The Haitian Project Earthquake Update
In the wake of the disastrous earthquake in Haiti, many parishioners have asked about how the Louverture Cleary School, its studends, volunteers and staff have fared. Below are dispatches from The Haitiain Project. They are listed with the most recent information first.
The Haitian Project main website is www.haitianproject.org, although many of these updates are not yet posted there. We will continue to post updates here as we receive them.
Jump to updates: >1/12 >1/13 >1/14 >1/15 >1/16 >1/18 >1/20
Tuesday, January 26
Reporters from the Wall Street Journal and Der Spiegel, a leading German publication, were recently embedded with the Louverture Cleary School. their stories are posted bellow.
After Quake, a Lesson in Persistence—Wall Street Journal
Bringing Aid to a Shattered Island—Der Spiegel, (english translation)
Wednesday, January 20
Wednesday, January 20
Deacon Patrick Moynihan
First, I want to let you know how appreciative we are to have Elizabeth O'Connell and Christina Crow in Haiti. They arrived today after a perfectly executed logistic plan--we call those GOD PLANS.
You all know Elizabeth's role in the community, especially with the volunteers. She will be here to make sure the staff that is busy caring for everyone is cared for as well. She will also work with the coordinators of student volunteer activity to engage our eldest students appropriately in service to the broader community. This will include everything from relief labor to child development work to translating.
Christina Crow (former THP Volunteer & Director of External Affairs) has taken a week off from the International Rescue Committee to work with us on "Relief Org/NGO/US Military" connections. With the Haitian business community in difficulty, we will be looking to have more assistance from the newly increased aid avenues to Haiti. We will also work hard to get our talented graduates employed as translators, managers, etc. with the arriving organizations
We had two others arrive--but that is for tomorrow's update.
On the building front, we had an official visit from Gerry Fombrun, our local architect from Fombrun architecture and engineering firm. He agreed largely with the review done by our panel of specialists. He ok'd the use of all buildings, except the one we have discussed in past updates that requires repairs. After carefully removing anything precarious and bringing down the last of the leaning walls, we will repair perimeter walls first, recover battery banks, reinforce the bridge, and repair the damaged building last. We will have Charles Fombrun work up some plans for us as soon as the current situation requires less of his time
We had a moment this morning to test his findings early this a.m. The buildings performed in today's aftershock as he predicted--without a problem.
Many people have asked for specific projects to support. Once we have plans, we will have a detailed list of projects and also cost estimates. We will pass that along as soon as possible.
I continue to be proud of the leadership team--staff and volunteers. The students are doing well also. Walking across campus last night, I noted it was the cleanest I have ever seen it. It lifted my spirits.
On the lighter side, it has been an amazing week including brokering everything from car deals to real estate for THP friends [I will let Patrick Brun explain] to making up for missing banks and ensuring that we have the supply lines we need to operate. While we continue to work in a difficult context of pain for a whole nation of people, we are succeeding--that brings joy as well.
Monday, January 18
Deacon Patrich Moynihan
Today, I woke up to the most beautiful sound: our students chatting before the 6:00 AM meeting. We have about 150 students on campus right now. We are letting the students naturally decide where they need to be at this time--but we are making the school more alluring as we go. I am sure our student numbers will grow quickly.
Usually, I get an advance wake-up call by the boys showers going on at about 5:00 AM. But, we will only occupy sleeping space starting tonight. The students chant was matched in beauty by the staff's singing at prayer. All day I have been repeating: All creatures great and small, alleluia. We cannot do all the content, but we can be on our schedule. This will help us to be organized in a manner to begin helping the greater community even more--our real goal.
It is great to take another big step toward "normalcy". I hope you enjoy the pictures.
Unfortunately, the roads are crowded now--but it is with relief workers. If I were president, all relief organization organizers would have to carpool. But, it is good to see them out and getting going.
We were able to send Theony--who is far enough advanced in his medical career to work as a doctor--to the Missionaries of Charity with Corey Paulino--who will study dentistry next year if we can't convince him to stay a second year--to support the student volunteers. This, and the current mass entry of NGOs, prompted me to write the below note to one our community.
Before pasting that below, I want to thank all our donors who make it possible for us to serve: Your help is the help we have to give.
