Cholera

Now that the hurricane is past and the rains have stopped we are watching the cholera situation. The official count now lists the number of deaths from cholera nearing 1,000, with another 12,000 being treated. Because of the poor hygiene conditions in Haiti, the bacteria is spreading at an accelerated rate. The poor living conditions and lack of clean water aid the spread of the bacteria.

With the death rate exceeding 100 per day, there is a problem of what to do with all the deceased. There is a shortage of coffins and also unavailable space to bury the people. More and more cases are appearing in Port au Prince where the situation is especially precarious since the city is still full of rubble from the January earthquake and since so many are still living in tents.

People on the Dominican side of the border are watching the situation in Haiti and hoping the cholera will not spread to this side of the island. There have not been any "official" cases of cholera in the DR yet, although there have been several reported cases. For the past two weeks the border has been closed and the authorities are keeping a tight watch on anyone coming over the border, most Haitians are not allowed to cross into the DR. The border was opened for a short time this past Friday, and three women were trampled in the stampede of people that tried to cross into the DR. This is causing increasing tension between the two countries. The governments of the two countries are trying to come to an agreement of an orderly passage of people over the border, but until they formulate a plan, everyone is watching and waiting.

Thomas

This past weekend hurricane Thomas passed over Hispaniola causing flooding in Haiti and in the Dominican Republic. The first rains started at the beginning of the week and slowly increased as the week went on. By Friday, schools had canceled classes and the rains were coming down quite steadily. The rains continued throughout the weekend, and even this past Sunday it was still raining.

The flooding in Haiti has increased the fear that the cholera will spread. Health officials hope to keep the cholera epidemic from spreading to this side of the island, but with the flooding caused by the hurricane, the fear has increased that the original source of the cholera bacteria will now be swept over much greater areas of Haiti. There have been some reported cases in Port au Prince, but the greatest fear is that it will get into the "tent cities" and cause many more deaths. There have not been any confirmed cases of cholera in the DR so far. Now, the debate has become: can cholera be kept out of the DR - or if it is just a matter of time?

In an effort to keep the cholera from entering the DR, the border has been closed for the past week. Even "healthy" people are not allowed to cross since a person can carry the bacteria for up to a week without showing symptoms of the disease. There has been no word as to when the border might be re-opened.

photos from Listin Diario

Fellowship Sundays

Once a month the congregation gets together to enjoy a fellowship evening. This also works as an opportunity to invite friends and relatives for evangelism opportunities. We always meet new people and have many opportunities to witness. There are usually several activities going on at the same time - the men play dominoes, the children like to play games, the women may play board games or work on preparing the meal. The evening ends when a typical meal is served for all. These get-togethers are very well attended, over 100 people at the September one.

Cholera
The cholera outbreak in Haiti has officially recorded about 300 deaths. We have talked to some people who have actually been in Haiti - they say the number is actually much higher. Many are dying in the countryside without being "officially" registered as a cholera death. Here in the DR we are hearing on the news how to prevent the disease - washing hands, washing fruits and vegetables, don't buy food on the street. There have been some "rumored" cases of cholera here in Santiago, but health officials have yet to confirm that these cases are valid.

Christmas

"Se acabó el año". Christmas trees and decorations are in full swing here and have been for over a month now. The stores are full of Christmas merchandise and a night time drive is lit up with beautiful lights all over the city. Seems like everyone is anxious for the holidays!