We landed at Port-au-Prince International Airport at 13:59 pm yesterday and
hand delivered your contributions to the orphanage staff and volunteers in
the form of water, formula, medicine, food, and $10,000.00 cash.
Maison des Enfants de Dieu, an orphanage that has been caring for about 130
kids, was badly damaged by the powerful earthquake that hit the poor
Caribbean nation last on January 12, 2010. Although no children were
severely hurt, their dorms were devastated beyond repair. The older
children have been living under five tents and the babies are being cared
for in the trunk of a big truck. Fox News and CNN managed to reach the
orphanage three days after the quake, but their reports of the terrible
conditions did not lead to the immediate and adequate aid of food and water
that they desperately needed.
On 1/17 at 18:24, Patrick, an American missionary from Denver sent us an
urgent message, pleading, "We need water, food, medicine, and charcoal
quickly!!!"
We immediately contacted one of our long time supporters who had offered
their family private jet for emergency use the day before. They
wholeheartedly supported our request to use their plane to send supplies to
the orphanage. We spent the next five hours storming several Wal-Marts and
Walgreens purchasing formula, medicine, food, water, and charcoal. At 5:30
am, over 2000 pounds of supplies were loaded onto the jet and the plane took
off at 6:33 am Denver time.
Five and half hours later, at 13:59 pm, we successfully landed at the
war-zone like Port-au-Prince International Airport in the midst of many
dozen landing and taking-off aid aircrafts and helicopters from around the
world.
We were totally surprised as soon as we opened the gate. Five orphanage
staff and volunteers including Patrick and his wife, Kim, were right there,
ready and waiting with a SUV and a truck! We had no idea how in the world
they were able to drive and park right by our plane.
We have never in my life seen people so excited, so thankful and tearful,
nor who hugged so hard!
We unloaded the supplies as quick as we could and covered the truck with
tarps. We offered them an advise we received prior to our departure from
another pilot who has been transporting aid to Haiti the day before: Cover
the supplies with tarps and let a couple of guys lie on top of it pretending
dead so supplies will not be high-jacked on the way back to the orphanage.
At 16:00 pm, we left the airport with seven completely exhausted American
and Belgium doctors who had been working in Haiti non-stop for over three
days! A free ride in a fancy private jet could provide a little physical and
emotional comfort to these heroes.
A huge thank-you to all of you unsung heroes who took action to care and to
love. Thank you for entrusting us with your loving donations.
Please visit www.haitiadoption.org
our Haiti trip photos.
For The Haitian Children,
Josh and Lily
CCAI Co-founder"
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