Monday, January 18
Deacon Patrick Moynihan
Today, I visited the Montana. The hotel is completely collapsed. I thought of the people I have met there and the people trapped under the rubble--one of whom is Board Member, Patrick Brun's niece. I sat in the exact chair at the pool where I have sat in for many a day over our years in Haiti. I taught Marianna (youngest daughter) how to dive there and swam races against Chilean/Argentinian military with Timothy. It was a place of relaxation for us and our volunteers.
I/we have lost many friends. The demolished buildings are tombs in many cases. This remains the context to each day, but life is the focus. So, I have been charging around to find what we need to make it happen at Louverture Cleary School.
Thanks to the hard work of many, we have had a great day. We had a lot more organized activities at the school--thanks to the volunteers, especially. We have a half-day of classes planned for tomorrow. The staff and volunteers are amazing.
We have given the Missionaries of Charity the Nissan Patrol to use as an ambulance. We will send one volunteer and 2 to 4 students to work inside--I repeat--inside the sisters' compound. They are handling a lot. We need to help as we can. They are simply amazing in their ability to highlight the dignity of life--even in the harshest of circumstances.
We met with Brad Horwitz and Bernard Fils-aime of Trilogy/Voila (Haiti’s largest cell phone company). They will provide two tents for classrooms and emergency housing. They also gave us 10 cell phones with minutes--ready to go. We talked about several cooperative projects. Watch for a Wall Street story on Viola written by Mike Esterl--more surprise there on Monday.
Thanks to THP architect, Scott Hill, his brother, Jack Talbott and Wassim --all three experts in structures and earthquake damage--we have been cleared to use most of our buildings. Viola will also send their structural engineer--who has just been flown in--to look over our buildings. We expect Gerry and Charles, our local architect/engineer, to be here tomorrow as well. They will provide instructions on what to do with the one building that may need some repair.
Patrick Brun is amazing working machine. He patiently waits for me to bring his truck back [often hours late] and works away daily getting the Red Cross settled in. We hope he will also be warehousing soon for Catholic Relief Services (CRS). He provides what we need and backs us up at every turn.
Saturday, January 16
Deacon Patrick Moynihan
We have some important good news. We have met with CRS and are going to work cooperatively with them. We can do a lot to help with some of their issues in warehousing and sourcing of food through our business partners. We are also on the list to receive food support. Again, a testament to our charism--we will receive and give. This helps with one of the two big issues. We will begin working with our Haitian business community on Monday to assess the long-term situation. It is clear, given the damage to the business sector,that we will have to rely again more on raising money for food and purchasing--maybe even from the Dominican Republic directly.
We’re still waiting for final word on the buildings. We are concerned that the oldest three story building may need major reinforcement or replacing. With clearance to go back into the buildings, we will have what we need: housing, food and water. The committed teachers, eager students, leadership staff and volunteers we have always had.
The terrible: I visited the city today. It was tough to see to be sure. It impacted all senses. The bodies of the dead are still in inhuman arrangements, places you do not expect to see them. It is shocking and drives one to tears.
It was also hard to see the National Palace crushed. All of America has lost something. I have made so many visits, proud visits, to this monument of a great people.
It was also hard to visit the Caribbean Market--where my kids have enjoyed finding a piece of home as they grew up here. It is completely fallen--most likely with several friends of our family in it. The rescue continues, but hope is small.
Please continue to raise support--all of Haiti--the Mother of America needs us.
Saturday, January 16
Deacon Patrick Moynihan
Soon my reports will shift to details, next steps and conditions. But, tonight, I want share the kind of special moment that comes only after a tribulation.
It was a relief to finally stand on the school driveway. It was just dark enough to obscure faces to make handshakes and hugs more important in communicating than words or tiredness. It was a wonderful moment of being close and gathered after a period of especially painful separation for me. Tomorrow, I will face the music—but tonight it was simply great to be in the center of THP’s community again.
Later, after spending time with staff and volunteers—who had a meal waiting—I went out to see the students who were bedded down on the soccer field with a French movie for the night. About 160 remain here tonight. Reputations being what they are, I was asked several times if I would like to speak to the students as a group. I said, “No.” I used the movie as an excuse, but I really I just wanted to walk around and share little quips and shake hands, especially with our students on the mend. Conscious that after twelve years something has happened on Santo 5 that I did not experience, I just wanted to learn by osmosis.
