I happen to have a remarkable young man as a housemate. About a year ago he realized something was missing in his life. He knew he could make a difference in the world, but how and where? Somehow Julian's heart was touched by Haiti. In his head he thought, "Haiti's small and not too far away, I wonder what good things are being done there by Haitians, themselves, that I could support?" No sooner had he asked these questions than people with the answers started showing up. He was put in touch with a young woman from Baltimore and a church there that was involved with a group called Haiti Partners. By May he was off in Haiti for 4 weeks, taking most of his summer vacation time to go and see what he could do.
He came back in love with the town of Fayet and just about every Haitian he met. He could not stop sharing about Gerald and the Heads Together group that ran adult literacy programs and free elementary schools in rural Haiti not far from Port Au Prince, the capitol. Nearly every waking hour he isn't working since then, he devotes to raising money, refurbishing little netbook computers, praying for Haiti and learning Creole.
On January 1, 2010 Julian and his sister, who he recruited to his cause, left for a two week trip to Fayet and surrounds. Christa is a graduate student in sustainable growth and the environment. Among other things they were going to look at the feasibility of building a retaining wall for the river that flows through Fayet and regularly floods during hurricanes, washing away soil, trees and houses. Two days before they were to return the earthquake struck. Unfortunately they were only a few miles from the epicenter, but fortunately they were in a small two story building. Julian, Christa, Gerald and Wenson were all on the second floor checking email and chatting together when they felt the first shock wave of the quake. Julian and Christa having grown up in Alaska where all school children participate regularly in earthquake drills, knew what it was.
They warned the other two urging them to get out of the building fast and ran for their lives. Julian made it to the first floor dorway, just steps infront of his sister as the wall and roof colapsed trapping her. Gerald and Wenson were still at the top of the stairs and miraclulously neither of them was badly hurt. Julian sustained some deep cuts to one foot, but Christa's legs were under a pile of rubble and slabs of concrete. It was another miracle that only her legs were affected, the stair railling and a metal cabinet had save her from being crushed completely! Julian could barely hobble around, but hobble he did. Christa remained calm. After a few seconds of conferring, Wenson left to find help and Julian and Gerald tried to find tools nearby. It was not long before Wenson came back with a pick ax and was able to break up some of the concrete enough that the other two could begin removing it.
After an hour Christa's legs were free but one was nearly severed a few inches below the knee and she was bleeding badly. Christa instructed her brother to use some electrical wire to tie a turnicate just above the crushed part of her leg. She needed medical help and needed it badly. A complete stranger took Christa on his motorbike, cradled in Wenson's arms to the base of UN Peacekeeping forces stationed a few miles away where there was a hospital of sorts. By that time it was night and very dark. Gerald took Julia to the soccer field in Dabon where everyone gathered to sleep out in the open. Few houses were left standing, but no one dared sleep inside as the aftershocks went on all night!
The next morning brother and sister were reunited at the UN base. The soldiers were all Sri Lankan and spoke no French and not much Creole, not even the commanding officer! The doctor put a splint using part of an old fence post on Christa's leg and gave her some sleeping pills, but there was not much else he could do. There was intermittent internet access at the base and Julian emailed family and a few friends, begging for a medevac plane to be sent. Christa actually had insurance that including medevac services, but the problem was how to get her to the Port Au Prince airport to a plane. The situation became more desperate, Christa was not looking too good. The Sri Lankan Comander somehow begged a ride to were he knew there was a US/UN ambulance some 20 miles away and convinced the driver and a doctor to come and get Christa and Julian.
By that evening they were at the airport and sometime during the night Christa was flown to the hospital in Miami that was receiving earthquake victims from Haiti. But it was not a medevac plane. It was a private jet that a Miami resident was flying back and forth! The next morning Julian was also evacuated on the same jet and once again reunited with Christa. Unfortunately her leg could not be saved and was amputated a few inches below the knee. By some miracle and the help of many friends and strangers she was alive!
Though the news from Haiti continues to be desperate, there are many other astonishing stories. Of course, most them focus on the many and varied efforts of foreign volunteers, which should be noted and praised. What I am absolutely certain of, is the many other stories that do not get attention, the stories of Haitians helping Haitians, or as in this one Haitians helping foreigners. Here in lies the hope for Haiti; Haitians have suffered so much, and now have been delt this horrible blow, but they are resourceful, and amazingly optomistic people on the whole. Over and over again the survivors can be heard praising God that they are alive and that they have the chance to live another day, grateful for what they still have.
