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> Haiti Earthquake Relief
Haiti Relief Trip (17 – 27 Feb 2010)
By Terence Lim Poo Huat
CRS Volunteer for Team 5 to Haiti
At twilight on January 12, 2010 an earthquake with a magnitude of
7.0 struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti with the epicentre 15 miles
southwest of Port-au-Prince. It was the most violent earthquake in
a century to strike the impoverished country. Lasting about 40 seconds
the shocks came in waves bringing down many homes and buildings in
its paths and the Haitian Government reported that between 217,000
and 230,000 people had been identified as dead, an estimated 300,000
injured, and an estimated 1,000,000 homeless.
The Presidential Palace, Government
buildings and several UN and well as other national buildings
have totally collapsed or have been severely damaged.
In response to the humanitarian crisis in Haiti Crisis
Relief Singapore in partnership with City Care from Singapore
was able to send about 6 teams of medical & relief
volunteers to Haiti from 15 Jan to 8 Mar 2010. City Care
was fortunate to be able to
work with the Light Ministries, Inc headed by Pastor Terry
Nelson in Haiti who not only provide the necessary lodging
& meals for the humanitarian workers or volunteers
but also local interpreters from his church congregation
to assist in communication with the local population who
mainly speak the local Creole language.
CRS volunteers Terence Lim, Dr Jennifer Yeo, Dr Derek
Allen, Sharon Tan Meng Guek and Lim Kwee Lee were able
to participate in the above humanitarian cause with City
Care for Team 5 to Haiti from 17 to 27 Feb 2010. |
Team 5 left Singapore on around midnight on 17 Feb
2010. |
While in Haiti we were able to set up a field medical clinic
in the town of Carrefour to provide the much needed outpatient
medical treatment to about 200 to 300 patients daily. We were
surprised that patients came to queue & wait outside the
clinic as early as 400am as our clinic which started around
800am will have to closed before 600pm when it gets rather dark
for us to walk back to our lodging house at the pastor’s
residence.
The team with ladies volunteers
from Haiti Light Ministries
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Our engineer volunteer, Terence
Lim was able to help the team in demonstrating and explaining
to the Haitians on the use of portable membrane water
filtration equipment which the team brought from Singapore.
The team visited also some temporary “tent cities”
which houses thousands of internally displaced Haitians
whose homes have been destroyed in the quake and distributed
to them portable dynamo lamps, tents, portable filters
and children items.
The team visited also an orphanage which was destroyed
by the quake where about only half of the children population
survived. We conducted some children program and distributed
to them children food, clothing and other items donated
by the children from SJI in Singapore.
Aftershocks are common after a catastrophic earthquake
and the team experienced two aftershocks of magnitude
4 to 5 occurring in the wee early hours of the morning
that shook the house and woke us up! |
We had debrief every night for team members
to share on their experiences and feedback on the day’s
work and to review or discuss on ways to improve our work
processes for the next and subsequent days.
The trip and relief work carried out in Haiti has been
a rewarding and memorable experience for the volunteers.
It has brought smiles and hope to the Haitians to know
that people from as far as Singapore which is on the other
side of the globe do care for them.
Seeing their resilient and hope in the aftermath of this
disaster, it is our prayer and hope that with the humanitarian
aids and assistance from foreign NGOs and donors the Haitians
will be able to work together in unity to rise above their
present
circumstances and emerge stronger to rebuild their country. |
Our daily clinic started at 800am and closed before
600pm. The crowd came as early as 400am to queue |
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