Friday again brought speratic rains and wind. We fell asleep to moderate rain and wind. We were asleep for a couple of hours when, at 11:00 p.m. we were awakened with a mob of people running into our neighborhood screaming. We are first thought it was just a group congregating for the "time to time" arguments that occour.
It did not seem to be dying down and sounded as though they were all right at our gate. We heard Gary up so we got up to see what was happening. Richard went downstairs with Gary. All Richard could get from Gary is "all they are saying is " water, water, water, the water is coming!" He could not get the hysterical people to give him a straight answer. He finally got someone to say that the river was flooding and it was up to the houses. With his family living in town, close to the bridge, he got on his motorcycle and went home to check on them.
After he left we got a call from Roland and he was telling us that he was fixing to take his family higher up the mountain because of the rising waters. He feared the flood would reach us here. Richard talked to him and assured him that we, our area, is high enough that even if the river overflowed it's banks it would not reach us. He also told him that if he, and others simply just went up the mountain higher, they would face the danger of mudslides. Well, Roland decided to walk downtown to have a look at the river. He called us back and said that it was not up too much. The obvious threat to homes were higher up the river or down around the temporary bridge and that neighborhood. He decided to remain in his house.
We had a call from a missionary friend who's orphanage is between us and the public beach. She was worried her home may be jeapordized and Richard assured her she would be safe. We also recieved another call from another missionary who lives in town. He told us he'd heard that up river a house was washed away and 3 people killed. Of course, the actual destruction and casualties count will come in the days ahead.
After a couple of hours things began to settle down and we fell back asleep. Oh, we also got another call from Roland. He said the reason that the people were running and screaming into our neighborhood and heading to higher ground is that they thought a suname was coming.
This morning Gary left early to check on his family again and he road around to see the damage. He took some pictures. His camera is not the best and they are a little blurry, but I will try to add them. I also need to add that most of this distruction is down along the temporary bridge area. There is much debris gathered and clogging the too low temp. bridge. There is one house gone and another with two rooms washed away.I don't think these pictures are going to be easily viewed here. I will also posts them on FB. Please continue to pray for Haiti. Blessings, Richard and Beverly,
