I have been working with Agape Flights for almost 2 weeks. We have sent almost 80 flights and 180,000 pounds of supplies into Haiti to provide emergency relief to the victims of January 12th earthquake. The donations are coming in faster than we can empty the hanger, and we have rented a 50 foot shipping container to take non-emergency items down to Haiti in the next week.My time at Agape has been rewarding and exhausting. Emotionally, the weight of each day's work is overwhelming. Even in the hanger, the intense implications of paperwork and cargo are ever-present. However, people have continued to work with smiles and continue to volunteer more time and more resources. My next trip into Haiti is scheduled for Thursday on a KingAir donated by a pilot from Punta Gorda, FL. Thus far, my entire experience has been overwhelmingly positive with one exception. I was scheduled to fly co-pilot on a flight last week when the pilot announced that he wouldn't fly with a female. Unfortunately, in this industry, sexism is not a stranger. However, it is disappointing that peoples' prejudices come out even in the midst of humanitarian disaster, and it felt like a sucker punch when I am down here volunteering my time, just like he is. There are plenty of male jet jockeys around to step up, and I'd rather be in a 'modern' cockpit anyway.
One of the biggest challenges is passengers. The Haitian government is still not charging customs on supplies and persons brought into devastated areas, but they are cracking down on people who are trying to leave. Many of the people that are trying to get out of Haiti right now are volunteers and aid workers that went in after the earthquake. Many people are trying to get back to their families and jobs, or even trying to return to the States to get more medical relief supplies. We are coordinating with other aid organizations to get people on outbound cargo flights. Available seats are limited, customs are a hurdle, and the airport is a confusing place to try to find the appropriate flight in. Agape is also trying to move as many orphans as possible into the US from Haiti. We work closely with Children of the Promise, who have an orphanage in Cap Haitien, a town in the north part of the country. Many of the orphans there are nearly through their 2-year paperwork process and have parents waiting in the States. The sooner we can get these orphans cleared through the final stages of their multi-year adoption process, the sooner we open up spaces in the orphanage for newly-orphaned children from the earthquake, and then they can begin the adoption process. The Haitian government keeps changing the procedures for clearing kids from the country. Just last week, they decided that every child had to be brought to Port au Prince to be 'ok'ed through the Prime Minister before being allowed to leave the country. What a great idea... fly a bunch of orphaned kids to do paperwork in a city where the airport is a mess, most of the population is now homeless and hungry, and the infrastructure is a-shambles. In the last week, we have shuttled 12 orphans with escorts from Cap Haitien to Port au Prince to make 2 consecutive days of appearances at the PM's office. Friday, former President Clinton decided to make a "good will" visit to Port au Prince. All air traffic, in what can operationally be referred to as 'airplane soup,' was held clear for the President's aircraft to land and taxi. The Prime Minister spent the day Friday entertaining his guest instead of signing orphan paperwork. Of course, the PM doesn't work on weekends, and the kids had to spend Saturday and Sunday on the streets, or where ever they could find shelter to wait for a Monday appearance. Thankfully, 10 of the 12 managed to pass all the paperwork hurdles and get out on a plane to Miami late last night. We hope that the other 2 will follow in the next days. Meanwhile, we are shuttling 11 more orphans from Cap Haitien south.Wes, upon his arrival at Agape, instantly became an invaluable help staging and loading tons of cargo in the hanger. He will fly his first mission to Haiti on Friday, Lord willing and the creek don't rise. Bruce and Alice Shaw, in Sarasota, are still being our generous hosts, and if I wasn't so comfortable, I'd feel like I was imposing. I have committed to at least one more week of work at Agape, and will keep you posted. The situation here and there change constantly--for good and for ill. This is a great exercise in thinking on my toes. The Agape Staff have started to ask if I couldn't be convinced to consider a long-term position. I'm glad to be here, but Florida is wanting in the departments of ski races and short airstrips.
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