Friday, January 22, 2010

The Hourglass Effect

No, not my waistline. It goes something like this:

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP
OPPORTUNITIES
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED
NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED

I spoke to our mission coordinator, Amy, last night for a long time. Since our group does have an established presence on the ground, we still have a chance. We don't want to be a burden on the food supplies and other resources. Also, I am the only one with medical training. The people and supplies that are gumming things up down there have no plan. We don't want to contribute to the problem.

See the attached link for a story on what happens when good intentions jam up the bottle neck even more. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34958965/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/from/ET

Now that the seaport is open, albeit at a limited capacity, aide should be able to flow more freely, opening up the Airport in Port-au-Prince. American Airlines is hoping to restart their regular five times daily flights soon, hopefully back to full capacity by February 14 latest. We are due to fly out February 18th from San Francisco.

All the money we have been raising will be put to good use. I do hope to be able to report on the many ways it is being used live and in person. Another check was received yesterday from a coworker from my second job. I opened at least three more e-mails from people that want to donate money and medical supplies. Please keep it coming!

A couple of last items: One, I am so touched by the people that have written heart-felt responses to this blog via e-mail and on my facebook page. Thank you, that means just as much as, if not more than, donations. Related: Thanks for those who have reposted links to this blog on their facebook page and on twitter!

Two, eating 500 calories is NOT easy! I had a headache and was a real grouch last night. Now, it could have been lack of sleep in conjunction with the lack of calories. What I got out of it was that once the initial shock of the quake wore off, and hunger sets in, I can see why there is unrest. Add to that the stress of trying to provide for someone else, maybe a child or an elder or injured relative.
And this is only Day One...

Thanks for reading, and if you haven't already, please click on the "follow" button to the right. ----------->>>>

Steve

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