Good news from Boileau.
Our primary contact in Boileau, Pere Kensy, was finally able to get a message to us – good news: there were no fatalities or serious injuries in the village. Although homes were destroyed, they were not made of concrete and did not cause serious injury. The school and clinic are still standing. The stairs for the school have visible cracks; we will need an engineer to assess whether the multiple tremors compromised the structural integrity. He reports, however, that many in the village are in “dire straits” because family have been killed or injured in cities closer to Port au Prince. Also, people from other villages are starting to arrive, begging for help. While they welcome the refugees with open arms, the fact is more mouths to feed will stretch their fragile subsistence…hopefully, not to the breaking point. Emergency relief will now need to extend to Boileau. They don’t have enough food, medicine, or water.
The next challenge will be to renew programs for their long-term self-sustainability in a changed world. The fundamentals will continue to be water, food, medicine, education, employment, and leadership. Livestock and agriculture remain our focus this year; livestock and agriculture provide both food and employment. If adjustments in the programs are needed, we will strive to help them adapt and move forward to recovery.