Jim sent along a note and photos.
An interesting day…just met Dr.Farmer,here, who has written books and been written about..as committed to Haiti in ways not seen for helping those in medical need….then during the day i am two hours from Port Au Prince..as part of the journey, and a daughter from a Haitian woman comes and i see here at the place I am at…last year with help from local new rochelle pharmacies, we met on the top of a mountain Keskopf to deliver to needy families there, ….
The odds of that happening….after having also started to read Dr. Farmers book today…were unbelievable…
reflections on a ay in Haiti….the capital building are still down, the finance building under rubble…the General Hospital where I helped to visit people last year in their driveway as the walls of the hopsital were down..is reconstructed….and the need for homes is more prevalent than ever
while writing this, my internet service goes off…then comes back on…it happens…
Also today saw Yclef Jean andm ajor political leaders….new leaders need to come about more Farmers and more Jeudys, who help deliver relief and will help with long lasting infrastructure for a nouvell Haiti…Kembe Fem Haiti, Kembe Fem New Rocehlle stay strong…Good nite
UPDATE:
20 Degrees today in New Rochelle 80 degrees yesterday in Haiti..a world can change..in a plane ride…a thank you from haiti from national director Claude Jeudy, writes to thank
Me for coming and sponsoring 50 homes in Haiti this year..from our Habitat of Westchester office.. I return, and Yvon Censeus of New Rochelle, originally from Haiti, welcomes me back..
Thanks for helping my country he states…there are many Haitian Americans in New Rochelle here..three Haitian churches, many Haitian owned businesses and a Haitian restaurant on main Street her in New what I call petit Port au Prince….the history of French influence in New Rochelle brought many Haitians here…they are great citizens..here and there…it could be argued they helped found
independence, being the first country to gain independence where slavery was. They fought in the battle of Savannah here, helping America..they helped many other countries gain independence, in the hemisphere…and was known as the Pearl of the Caribbean and will be known as that again….
Yesterday I visited the poorest slums in Haiti…simon Pele, cite du soleil and then out to Chardonne, Cabaret, leogon, and more…the rebuilding of this country is tremendous, the needs amazing..
President Clinton stayed at the hotel we stayed at and held his Clinton Global Haiti Initiative meeting there…I was able to talk to him about how I was the only other Westchester person there, he laughed..and he has made a huge commitment to Haiti..so have we at habitat of Westchester…..a home, a job, a community…that’s what Haiti needs, and prayers..thats what we need here…its good to be back…
Just got back from Haiti..my friends….seeing Haiti these past four days in mission finding trip..habitat of Haiti has been putting to good use our support… we have sent 153,000 over last year there, aiding with more than 50 homes and or shelters..the need is immense, 2 million people displaced..thousands of tents..Habitat of Haiti has done two thousand so far..
A blessed trip..photos to be sent if you would like..Kembe Fem!