page 2 Haiti’s Children, Inc (HCI) was one of the first responders with supplies (food, water, and clothing) to PAP after the earthquake.   We thankfully had food from our last container from FMSC (Feed My Starving Children) we were able to distribute as well as purchase food from the generous donations that started pouring in.  Trinity Lutheran Church – Pell Lake, WI had a team that was suppose to arrive the day after the earthquake, and generously donated the first $2300 from the team – that immediately went to purchasing food and water. As we neared the PAP area, I remember the devastation; it was like a war zone.  Buildings down, bodies everywhere, you could hear cries come from all directions.  Helicopters circling above – bodies and wounded lined outside the hospitals.  Road blocks being put up by protestors, “where is the help” they were shouting.  I recall looking over at Pr. Etienne as we drove down the streets and seeing his tears as he sat there in total dismay and feeling the hopelessness of Haiti.  “It’s going to take years to recover from this” he cried. We stayed in PAP that evening with family.  The Haitians were afraid to go back into their homes, for fear of another earthquake, or the rest of the house falling on them.  We slept on cots out in the yard.  At 3:30 in the morning you could feel another aftershock.  People were up, screaming “get away from the buildings”.  As you listened, you could hear choruses of “Amazing Grace” coming from all directions.  We started in what they call “tent cities” with the food distribution (this was before any aide could get into the country with tents) We asked for a police escort in each of the areas.  The leaders in the “tent cities were trying to keep order, as best as they could and help make sure that the food and supplies were distributed as evenly as possible.  I remember handing food to one family and the gentleman looked at me and asked “where is everyone?  Don’t they care?  Isn’t anyone coming to help us?”

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