sanyata

PayPal sent and a big THANK YOU for all you're doing.

Jeff Curtis

Thanks again for the updates, John and Joanne.

I sat down for about two hours today and created several more listings, possibly we can start another thread where people can suggest/promote their ideas to raise more $$$$$$$$ for the effort?

Here is another example of what I've listed, ALL Porsche related.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...STRK:MESELX:IT

RJT

And still another update. This is the email confirming that the NCR of the Porsche Club of America is donating $5,000.00 to Project Rennwish:


Hi John,



Hope you travels are safe. I just wanted to update you that the $5000 was approved from your favorite Region (NCR). You should see that coming through soon. NCR is proud to help. You are spectacular in what you do! We are so very proud to have you as a member!!!



Could you please update with pictures and articles for the Northlander. I will be doing an article for the March issue. Dick the webmaster would like to post photo’s as well.



Thanks for everything John. Talk with you soon.



Kindest Regards,



Ivy Leonard





YIPPPPPEEEE!!!! Now we all have to go to our Regions and see if they would pick up PROJECT RENNWISH as their Charity this year (and for years to come.....)

Kurt

Anyone have info on how people are communicating on the ground? I've heard AT&T and Verizon customers are roaming successfully down there with the local providers, but I'm wondering if there are sources for SIM cards to throw in unlocked blackberrys for voice/text/email.

Thanks in advance.

RJT

THIS MORNING'S UPDATE from John D. Via Jenn

I did speak to John D last night and wanted to fill you in...

John indicated it was an adventure thru DR as the car they rented would overheat periodically. It broke down in the middle of the night in front of a police station.... The officers didn’t speak any Fren......ch, English or Creole nor did John and his comrades speak any Spanish; however, despite the language barrier the police helped get them up and going and two of the officers escorted them on their way to make sure they were going in the right direction in return for a ride home. They made it thru the border in good time. Border patrol let them thru 2 hours before the border was open as they thought the white man was someone important. If they only knew. :-)

He spent part of the morning driving thru PAP and indicated that the news couldn’t grasp the full devastation of the damage done by the earthquake. He did comment on the resiliency of the kids as they continued to be just kids despite their surroundings.

He made it to Les Cayes by about 3:30pm and met up with Adrien our friend and contact in Haiti. The car only overheated a few times along the way so there was much stopping and taking in the countryside as he waited for the car to cool down.

They are planning on going to the hospital today to deliver medical supplies as well as visit Father Marc at Pwoje Espwa.



Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers! -Jenn

ew928

If only DunkleMeister had an air/oil-cooled car . . .

RJT

This morning's Update from Haiti 1/29/2010

John and Adrien made it to the local hospital and met Dr. Moses. They delivered the medical supplies and they were very appreciated of them. Dr. Moses indicated that medical supplies were only just beginning to trickle in. They are currently seeing about 1400 to 1500 folks a day who are coming in from PAP.

They then went out to see Pastor Andre’s orphanage and the kids are doing well. Since school is still not back in session, they bought them shovels and pick axes and put them to work cleaning up the grounds and filling in pot holes.

The orphanage was to have received a shipment of food and supplies and John and Adrien went in search of that at the airport and ended up helping unload incoming shipments.

John’s been staying with Adrien and has been quiet the novelty with locals stopping in at all hours of the night to see the white man sleeping on the floor.

They are off today to meet with Father Marc and then continue to track down that food shipment for Pastor Andre. John is happy to be there and helping out where he can but at the same time his heartaches for the displaced families who are coming in from PAP.

-Jenn

THANKS JENN!!!

ew928

Article inWired on Reconstruction in Haiti

Gleaning experience on 'Lessons Learned' from past reconstruction relief efforts on earthquake and tsunami disasters.

RJT

Great Article Ernest. Thanks for posting the link

John D.

Hi From Haiti...

I'll try to post this while I have both an Internet connection and electricity... First of all - the children and people would like to thank all of you for your support, encourgement and wonderful well-wishes...

Over the past days - much of the time has been spent securing food, delivering medicine and trying to make some order.. Things in Les Cayes are in dis-array, as I've never seen the city and town so overcrowded with refugees from PaP.. People are arriving with friends and family - and the already short food supply is being more of concern as many from PaP have been told that there is food available down in this area...

For that - I want to take a minute and thank the many private pilots who have kept Les Cayes on a "shoe-string" of medicine, food and basics. Most are from the USA that I've worked with - but it really is a global effort..

For our efforts - Pastor Andre's orphange is fine.. We will have enough food to last for a bit, and as well - assist some of the children and refugees from PaP alongside Pastor Vilnor's school - attending to newly made refugees and senior citizens who are doing without... It's heartbreaking on one side - and inspiring on another...

