KU student experiences quake
When Reverend Cheryl F. Meinschein announced in November a mission to Haiti to work with the local children, senior Elementary Education major Emily Behm seized the opportunity. Prior to the departure, Behm was not concerned with natural disasters, but instead was focused on the attempted terrorist attack that has happened on Christmas day on a Delta Airlines flight.
On Jan. 9, Behm, part of a 14- member group, The Lazarus Project, ranging in ages from 16 to 83, boarded their flight at 9 a.m. and departed for Port-au-Prince. The grassroots organization consisting of individuals and congregations to be in ministry in Haiti was scheduled to volunteer at an orphanage, paint a chapel and food pantry, and take part in food distribution, while also fitting in some time for sightseeing.
After a five-hour flight, the mission landed just before 2 p.m. in Port-au- Prince. After clearing through the tarmac and customs, the group made its way toward the Village of Hope, located in Croix des Bouquets, approximately ten miles from Port-au- Prince. The Village of Hope sits on 30 acres of land and is home to 17 classrooms, a library, chapel and a health clinic.
On Monday, Behm and two other missionaries began teaching lessons that were designed to immerse the children with the English language. Working with 620 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, Behm would teach while others cleaned the food storage depot, a workshop, and the pews at the chapel.
The following day began just as the previous day. Behm was one of three girls teaching students, while others were painting a chapel a combination of chocolate and light blue. Behm and her peers wrapped up their lesson around 1:30 p.m. and made their way back to the house where Behm began to sort through clothing.
Behm was in the office when she described what she thought was a “train or a big truck” beginning to shake the desk where she was. Behm and Lazarus Project director, Debbie Berquist, immediately sought refuge under their desks when the books that had moments earlier lined the shelves came crashing to the ground. Following suit were light fixtures and ceiling tiles, one of which struck Behm. Moments later, the earth settled and Behm emerged from her shelter. Pushing away piles of debris that surrounded her, she made her way to the courtyard where the pastor took a head-count and recited a prayer.
At 4:53 p.m. a missionary used the one available cell phone to call Behm’s family, who then relayed the message of their safety to relatives of other missionaries.
The cinderblock walls that had once enclosed the compound lay scattered on the dirt road. Each of the three men in the group constructed a barbed wire barricade to replace the wall. The rest of the evening was spent playing card games, in an attempt to occupy everyone’s mind from what they had just experienced.
“I was in bed for five minutes when the first aftershock came,” said Behm.
Behm was so frightened by the aftershock she brought her mattress outside and pulled it on top of the picnic table in the courtyard. “Within a half hour, everyone was outside.”
An effort to clean up the battery acid that had spilled throughout the office began on Wednesday. On Thursday, the group began to collect cinderblocks to reuse because materials were limited and then the missionaries made their way to a local orphanage. Although the church was completely demolished, the group made sure the children had food, water, and toothpaste. A boy had lacerated his foot, but Berquist–a registered nurse–was able to wrap it up on the scene.
On Friday, the group collected more cinderblocks but could not work past 10 a.m. due to the extreme heat. The group ate sparingly that day, with lunch consisting of only cheese and crackers.
Meanwhile, Meinschein and Berquist went to the U.S. Embassy where they waited for five hours to hear that they should stand by at the airport for a flight to the Dominican Republic, Panama, or Cuba. The group’s consensus was to wait until Monday and call the traveler’s insurance company.
Saturday consisted of collecting more cinderblocks (now nearing 1,000 in total) and a trip back to the orphanage. Behm, along with five other college students and one high school student, jumped rope and danced the hokey pokey. “The children weren’t going in buildings, just makeshift tents,” said Behm.
Later that evening, Behm and company returned to their compound to hear that the insurance company had hired Global Rescue, led by a retired Navy SEAL, to remove the group of missionaries early the next morning. Global Rescue arrived in rental Sport Utility Vehicles, armed with machine guns. That evening, the group was instructed to take just one piece of luggage and they were flown to the Dominican Republic. Due to a miscommunication between the insurance company and the airline, the group spent Sunday and Monday evening relaxing by the pool at the Hilton in Santa Domingo.
On Tuesday morning, Behm departed the Dominican Republic and arrived in Philadelphia at 2 p.m., greeted by her parents, fiancé, and her godmother, along with a throng of signs, balloons, and the 69 News team.
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