APRIL 7 - SHE'S HERE......................

Hi everyone,

I am home, and I am very excited. I feel speechless about it all. I will be here for a couple of months and I am hoping to see as many of you as possible. I want to use my voice to thank you all for the Morency's family.

Love, Ruthie.

March 7 - GREAT NEWS

It's all confirmed, Ruthie will be coming home to Iowa April 1st!!!!!

Our original plan was always to bring Ruthie back after the holidays for a few months. I never thought after the earthquake this could or would happen. In talking with Ruthie over the last several weeks, I asked her if she felt her family would be OK without her for awhile???? she responded with......

I tell people I am not the mother or father of my family...I am the daughter and I feel like I need to get out of here to breathe.....

It became very clear to me that Ruthie needed to get away for awhile.
She has asked to stay for a few months, and we are thrilled!!!!
Ruthie and I will work with her brother, via computer & Western Union on the building plans going forward. Ruthie is very confident that he will do a good job for the family while she is away.

Sue

March 2 - Job Searches

I am trying to find a job at The Bahamian Embassy. The people that are working there are my friends and they told me that they have not reopened the Embassy.

As I am writing to you now, my brother is working on the finishing of the plan. (I have asked Ruthie's brother to please send me a copy of the plan he is developing for a new home) There's not much left to be done.

We are trying very hard to have my sister, and my brother, my cousin to find work. Nobody has found work yet, but we are still looking forward to finding. They have given out resumes. For my mom, she cannot do anything. She has sewing machines but people don't want to give you clothes to fix for them because they are all trying to buy food and water and supplies with the least that they have.
OK, ...

Love you,
Ruthie

March 1 - Ruthie's Perspective

Hi Mom,

I am doing good. And we are all doing OK by the grace of God. We are still having Hits (aftershocks) either early in the morning or during the day or night.

Before things were not that easy, and now it's harder since the country has been in such condition. The tents are really helping us out. We are in the rainy season. So, when we don't have rain one day, we are lucky. And it's moody and yucky outside....

I have heard on the news of the earthquake in Japan and Chile. I just don't know what to say. We also have people died the other day in Haiti because of flooding in the SOuth of the country....All I can say is HUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!

February 22 - More Aftershocks

Good morning Mom,

Early this morning at 4:35 am, we had a hit that was scary, and while I was writing you the message this morning around 10:00 am, we had another one. My heart was not in a normal rate, and I can tell you that I ran like an athlete...LOL

Just like I heard that there's a lot of aid from everywhere (food, water, tents, and so on...), we are not that lucky to find these stuff. I am thinking that you can watch that in the news better than I do; you need to fight to get whatever they are giving out. And God knew it was going to happen and He has provided for us, and I thank Him for such a blessing.


Thanks to the generosity of so many, I'm able to send Ruthie money for food and other supplies as they are needed.
Sue

February 20 - As if Ruthie's situation isn't difficult enough....

Hi Mom,

It's been so long. I was sick (fever, cough, sore throat, huge headaches everyday) I went to the hospital and had other appointment. The doctor said that I have Bronchitis. They gave me (syrup, tablets and other). I am doing much better now.

I want to say hi to everybody. Keep thanking everyone for their help and thoughts for the Morency Family. Thank you for helping in rebuilding a new home. God bless you all.

We had rains and it was terrrible. You know being out even when you have tents, we had water running down like a flood. So today, we changed everything and made it another way. So did everyone where we are sleeping.

I will write more later.

I don't know about the rest of you, but when I climb into my nice warm bed at night I can't help but think of the people of Haiti...we have so much...they have so little...what's wrong with this picture?
Sue

February 4, 2010 - Ruthie checks in

Ruthie checked in last night...so great to hear her voice.

In her words...

Aux Cadets, the place that we were going to move told us that the earthquake was also in that place because it has a (flat land) that was one of the most destroyed places. So, we decided not to go to that place anymore. We are scared…we feel safer close to home than to a place we are not used to…And now, we are closed to our house on a piece of land where a lot of people in the neighborhood are staying. During the day, we stay in the front house and we go sleep at night, while working very hard on the plan to get a piece of land and the design for a new place. Until now, I don’t know how much it is going to cost, but I am sure that the price will be reasonable.
I thank the Lord first than I ought to thank you all for your support, your willingness and your kindness to the Morencys. We will not be able to give it back to you but we are sure that God will bless you even more. It was meant to be. Thank everyone on my behalf. I remember them all. I will not have the time to write every name. But I remember every family.

January 28 - Conversation with Ruthie

Had a wonderful chat with Ruthie last night. Safely home from the DR with all her supplies. She and her family plan on leaving the end of the week to head up the mountain. The area she is heading for is about 3 hours by car. She is trying to secure a ride for her family.
I asked her if she and her family had received any aid...food, water and she hasn't seen anything!!!

January 27 - Message from Ruthie

We've been worried the last couple of days since there has been no word from Ruthie until last night:

"we have electricity problem, the generator stopped yesterday, but I'm fine."

