Coming to Haiti? Worried About Cholera?

As you may have read in the news Haiti is dealing now with a cholera epidemic. At this point people are getting sick from this disease in all parts of the country. Some churches from North America have asked us if it is safe to come to Haiti. Although no cases of cholera have been diagnosed in Haiti for the last fifty years, in October the central area of Haiti was struck by a severe outbreak which continues to spread through the country. Cholera is caused by a naturally-occurring bacteria (Vibrio Cholerea) which is transmitted through untreated drinking water and can be neutralized by simple hygienic steps (such as treating water, avoiding raw food, and hand-washing). Safe and effective vaccinations against cholera exist, but are not widely available in the US and Canada. The vast majority of those exposed to cholera will never develop symptoms as the bacteria are easily destroyed by stomach acid. However, a small percentage of people will develop extremely severe diarrhea that can be life-threatening if untreated with a simple re-hydration protocol. Since many rural Haitians often bathe in and drink water from open rivers and irrigation canals, cholera has become an epidemic. Although treated water is widely available in Port-au-Prince, there is concern for the hundreds of thousands of people living in unhygienic conditions in camps since the earthquake. At this point it is recorded that there are more than 14,000 confirmed cases, and it is expected that the number will continue to rise before the situation stabilizes.

Groups that come to Haiti with Sous Espwa normally stay in the guesthouse of the Christian Reformed Church of Haiti (ECRH) were hygienic conditions are much better. Bathing and washing water comes from a safe well and treated drinking water is purchased. If visitors are careful to only drink only treated water and eat only cooked food, there is little chance of exposure to cholera. However, as with all diseases (and other risks), Sous Espwa can't guarantee your health. Visitors must take responsibility for their own hygiene and follow instructions provided to them.

Sous Espwa has established a contingency plan in the unlikely case that a visitor contracts symptomatic cholera. The Ministry Center will be equipped with oral hydration fluids and antibiotics. Competent medical professionals will be on call as well. Teams and visitors will also be equipped with a cell phone in order to contact a Sous Espwa staff member immediately.

In the end, our life is in God's hands. Each person interested in coming to Haiti must prayerfully weigh the risks and benefits in order to make their own decision whether to come or not. As always, Sous Espwa reserves the right to cancel any visit in light of the situation on the ground.

Hurricane Tomas Passes Haiti

Greetings from Haiti. Many have been tracking Hurricane Tomas on the news and have e-mailed us wondering how we are doing. Here's an update: Hurricane Tomas has just passed near/over the western extremity of Haiti ’s southern peninsula as a Category 1 hurricane according to the NOAA Hurricane Center . The track of Tomas, which is farther west than anticipated a few days ago, is a blessing for the two million inhabitants of Port-au-Prince (many of whom are living under tents and tarps since the earthquake) . In Port-au-Prince , the winds have not exceeded gusts of 25-30 mph and at times are even calm. We have had moderate to light rain since last night (so far 2-3 inches of accumulation—about as much as we get from a single strong thunderstorm this time of year). The airlines have canceled flights into Port-au-Prince today (Friday) and all businesses and schools are closed. The word is that banks and other businesses in Port-au-Prince will be open tomorrow (Saturday). It is impossible for us to know how Tomas is affecting areas west of Port-au-Prince. It is safe to say, however, that there will be significant wind damage and flooding.

Haiti in the News Again...Part II

After undergoing a outbreak of cholera that killed over 300 and sickened over 4000, Haiti has another menace: Tomas. Tomas struck the Lesser Antilles as a hurricane, causing considerable damage and some loss of life. Now Tomas is a disorganized, slow-moving tropical depression on a collision course with Haiti. Tomas is expected to reform and strengthen, striking Haiti as a category I hurricane sometime early Saturday. With hundreds of thousands living in tents and under tarps, even sustained winds of 40 knots would be destructive enough (category I hurricanes have sustained winds greater than 70 knots). The greatest danger is heavy rain as Haiti is particularly susceptible to flooding and landslides. Further, many Haitians living in open-air camps could be swept away by quick-moving waters in flooded causeways and ditches. Personally, we live in a reinforced concrete house that is safe in hurricanes (but not earthquakes!!) and which is situated on high ground. Pray that Tomas will be a weak and quick moving storm that will not add to the suffering of the Haitian people. Pray that we also would be able to pull off our activities next week (we have a once-every-five-years strategy planning session for our mission with seven international participants flying in on Sunday).