Tuesday, February 16, 20l0

A new perspective: working with Tiffany:

We awakened in great comfort relative to our Haitian neighbors. It was the second night in the new HVH guesthouse - rented and furnished by Tiffany and Jo. It will be used to house visiting volunteers and generate income for HVH. We had scrambled eggs for breakfast before taking a tap-tap to the airport

I am new here -HVH team member, Karen from Newfoundland - and tasked with learning Tiffany's job. I may show competence in a small part ultimately. The HVH office and control centre is at the airport. We meet all incoming non-military aircraft, document their mission purpose and & location, assist with provision of transportation, accommodations, translators, food rations and water. As well, we provide a gateway for medical supplies and medications,and give orientation packages documenting the locations and mandates of regional ngo's and the documents required by each group to record health statistics and epidemiological concerns. The HVH airport project is also responsible for all unaccompanied supplies carried in by aircraft, which is then transferred to a central depot. The staff also facilitates flights of volunteers out of Jacmel - on empty planes returning to their origin. So this is the most basic description of the work organization, but there is so much more - the relentless needs and resulting coordination- that constitute most of the day. And night.

The vastness of this work should come as no surprise, when the creator of this coordination effort is considered, but it makes the shock of being cast into it no less jarring. Fortunately, a very competent team is already in place, and teaching me patiently. .
Blackberry is dying - not enough juice tonight - to be continued in daylight.
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