After the devastating earthquake hit Haiti on January 12^th, Tao Sangha members began discussions for how best to send aid.  It is our wish when giving support to people in need to find as direct a connection as we can, to create a relationship as deeply as we can, and follow up to continue caring and giving as much as we can.

We received information about the needs of the Community Hospital of Haiti (www.haitihosp.org)  from Daphne Sajous-Brady, one of the grand daughters of the woman who founded the hospital.  There was a request for monetary donations as well as supplies which the family was transporting by plane to Haiti from Miami Florida.

Deborah Bachmann and Spyder Carneol of Tao Sangha USA contacted the other Tao Sangha centers as well as Daphne to get more information.  When we learned that the hospital was overwhelmed, treating over 250 patients in a hospital designed for 50 and that there was a plane running between Miami and Haiti with supplies, it was decided that Tao Sangha International would raise as much money as possible through Charity Shiatsu and other fundraising events through March to support the hospital, and perhaps beyond. It was clear that the hospital and the people of Haiti needed so much help and would be grateful for our support.

Through Charity Shiatsu events and donations from North American Tao Sangha Centres and individuals $2400 was raised along with 3 suitcases of supplies in 4 days. Spyder and her family were gathering in Florida and were able to transport the suitcases as well as purchase more supplies for the hospital once in Florida.

Daphne was able to give a list of the most recent needed supplies, so once in Florida, Spyder, her daughter Disa and father Marty shopped for the additional items. The hospital still needed medical supplies, but people also needed shelter and food. The first purchases included 40 excellent tarps as well as 300 pounds of rice, peroxide, Tylenol, power bars, batteries and flashlights, tents, rope to go with the tarps, more bandages and anti-biotic cream.

Daphne’s cousin Monica Lissade Riviere was in Haiti through the earthquake and was presently in Miami with her 3 children.  Monica said she had just heard from a group of young Haitian men that were organizing shipments out of Miami. Monica was also in contact with another aid group that was organizing shipments, so she said she would make sure the supplies would get  shipped to the hospital.  

Monica called the hospital directly and found out that tarps and blankets were more important than medical supplies at that point. Patients and their families were sleeping outside, and had no place to go, or were getting bandages changed every few days at the hospital and couldn’t travel back and forth from their homes.  Tarps were nowhere to be found, and really needed. They also said fleece blankets were the best because they were light and warm.

Spyder and family members drove the very full car to Miami and met Monica and her family. They unloaded the car and made plans to go shopping for the needed supplies. After getting more tarps, rope etc, they went to JoAnn Fabrics for fleece. 

JoAnn’s had a cart of 24 fleece blankets on sale so they took that cartful then spoke to a woman at the cutting table about our project. The woman at the cutting table spoke to the store manager who offered an additional 25% discount!  The woman who had asked the manager for the discount was Haitian, so when they checked out, she was delighted to have her photo taken with the blankets.

Back at Monica’s house they bagged, boxed and labeled everything with the name of the hospital, and arranged it in the garage. The total inventory of supplies we provided includes: 80 tarps each with at least 50’ of rope, 5 tents, 57 blankets, 53 flashlights with batteries and 2 battery operated lamps, 300 lbs. of rice, 6 boxes of power bars, 12 rolls of duct tape, a variety of medical supplies including bandages, gauze, antibiotics and antibiotic cream, orthopedic braces, syringes, suture material, acetaminophen, blood pressure cuffs and more.

Everything but the medical supplies were shipped on a UN plane on Feb. 10th and received at the hospital on the 11th. Monica's cousin traveled with one suitcase on Feb 14th. At the time of this writing only a few things are still waiting to be shipped.  We will continue getting updates from Monica and Daphne about the shipments and how things are developing at the hospital.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed and continues to contribute to this project.  The family and staff of the Community Hospital of Haiti are deeply grateful. This way of giving not only offers deeply needed support, but forms bonds of care across cultures and continents that deepen all of our hearts.  These bonds have the ability to endure far beyond the immediate crisis.

Staff and children from daycare centre near the Madison Tao Sangha Centre dropped of a bag of supplies for the hospital.

Packing it up for the trip to Florida

Loading up the car with more supplies - in Florida

Buying fleece blankets in Miami

Disa, Monica & daughter, and Spyder in Miami,