Time for Tarps

The rainy season got an early start based on last Saturday's floods in Les Cayes. We have collected 72 tents to distribute to families who need them. Forty-seven of those tents will be taken down on Thursday; the rest will go down the first week of April with the medical team. There's a bit of a tents vs. tarps discussion going on in the press and amongst relief workers, since tents won't be fully waterproof in heavy rain, but on the other hand, they do offer protection from mosquitoes which carry malaria and dengue fever, and from blowing rain. They also offer a bit of security to a family's belongings. Tarps on the other hand will offer protection from rain. I've read about people in PAP who stood all night under an umbrella in order to try to keep dry. Starting this week we will begin to collect clean, new tarps to take down with us in April. We'll allot 250 lbs of our luggage to tarps, 450 lbs. to taking the tents we already have, and the rest to medical supplies. Students in one of the classes at LPVEC are collecting rope for the tarp project. You can order a tarp through the Amazon link on the right and have it shipped directly to Mustard Seed at 2 Old Stage Road, West Hatfield, MA 01088. Look carefully at the shipping charges, though. If you can find a better deal for the same sized tarps, that's OK. We're looking for 9x12 or 12x16. [Thanks to Judy who found 12x16 tarps at Big Lots and Ocean State in prices ranging between $11 and $17 (for those who live locally).] For those who donated tents, read this and understand how appreciated they are. This was written by Valeri Wooley, the director of a school in PAP. Today we received 12 tents from Tracy, Tony, and group. Fantastic! Our teachers, staff, and Sabe will sleep protected tonight! For some it will mean some blessed privacy. Adeline was explaining how last night she wanted to go to bed at 8 but her husband said no since they were dependent upon others and they wanted to go at 11! She was so happy to have their own tent tonight! Hopefully more will come for others. For some it is so difficult because they aren't receiving help because they aren't in a tent city yet they have the need even for basics such as rice. Rice is unavailable to the middle. They give a sack a week to those of the tent city but none is available wholesale like to Joe. And 5 pounds in the market is $50! Outrageous! Beans the same. I know because I bought some today for Sabe. Joe can't find rice. I am so fortunate. End note:  The tents that were donated to Mustard Seed are not going to a tent city; they're going to people in small communities in the countryside at or near the epicenter who are facing these kinds of conditions.  The same is true of the Days of Hunger food distribution.  The tent cities, for the most part, are all located in/near PAP.