We were able to drive up to our clinic on Tuesday this week, finding the road very slippery and gutted out, but passable. We had to put our jeep into 4-wheel drive “low” position, that gives the most power, so we could make it up some of the steep, slippery hills. Our patients were grateful for our presence and we expect a large crowd on Thursday as well. They walk for hours on very slippery, muddy paths to reach us, and we’re glad to be able to help meet their health needs.
Major losses from the hurricane in our area are mostly agricultural, with the loss of banana trees, coconuts and recently planted bean seeds. One of the nearby Protestant churches had significant damage, as well as the pastor’s house, and some schools had damage to their roofs. We’re working with local leaders to assess the extent of damage in the areas around our clinic site and will see how we can most help these communities.
At this point, the road between Cayes and Jérémie is closed to all traffic due to mudslides in the area around Beaumont. We’ve seen the Port-au-Prince buses sitting in their stations in Jérémie for the past few days and now have an explanation as to why!