Updates from Jacmel

"For ACFFC, art is a necessity. The group decided to paint the exterior walls of our building.
Beautiful - and amazing, considering the rubble around them."


Here is an update from Judy Hoffman, founder of Art Creation Foundation for Children in Jacmel, Haiti

May 21 2010 I spoke with everyone yesterday ... they are doing well but are traumatized by the earthquake - our logic is that if a building is standing now, it is fine - those who lived through the earthquake see it otherwise; can be another earthquake and the building can come down.

As I mentioned previously, nothing is changed, but for rubble being cleaned up. Despite the fact that many government agencies are pulling out of Haiti, declaring the emergency over, it is far from over. Rainy season is upon us. Shipments are getting held up in customs which makes relief supplies that much more difficult to send/obtain.

And the need becomes all the more great. We are fortunate that our children are back in school, eating and all are sleeping in tents, rather than under woven banana leaves and bedsheets. However their extended families and neighbors are not and this troubles them, and us. (Thanks to friends, we have 20 more tents headed down to Jacmel in the next week or so.) They are distracted and absolutely terrified at the idea of sleeping indoors. The cost of food is skyrocketing. Cases of typhoid, diphtheria, and malaria are being reported. And tension is building.
So please do not forget our children, and do not forget their reality. Help them to be the hope for Haiti that they are. They are trying so very hard."