I received an update from the Mission Team yesterday. Everyone is safe and doing well. The mission team stayed 3 days in an Orphanage in Haiti that was in desperate need. This particular Orphanage has 43 children and currently only receives funding from one person of $100 a month.  The team paid to have the electricity turned back on for the kids.  They have been without since the earthquake.  The team would like to make this Orphanage their personal project by raising additional funds to have plumbing installed and the septic tank pumped. They would also like to go back and build beds for the kids (they have only 8 beds) and purchase school supplies for them.    They painted the children’s nails, read stories to them, colored and played games. They also did a medical clinic at the Orphanage. Everyone was sad to leave the kids but I'm sure they will have many wonderful stories to share with all of us when they return home.    Yesterday the team spent the day in a town called Descubierta which borders Haiti and the DR. They set up a clinic there and attended a worship service.  Today they are going to have a little R&R and tomorrow they will head out to a Batey in the DR called Carmona.  Stay tune for further updates.....Ginger

6/3/2010 Thur.

So we arrived at SDQ. We were expecting Pastor Onelys but no where to be found. The team stay at the sirport to meet him and Austin, Ken and I went to rent the vans. What do you know! We found out that we have to purchase extra insurance because they won't let us rent the vans without it. The cost per van wetn up to $100/day x2. Then Onelys showed up walking into the Avis car rent. I remember he mentioned it would cost us $240/day to rent a coaster which includes the $5/gallon gasoline. At that instane, I cancelled the 2 vans and told Onlys to retn the coaster. Vuala! Now we do not have to  drive and save some money at the same time.

We rent 3 taxis to take us to this hostal Onelys reserved. A dump and cukarachas (cockroaches). Cost was lot hoigher than expected. But anyway we got there and enjoyed the flicering airconditioner in the rooms. Nothing worked. Rusty water, toilet not flushoing, etc.

6/4/1020 Fri

Lived through the night and so happy to see this huge coaster which cna carry about 30 people and suit cases. We got it loaded and headed out to Descubierta, the border town. It was pleasant ride with full aircondition. Agusto, the driver was quite and very compassionate.

On the way we visited Iguana Jurassic Park with iguanas sleeping around the roads.

We arrived at Iguana Hotel after 6 hours of ride and checked into the familiar hotel. Senora Dona was happy to see us again and felt like home. Pastor Sobel came to meet us and decided to take Wilbert, a Haitian with Spanish y Creole speaking boy, with us to Porta Prince. Everyone cooked and all passed out.

6/5/2010 Sat

Had eggs, cheese, ham, fruit for breakfast and headed out to the border. Got screwed big time. The border guards got us from both side. We had to pay exit tax from Dominican gate and entrance tax from Haiti side. They told us we had to the same when we come back. Money is flying out from our pocket.

Got to PaP and found MED orphange. The bridge that was there is now collapsed and I had to hike down this cliff to climb inot MED. Pastor Pierre was not there and we tried to find the other orphanage. Hopelessly got lost. We decied to return to MED and wait for the pastor.

He finally came back and had a good re-union. He took us to the orphange in no time. They were glad to see and rememberd me. We told them that we would come back the next day and asked to get water ready to flush toilet while we were there.

We returned to Iguana. The border was quite and no guards bothered us and passed without paying a cent.

6/6/2010 Sun

Well, the guards let us through with this 'tax thingy'.

We arrived at the orphanage and checked in, that is pitched our tents all over the place. It was clear day and the girls didn't out tent flys on at the second floor balcony. Guys pitched their tents on the first floor rooms. It was so hot, humid, mosquittos eating us alive. Then it happened. 9:30 pm, it stared to rain. We were running left to right to move the girl's tent, putting the flys, etc. By the time we were fisnihed, we were all wet and decided to take shower in the rain. It was a blessing that the reain came because the water we asked to was not there.( we bought $40 worth water and the truck came and filled the cistern). You had to carry the water in a bucket to flush the toilet and the bathroom was not in condition for you to take shower in.

That rain shower was God sent! God provides. Without that rain, we would have been... I don't know....got all sticky and became a wax paper.

NOTE: There was no water, no electricy in that orphange. Food was there but very bazsic rice and beans. I saw some kids digging out the burnt rice from the pot and I thought they would create a hole on the bottom of the pot by scapping out the last grain of rice. If we did not order and paid for the water truck, there would not have been drinking water and fossilizing the toilet by using it without flushing. It would been a condemed house in US standard. We felt for the kids living in that condition not to mention scarce food.

