On January 12, 2010, the earth shook, rocking Haiti to its knees. My husband David Uttley was compelled by the Lord to offer his photography and was in the air the next day headed for "home" with Samaritan's Purse. Here are links, photos and updates I started sending to family and friends. Being persuaded to start this blog, I hope others are encouraged by one family's journey alongside Haiti.
Either this is a slow news day, or we are blessed to live in a town that can think outside of itself. Our local weekly paper is putting a photo from David on tomorrow's front page and tells his story.
Haven't talked to him since Satruday night but I am confident he is safe. My contact at Samaritan's Purse today told me the media team is relocating today to a different location; doesn't surpirse me that David hasn't contacted me. On normal business trips we talk every few days. I hardly call this trip normal.
Recommended reading, but not for the faint of heart; the photographer referred to is David:
Today was the first day since the quake that I haven't had CNN on all day. Will turn it on after dinner.
In the course of an otherwise "normal" type day, I read countless emails from others here in the states with deep ties to Haiti. I have also received countless reports of the Haitian people singing in the evenings as it becomes dark; mostly they sing familiar hymns and church songs. Praising God for his deliverance and calling out to him to help them. They can be heard all over the capitol as their is nothing much else to do in the evenings with everyone "camping" out. Pretty humbling to me that having lost the very little they had, not to mention their loved ones, they can praise instead of blame God.
Sort of reminds me of an index card I saw on my mother-in-law's dresser mirror right after my father-in-law died suddenly: "When Jesus is all you have, you discover Jesus is all you need."
On a different note, for updates several times daily of the Samaritan's Purse relief efforts, and you are on, Facebook, look up and send a friend request to:
Samaritan's Purse International Relief - Official Page
I am getting some questions about the bigger picture, looking past this extreme crisis and the longterm implications for Haiti.
I am no expert! I have definite views and passions about development work which I would hope for Haiti. These views are certainly not uniquely my own.
Truly successful development work is one which enables a people to improve their own situation. The goal being to work oneself out of a job, not to increase dependence. It is my small experience that the people of Haiti know what they need and are certainly capable of brainstorming and suggesting solutions. What they lack is resources but they are a resilient and proud people and certainly deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.
And yes, the situation is ripe for corruption and abuse. That's where responsible giving on our part plays an important role in future rebuildling efforts as does prayer and thoughtul intervention.
I appreciated Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's remarks yesterday after meeting with Haitian President Renee Preval. I think her comments about working WITH the Haitian government toned down the impression that the US might be racing in and taking over. Even if the Haitian government is severely strained and inadequate, Haiti is still a sovereign nation.
Hope that helps!!!
I've also attached an article written by Charles Parker, Producer with Samaritan's Purse Broadcast department, whom David is working with. It gives a pretty good idea of what David is seeing and doing.
I had the opportunity to "talk" with David tonight through the internet. As my 93 year-old mom would say, isn't technology amazing!
He is doing well, but sounded weary. Of course it is 11:30 pm his time and he is not known to be a night owl.
Things are getting up to speed, but slowly. He confirmed what we keep hearing on the news: the city's infrastructure is shot so everything takes way longer than it used to take, which was already slow by American standards. (Not always a bad thing, I would add.)
They spent most of yesterday at the airport unloading supplies. Today, he toured a few of the makeshift tent cites scattered around Port and took photographs. As I type this, he is going through his photos to download and get to the states for Samaritan's Purse to use.
The Haitian people he has been in contact with have seemed to be in pretty good spirits. They are a resilient people and many have a deep faith in God and ordinarily rely on Him for their daily needs.
He shared no personal concerns, only those of the relief workers: security could quickly become an issue as could spread of disease after a few more days with so many people living under these conditions.
Again, thank you for your thoughts and prayers for the people of Haiti.
If you are interested, check this for video and still photo updates:
First of all, thank you again for your interest and prayers. And if you prefer not receiving these updates, I would NOT be offended; please just ask me to remove you from my list.
I am receiving emails and facebook messages from others in the States who have ties to Haiti. It seems that many Haitians are leaving the capitol seeking relief in outlying regions of Haiti. However, the outlying stores of food and hospital capacity are now becoming depleted as they are normally supplied from Port-su-Prince. So, please pray that the relief co-ordinators in the capitol will be thinking about the ramifications of this development.
I have been in touch with my contact at Samaritan's Purse, the group David is in Haiti with. She has not received any news from them yet and like me, assumes "no news is good news".
She will have a conference call with the team on the ground tonight at 8 pm EST and will update me as soon as she can. I will pass that update on to you.
If you are interested in seeing the brief story about David broadcast on our local news last night, I have attached it. If you cannot open it, I apologize that I won't have a clue how to help you; the family specialist for such things is in Haiti!
As you pray for the people of Haiti, please pray that God will:
bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:3
Thank you. Here is the link to Samaritans Purse, the agency David is with. For a glimpse at David's photography, check out the second link.
I heard from David very early this morning as he was about to take off for Port-au-Prince. He waitied all day for clearance to leave Flordia and by last night was very ready to get there.
I received confirmation from Samaritan's Purse of his arrival and he managed to get a brief note me. He hadn't left the airport in Port-au-Prince yet as they were waiting for a cargo plane to arrive and unload.
Talked to David an hour ago as he was about to take off from West Palm Beach in a small chartered jet. He should be landing soon.
Please pray for him as he arrives and absorbs the initial shock.
I was just speaking to my best friend about how David has been ramping up his Bible reading and physical exercise regime for the last couple of months.Obviously both will help him in the days ahead. Isn't that just the way God works to equip us if we listen to him?
