Michael Vilien Reynold: My once-in-history opportunity.By the time I knew...

Michael Vilien Reynold: My once-in-history opportunity.
By the time I knew...: My once-in-history opportunity . By the time I knew what to call it, I was in neck deep. Maybe when you said goodbye as your cousin die...

Hurricane Mathew in Haiti

Port-au-Prince (AFP) – Hurricane Matthew pummeled Haiti and moved on to Cuba after killing seven people, unleashing floods and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the Caribbean’s worst storm in nearly a decade.

The death toll stood at seven — three in Haiti and four in the Dominican Republic — but was certain to rise as dangerous Matthew bruised its way on.

The full scope of its toll, both human and material, remained unclear. Civil protection officials in Haiti said they were struggling to communicate with the south after Matthew’s furious wind and rain blew down telephone lines.

The bridge that collapsed was on the only road linking Port-au-Prince to the peninsula that makes up southern Haiti.

“It’s going to be difficult to find an alternative route,” civil protection spokesman Edgar Celestin told AFP.

Next-in-line Cuba was hit late in the afternoon on its eastern tip.

The northern eyewall — the most destructive part of a hurricane, just outside the eye.

Matthew made landfall in Haiti shortly after daybreak as an “extremely dangerous” Category Four storm — the maximum is five — near the southwestern town of Les Anglais, packing top winds of around 230 kilometers per hour, the US National Hurricane Center said.
It marked the first time in 52 years that a Category Four storm made landfall in Haiti. Matthew began battering Haiti late Monday with strong winds and rising sea levels, before barreling ashore some 400 kilometers west of the capital Port-au-Prince. Even before making landfall along the southern edge of a jagged peninsula on Hispaniola — the island that Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic — Matthew was blamed for at least three deaths in Haiti, with fears that the toll could climb. Four more deaths were reported later in the Dominican Republic. After Cuba, the storm is expected to hit the Bahamas late Tuesday or Wednesday. The hurricane was forecast to dump 38 to 63 centimeters (15 to 25 inches) of rain over southern Haiti with up to a meter possible in isolated areas.

Rising waters already have caused extensive flooding in and around the flimsy homes and buildings in Haiti’s southwest. More than 9,000 Haitians have been evacuated to temporary shelters at area schools and churches, the Interior Ministry said.
But civil protection forces have struggled with locals who refused to leave some of the most vulnerable areas. They included the capital’s destitute, densely populated neighborhoods, including Cite Soleil — where a fifth of the half-million residents face serious flooding risks — and the seaside Cite L’Eternel. First deluge, then mudslides - Part of the seaport city of Les Cayes was underwater after being deluged by Matthew, also blamed for triggering mudslides. Haiti is home to almost 11 million people, many living in fragile housing.

Thousands are still living in tents in Haiti after the country’s massive earthquake in 2010. Erosion is especially dangerous because of high mountains and a lack of trees and bushes in areas where they have been cut for fuel.

One stalwart who stayed, 63-year-old Pierre Duval, ventured out to buy rum. “I have food for today and tomorrow, and then we’ll see,” Duval said.

USAID said it has dispatched an elite disaster response team to the Bahamas, Haiti and Jamaica. It also is sending some $400,000 in assistance to aid groups in Haiti and Jamaica and emergency relief supplies including blankets, plastic sheeting and water containers.

The drive before the hurricane

Seven hours in the truck, driving up and down crazy mountains without guardrails, and an evening full of flooding rains. This has been our day.
But I’m not complaining. No. Not in the least bit.
Because we are all safe. Our bellies are full. And Frantz is a rockstar driver.

This morning we left port au prince and headed to Petit Goave for the first night of our trip. Being a Sunday morning the traffic was minimal, which was wonderful. We took a couple of stops on the side of the road so Frantz could fly his drone. The volunteers took long naps. And the rain held off until we reached the outskirts of the city.

Tonight we are staying at the compounds a guesthouse operated by the Wesleyan Church Right in the middle of the city if you are ever in need of a place to stay in Petit goave you should really check it out. It’s super cute and in the perfect location. so why wouldn’t you want to stay here?

We arrived at the compound in the early afternoon. Our volunteers spent a majority of the next few hours playing in the rain and jumping/rolling around in muddy puddles. I should have stopped them. They ruined a day’s worth of clean clothing. But goodness they were happy. So I just let them have it. We later met a guy from Help One Now for dinner at fort royal Amore, which was super yummy. Help One Now is a great organization that strives to empower local leaders to care for their communities. Check out the links to learn more about their work.

Alright, time for bed. We are getting up early tomorrow morning to head down to Jacmel and this boy is tired. Stay tuned!

~ Michael Vilien Reynold

Reflection of gratitude

Lately I’ve been reflecting back on my past in Haiti, trying to record the details I always want to remember, the stories I never want to forget, the events that have shaped me for better or for worse. It’s been a difficult time of reflection, as some times down here have been quite dark. Somedays the road we walked was not at all clear. But in looking back, in being vulnerable enough to remember, I am constantly being reminded how faithful God is. No matter how dark times were, no matter how uncertain the path was before us, there was always a shimmer of light. He was always there. His light was always present to help see us though. 

So today I want to encourage you. We serve a God who knows all things, who can not only see the paths ahead of us but created them, and who has already conquered the darkness we often face. And I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but trust him! I’ll admit, I have often second guessed him, but thankfully he was always bigger than my doubt. And he is bigger than yours too. I promise.  Happy weekend. Go walk the paths he has prepared for you, confident that his light is always there.

