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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, January 15, 2010 · 8 Port-au-Prince described as war zone Continued from page 1 "Teagan sent us an e-mail. It was one line. It said, `We're all okay, mom's helping out'," said Maduri. Maduri is also friends with Diane Wiebe, of Wainfleet, Ontario who is schooling the van der Mark children in Haiti and American Rachel Montgomery, Hope House Orphanage program director, who runs the Mission of Hope Haiti's orphanage. Maduri said she has received updates from them on Facebook. "Rachel said everything in her apartment is smashed, pretty much gone and they're still experiencing aftershocks," said Maduri. The Mission's buildings are located on its 70-acre compound about 30 kilometres outside of Port-au-Prince where the quake's epicenter was located, according to Maduri. While it takes a couple of hours to get from Port-auPrince to the Mission, it would only take 20 minutes if roads were good, said Maduri. According to Waterman, the interiors of all the Mission's buildings -- the house where the full-time missionaries and their families reside, an orphanage, church and hospital -- all had their contents trashed in the massive earthquake and ensuing aftershock tremors that were numbering well over 30. "Everything, all the cupboards were opened and everything was dumped on the floors," said Waterman. Dr. Cheryl van der Mark and Dr. Julie Maduri in Haiti last year. The buildings, mostly constructed of cinderblock, were also damaged, but not destroyed. There are cracks and damage and it's uncertain if they are safe to move back into, so everyone is sleeping outside. Tents are just now arriving, said Waterman. She said nights are cold in Haiti and aftershocks leave the orphans and others in terror. It's estimated that more than 30 aftershock tremors, some nearing 5 on the Richter Scale, have continued. "We have rescued another orphanage and brought them onto our site," said Waterman. The van der Marks are not doing much sleeping, however, as the Mission's clinic is operational and is being used to treat many arriving in search of aid. According to Maduri, the van der Marks are in Haiti to assist with expanding Mission of Hope's hospital from part-time to fulltime service. The Mission hospital is situated about an hour away from one hospital and three hours from another. "At one point yesterday (Wednesday) we had to shut it (the clinic) down because we ran out of supplies," said Waterman. A medical team that included Grant and Laurens ventured into Port-au-Prince Wednesday with an injured person too serious for the Mission hospital to help. They later reported in an e-mail to Waterman that they were turned away at three hospitals before they received assistance. While the team included Grant, a paramedic and Laurens, a police officer, the team e-mail reported that the scene resembled a war zone. "This looks like the picture of war," it stated. The team also reported that, by its estimate, only 10 per cent of what was Port-auPrince is left -- all government buildings, banks and homes are gone, according to Waterman. Aware that initial estimates of the dead were 20,000, the team e-mailed Waterman You can help Numerous agencies are on the ground in the earthquake-stricken country and donations are being accepted for relief, food, medical and other supplies. · The Canadian Red Cross -- www.redcross.ca/helpnow, call toll free 1-800-4181111 or in person at any Red Cross office, in Oakville at 1400 Cornwall Rd., 905-845-5241 · United Church of Canada's Haiti Appeal -- through a local congregation or directly to The United Church of Canada's national office, 3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 300, Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4. Cheques should be made payable to The United Church of Canada and marked Haiti Appeal. Online donations can be made at www.united-church.ca. Choose Emergency Response and specify Haiti Appeal · World Vision -- online at www.worldvision.ca or call 1-800-268-5528. · For Unicef Canada visit the website www.unicef.ca. · Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres) -- Canada , 720 Spadina Ave., Suite 402, Toronto, ON, M5S 2T9, 416-9640619 or www.MSF-Canada. · The Humanitarian Coalition made up of Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Québec, CARE Canada, and Save the Children Canada -- call 1-800-464-9154, log onto www.thehumanitariancoalition.ca or send donations to The Humanitarian Coalition, PO Box 65035, Ottawa, ON, K2G 5Y3 . See Bringing page 9 Terence Young M.P. Oakville Invites you to a pre-budget public consultation. WHERE: Quality Inn and Suites (754 Bronte Rd. Bronte Room) WHEN: TIME: January 20, 2010 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Please call Terence's constituency office - (905) 338-2008 - to schedule a presentation. Written submission will also be accepted. Getting things done for Oakville. 337 Kerr St. Oakville, ON L6K 3B7 www.terenceyoung.com Tel: 905-338-2008 Fax; 905-338-5432 young.@parl.gc.ca