News from Haiti!

Monday, February 1, 2:30 p.m.
My cell phone rings and I make a mad dash for it. It has to be Jason! I answer it almost immediately and am met by crackling and then dead air. Finally Jason’s voice comes over the line. “You won’t recognize the Port au Prince airport back Will,” he tells me. "It’s like I’ve landed in Iraq or something.

The military is everywhere! Soldiers carrying massive guns, tanks, helicopters, army tents. Air traffic is crazy too. Airplanes and helicopters take off and land nonstop here. It’s just unreal." The phone lines crackle and Jason’s voice fades in and out. I strain to catch every word. “What about Anoud and Denise, have you had a chance to see them yet?” Always the biggest worry on my mind I can’t wait to hear that they are okay. “I’m still at the airport,” Jason yells into the phone, “but as soon as I get back to the staff housing I will check on them and let you know. Love you, bye”. The line goes dead. I stare at it for a second before running up the stairs to find Jayden. “I talked to Daddy,” I tell him. “He’s going to go see Likka and Boul” (Nicolas and Sabboule). Jayden looks at me for a second. "Likka, Boul?" He asks. A glimmer of light catches in his blue eyes and it seems like for a moment he’s transported back in time to a place where he played with his two Haitian friends every day.



Then he looks at me once more. “I want my Dada,” he says. I pick him up and hug him, and then explain once again that Dada went in an airplane back to our home to help the people there. He listens intently for a moment before wiggling out of my grasp and racing off to find Thomas the Train. I’m not as easily distracted and spend some time wondering, thinking and praying about the country that has a hold on my heart.


Tuesday, February 2, 4:45 p.m.
I’ve unpacked our suitcases once again and am back living with my parents now. Mom, Jayden and I have just returned from a walk when the phone in the kitchen rings. It’s Jason once again and I excitedly greet him. After hearing that he’s doing okay, I once again ask questions regarding Anoud and Denise. “They are doing fine,” he tells me. “They are still scared, and don’t have much food left, but for the rest they are fine. They were so happy to see me!” I close my eyes for a second and breathe a prayer of thanks to God. “The kids aren’t sick?” I ask again. “No, they aren’t,” Jason reassures me. I’ve given them more food and since they still don’t feel comfortable sleeping inside their home, I’m going to help them build a better shelter as well. Right now they are just sleeping in our backyard under some sheets and a tarp.

They’re not complaining, but I’m hoping to get them a tent and some foam mattresses.” “That’s great Jay,” I tell him. “I will let everyone know they are doing okay, since many people have been worrying and praying for them.” Jason goes on to tell me how busy MAF is. "We are still in fulltime crisis relief. So far MAF together with MFI has moved 2000 people in and out of Port-au-Prince with 440,000 lbs of relief cargo delivered! The Port-au-Prince airport is not a large place and MAF having a hangar there is strategic in being able to offload and store relief cargo for such ministries as Samaritan’s Purse, Operation Blessing, Samaritan Air, Crisis Response International, Haiti Gospel Mission, Hope Force International, Convoy of Hope, and many others.




There really is no infrastructure left in the city of Port-au-Prince. After about a week, people began leaving the city to the outlying areas where perhaps they had extended family members or just where they thought they could get food and water. Because MAF has operated our flight ministry in Haiti since 1986 flying into and out of about 15 airstrips, we have been very active in transporting critical supplies, medical workers and relief agencies to these outlying areas. It’s also been a blessing to provide air transport for injured Haitians who otherwise would have had to suffer over bumpy roads.




The work to be done here is overwhelming and exhausting, but I am so thankful to be here!“ His voice fades in and out and finally it fades out altogether. “Jay, Jay, are you still there?" I ask, but the line is dead. I push some buttons in vain hope I can hear him once again but the phone remains stubbornly silent. Finally I give up and lay it back down. They're okay, they're okay! The thought bursts into full bloom in my mind as I rush out to tell my parents. My Mom’s eyes fill with tears and I can’t help crying too, tears of joy and thankfulness to God.

Anoud & Denise on their wedding day three months ago.



Their six month old daughter, Jocemine. Their two boys Nicolas and Sabboule are pictured with Jayden above.