THE POWER OF COINCIDENCE

Unloading of last supplies wound up today with our 3 wheel motor "Helicaks" delivering to families most in need along the Lahusa coast. Priority was given to those who's homes had been destroyed completely. Cooking equipment, tool kits and jerry cans (many filled with kerosene) were delivered to families we have met over the past weeks and others that we have noted along the coast road. Grinders were given to those who had lost concrete homes or needed to demolish unsafe reinforced concrete structure.


Breaking down a reinforced house frame with a claw hammer! What is truely alarming about this was how easily the concrete disintegrated. The cement content in the mix must have been barely enough to bond the sand and river gravel aggregate. Perhaps this explains why so many structures have totally collapsed.

The last of our WFP rice was delivered to Gomo Camat yesterday bringing the total delivered to that underserved area to over 12 tons. While this is not a significant proportion of the total needs for the 50,000 population, it arrived in time to suplement other deliveries from Samaritans Purse and a number of church groups. The Camat confirmed a total rice delivery of 60 tons prior to our first delivery and since then an additional 70-80 tons have made it in on trucks and TNI helicopters. At .6kg per person per day, the needs for GOMO are in excess of 30tons/day and considering that 25 days have passed since the quake, the backlog is about 600 tons. Deliveries to date are enough to support about 20% of GOMO families at WFP recommended levels. This is below the level needed to provide for families who's homes are completely destroyed but it is encouraging that supplies are starting to arrive at last.


The old hill top village of SIFALAGO SUSUA a 14km walk south from GOMO.

Dr Laia comfirmed that after our first rice delivery, WFP arrived and surveyed the villages we mentioned on our website and in emails to other agencies. Everyone in the area we met seemed convinced that we had arranged the supplies no matter what we said. "They saw you come and bring rice and tents and a few days later more arrived. They thank you for bringing relief and it is no use telling them that you brought only a small amount on your ship" Dr Laia explained.



The highlight of yesterday's medical mission to HILINAWALO MAZINO was to see the lines of bikes and villagers carrying in bags of rice, sardines, cooking oil and noodles as we walked out at dusk. This time our Aus Aid distribution had happened an hour ahead of a church organized distribution of WFP supplies and again we could not convinced the happy villagers that this was a pure coincidence. Hundreds of people insisted on shaking our hands as we met them on the trail.



Our NWM team treated over 100 in HILINAWALO MAZINO and HILIZALOOTANO after walking in over 5km past the end of the road. We were the first medical team to work in the 300 year old HILINAWALO MAZINO village. Full reports to follow.