Sounds like she is back in Haiti, I'll let you know as soon as I hear back.

Sue

January 23 - Ruthie's Purchases

Heard via text from Ruthie this morning:

Hi mom. M got up very late this morning. I got home late last night. M gonna try 2 find the internet 2 send u a message bout my purchases. I bought 3 tents, 1/2gl shampoo n conditioner, flash lights n batteries, umbrella, rain coat, body lotion, soap, detergent n sponge, toothbrush n dentifrice.
I need to buy 2 bulb (lamps) that can be recharged n the sun and turn on at night. Then i will be done. I have started to think bout the food 2 buy in Haiti, n i think that after buying, i need 2 have money left. I'll email u everything and keep u updated bout it all...
(I then told her it sounded like she did well with her purchases...her response:)
Yeah, i did. And i compared the prices to Haiti and realized that i did such a good job.
I forgot i also bought vitamins and supplies for wounds jus in case.

(Pretty resourceful isn't she)
I will wire another transaction to Ruthie this afternoon so she will have $ when she returns to Haiti on Monday.
Sue

January 22 - Wire transfer successful in the DR

Ruthie called me first thing this morning. We discussed where to wire money. Within 2 hours, Ruthie had plenty of money in her hands to begin purchasing much needed supplies to take back to Haiti. She told me she would call this evening when she was done shopping and let me know what she was able to get.

Ruthie's trip to the DR was long. She left Haiti at 8:30 am yesterday and was at her destination in DR at 9:45 last night. She called long enough to say she was there safely, was going to shower and go to sleep. She is so brave and so strong!

More Later,
Sue

January 21 - She's in the DR

As I posting my initial "blog" (can't believe I'm a blogger!), I recieved an e-mail from Ruthie. She arrive SAFELY in the Dominican Republic. She is exhausted and will update me tomorrow to let me know what happens from here.

January 21 - An Overview

The Quake
Ruth and her family were in their home when the earthquake hit Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, January 12th. All of them escaped with only minor cuts and bruises - a miracle itself. Because of the many aftershocks, she and her family did not reenter their home, but chose to live on the street outside their house.

Our First Contact
3 days after the quake, our prayers were answered when we heard from Ruth via e-mail.

Hi mom, as u said it, i just don't know what 2 tell u. thank u 4 thinking about us allso far
we are k but we don't know 4 later tell everyone that we are ok our church collapsed
and we lost a lot of people it's a matter of food now that we are hoping to have
emergently from ( I don't know whom)Some places are better than othersi am sure that
we are going to move to some place else. the ground is always shaking and i can't stay
to call you.

While this was welcome news, our focus then became on how to help them survive, as they had no food or water.

Phone Calls & E-Mails
Since that first e-mail, we have heard from Ruth many times, via e-mail, phone, and texting. Her brother was able to secure a cell phone which has been a huge help in keeping in touch with her. Each time we hear from her, her pain and fear is evident, but what is most remarkable is her strength and courage, and the faith that she maintains. We will use this blog as a way to keep you all updated on all communication we receive from Ruth.

Offers of Help
I was inundated with phone calls and e-mails from many of you asking how you could help. This kindness was what prompted us to begin our unofficial fund, gathering donations to help with their immediate needs such as food, water, and shelter, as well as long-term needs which will include evacuation and relocation of Ruth and her family. The generosity of those we know as well as some we don't has been amazing, thank you! We have already been able to wire her a substantial amount of money. Due to the devastation in Haiti, Ruth had to journey to the Dominican Republic to be able to retrieve money. We are fortunate that she had a US Visa or she would not have been allowed to enter the DR.

Hi Mom, About the DR. I am leaving tomorrow morning, early in the morning. I went to
the Dominican Counselate and they allow me to travel to the DR.I am taking the bus (Name
of the bus company is Coach Line) as they do everyday.I am leaving Haiti with my
brother's friend that lives in the DR. He is going back to the DR at his house and we have
other friends that live close to his house. While my staying, I will buy tents that we are
going to use up in the mountains.I am going to SANTIAGO.I will be back on Monday.

We are planning on going to (Aux Cadets, Halte Peralte), southeast of where we live in
Petion Ville. Once we have the money, that's where we are moving for a period of
time. About the Lifeline Christian Mission in Grand Goave, we would not go there because
it's near the sea and the earthquake starts from the sea as it did the first time, the place
where it blowed (Carrefour) is all covered and under water. I will keep you posted. After
God, the people in Iowa, and for sure myself, my family and I are in big trouble cause we
have nothing and I need to be strong and stay strong.

Love, Ruthie.

Where We Go From Here
At this time, we are still soliciting money from different sources. Though we are already able to make a huge difference for Ruth's family, their needs are great and will continue for months if not years. I will work with Ruth to wire her the needed funds - it is unsafe to send her all of the money at one time. While money is important, we cannot forget the power of prayer.

Please continue to follow this blog; I will work to update it daily.