Eating together gave a chance to recognize Zamy, our Prefect of Discipline, for his “steeled” leadership. We reminisced once again that, as a student during the height of the 2003-04 political crisis, he stayed on campus among quieted generators and skeleton staff and taught people of the neighborhood how to read and write. I asked Zamy what’s the answer to the question, “When will LCS reopen?” His reply, “It never shut of course.”
Some updates: the buildings are close to being cleared for use. We will work with attracting the students back into the buildings. The US Military is here in force. We will be looking for food relief tomorrow. We will bring in building materials and start walls tomorrow.
Friday, January 15
This update came in the form of an image file.
Click the image thumbnail to see the update.
Friday, January 15
Deacon Patrick Moynihan
The whole trip was miraculous, beginning with the US businessman on the plane to Santa Domingo who offered his driver to get me to the airport where I would catch a helicopter to Haiti. Ultimately though, it was Christina Crow's connections that got me where I needed to be.
There are too many thank yous to count:
Thanks to Patrick Brun's cousin, who it just so happens is the manager in Haiti of the very airline that would get me to Port au Prince.
Thanks to the Chinese government for their generosity as they arranged a charter and then convinced the US military to allow one more flight to land - our flight.
Thanks to my brother, Brian Moynihan, whose support in Washington and beyond I truly appreciate and thanks to the countless others who provided their support.
I arrived in Haiti and Patrick Brun picked me up within three minutes, along with 3 German journalists and 1 Swedish journalist. This was a wonderful opportunity for Patrick and I to share a good hug and to physically rejoin our partnership.
On a lighter note, before I left Santa Domingo, the last hand I shook was none other than Wyclef Jean. He was on his way out of Haiti as we were going in and he sent us on our way with encouragement and wished us good luck
I wanted to get this email out quickly to let you all know that I had arrived. Once at the school and with more information, I will get another update out as soon as I am abl
And thanks again to Christina Crow who gave me the confidence to get through.
with God all things are possible!
Thursday, January 14, 5:00 pm
Ms. Elizabeth O'Connell, Director of Community Development
Haitian Project staff have been communicating with structural engineers in the US, and with the information we have been able to provide, we have received some preliminary positive reports in regards to the integrity of our school buildings. We are waiting for confirmation from an engineer on the ground to affirm that the buildings are habitable and okay for use in our relief efforts.
Today at the school, the oldest students took on leadership in cooking meals for the group of more than 200 people on campus. After working this morning to clear debris in the area, they found some time to relax. We have reports that staff and students have been laughing and joking together while they work, so spirits continue to improve. With the help of our Leadership Group on the ground, the students of LCS are beginning to process their experience of the earthquake through art therapy. Thanks to having some accessible art supplies that were in the school’s depot, the students have been able to draw their experience of what happened--even the older students have been taking the opportunity.
In regard to our injured students, the school is transporting the three injured students who have been staying at the school to a relief center that is outside of Batimat, THP Board Chair Patrick Brun’s business.
With commercial flights suspended into Haiti tomorrow, Patrick Moynihan, President of The Haitian Project, remains relentless and will fly into the Dominican Republic tomorrow morning to reenter Haiti and return to the school.
The Haitian Project has operated without interruption for over twenty years. Having worked through boycotts, hurricanes and political upheaval, we know from past experience that the cost of operation will increase greatly during this crisis. We all also know there is no more important time to keep up our mission than now. Whatever the increase in cost, we are committed to continuing to house, feed and educate our 358 students as well as provide direct aid to the hundreds of families who live around our school. We are proud that our students, staff and volunteers are already engaged in the relief effort. More than ever, they need your support.
Donations can be made online at www.haitianproject.org or by check mailed to The Haitian Project, P.O. Box 6891, Providence, RI 02940.
Wednesday, January 13
Deacon Patrick Moynihan
We continue to be encouraged by improvements communicated to us by our leadership group at the school in Haiti. Internet communication is making things much easier.
