Sunday, December 12, 2010
Ledger-Enquirer.com | 12/10/2010 | Haiti protests ease, US senator pressures govt
This is a report of the situation on Friday, the day we were able to get to the airport and get on a Missionary Flights plane and fly to Florida. We made it to California in time for our daughter's art show and graduation!
Thank you for your prayers!
Click on the link to read and see pictures:
Ledger-Enquirer.com | 12/10/2010 | Haiti protests ease, US senator pressures govt
Thank you for your prayers!
Click on the link to read and see pictures:
Ledger-Enquirer.com | 12/10/2010 | Haiti protests ease, US senator pressures govt
Friday, December 10, 2010
Made it to the airport!
I felt like I was on a commando mission: 6 AM: gloves, check; Shovel, check; Crow bar, Check; laptops, check; passports, check; Suitcases, check; Passports, check; Money, check; motorcycle with guide, check; driver and car, check.
All was ready as I surveyed my crack troops: 5 Haitians and the 3 of us. I reviewed the plan: The motorcycle and guide would go ahead and tell us if there was any danger, if there was, they would notify us and try and talk their way through the obstacle, with us behind, or take us on an alternate route.
We synchronized our Rolex's and, put black paint on our faces, put on our flack jackets but before we hit the road, we prayed for the success of our mission: Get to the airport through possible riots and street blockades with burning tires, etc.
As we set out, we did not know the danger that lurked behind every corner - what would the morning hold?
The guide on the motorcycle waved us to go faster - he was concerned that we keep moving through the dangerous streets.
Several times it seemed like he was lost, but he got his bearings and we forged ahead.
So far, so good.
But then it happened, a huge Dragon came out of no where, breathing fire. I held up my weapon, the Bible, and he backed down and let us pass.
We did not know what would be around each corner as we went on back roads I never even knew existed. But our driver assured us he knew where we were.
Then I looked up and saw a crossroad that I recognized, but it was blocked - we would have to take a detour.
This was the moment we were waiting for: We turned onto the main road and braced ourselves for screaming young men burning tires and yelling political slogans... But there was no one! Only the remains of yesterday's tire burnings and rocks and rubble strewn about the road.
When we saw a UN patrol heading in the way we were going, we knew we had almost made it to the finish line!
This is all a long way of saying that we had no problems getting to the airport this morning and hope to be in Florida by this afternoon. God answered our prayers even though our commercial flight on American Airlines was canceled and there are no normal flights going out today. We still have to deal with changing our flight to CA to tomorrow, but at least we will be in the good 'ol USA - maybe I will kiss the ground when we arrive!
All was ready as I surveyed my crack troops: 5 Haitians and the 3 of us. I reviewed the plan: The motorcycle and guide would go ahead and tell us if there was any danger, if there was, they would notify us and try and talk their way through the obstacle, with us behind, or take us on an alternate route.
We synchronized our Rolex's and, put black paint on our faces, put on our flack jackets but before we hit the road, we prayed for the success of our mission: Get to the airport through possible riots and street blockades with burning tires, etc.
As we set out, we did not know the danger that lurked behind every corner - what would the morning hold?
The guide on the motorcycle waved us to go faster - he was concerned that we keep moving through the dangerous streets.
Several times it seemed like he was lost, but he got his bearings and we forged ahead.
So far, so good.
But then it happened, a huge Dragon came out of no where, breathing fire. I held up my weapon, the Bible, and he backed down and let us pass.
We did not know what would be around each corner as we went on back roads I never even knew existed. But our driver assured us he knew where we were.
Then I looked up and saw a crossroad that I recognized, but it was blocked - we would have to take a detour.
This was the moment we were waiting for: We turned onto the main road and braced ourselves for screaming young men burning tires and yelling political slogans... But there was no one! Only the remains of yesterday's tire burnings and rocks and rubble strewn about the road.
When we saw a UN patrol heading in the way we were going, we knew we had almost made it to the finish line!
This is all a long way of saying that we had no problems getting to the airport this morning and hope to be in Florida by this afternoon. God answered our prayers even though our commercial flight on American Airlines was canceled and there are no normal flights going out today. We still have to deal with changing our flight to CA to tomorrow, but at least we will be in the good 'ol USA - maybe I will kiss the ground when we arrive!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Youtube about the demonstrations
Here's a youtube showing what's happening today. I don't really know if all that the reporter is saying is true, but, it shows a lot.
By the way, keep in mind this is not happening on every street. We are about a mile or more from a street where this is happening. Many people are just staying in their homes to be safe. However, those who feel they must, are out there protesting, hoping to have fairer elections in the future.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRm9EDWxVoQ
By the way, keep in mind this is not happening on every street. We are about a mile or more from a street where this is happening. Many people are just staying in their homes to be safe. However, those who feel they must, are out there protesting, hoping to have fairer elections in the future.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRm9EDWxVoQ
Airport closed - please pray
The airport has been closed today and we are supposed to leave Friday afternoon to go to Grace's Senior Art Exhibition and Graduation from Biola University. We don't expect it to be closed for more than today, but...it wouldn't hurt to pray about it.
Listen to this on NPR:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/12/08/131902356/-streets-of-port-au-prince-are-in-flames?sc=fb&cc=fp
Riots - day after election
This is going on right outside our school campus. However, school was called off, so we didn't see it in person. It started at 7 am.
Elections
I heard a joke on Thanksgiving about the elections. I'm not sure how to translate the names of the birds, but it goes something like this.
The crow says to the hummingbird "Name your child after me." But the hummingbird says "What did you ever do for me that I should name my child after you?!"
Everyone understands when they tell it that the Crow represents Preval trying to tell the people of Haiti who the next president should be. But their answer to him is "what did you ever do for us that we should choose the one you name?"
PORT-AU-PRINCE | Wed Dec 8, 2010 12:13am EST
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Jude Celestin, outgoing President Rene Preval's hand-picked successor, took second place in the first round of Haiti's presidential elections on November 28, electoral authorities said on Tuesday.
But the top vote-getter, former first lady Mirlande Manigat, failed to win more than 50 percent of the votes needed for an outright victory so Celestin qualified for a run-off against her provisionally set for January 16.
-- A 48-year-old engineer and government technocrat, Celestin has the advantage of being the candidate of Preval's ruling Inite (Unity) coalition, which has given his campaign access to state-level support. His first round campaign was clearly well-funded, and in the capital at least won the contest of election posters -- Celestin's mustachioed face appearing against the green-and-yellow background of Inite colors predominated in the rubble-strewn streets of Port-au-Prince.
But there were signs his association with Preval, and his message of continuity, may have hurt his image.
Preval, who cannot stand for re-election after serving two terms in office, has faced widespread criticism for his low-key response to the January 12 earthquake and the current cholera crisis.
Celestin has promised to provide the country with technical schools and create jobs.
-- Although recognized as a hard-working technocrat, Celestin is nevertheless a political newcomer.
Preval's coalition picked him as its formal candidate in an apparent strategy to appeal to the younger voters after it dropped its original choice -- 63-year-old former two-time prime minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis, who went on to run as a contender for another party.
Nevertheless, with the help of the Inite party machinery and funding, Celestin's rallies have been well-organized and drawn crowds wearing the green and yellow party colors.
His own campaigning style has been relatively low key -- he told one foreign reporter he was "not a man of the media."
-- His leadership of the National Equipment Center (CNE), the main state construction company in Haiti which has built rural roads in recent years, gave him some visibility during the immediate rescue and debris-clearing after the January earthquake, although many have criticized the government recovery activities as slow and ineffective.
His backers have trumpeted his CNE experience as a concrete example of just what Haiti -- and its donor partners offering billions of dollars of reconstruction funds -- needs to rebuild after the devastating quake.
Critics accused Celestin and his campaign of shamelessly using state funds to promote his candidacy.
-- Born in Port-au-Prince in 1962, Celestin was educated in Haiti and studied mechanical engineering in Switzerland, according to his official biography. He is a divorced father.
The crow says to the hummingbird "Name your child after me." But the hummingbird says "What did you ever do for me that I should name my child after you?!"
Everyone understands when they tell it that the Crow represents Preval trying to tell the people of Haiti who the next president should be. But their answer to him is "what did you ever do for us that we should choose the one you name?"
PORT-AU-PRINCE | Wed Dec 8, 2010 12:13am EST
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Jude Celestin, outgoing President Rene Preval's hand-picked successor, took second place in the first round of Haiti's presidential elections on November 28, electoral authorities said on Tuesday.
But the top vote-getter, former first lady Mirlande Manigat, failed to win more than 50 percent of the votes needed for an outright victory so Celestin qualified for a run-off against her provisionally set for January 16.
-- A 48-year-old engineer and government technocrat, Celestin has the advantage of being the candidate of Preval's ruling Inite (Unity) coalition, which has given his campaign access to state-level support. His first round campaign was clearly well-funded, and in the capital at least won the contest of election posters -- Celestin's mustachioed face appearing against the green-and-yellow background of Inite colors predominated in the rubble-strewn streets of Port-au-Prince.
But there were signs his association with Preval, and his message of continuity, may have hurt his image.
