Hope

Did you read Dann Denny’s article in the Herald Times today? If you did, you might have seen this quote:

“We saw a lot of smiles from people who were trying their best to get on with life,” he said. “They were very spiritually attuned, singing and praising God despite their circumstances.”

Strangely enough the speaker was talking about Haitians in Port-au-Prince! Aren’t they supposed to be miserable, trapped in a world without clean water, toilets, food or even stable buildings?

Nonetheless,

“They are determined to not let circumstances take them down,” he said. “They are rising to the occasion and finding ways to survive.”

No, the speaker is not misinformed, in fact, he has just come from there. At 6:00pm on Tuesday March 30, Lt. Jonathan Fitzgerald will be sharing his photos to document the hope that exists in Haiti today. The event is entitled “earthquake Relief: offering Hope in haiti”. It’s free and open to all who want to see the photographs of endurance and hear the stories of perseverance.

Bloomington Officer Delivers Aid

Lt. Jonathan delivered supplies to Fonds des Negres a 75 mile journey west from Port-Au-Prince that took 4 hours to traverse. The supplies were given to The Salvation Army’s Bethel Clinic. Originally founded 30 years ago, it now has a staff of over 100 including four doctors, seven nurses and 24 auxiliary nurses. Services include 24-hour emergency care, pre- and post-natal care, an on-site laboratory and pharmacy, and a mobile clinic which travels to outlying communities with no medical facilities.

While most of the damage occurred in and around Port-au-Prince, many fled to the outlying areas. The Salvation Army’s Bethel Clinic is one of the medical facilities to which many access and are in need supplies.

This week also marks the first week of food distributions without the United States military providing security. As a mark of progress, United Nations forces will now be working with The Salvation Army to ensure an efficient and orderly distribution. Lt. Jonathan has been working with the United Nations to ensure a smooth transition.

Please consider making a donation to The Salvation Army to help those still in need like those in Fonds des Negres. Donations may be made securely at the Bloomington Corps website: www.bloomington.salvationarmyindiana.org. You may also text the word “Haiti” to 52000 to make a $10 donation, or send donations through the mail to: The Salvation Army, PO Box 2117, Bloomington, IN 47402 with the designation “Haiti Earthquake.”

Bloomington Officer Plays Key Roles in Relief Efforts

Lt. Jonathan has eclipsed his half-way point in Haiti, and international generosity has been keeping him busy.

 Spending most of the day ensuring supplies are shipped to the area of greatest need, Lt. Jonathan and his team of local Haitians, the U.N. and the United States military are the link between the cargo plane and the residents of tent cities. Arriving on enormous pallets, The Salvation Army ships meals, medical supplies, tents and other necessary items. From there, the supplies are trucked to multiple centers of aid throughout the country.

 The largest center is in Port-au-Prince where The Salvation Army oversees the wellbeing of 20,000 Haitians living in a soccer stadium. Lt. Jonathan spent some time walking through that tent city and what he saw was encouraging. People were smiling and going about their lives as best they could. As someone who has travelled throughout the country before, Lt. Jonathan notes that life is returning to a degree of normalcy. His presence in Haiti as a young officer who speaks the language and understands the culture makes recovery a more relational process and Haitians appreciate the work of The Salvation Army.

 The Salvation Army has been in Haiti since 1950 and was able to immediately respond to the earthquake. That response is ongoing as the shipments, which Lt. Jonathan and his team oversee, are still arriving in large numbers because the need is still great.

 Please consider making a donation to The Salvation Army to help those still in need. Donations may be made securely at the Bloomington Corps website: www.bloomington.salvationarmyindiana.org. You may also text the word “Haiti” to 52000 to make a $10 donation, or send donations through the mail to: The Salvation Army, PO Box 2117, Bloomington, IN 47402 with the designation “Haiti Earthquake.” 

Bloomington Officer is Working Hard

Lt. Jonathan Fizgerald, the Bloomington Corps Officer, works in the brutally hot heat of Port-au-Prince where he is in charge of logistics and distribution for food and other supplies in the tent city of 20,000 that The Salvation Army oversees. Helping the local economy, he hires local Haitians to assist. The security is provided by the United States military, which makes the distributions run smoothly.

Beyond food, Lt. Fitzgerald and other relief workers are helping to prepare the region for the upcoming rainy season. With so many people living on a soccer field, the health and property risks are great. So, The Salvation Army will distributed tarps which will replace the tents made of sheets. The Salvation Army is also working on improving the sanitation for those living in the tent city.

The Salvation Army has been hard at work since the earthquake hit and in the first month of the disaster delivered 558,000 pounds of relief supplies for the suffering people of Haiti. “The logistical precision of this operation is amazing,” remarked Major George Polarek, Assistant Director of The Salvation Army’s World Services Office.

To date 2.6 million meals, nearly 3,000 tents, and 8,710 pounds of medical supplies were delivered to Haiti. In addition to Port-au-Prince where Lt. Jonathan serves, service sites are located in Petit Goave and Jacmel and distribution sites are in Croix-des-Bouquets (6 mi east of PAP) and Balan (18 mi east of PAP). Its medical clinic continues to treat more than 250 people a day on-site, with several transfers daily to the hospital.

To assist in these efforts, please visit www.bloomington.salvationarmyindiana.org and click on the picture of Lt. Jonathan holding his daughter. You may also contribute $10 via your phone bill by text messaging the word “HAITI” to 52000, and confirming the donation with the word, “Yes”, and through the mail at: The Salvation Army, PO Box 2117, Bloomington, IN. 47402 with designation “Haiti Earthquake.”

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