After shocks

The after shocks have lessened significantly in frequency and severity over the past 24 hours and especially overnight. It is 5:30am in the morning here in Haiti and we have just had two large shocks that rumbled through our orphanage, shaking us awake in our beds.

Two nannies and two nurses arrived for work last night. Claudia's Aunt is still trapped under rubble in the Delmas district of Port-au-Prince. We heard last night that Christella, one of our NICU nannies, has lost a sister. Christella's sister was in Church at the time the earthquake hit, just before 5pm on Tuesday night.

The Haitian staff are showing signs of stress. Many of us here are experiencing loss of appetite, nausea and headaches. The constant movement of the ground makes our buildings sway and that is causing motion sickness, as well as high levels of anxiety. The children are fairing remarkably well. Our international volunteers have been taking them upstairs to a play area during the day. We have a little girl who has Sickle cell disease and she gets very upset during the stronger after shocks. Her loud cries are heard by everyone on the first floor of the orphanage, which, is were our nurseries are located. A two year old boy, who is HIV positive developed a stress rash on the night of the earth quake. Everyone who is here is doing their level best to maintain the children's routine, despite significant staff shortages here at God's Littlest Angels. As a result, our children are fed, clothed, changed and supervised.

Our foreign staff and many of our Haitian staff have a strong Christian faith. We draw our strength from that faith. We know that it is by God's grace that we have all survived this catastrophe. His love is eternal and he is with the poor and the broken hearted during these difficult days.

'Blessed are those who weep, for they will be comforted.'

Last night as I finally drifted off to sleep, our neighbours were singing Kreyol gospel songs, and praising God for his goodness.