Haiti - Day 7

Spent today in Santiago, coordinating an expanding logistics line. We're now supporting dozens of organizations to keep them operating. After last night's Helo Fuel Run, we were exhausted today - actually got a warm shower (ahh), cooked food and slept in a great bed! Nice.

Today has been thinking systemically about manning this machine over weeks, preparing to take the reins of this operation from being #2 to the man to blame! :-) Chad is doing super, as is Kyle and Adam. Our long time friend, Dennis (Portland) has arrived and we spent part of today getting him up to speed and ready to go forward.

Summarizing our missions some still say are fuzzy - "Why the heck are you there!?"
The huge disaster org's (US Army, Navy, Oxfam, World Vision, Samaritan's Purse, etc) are like cruise ships. They come with powerful assets and aid, but it takes time to turn them on, get them turned and moving and then docked and unloaded and systems established to manage what and who go where.

Our role:
1) IMMEDIATELY nimble organic systems that can evolve in hours to the immediate need to help the 500+ existing small mission efforts in the country, and the nationals. We're running everything from fuel to narcotics and bone saws and blades as they dull from so many amputees (horrible to think about). We are now being asked to help the big organizations, such as Samaritan's Purse, who are now asking us to establish and run their supplies for them, because we're established now, have the local DR contacts and routes, UN military relations etc. They called yesterday; Chad procured truck, barrels and fuel, and I took emergency helicopter fuel forward rushing to the border. Upon arrival Adam, who many of you know, had a Haitian truck waiting, and had bribed (I meant paid overtime) to keep the border open so we could get it through. They were glad to help, but his rapport there and being known made it smooth. The helo's had the fuel by midnight and kept running.
2) Our role is already evolving to include and will become the focus in the next few weeks, is to help feed the diaspora. The big guys will take over the front stuff then. We will get supplies to feed towns and villages that have swelled to 3-4 times their normal size as they absorb the diaspora and are so poor there is no way to feed, house, water, cover medical needs (many with lesser injuries). We may or may never reach Port au Prince. It's one of those roles that is born out of the necessity and helps the people in PaP make it happen.
3) A large organization has approached us about helping them get their logistics going and to help them with supply until they are up and running, helping them develop a system. We meet with them late tonight.

I get another warm shower, and another night in a bed...spoiled. Saturday at "oh my it's early and are you sure God is awake?" we'll head back to the border and ship Dennis to Port au Prince. Right now we're getting a large shipment ready. Tomorrow night - more fuel goes.

Thanks for praying!