Hanna and Haiti

From Miami.

Yesterday, the Team got up early, then found out they would have a day of down time. So, they took public transit and spent several hours at Miami Beach. According to Christian and Andrew, Evan was the only one at the beach practicing his own "version" of tai chi. They spent the evening getting caught up on communciation. And, today the Team heads back to the airport to await word on whether their 11:30 am flight will actually depart MIA for Port au Prince. From Christian's e-mail correspondence this morning:

This morning after missing our wake up call, and clock alarm...we got up in chaos, and then calmed down, got packed up, and headed for the airport. We got to the american ticket counter and told the agent what happened. She said it was no problem and then booked us for a flight at 11:30 this morning. We got to our gate and called our contact, caleb lucien, and told him everything would be okay and we would be to port au prince soon. He told us that he may not be able to get to port au prince to get us today because the weather is still rough, but to still give him a call from the airport when we land. Please pray for the communication with him when we land and pray that he has a way to come pick us up!

Hurricane Hanna Update
NASSAU, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Hanna drenched the Bahamas and triggered deadly flooding in Haiti on Tuesday, as it headed for expected landfall in the southeastern United States later this week.
In Haiti, authorities said heavy rains triggered by Hanna caused severe flooding in the northern port city of Gonaives, where thousands died four years ago during a similar catastrophe.
"The city is flooded and there are parts where the water gets to 2 meters (6.5 feet)," said civil protection director Alta Jean-Baptiste. "A lot of people have been climbing onto the tops of their houses since last night to escape the flooding."
Gonaives Police Commissioner Ernst Dorfeulle said at least 10 people had been killed in the floods.

From http://www.reliefweb.com/ On 2 September, Hanna downgraded to a Tropical Storm and is producing heavy rains over south-eastern Bahamas and Hispaniola. A tropical storm warning has been extended from the northern border of Dominican Republic to Port au Prince in Haiti. The Haitian provinces of Antibonite and Nord-Ouest are completely flooded and latest reports indicate the deaths of ten people. The city of Gonaive also woke up to find itself completely flooded, possibly affecting some 240,000 people. It has continued raining to date. Currently, there is no access by road or air to the affected areas. This made (aerial) assessments impossible. Through telephone calls received it became clear that people climbed to the roof tops of their houses and were still only two to three meters away from the flood waters. Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
Date: 02 Sep 2008

The Team will be entering a country in a state of disaster and great need for emergency relief. Opportunites for serving ministries may be many. They will be traveling to a more central and mountainous region of Haiti -- less devestated by the storm. But because of Hanna's aftermath on the coast, the guys no longer have a scheduled small- plane in-country connection flight with Caleb Lucien, to Hosean Ministries. V-Team travel updates will be posted later today.

~KjL

Counting Down to Lift Off

They aren't astronauts. We aren't waiting for a space launch. But, it kind of feels that way. Monday's flight out of Denver is just a couple of days away. The Team has done last minute cheklists, and more last minute checklists. Actually, Christian has been packing for more than a week. Andrew and Evan just started today.

Final gear includes airporter bags to cover the backpacks when they are checked, hard guitar cases, and ultralight hammocks. All three of the guys got together and tried out the hammocks last night. After getting them hung in trees at Evan's house, it started to rain. So, the first trial run was a bit soggy -- but successful.

Saturday will be the final day to pack their backpacks and head out of Woodland Park, Colorado for the last time until next year. When they come back, we'll have a new President.

Family Good-Byes
All three families will be gathering in Denver on Sunday. We will meet in a park for lunch, then head out to the Denver Aquarium. After dinner and some swimming in the hotel pool, we'll all head for our rooms and get ready to leave by 7 am Monday morning. Friends and family will be there to send V-Team off at the security gate, bound for Miami, then Port au Prince, Haiti. As Moms, we have made a pact to celebrate the departure, big time. This is going to be a great send-off weekend. Tears will come after they're gone, past security, and out of sight.


Hurricanes?
Yes. It is hurricane season. V-Team will be flying into some unknown weather conditions. Hurricane Gustav left a wake and 22 people dead in Haiti. It is now headed for the Gulf. The Team will miss Gustav in their travels. The current hurricane under watch is Hanna. ( http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?5day#contents )
However, the projected course of that storm does not appear to be bound for Haiti. The team appears to be on a hurricane-free course, at least for the next week or so while they travel. We will keep you posted while they are in country and storms continue to form.


Please feel free to contact the team with well-wishes and Bon Voyages before they go!
Leave a Comment for them!

~kjl