NEWS-page:   Sports program of AMURT 2008, a grand success LFT training - a new milestone in Haiti Infrastructure/reforest. project successfully accomplished Boat maiden voyage assembled top team and got tested... Truck reached and cleared, but broke down after customs...International connoisseurs please help ! Haitischool with improved computers... Truck for Haiti shipped end of June... - watershed restauration accomplished only weeks behind target...(Feb. 26th) - SSAC Sports program is taking shape in 3 locations...(6th Feb.06') - Comments of medical volunteers...(17Jan06'). - Raffaela sent positive evaluation report...(10jan06') - AMURT medical team volunteered 6 days non-stop in Haiti Jan 4-11 2005... 1. Eleven volunteers for the AMURT Medical team accomplished major service in Port-au-Prince and Anse Rouge province. 4th - 11th January. The medical team arrived safely on thursday the 4th of January 2005. They had a logistics and welcome meeting on the first day and the next started packing the supplies, dividing 2 teams. One for Anse Rouge and one for Port-au-Prince area. Some had a hard time deciding, as the trip to Anse Rouge would be very strenuous, dusty and with unexpected breakdowns.... So Laks'man, Jennifer Trainor, Nandita and Bhaskar remained in Port-au-Prince working at Didi's place, treating another group of patients. Under the vigilant eyes of our new AMURT security guard, (grey shirt,Khaki pants and black jacket and hat)the team felt safer. The next day we left at 11 A.M. Some by bus and some by car to Gonaives. In Gonaives we changed the load onto a truck. All of a sudden the headlights of the Lada didn't work. After fiddling some wires, we go... (1 hour later) 1.) 2.) 3.) 4.) Going from Gonaives to Sources Chaudes, we didn't know if we were on the Moon or on Mars (1), driving through moguls after moguls, gullies and across rocks. The breakdown prediction happened, as a flat tire occured for the truck. The jack failed to support the load (2) and started sinking...was saved with some big stones and after digging a space for the spare tire into the ground(3), which luckily was sandy, we realized it was not pumped enough to support the load... some slept there waiting for 2 hours for someone to bring a pump, enjoying the starlit night, Pashupati meanwhile tried with a footbal pump (4) to no avail. Good we drove in a convoy so the Lada went ahead to get the pump and we reached safely at 1:30 A.M. 1st day: Pointes des Mangues (near the coast) 102 people served and 55 eyeglasses distributed. Day 2 : Sources Chaudes: 113 people treated, 47 eyeglasses distributed Day 3 : Tite place 143 people treated, 57 eyeglasses distributed Without the help of Jordan and Christie writing prescriptions and counting tablets, it would have been impossible to treat hundreds of patients every day... Dada Vidyananda teaching yoga-exercises for some patients... And its only over until we say its over... As if the exhausting trip and 3 days of treatments (from 8 A.M. until 7 P.M.) was not enough, word came that another hundred was treated when the team arrived in Port-au-Prince... Volunteer comments: "The woman was just about blind. She put the glasses on and threw her hands up. She was shaking everybody's hand. It was very rewarding to me. This moment alone made this trip worthwhile for me." Chuck I thought Dharma was teasing about the hot springs, but I was shocked. It was awesome...It was very beautiful...The place was in the mountains...and when we had the flat tire at night, I think its the first time I saw the entire sky. No trees, no lights. So I could see 180 degrees or better 360 degrees. Lisa I went down to the washing place and I was going to wash my shirt. And of course I washed it like someone who uses a washing machine all the time. And then a lady, an older lady, sweet lady started talking to me. I didn't know exactly what she was saying and so I said: "M'pa compren creol" (I don't understand creol), and then she took my shirt and then she started this elaborate way of washing T-shirts. Just turned it over, washed it. And then she folded it and then she wrung it just right...an awesome job, I was so...I thought I was so thrilled at the way she did it...It was a very nice experience. Kunti Their houses are fairly cozy inside inspite of what they look from the outside... Those that are alive do rather well...the oldest person I saw was 70 years old, in the US people live to the age of 80 or 90. Pashupati "It's luxurious here..." Jordan ...She was in tears when leaving...felt that she has left a piece of herself here...wants to come back to volunteer for a longer period. Her comments: Chuck, Ramadeva and I were assigned to fitting eye glasses. We didn't have a clue what we were doing but it's a good thing that in times like that we have the Divine to channel because that's what we just did. I felt like a vessel for the Divine and everything turned out amazing. Somehow those people got the right glasses for them and we blessedly witnessed one miracle after the next. People who were not able to see, left able to see and those who were able to see far got to see near. Ramadeva translated, chuck filed and provided emotional support each time I cried from joy. It was so rewarding. Note: We are still waiting for the report from the service done in Port-au-Prince. Updates to be expected soon... NEXT project: Rehabilitation of salt-mines in Pointe des Manges : SSAC organized a cleanup near one of the salt mines in Pointe des Mangles. After that we played tug-of-war, volleyball and ultimate frisbee. Still more is to be done...	Ready ? VOLUNTEER... VISIT us... WORK w.us... CONSULT us