Deployment diary day 11: Thursday 27th January

As I reported in the blog yesterday, today we went to Petit Goave (which means 'Little Grove') to conduct our first distribution of food there. From a personal point of view, I was really looking forward to it as an opportunity to get out of the Command Centre on the SA compound and take a look at the country of Haiti. My role keeps me very much within the Command Centre. Others are out and about around town and get to see a little of what is going on - so today I had my chance. Plus, Petit Goave is a 2 hour drive, west along the coast road - so I would have chance to see how the towns and villages along that route were affected.

The team started work early in the morning. A work team of 6 went to the airport at 3am to load the trucks in readiness. At 8am a few more of us joined them there to await the arrival of our military escort. While we waited the lead car set off for Petit Goave to check out the site and make sure that was ready. Just before 9am our convoy arrived - UN troops from the Philippines - and we set off. We were a little nervous driving through the city. There have been reports of looting from convoys and, although these have not been substatiated, they leave you a little anxious. All went well and we soon found outselves on the outskirts of the capital. Even though this is a major city there are still sections of road where tarmac ends and gravel sections begin. These are difficult terrain and slow progress down. The other thing that hits you as you drive is that every section of the town is damaged - the whole capital city is suffering.
About an hour after setting off we were beginning to leave the captial and for the first time getting a view of the coastline. It's a beautiful country here - and the contract between natural beauty and the effects of natural disaster and stark. The journey, which would normally take 1 and a half hours, took us 3. In many of the mountain roads large boulders were dislodged from the hills blocking the road. Eventually we arrived in PG at about 12noon. We have driven 3 hours yet every community we passed had been devestated by the quake - few homes remained intact. Every few miles there were hastily made signs saying 'help us, we need food and water', errected by villagers hoping to catch the eye of passing convoys.
On the outskirts of Petit Goave we waiting to pick up our military support group - this time UN troops from Sri Lanka. Nice guys, but not large in stature and certainly not with the presence of the 82nd Airbourne!
The distribution took place in the SA compound. Vouchers had been given to 800 families and we were giving out 170,000 meals - 2 weeks supply of food. I can't say it was an easy distribution - but we left having given out to 840 families.
There is need everywhere in this country - while we had been waiting at the airport this morning doctors working in a field hospital asked if we could supply tents to them for their patients. They are treating seriuously ill people - some are given amputations of limbs. They then send them out to nothing - so we will provide tents so they at least can take some shelter away with them.
Every day brings new challenges but new opportunities.