Deployment diary day 24: Thursday 11th February

How do you decide if your day has been successful? My friend Bob, who has lived here for some months, assures me that if you set out in Haiti with a list of 10 jobs and you accomplish 1 then it's been a good day. Well, on that basis - it's been a pretty good day!

Last night we had heavy rain. I didn't notice until I left my hotel bedroom at 6am to head down to check email. My thoughts immediately went out to those families living in the camp. Most still have no tents or formal shelters. They must have had an awful night.

We left the hotel at 7.15am to make the 30 minute drive to the United Nations compound where 3 of us were scheduled to participate in a training course for those tasked with 'Camp Management'. En route we found ourselves caught up in the midst of demonstrations. It's now over 4 weeks since the earthquake - patience is wearing thin for those who've still received no aid. The rains last night were the tipping point for many. Inevitably the demonstrations blocked the roads. Our 30 minute rive turned into a 2-hour battle. We arrived late, but the training was good and well worth attending.

At the same time we were in class, 5 members of the team were travelling with trucks containing 200,000 meals to Petit Goave (escorted by UN troops) where a community distribution had been planned. The convoy also became entagled with the demonstration. Their 2-hour journey took them 7 hours! They arrived about 3pm - too late to sensibly commence such a large distribution. The trucks were parked up in the UN compound and the team are now on their way back to the hotel. The distribution will take place early tomorrow. So not entirely successful.

On a more positive note - Ron - our logistics chief - is a happy camper today. We received our new (2nd hand) tractor/fork lift. So he's been out at the airfield moving stock around all day! I told him that he's our own little 'Bob the builder' (the quip passed him by - he's American!)

This weekend is another time of major transition for the team - 7 leave tomorrow and 8 arrive on Saturday. So it's all change and we will be very sad to say farewell to team members who have given totally of themselves. Some leave physically very drained - others have seen and experienced things that will change their lives. We pray God's blessing on them as they head home and for a happy reunion with their families.

p.s. apologies for the odd numbering of these blogs - I'm losing track of what day it is!