Johnna filed this report from Haiti:

     Let me start from what just happened, and then work my way back.

5 a.m. I’m sleeping inside with Katie and Mika. Everyone else is outside praying a rosary. Most people slept outside last night, because we’ve built a nice sleeping area in our Grotto that is covered for rain protection. Remember how I wrote that we had about 35 people here? Well, we actually counted yesterday- 78 people. Anyway, Mika got up to go pray, so I rolled over to change position on the bed. Someone came in to talk to Michel, who was in the next bed. As soon as he left, I felt it. At first I thought it was the generator being turned on, and then my stupidity wore off and I shook Katie and screamed Michel’s name. Within seconds we were outside. Everywhere around us I heard Jesus’ name being screamed. With our hearts pounding and our lungs short of breath we squatted in our front yard, everyone in disbelief that another one so big came. I was barefoot, looking like a disaster from sleep, and all I could do was laugh. Michel looked at me and started shaking his head, and soon everyone was laughing.

I wrote how I had done a demonstration to everyone on what to do if another one shakes us while we’re inside the house. Well, as soon as I got into the hallway I turned my head left and right because I couldn’t figure out which door to go to. I chose the further one, the front one because it was open… so much for my example.

Five minutes later we were all inside in bed again. And then ten minutes later another one shook and we were all outside again. I still can’t stop laughing. We all keep going over it in our heads, and how incredibly ridiculous it is that these are still happening. We think maybe that was another earthquake, just a smaller one. Now I’m upstairs on the computer with Manno, Joe and Michel in the room. We have a path to the door cleared out so that if we shake, we can run.

Now, last night.

A miracle happened last night; the water came back. It was late afternoon and someone tried the spout, and suddenly water was pouring out. We had just got word that the spring was completely blocked and that our hope was slim, and then hours later God blessed us with water. Now this is where it gets good.

We all went to do our normal night prayer. When we came back inside the house, the bottom floor was flooded. Immediately everyone grabbed mops and brooms and started sweeping the water out, everyone laughing. Someone said, “God can’t make up His mind. First He takes the water, then He gives the water, and now He gives us too much water.” As we were sweeping Michel decided we were going to get rid of Tuesdays. He said Tuesdays are no more, because we never know what we’re going to get.

After the hit this morning, the water is gone.

We are all laughing here. We’re also praying that if the hit was bigger in other places, that everyone’s ok.

At breakfast this morning Manno, Brother, and Michel sang the whole time. It started with beautiful slower songs, and then Brother put on the music on his phone that was more upbeat, saying things like, “God doesn’t forget us.” Everyone was dancing as we ate our bread and drank our coffee. In the deepest parts of me I felt joy and I could feel the hope rising all around me.

Sometimes it hits me so hard; that I’m alive. I am still here. It makes me tremble. His power.

And then Michel beat me up again.

~Johnna