May 27, 2004

Greetings to all who share this special interest in Haiti.

As the American press begins to recognize and report the devastation caused by recent tropical downpours here in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, a number of our partners in this ministry are writing with concern about the area where we work. Some news reports are saying 2000 people, maybe more, have been killed by the floods. Whatever the final number, sad as it will be, it is unlikely to include everyone. Remoteness, lack of statistical gathering capacity, and the scope of damage preclude accuracy. Our area received ten and a half inches on Sunday (May 23). It poured all day. More normal but substantial rains fell every evening for the previous week. Since Sunday’s deluge, every afternoon or evening we have had rain. It is the rainy season.

Sunday’s rain caused havoc in both L’Acul and the Cormier area. The main highway at L’Acul is once again closed with mud and water from the Cormier River. And not just at the “old mud-hole” is the road affected. Dozens of other areas above and below the compound have suffered from flooding and debris. One area a mile further southwest of us on the main road, water has deposited a pile of mud and stone six feet high and fifty feet across. Sad to say, in Haiti we don’t consider that a road closing because trucks and other vehicles just slowly drive over it. At the mud-hole (area a quarter-mile long with surface two and a half feet below water level) a huge four-wheel-drive pay loader was working until yesterday. That’s when he slipped off the road and is now submerged above his headlights.

The Jacmel Road is also closed. Dozens of landslides dumped thousands of tons of mud and stone on the road. A bank collapsed behind Jean Claude’s new house and devoured 40 feet of gardens. Another similar land movement will endanger his new concrete home.

The Cormier River flooded. At the bridge in Carrfour Dufort, a wall of water eight feet high and forty feet wide roared through for a dozen hours straight. Billions of gallons of water but no human lives lost.

I don’t mean this to be an ecology lesson but think this through. Three days after the rains the Cormier River is still running three feet above normal. Every other local river has long since returned to normal. Other local rivers have washed away houses, gardens, trees, and livestock as they crested. The conservation and reforestation work in the Cormier watershed acted like a gigantic sponge. That doesn’t even include about half million gallons of water captured in cisterns, runoff ponds, and fishponds. Rather than being part of a tremendous flash flood with an even greater damaging force, this water is just now being released to flow to the sea.

The Cormier River watershed got the same horrific rains as many other parts of the south and east where there was so much loss of life. But I am certain that much of the reason the Cormier did not share in the horror was because you have been there making a difference. Your long-term commitment paid off in a very tangible way this past week. Maybe the “minute for mission” this week should resemble the “passing of the Peace.” Everyone in the church should stand up and pat their neighbor on the back. You all deserve it. Your work is a testimony of disaster relief efforts forestalling a disaster.

Subsistence gardening in the mountains is a very risky affair. The heavy rains and especially Sunday’s ten inches of water have wrecked havoc. Peasant farmers have essentially lost most of their spring bean crop. It grew beautifully but the crop is too wet to harvest and seeds are sprouting in the pods. There were no human deaths in our area due to the flooding. Unfortunately, the loss of the spring crop will bring a slower, less dramatic death to many in the community.

It was almost ironic that as I thought earlier today of the massive starvation, which will occur in spite of the fine growing season, that Pastor Dures stopped in for a visit. He had a medium-sized duffle bag stuffed full of fruit he had brought down as a gift for Sharyn and me. The pumpkin squash, oranges and grapefruits, granadilla and mangoes were beautiful and unaffected by the recent flood. If only we could get everyone to change their farming practices and grow what is more suitable for this rugged mountain environment. Together we are working on it.

As you pray for Haiti today, remember that even in the throes of crisis and disaster, the work of God and the church has decreed a limit.

In Christ,

Rodney & Sharyn

The 2004 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 136