January 18, 2005
Hello Vince and all,
Just a quick update. Pippin (not Chin Chin - sorry I was tired last nite) is
now doing fine. She is still in intensive care today after brain surgery last
night to relieve the hemorrhage in her brain. I am sure she would have died
in Meulaboh, given the primitive nature of the hospital there. This is why I
am here. Today we flew several more mssions to Meulaboh delivering supplies
and personnel. Tomorrow I plan to solidify medivac relationships with the Meulaboh
hospital as there are not near enough requests for this service. But when the
patients come here, they will need money to pay for their care. We need money
for this. Are there donations coming in? Another thing that is needed is to
hand out money on the streets of Meulaboh. There is no food stamp program here.
These people lost EVERYTHING. I would estimate that 95% of the people lost family
members, some lost all their family members. There is now food in the stores
but the people who lost everything do not have the money to buy it.There is
no one better placed than us to hand out money to the right people.
There is supposedly 7 BILLION in aid for this operation.I could probably finance
everything that I have seen done on Meulaboh for a few million. Where is all
that money?? A few tens of thousands of dollars would go a long way to really
end suffering.
Victor left today to go back to Guam as he feels his hands are tied due to lack
of funding. He said to call him when funding was available for a helicopter.
He will also be well positoned to get his helicopters shipped immediately if
we get funding. Iti and Brahm have also gone back to Jakarta to look for support
- leaving behind the orphans and unattended refugee camps. They could not afford
to stay.
From the information we recieve, this is not a Guam operation but a Mike, Joe
and Vic operation with the support of a very few caring and generous Guamanians.
I hope my information is wrong but this is what I have received.
I sure hope to continue this assistance but the financial situation will not
make this possible. I have extended all of my financial resources. I sure hope
you can find some more caring and generous Guamanians so this becomes truly
a Guam operation. Guam's name has been spread far and wide here. The positive
public relations between west and east, muslim and Christian has been enormous.
Please help us to keep it up.
Joe
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