6/7/2010 Mon

Lived through the night. I saw this water pipe sticking out of the rubble from the collapsed apartment in the front of the orphanage. The city turned on the water and water was gushing out the pipe. God provided once again. Everyone went out of the street and took another street bath. By the way the collapsed apartment still has 24 people still burried in there.

Did children's ministry, singing with local church choir group, play with kids, medical ministry, etc....

Began to make accesment of the condition and came up with 6 area that needed immediate intervention

1. Evacuate over flowing septic tank.
2. Purchase and install water tank on the roof
3. Purchase and install new toilets .
4. Run water pipes from the tank to the 2 bathrooms
5. Purchase and install water pump to siphone up the water from the cistern to the tank
6. Plumb out the laundry waste separate from the septic tank not to over flow it.

6/8/2010 Tue

Our thrid day at Haiti. We drove out to Red Cross to ask for supplies and made a contact with the coordinator there. Pastor Pierre was given the information and the phone numbers to contact the coordinator to arrange the site visit for possible help from Red Cross.

Found a electrician and vuala! God provides. The orphange is now bright and we can see what is what at night. Maybe we shouldn't have the light. Not one not two but armies of cockroaches are every where. Lydia found one on her arms crawling while sleeping. I can take rats, I can take snake but cockroaches.... no sir.... ( by the way I do not eat crabs because it reminds me of it)

6/9/2010 Wed

We said good bye to the kids we already developed bonds. Everyone was with one heart that we would not forget those forgotten kids. Was sad to leave the kids behind in that...... misery

We returned to Iguana and we played little skip town thing. We were to start the clinic. We went to this natural swim pool and enjoyed that cold water pool. We came back and did a clinic in the church and attended the service afterward. We gave out tracts, M&M's, soaps, etc.

NOTE: Hypertension, diabetes and lipid medical intervention is started and will follow through.

6/10/2010 Thur

Yahoo, to Salina Beach on the way back to SDQ.

Came to SDQ and checked into Hotel Carey($20/night /person). Fully airconditioned, clean, not like the other one. By now everyone was exhausted from the mission and the heat, we decided to stay there until we leave. I was worried that we would run out of money bethcasue of the unexpected expenses.

It was a blessing that we can come back to airconditioned hotel from our hard work. At the same time I felt so bad for the natives who does not have this priviedge.

6/11/2010 Fri

went to Carmona and did a medical clinic. Lot of familiar faces. This was fourth visit there. It was amazing that relationship has built already.

NOTE: There are 50 some family units living on that strip of the highway. The previously drilled well is not working and people have to buy water from delivery truck. Not having enough food is compounded by spending more of their resources for what we consider norm. Carmona water project now becomes one of the priority of Mission Ryan's objectives.

One of our team got sick and had to to hospitalized over night. I was nervous that it was a heart problem but was OK.

6/12/2010 Sat

Took Team A to the airport and received Chelsea.

6/13/2010 Sun

Went into San Jose and pitched our tents to stay over night. Did medical, children's ministry....

NOTE: Once again, it is one of those forgotten out post village. Electricitity and water are available, however this is one of the hopeless village, because the sugar cane owner has pulled out and people are left to make their own living. It takes 1 1/2 hour off road driving to get here and it would take probaly 3-4 hours for them to walk out if they get sick. On-going medical service is crucial to deliver some hope.

6/14/2010 Mon

Came out of San Jose and returned to Hotel Carey. Rested. Team is exhausted and aircondition surely helped us to regain strength. We have this way out and enjoyed this hotel, but I wonder what it would be like if you have no where to run except to endure whatever and wherever you are....like the sugarcane cutters

6/15 Tues
Spent most of the day resting from the exhausting travel and work. Did some shopping to take back to friends and famlies back home.

6/16/2010 Wed

Medical at Pastor Onelys church. Enjoyed congregation member's hospitality. Attended worship service at San Luis Church and met with familiar faces and friends.

6/17/2010 Thur

Visited Columbus house and the museum. Girls shopped! Started to complain that they are running out of money....Hmmm, I wonder why. I keep telling them that the money does not rot even if you just leave it in your pocket.  A wisdom.

6/18/2010 Fri

Went to Sabana Torsa, Mission Ryan's 5th village and the worst conditionded sugarcane plantation. Did medical and visited with Pastor Manolo.

NOTE: The most hopeless village in that God forsaken plantation. No one is working now because the harvest season is 3 months from now. No water , no electricity. This is one village that we will spend lot of time and effort, becasue this is the place that not too many missionaries want to hang out. We will go where people do not want to go. Bringing the comfort that we already have received. 

6.19/2010 Sat
Returned home all alive!!