At the orphanage - Adrien and myself are trying to get things back on track quickly. I set the task that 15 large, deep holes in the front yeard were to be filled (by hand - using rocks, a wheelbarrow, a pick, shovel and machete) - AND with dozens of the older children.. Two days later - the holes are almost filled!! It's amazing what these little guys are capable of... Next on the agenda is to create a garden - and have the children grow and care for it. In the meantime - I think it's our task to ensure that they have the basics and prepare the orphanage for more orphans from PaP in the near future..

Another bit of good news is that tomorrow, we've been assurred that a Pilot will be bringing in a plane load of food for the orphans - and for as much as we can assist those streaming in from PaP. I'm not certain of how much to expect - but - I do know it will be more than we have now and can be used immediately for many in dire need...

Medical supplies... I would like to thank Meg DesFosses and a friend of hers for kick-starting the purchase of much, much needed medical supplies... We delivered those a few days ago - and if you could see the clinic at the hospital and the wards - you'd understand how much these victims have endured without anything. I want to also send on the thanks of Dr. Moses and his staff to all of you. Fifty - 80 pounds of topical antibiotics, bandages, gauze, etc. - were well recieved - and much needed, as when we arrived, those meager stocks had been depleted. Today, we visited that same hospital again - the doctors and nurses look a bit haggard...

The school is fine - and we toured that today.. Pastor Vilnor is as upbeat as ever, and has dedicated some of our funds for those arriving in the village from PaP and again, the children and senior citizens.. Our thoughts and prayers go with him...

On a personal note.. I can not really describe PaP, nor all I saw. I can't really write the words to make all of you "see" all I have seen over here. When I get home - I'll let some pictures do that for me - not so much of the tradegy, but rather pictures which hopefully inspire all of us to not only keep our current efforts going, but more importantly - be able to expand them...

Tomorrow - I need to meet the plane with our food, deliver it to our children, the mothers who are caring for our kids, the village, etc... I hope to have some time to also visit with Pwoje Espwa - as Marc and his staff are fighting their own battles to get as much to as many - in a hearbeat...

Again - simply - thank all of you... Your support and contributions have been awe inspiring... And as well - somehow - I know we are just beginning - so the "tough work" is still in the future...

From Les Cayes, Haiti,

John
(BTW - sorry if this is a ramble.. there is so much to say - and so many words... And - I'm trying to write it before the electricy and/or internet goes away - typically both...)

ehall

I just had my 20th person, who once didn't know anything about Rennwish, make a donation. Let's keep pushing guys. It's really amazing how much basic info and word of mouth has been able to achieve!
God Bless all of you!

RJT

Ernest... U R THE BEST!!!

ehall

Okay...my name is ALSO not Ernest...though a man by the same name is my very favorite writer.
However, I'm beginning to enjoy to continual guessing about my name!


Back to the point...


I honestly can't believe that the personal solicitation,of a truly legit cause, can turn out so much financial support.

Really, I'm dismayed by how much can be achieved by so little.
Really, I'd like to create a competion, not based on funds raised, but on awareness.
How many folks learned about Rennwish today?
All we can do is spread the word.
After that, we have to get the Hell out of the way, and allow good people to make good decisions.
There are millions, like Eugene, who gave to the Red Cross; and the Red Cross will make a huge positive differnce; but how many even know about Rennwish?

We have a large number of salesman on this baord.
The Marine Corps refused to deploy me to Haiti, so this is the way I can help.
You SALESMAN can leap my efforts in SIX HOURS, by engaging you clients, by just telling them that RENNWISH ACTUALLY PROVIDES 1 DOLLAR IN AID FOR EVERY DOLLAR PLEDGED!
Do you not think that matters too them?
It mattered too you, didn't it?
Some of you have billion dollar clients.

The thing is I don't.
However, I know more great people than I ever knew!
Really, I had no idea of the compassionite capacity of my personal friends, Marines, and aquaitances.

This horrible crisis shockingly taught me a lot about those that I know.

God works in mysterious ways....and I'll be damned if I would ever claim to understand.

The WORK IS JUST BEGINNING!

What's more; what seems to be "so little" to us, is SO MUCH too them.

ew928

What some consider chump change/play money can keep families and gaggles of children well for quite some time.

(This should confuse Joanne some moah)

RJT

Ernest, Edward, Eugene, Earl, Edison, Eeyore....... I knew it was an "E" something lol Mr. Hall??

If you only knew the kind of weekend I've had....
Not as tough as John's but, sheeze.

OH NO!!! ew928..... another E name. Thank goodness yours I know!!!



I know that a weeks worth of $$$ spent at Starbucks can keep a large family fed for a month, at least it could before. Hopefully the black market isn't going to take hold and prices of rice and such skyrocket, but it has before in Haiti and will probably do that again.