May we all pray for such heart.
He came back in love with the town of Fayet and just about every Haitian he met. He could not stop sharing about Gerald and the Heads Together group that ran adult literacy programs and free elementary schools in rural Haiti not far from Port Au Prince, the capitol. Nearly every waking hour he isn't working since then, he devotes to raising money, refurbishing little netbook computers, praying for Haiti and learning Creole.
On January 1, 2010 Julian and his sister, who he recruited to his cause, left for a two week trip to Fayet and surrounds. Christa is a graduate student in sustainable growth and the environment. Among other things they were going to look at the feasibility of building a retaining wall for the river that flows through Fayet and regularly floods during hurricanes, washing away soil, trees and houses. Two days before they were to return the earthquake struck. Unfortunately they were only a few miles from the epicenter, but fortunately they were in a small two story building. Julian, Christa, Gerald and Wenson were all on the second floor checking email and chatting together when they felt the first shock wave of the quake. Julian and Christa having grown up in Alaska where all school children participate regularly in earthquake drills, knew what it was.
They warned the other two urging them to get out of the building fast and ran for their lives. Julian made it to the first floor dorway, just steps infront of his sister as the wall and roof colapsed trapping her. Gerald and Wenson were still at the top of the stairs and miraclulously neither of them was badly hurt. Julian sustained some deep cuts to one foot, but Christa's legs were under a pile of rubble and slabs of concrete. It was another miracle that only her legs were affected, the stair railling and a metal cabinet had save her from being crushed completely! Julian could barely hobble around, but hobble he did. Christa remained calm. After a few seconds of conferring, Wenson left to find help and Julian and Gerald tried to find tools nearby. It was not long before Wenson came back with a pick ax and was able to break up some of the concrete enough that the other two could begin removing it.
After an hour Christa's legs were free but one was nearly severed a few inches below the knee and she was bleeding badly. Christa instructed her brother to use some electrical wire to tie a turnicate just above the crushed part of her leg. She needed medical help and needed it badly. A complete stranger took Christa on his motorbike, cradled in Wenson's arms to the base of UN Peacekeeping forces stationed a few miles away where there was a hospital of sorts. By that time it was night and very dark. Gerald took Julia to the soccer field in Dabon where everyone gathered to sleep out in the open. Few houses were left standing, but no one dared sleep inside as the aftershocks went on all night!
The next morning brother and sister were reunited at the UN base. The soldiers were all Sri Lankan and spoke no French and not much Creole, not even the commanding officer! The doctor put a splint using part of an old fence post on Christa's leg and gave her some sleeping pills, but there was not much else he could do. There was intermittent internet access at the base and Julian emailed family and a few friends, begging for a medevac plane to be sent. Christa actually had insurance that including medevac services, but the problem was how to get her to the Port Au Prince airport to a plane. The situation became more desperate, Christa was not looking too good. The Sri Lankan Comander somehow begged a ride to were he knew there was a US/UN ambulance some 20 miles away and convinced the driver and a doctor to come and get Christa and Julian.
By that evening they were at the airport and sometime during the night Christa was flown to the hospital in Miami that was receiving earthquake victims from Haiti. But it was not a medevac plane. It was a private jet that a Miami resident was flying back and forth! The next morning Julian was also evacuated on the same jet and once again reunited with Christa. Unfortunately her leg could not be saved and was amputated a few inches below the knee. By some miracle and the help of many friends and strangers she was alive!
Though the news from Haiti continues to be desperate, there are many other astonishing stories. Of course, most them focus on the many and varied efforts of foreign volunteers, which should be noted and praised. What I am absolutely certain of, is the many other stories that do not get attention, the stories of Haitians helping Haitians, or as in this one Haitians helping foreigners. Here in lies the hope for Haiti; Haitians have suffered so much, and now have been delt this horrible blow, but they are resourceful, and amazingly optomistic people on the whole. Over and over again the survivors can be heard praising God that they are alive and that they have the chance to live another day, grateful for what they still have.
May we all pray for such heart.
