Journal 111
October 2004
More Reports of Destruction
The first week in October 2004 brought more reports
of the destruction from Hurricane Jeanne in Haiti. Three
weeks after the storm some communities are only now
being reached by relief workers.
MOULIN - Captain Jesuis Leandre from Moulin reported:
• Many homes have been destroyed in the community,
including the home of the school director and two of
the teachers.
• One family in the church, a mother and four
children perished in the flood.
• Many school children lost their uniforms and
books.
Moulin was a very poor area already and now with most
of the farmers losing their crops the officer doubts
children will be able to pay the $6 US in annual school
fees to attend The Salvation Army school.
Flooded Home
In the homes everything was destroyed. People who have
so little now have nothing - yet among the few things
they request are books and uniforms for children and
help re-planting their crops to ward off famine in the
coming months.
River View Destruction
GROS MORNE - Captains Maud & Jean
Vital Cenatus have given us a detailed report from Gros
Morne. They tell of the night of the 18th September
when at 8 PM they heard the sound of horns and trumpets
warning people of the flood.
River View Destruction
In the area of the corps and school only,
The Salvation Army property and a few homes in the immediate
area escaped destruction.
Destroyed Home
The Salvation Army provided temporary
housing in the school and food for over 500 people.
Within 10 days Captain Cenatus working with the community
disaster committee placed most of these families in
other facilities in order to re-open the school on 4
October 2004.
With the generous support of The Salvation Army in
Switzerland, assistance has been provided for 120 school
children and we are purchasing farm tools and seeds
for over 100 families.
Additional needs include funds to help small business
women replace lost inventory and to help families purchase
some household items lost in the flood.
Long term we hope to rebuild at least 10 homes in the
Gros Morne area, at a cost of $5000 US each.
Throughout this entire ordeal the officers in Haiti
have demonstrated over and over again a tireless and
selfless dedication. They have risked their own lives
to help save people from the floods. They have worked
countless hours to care for those affected. They have
spoken words of comfort over the dead and words of hope
to the living. And they have sacrificed personally -
one officer recounts, with no money and no food all
he had to eat was an avocado. So he ate it and went
back to work.
To all who pray and support this ministry in Haiti
– we say thank you.
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