May 21, 2010 – 5:59am – Friday (Haiti Time) – Ruuska Village, Haiti – Report submitted by Joe Hurston – Air Mobile Joe

It was with great relief as we entered into the “Community Center” of Caanan II. As we drove in, we found another mission group headed by Brian Smith out of Omaha was just preparing to leave. They had passed by to check with Pastor Volny and see how things were. It is so good to see the Body of Christ working together “doing something” to help. As Brian and I visited, we acknowledged the enormity of the task. Our conclusion: do what we can! 

The water bladder, recently donated by a French organization had plenty of water and the people were lined up. The kids were everywhere. Keyon, one of Air Mobile team members desperately wanted to play soccor with them, but time would not allow it. After an update with the leaders, we brought in just bit of food (enough for 1500 meals). 

Remember when we were loading the aircraft on Wednesday morning? We filled every empty space with the meals sent by “Kids Against Hunger”. We give a special thanks to Bob Bostic and his team for preparing that food. We felt like the “mailman”. We “delivered the mail”. For that, we PRAISE GOD (even though it seems like a drop in the bucket). 

When asked when we would return, my answer was, “it is in the Lord’s hands”. We just pray for our Lord to continue to hold back the storms. By the way, some of you must have been praying. Last night, the winds blew, we could see ominous clouds everywhere, but the rains did not fall. We just take it one day at a time. As we drove out of the Caanan II, we say just how frail and vulnerable these thousands of residents are. My final words of encouragement to Pastor Volny and Germain was – “protect and take care of the children”! 

When we refer to tent-city, let me give a bit more of a description. It is certainly not like a “Boy Scout Jamboree” with uniform tents all lined up in a row and friendly camp fires and “stories”. Many of these dwellings have been “foraged” out of the nearby dump. Little bits of stickes and plastic and bits of tin. Should a raging wind come through this tent city, many would be injured or even die from the “shrapnel”. 

I heard a statement from Sean Penn when he appeared before the U.S Congress recently to appeal help for Haiti. He said that Haiti was on the “Razor’s Edge”. That is a true statement for hundreds of thousands as I write this blog. I don’t necessarily agree with everything that Sean Penn says, but I am glad that he is standing up for Haiti. As believers in Jesus, our Lord tells us to help the “least of these”. That is the reason, I so often appeal to you for prayer and help. After we departed Caanan II, we headed back to Ruuska Village to continue the “reorganization” of the Voyager Refurbishment Center. Again, let me explain a bit here. The “Village” lost several key buildings from the earthquake. As a result, it has been like “Musical Chairs”. We have moved and shifted supplies, building materials, food, diapers, baby food and the Voyager Center from building to building. Several key buildings will not be completed for several more weeks. Thus, the continual moving and shifting and squeezing and working in tight and shared quarters. 

That is where Rob and Keyon have come in so handy on this mission. Rob is a great “organizer” and Keyon is in training! The fact is, I can fly an airplane, but I can’t lift anything, or even stand very long. It’s nice to have strong willing “WATER MULES”. Today, we hope to have the assembly line cooking and Voyagers coming out. We have numerous organizations that need units immediatley. Please pray all goes well today and that our Lord holds back the storms for ANOTHER DAY!

God Bless!!

Air (somewhat Mobile)Joe 

PS – KEEP ON READING DOWN TO SEE HOW WE HAVE GOTTEN TO THIS PORTION OF OUR “STORY”. IT’S FULL OF GOD’S AMAZING GRACE!!A BIT ABOUT THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE!