REPOST - 11:30 PST - Petit Goave: Sit Deteriorating

"Li pa konnen si-m la a te-a". He/she doesn't know if I'm even on this earth."


Situation deteriorating in Petit Goave -
(source: repost from Corbett list, 11 a.m PST) --

NOTE:
I'm starting to gather info on Petit Goave, Leogane and other less-reported places, and in the meantime, this is urgent - so read, share, and reach out to Petit Goave.

CAVEAT:
I've generally tried to avoid reposting in-the-moment urgent Seek Help messages that are being carried by other Haiti Quake media or blogs tracking the minute-by-minute rescue effort -- unless they provide cumulative or summary reports that provide an emerging picture that will still hold true by day's end.

I'm making an exception here for this summary of Facebook and posts from Ed Lockett, a missionary and an old hand in Haiti by now. His Happy House center has sustained damage, but is standing. He's a very reliable source for what's happening in Petit Goave. His organization has been in Haiti since 2004, and survived Hurrican Dennis and other major hurricanes -- so they're veterans of major crisis, and not easily shaken. Their evangelical ministry runs schools, clinics and center for children.

Right now, as you'll read, he - and their group -- is deeply shaken.

They're sending out an alarm about the rapidly deteriorating situation that demands FOOD -- fast -- to avoid a more profound calamity.

We hear you Ed - and we'll do our best to spread the word to S. Comm, rescue teams, and the US/global media.



Picture:(Pre-quake) Happy House children - and Lockett - 1n 2003. Source: Haitian Friendship Ministries.



What follows are a series of posts from Ed Lockett, starting with the most recent one.

Edwin J Lockett Jr Here's an article from the news I just found.
http://newsblaze.com/story/20100118171449zzzz.nb/topstory.html

Edwin J Lockett Jr The longer they wait to help, the harder it will be to help... and the fewer there will be to help.

Edwin J Lockett Jr I am venting these feelings with the hope of sharing more of the human element involved here. People here have felt abandoned for years. The world goes by as they wait to die.

Edwin J Lockett Jr It is unnerving to hear so much noise in the night. All of this in the pitch black. If not for the Lord, we would perish with fear. Danger in the streets from gangs and thieves, danger by the water, the mountains continually rumble, and danger IN YOUR HOME. Where? Where do you go?

Edwin J Lockett Jr The hungrier people get, however, the more they will start doing anything they need to to survive. There is also an anger boiling that nothing is being done here in this area. We hear of PAP and all the help there while we whither away here. There is enough for everyone, but it is clogged up in politics and poor planning in PAP.

Edwin J Lockett Jr The house is standing but we do not trust it yet. I'm also very concerned that the longer we go without help, the more people will start roaming in gangs and looking for food and things to take. Right now the population is ready to, and will, kill any thieves that get caught. There is no jail now. Several thieves have been killed in PAP and some in this area.

Edwin J Lockett Jr Imagine a world where taking a nap on your bed has the very real possibility of killing you. Praying to live through each shower.

Edwin J Lockett Jr We have enough food for ourselves for a few more days. We're not eating real healthy, just eating. I have yet to get my appetite back. The kids are all pulling through. The Happy House is still standing with what appears to be not too much damage. But the continual tremors make it a scary place.

Edwin J Lockett Jr So where are, the Happy House folks at? We have been helping a few hundred people by giving rice, beans and medicine. We have sent a continual flow of money and food to several families, groups, and neighborhoods. We had a bunch of rice and beans in the school for our feeding program and have given all of that away.

Edwin J Lockett Jr Each night that goes by, sleeping in the streets, dealing with tremors, running out of food, no help coming, all of this puts everything closer to the edge of a population earthquake. There are more and more thieves at night. Gunfire at night. Dogs everywhere bark all night long. The nights here are not restful but keep getting noisier and more dangerous..

Edwin J Lockett Jr Eight days after the quake, helicopters pass over head but do not touch down. No soldiers or police in the streets. People's nerves are getting thinner because many feel we are not on the help map and we are just waiting to die. The tremors keep everyone on edge and they feel if death doesn't come by another earthquake, it will come by starvation.

Edwin J Lockett Jr Here is what is happening on the ground in Petit Goave. The population, all of us, continue to sleep outside. Food supplies are going down. Gas is at best very hard to find. When a little comes in, there are long lines and fights at the gas station. Needless to say the price has gone up considerably. We get NO news her...e of any kind of a schedule or of plans for help to start arriving.

Edwin J Lockett Jr Tuesday 8:11 AM Still here. Still waiting. I am truly amazed at the lack of communication and lack of coordination in this relief effort. We have a UN base here in town but there is no activity coming out of there. No police in the streets. A building full of rice was looted right up the street from here yesterday.