In the last round of communications we learned that Patrick Brun has been back to campus, seen the buildings & given some important initial info to our prelim consulting group, Jack Talbott, Joe Altenhoff, Scott Hill, Mickey Ingles and some other experts we are accessing at this time. The Internet is allowing us to transmit pictures to this team to give us further guidance.
Since we have established that the school has ample water and food (it is fortunate that it is the beginning of the month when food storages are high), we have now turned our focus to ascertaining the status of our buildings, housing being the next priority.
The staff is doing an excellent in job. We still have about 200 students on campus. We have positive reports on the initially injured students.
The staff & volunteers seem to be in good spirits as conveyed by the following quote from our lead volunteer about their desire to stay and help, “We are all committed to our new roles as relief workers.”
As for the press, we are beginning to provide info & support to the interest of the press. You saw in the press release we sent out where the priorities lay. To your ability, please influence those you may know that the contingent of US military going to Haiti be as large and comprehensive as possible to provide security, direct relief work, and demolition & rebuilding. We have been working with Senator Reed’s office and Washington private & public sector entities.
Please feel free to contact me. (401-489-0419) I am currently working my way towards Washington DC. I should be staying with Mike & Sue Williams on Thursday night, and flying out Friday on the first available flight to Haiti, unless an earlier opportunity presents itself.
We very much appreciate Aimée Maier’s assistance in reaching out to our volunteers’ parents as well as Kevin Schuyler’s advice on getting our updates out to the appropriate communities.
Please continue your prayers & efforts on behalf of THP & Haiti.
News Release, Wednesday, January 13
The Haitian Project is comforted that early reports from the school tell us that our students, staff & volunteers are safe following yesterday’s earthquake in Haiti. We are encouraged by our leadership on the ground and their positive immediate reaction to the situation.
We are fortunate to have Mr. Patrick Brun, our Board Chair who is Haitian and lives in Haiti, helping us to respond on the ground at the school. We have a tremendous group of staff and volunteers on campus responding to the disaster, which has helped to limit the impact on our community.
We are remaining in contact with the school and with Patrick Brun.
Unfortunately our President, Deacon Patrick Moynihan, left Haiti on Monday on a routine trip. He looks forward to getting back to Haiti on Friday or as soon as possible and having his family join him shortly after.
Deacon Patrick Moynihan: “The school is in the best condition that we could expect in the face of this disaster, and it is important that we now as quickly as possible ascertain the integrity of our buildings and ensure that we continue to have sufficient water and food for the immediate future.
Our first priorities continue to be to house and feed our students and help those in our community and neighborhood as we have for the past 22 years through the many difficult situations in Haiti.
I’m happy to report that our support community in the US has already responded and we have received notification that parishes and individuals have provided funds to help us meet the increasing demands of the situation."
US Troops are needed on the ground in Haiti now to bolster the peace and support the UN mission, MINUSTAH. Disaster relief is also needed, especially medical relief at this time.
Your continued prayers and financial support are needed now more than ever - increased costs will be seen as we strive to continue our operations and repair damages from the disaster, as well as provide direct aid (medical, food, water, housing) to neighbors & employees.
The Haitian Project is committed to making the most immediate use of funds to helping the situation in Haiti, and is accepting donations made payable to “The Haitian Project” at:
The Haitian Project www.haitianproject.org/donate
PO Box 6891
Providence, RI 02940
Tuesday, January 12, 5:17 pm
Deacon Patrick Moynihan
We have been in contact with the school. Patrick Brun is headed to the school as well. We are comforted by the immediate leadership response and the plan of action that has been taken.
Three students were taken early on for medical care. Although we have not had further updates from the hospital, we are hopeful that all three will recover. One student is reported to have serious head injuries.
The staff and volunteers are doing well. They are planning to spend the night on the soccer field. Preparations are being made for this.
Unfortunately, at least one member of the staff has lost a relative.
Your prayers are greatly appreciated at this time. The next 24 hours will be very important and should provide more answers to the state of Haiti itself--which is the larger question at this time.
We are working on a plan to determine how we can know that buildings are safe for re-entry. Fortunately, we have several experts to reach out to at this time.
Elizabeth is doing an excellent job of staying contact with the parents of the volunteers. Colby and Reese have provided tremendous support. Our staff and volunteers are doing an amazing job on the ground with the students.