Good morning friends,

I hope all is well with you in the Lord.

Yesterday was a beautiful and hopeful day, we were able to serve 328 displaced individuals in Limonade by providing rice, beans, oil, spaghetti, and hygiene products to 6 makeshift shelters out of 15 for 2 weeks including 40 displaced university students. We found out that the displaced victims are not benefiting from all the aids coming to Haiti and we must find ways to reach out to them. Charles Franesse, a father of 5 boys, who lost his wife, a nurse buried under the debris of Hospital La Salle, plus his house collapsed said this is the first group that comes and serves us with dignity and he was happy to sign the receipt. Many said they rather died hungry than spending an entire day on line waiting for a couple of cup of rice, etc. The worst, we found many displaced who have been injured or suffered some other infections like eye infection, etc. who stayed home still today.

I have received several calls from other communes in the North who are going through extreme hardships with the displaced, the worst is Borgne and I met Mckenzie of La Victoire who I gave some antibiotics and Ibuprofen last week, but said that the hardest for them is to find ways to feed those people on a daily basis. With $300 we can provide food and hygiene products for a shelter of 50 for 2 weeks and we hand delivered the goods to them. In Limonade alone, we have another 9 more shelters awaiting for assistance and based on resources available we can reach out for more in town like Port-Margot, Borgne, and McKenzie from La Victoire said he can come receive the goods for distribution. I also attached a picture of one shelter so that you have an idea how those people are sleeping (no wonder they are deprived from sleep and adults break down in tears when you try to talk to them) as many as 36 or more in one room, a little piece of carpet, or dirty mattress with no sheets. If you have any of those supplies in stock that you can share, please send them our way. Sonje Ayiti can get them to Labadee through Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Clean the World will pick up for us and deliver in Orlando, then SAO Haiti team goes to Labadee 2-3 times a week to pick up. Yes, we can do it. Please let me know how you can help and Lounna & Alberta from stateside will coordinate with you. Call at (404) 384-6166

SAO will be conducting mobile clinics at the shelters for the displaced the month of March and there will be an Economic Development team to solicit input from the community about their concerns through a concern survey questionnaire; and to assess the data and submit a written report with recommendations to SAO. We may hire 2 Haitians psychologists for follow up care to the displaced.

The needs for the disabled are far too great! Rehab is a must! Maybe an organization or organizations can get together to build a rehab center in the North for follow up care and long term care. We can secure the land in Limonade, we already have 1.5 acres available if the location is not desirable for a rehab center, we can identify another one and the Mayor is on board with it. The needs for PT's are great! There are and I myself alone have counted in Milot hospital about 225 amputees not including kids, 100 para's could be more and not much brain injuries but still too many. There 50 peds in peds ward as of Sunday and more coming each day, I have counted about 25.  The increase is overwhelming.

I will be meeting the student committee in Limonade tomorrow at 10 AM with the Mayor and many already expressed their concerns about Port-au-Prince, one of them asked what can we as organization do so that they can stay in school in their area and contribute what they know to make that happens. I believe this is an opportunity to decentralize and I want them to come up with some solutions and let us know what they can contribute so that we can form a partnership to rebuild the communities in solidarity. I am anxious to learn more from their vision tomorrow.

One group, who were in veterinary school in Port-au-Prince visited SAO goat farm with AGr. Gesner Dorcin was asking if they can work with SAO on the farm to train more youth on animal farming and I told them that we need to set up the infrastructure as far as a better and bigger shelter for the goats and some other materials to facilitate that.

Blessings and on we go....

Bonne journee e Bon Dye beni nou,

Gabie