Carl and Mayas Guest House
Late yesterday evening I arrived at the Wesleyan Guest house in Port au Prince for the first time since the earthquake. Even though I am just now getting out here this guest house has been a hub of activity for over two weeks now. Unlike most of the other guest houses in town ours was far enough North to avoid any severe damage. Out of all the guest houses that we frequented on our way in and out of town this is the only guest house that was left in a functional condition. As result it has become a command center for coordination and housing several teams a week as they come into the city before they head out to various clinics all around the area.
Crack in the wall
Even though the house wasn’t greatly damaged, the signs of the quake are visible in the form of numerous cracks on the walls. Another constant reminder of the earthquake here is loss of power and water. For now we run a generator for a few hours every night to charge up our computers, inverters, and the freezer and bale all of our water out of a cistern under the drive way. The earthquake has also started another routine of taking the mattresses and things we need to sleep outside every night and carrying them back in every morning. Since we are still in danger of another earthquake here at night everyone sleeps outside or right next to a door, and people are seldom on the second floor where it would take the longest to get out of the house.
Water cister with bailing bucket, generator and a tank of diesel fuel for the trucks.
The atmosphere here is one of high energy and constant planning and organizing. In the evening it’s common to see tables full of people on their laptops going through emails arranging flights and inventorying materials. Meanwhile others are huddled around a large scheduling calendar on the wall while doctors walk back and forth in their scrubs eager to get some rest before heading out the next day. Most of the people coming through are in a tired and ragged state, but if asked any of them would tell you that there is nowhere else that they would rather be.
