Daily now the clouds gather and take on a dark persona, the winds shiftand inevitably an incalculable number of free falling water droplets
descend on Port-Au-Prince. The forecast for this week alone predicts
several inches of rain will fall in this disaster stricken city.
The
rainy season is a normal, yearly occurrence in the Caribbean, but this
year it seems to be ramping up earlier than usual. With hundreds of
thousands still displaced and living in homes of tarp and rope, sheets
and string, and other makeshift housing in Port-Au-Prince and outlying
areas, torrential downpours also bring even more fear. There is
trepidation that rains will cause mudslides, flood communities and
disease will rise among an already vulnerable population.
A
couple of nights ago we were driving home in the midst of an evening
downpour. Potholes and crevices filled with water, rivers and lakes
formed within minutes, and passage became difficult to maneuver leaving
some vehicles stuck in the mud. Currents took on wasteful passengers and
dumped them in streets, serving only to relocate the garbage to a less
convenient place for travelers.
One building we passed had half a
dozen Haitians pressed against its wall trying to remain dry underneath
the buildings’ eaves. Still others continued walking, clothes pressed
against their bodies with nothing left untouched by nature’s watery
hands.
Back at the base this past week, tarps over tenting areas
filled with water and unleashed sending a deluge of water into
unsuspecting participants tents. For those affected it was mostly an
inconvenience, an annoyance, since they only had to walk a few paces to
be inside a building and out of the rain. Although they were left with
soaked clothing, it wasn’t a 
completely devastating event for anyone
involved.
What of those outside our gates? How about the people
of Port-Au-Prince who cannot escape the rains? It makes me wonder what
it is like in places such as Marissa 14 and 17, tent communities in low
lying areas, prone to flooding – areas where thousands have sought
shelter.
Relief efforts on the ground have been ongoing since the
earthquake three months ago but there simply isn’t enough time,
supplies and manpower to handle the overwhelming amount of need. Still
Haitians and aid workers alike relentlessly press on with clean up and
rebuilding efforts.
For now we pray for safety and wisdom for
our Haitian brothers and sisters and for those who have come from other
nations to help as we continue to do what we can with what God has
provided.
