much needed after this day of tears. Thank God Pam is with me. We had to really comfort one another when we saw the Cathedral and the sisters' quarters. By the way, everyone on the team is feeling well, except one nurse from Boston. She started throwing up last night and slept on the floor under a table in the clinic all day.

I snuck some crumbs to a near dead dog today and thought about our dear sweet Phoebe D.

Please give my love to everyone. There is now a line for this computer, and everyone is reading over my shoulder....

Jan