Wednesday, April 8, 2015

04.09.15 Rebuilding has started

Just returned from four very intense days at sea on a fishing boat traeling to the Ulithi atoll and Fais. I promise ot have more pictures as soon as I sort them. In addition, I am leaving tomorrow for another week of work there.
 The devastation is as bad as expected, with all but concrete houses flattened. There is some food, but a lot of crops were destroyed by the sea water. The breadfruit trees were all uprooted and the coconuts become unpotable. Fresh water and shelter are key needs as exposure to the sun and heat is a major problem.

Here are a couple of pictures.

The Red Cross Volunteer team. Three of us are brand new Red Cross members, five of us are also from Public Health. We just finished delivering a ship full of supplies and are on our way back to Yap. We are happy and exhausted. And we will sleep on the floors of a fishing boat that rocks side to side and front to back!


The Church in Ulithi (Mogmog).


Stopped to talk for a while. Ask what she was doing. "Cleaning my house." was here response. This wall is all that is left of her house.



Donations can be made to 1) Pacific Mission Aviation (PMA), who flies out supplies, patients, workers, or 2) Micronesia Red Cross. Please designate Typhoon Maysak relief in Yap. Thank you.

More pictures will be posted. You can hear chain saws buzzing on one island (only one chain saw for five locaitons). Otherwise, the men cleared the paths with machetes. Injuries related to the clean up efforts have already started. It is dangerous work in general, even more so without heavier equipment and when you are doing it by hand.

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