Preval, who cannot stand for re-election after serving two terms in office, has faced widespread criticism for his low-key response to the January 12 earthquake and the current cholera crisis.
Celestin has promised to provide the country with technical schools and create jobs.
-- Although recognized as a hard-working technocrat, Celestin is nevertheless a political newcomer.
Preval's coalition picked him as its formal candidate in an apparent strategy to appeal to the younger voters after it dropped its original choice -- 63-year-old former two-time prime minister Jacques-Edouard Alexis, who went on to run as a contender for another party.
Nevertheless, with the help of the Inite party machinery and funding, Celestin's rallies have been well-organized and drawn crowds wearing the green and yellow party colors.
His own campaigning style has been relatively low key -- he told one foreign reporter he was "not a man of the media."
-- His leadership of the National Equipment Center (CNE), the main state construction company in Haiti which has built rural roads in recent years, gave him some visibility during the immediate rescue and debris-clearing after the January earthquake, although many have criticized the government recovery activities as slow and ineffective.
His backers have trumpeted his CNE experience as a concrete example of just what Haiti -- and its donor partners offering billions of dollars of reconstruction funds -- needs to rebuild after the devastating quake.
Critics accused Celestin and his campaign of shamelessly using state funds to promote his candidacy.
-- Born in Port-au-Prince in 1962, Celestin was educated in Haiti and studied mechanical engineering in Switzerland, according to his official biography. He is a divorced father.
Election results
Tonight the results of the November 28th presidential elections were announced. There were 19 candidates, and none of them got more than the 50% of the vote needed to win the election. Mrs. Mirlande Manigat, former first lady (about 20 years ago) political science professor and apparently voodoo mambo (witchdoctor)got 30% of the vote. Jude Celestin, a construction and vehicle businessman got about 22% of the vote. The two of them will be in a runoff election on January 16, 2011. Michel Martelly, known as Sweet Micky, an entertainer who performs rap and Kompas (popular Haitian music) came very close to Celestin with 21%.
There were a lot of rumors of election fraud and then tonight on television there was a police officer (probably someone in charge- but I didn't catch that) reporting on arrests made during the election. An article a few days ago said that the UN was concluding that there was more fraud than they originally thought during the election. I'm not sure what that means, but most people expect a lot of demonstrating (some has already started)tomorrow and in the next few days. Hopefully people will set their sights on a more fair election in January.
This is difficult for our school, but especially Ricky and I as we are trying to finish up the semester early to go to Grace's (our daughter) Senior Art Exhibition and graduation from Biola University. We leave Friday. Ricky has taken 2 finals and has 4 to go.
Please pray for Haiti.
thanks,
Carol
There were a lot of rumors of election fraud and then tonight on television there was a police officer (probably someone in charge- but I didn't catch that) reporting on arrests made during the election. An article a few days ago said that the UN was concluding that there was more fraud than they originally thought during the election. I'm not sure what that means, but most people expect a lot of demonstrating (some has already started)tomorrow and in the next few days. Hopefully people will set their sights on a more fair election in January.
This is difficult for our school, but especially Ricky and I as we are trying to finish up the semester early to go to Grace's (our daughter) Senior Art Exhibition and graduation from Biola University. We leave Friday. Ricky has taken 2 finals and has 4 to go.
Please pray for Haiti.
thanks,
Carol
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Election Results
No school again tomorrow because the election results are to be announced then. Many are calling for the elections to be annulled due to fraud. And we've heard that another election will be scheduled. Whatever happens, some people will most likely be angry and demonstrations may become violent.
Preliminary results offered by the website "Haiti election 2010" present Mirlande Manigat, a former first lady, professor of political science and a "Mambo" (voodoo witchdoctor) as having 30% of the vote; Michel Martelly, a Kompas and rap singer might be second.
We'll be safe at home, but please pray for Haiti.
Also, this is a very difficult time to miss school for our high school students and especially Ricky. This week is review time for final exams and since we're leaving a few days early to go to Grace's graduation from Biola & her senior art exhibition, Ricky has to find time to take 6 finals before Friday morning.
Thanks for your prayers,
Carol
Preliminary results offered by the website "Haiti election 2010" present Mirlande Manigat, a former first lady, professor of political science and a "Mambo" (voodoo witchdoctor) as having 30% of the vote; Michel Martelly, a Kompas and rap singer might be second.
We'll be safe at home, but please pray for Haiti.
Also, this is a very difficult time to miss school for our high school students and especially Ricky. This week is review time for final exams and since we're leaving a few days early to go to Grace's graduation from Biola & her senior art exhibition, Ricky has to find time to take 6 finals before Friday morning.
Thanks for your prayers,
Carol
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