Michael Vilien Reynold

Hurricane Matthew the threat it represents

While category 4 hurricane, Matthew approaches and threatens Haiti, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) through its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) implemented since July 2010, reveals in its latest report dated 30 September 2016, that 14,593 household or 55,107 people (Internally Displaced persons (IDPs)) are still living in camps and/or hosting sites in Haiti. All these families are in a situation of extreme vulnerability under tents or T-Shelters, face the powerful winds and torrential rains expected

Situation in figures on September 30, 2016 :
Number of households and IDPs :
The 3 communes with the highest IDP population are the following:

1. Delmas: 8,249 households corresponding 27,384 individuals;
2. Croix-des-Bouquets: 2,474 households corresponding to 10,806 individuals;
3. Léogane: 813 households corresponding to 3,274 individuals;
Number of camps and camp-like settlements :
The 4 communes with the highest number of IDP sites are the following:
1. Delmas: 9 IDP sites
2. Léogane: 6 IDP sites
3. Croix-des-Bouquets and Tabarre: with 5 sites each.
14 sites are almost entirely made up of tents.
17 sites have a percentage of 60% or more of T-Shelters.

Decrease in the number of displaced people in camps :
When comparing the figures from the 27th round of the DTM to the IDP figures from 2010, a net decrease of 346,924 of the total households (or 1,481,340 individuals) identified in 2010, can be observed. Furthermore, this also represents a decrease of 1,524 sites compared to July 2010, during the height of the internal displacement in Haiti.

Since July 2010, the IDP household population has decreased by 96%.

During this reporting period, 2 camps have been reported as closed, whereby a total of 31 households (representing 98 individuals) were relocated through the return program. Furthermore, there were no evictions during this round of DTM assessments.

Hurricane Matthew in Haiti

Port-au-Prince (AFP) – Hurricane Matthew pummeled Haiti and moved on to Cuba after killing seven people, unleashing floods and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the Caribbean’s worst storm in nearly a decade.

The death toll stood at seven — three in Haiti and four in the Dominican Republic — but was certain to rise as dangerous Matthew bruised its way on.

The full scope of its toll, both human and material, remained unclear. Civil protection officials in Haiti said they were struggling to communicate with the south after Matthew’s furious wind and rain blew down telephone lines.

The bridge that collapsed was on the only road linking Port-au-Prince to the peninsula that makes up southern Haiti.

“It’s going to be difficult to find an alternative route,” civil protection spokesman Edgar Celestin told AFP.

Next-in-line Cuba was hit late in the afternoon on its eastern tip.

The northern eyewall — the most destructive part of a hurricane, just outside the eye.

Matthew made landfall in Haiti shortly after daybreak as an “extremely dangerous” Category Four storm — the maximum is five — near the southwestern town of Les Anglais, packing top winds of around 230 kilometers per hour, the US National Hurricane Center said.
It marked the first time in 52 years that a Category Four storm made landfall in Haiti. Matthew began battering Haiti late Monday with strong winds and rising sea levels, before barreling ashore some 400 kilometers west of the capital Port-au-Prince. Even before making landfall along the southern edge of a jagged peninsula on Hispaniola — the island that Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic — Matthew was blamed for at least three deaths in Haiti, with fears that the toll could climb. Four more deaths were reported later in the Dominican Republic. After Cuba, the storm is expected to hit the Bahamas late Tuesday or Wednesday. The hurricane was forecast to dump 38 to 63 centimeters (15 to 25 inches) of rain over southern Haiti with up to a meter possible in isolated areas.

Rising waters already have caused extensive flooding in and around the flimsy homes and buildings in Haiti’s southwest. More than 9,000 Haitians have been evacuated to temporary shelters at area schools and churches, the Interior Ministry said.
But civil protection forces have struggled with locals who refused to leave some of the most vulnerable areas. They included the capital’s destitute, densely populated neighborhoods, including Cite Soleil — where a fifth of the half-million residents face serious flooding risks — and the seaside Cite L’Eternel. First deluge, then mudslides - Part of the seaport city of Les Cayes was underwater after being deluged by Matthew, also blamed for triggering mudslides. Haiti is home to almost 11 million people, many living in fragile housing.

Thousands are still living in tents in Haiti after the country’s massive earthquake in 2010. Erosion is especially dangerous because of high mountains and a lack of trees and bushes in areas where they have been cut for fuel.

One stalwart who stayed, 63-year-old Pierre Duval, ventured out to buy rum. “I have food for today and tomorrow, and then we’ll see,” Duval said.

USAID said it has dispatched an elite disaster response team to the Bahamas, Haiti and Jamaica. It also is sending some $400,000 in assistance to aid groups in Haiti and Jamaica and emergency relief supplies including blankets, plastic sheeting and water containers.

2015 medical team

Tuesday  August. 4thh ,2015
It’s safe to say that the only thing we are using shovels for over here is busted up bricks down at the construction site. Mike, james and Walker spent the day in Port Au Prince shopping for supplies. They purchased two toilets, but, most importantly chocolate milk. Jack was willing to pay a handsome price for a tall glass of something sweet, and kissed goodbye $30.  By saying this i missed my dear friend Margie who through the same situation for a jaw of peanut-butter, she would laugh at him for paying so much for a bottle of  sirop.We hope it was all worth it James and I’m sure the money will be put to good use down here in Haiti my beloved country. The medical team has been working very hard, as well as the translators. They never skipped a beat! We are so appreciative of their hard work, they are a God send.
The patients were persistent and the nurses were non-stop, helping a total of 167 Haitians with their medical needs. Bravo team! Oh, and if anybody needs an optometrist, Herman Thalen is at your service.
As always the sponsorship team was sharp on their toes despite a few bumps in the road. Every child was smiling ear to ear when a box fell into their hands. It was a perfect end to a perfect day.
Thank you to everyone back in the states that will only using their shovels for snow. We are so grateful for your support!
Until next time.