Arts & Entertainment
Missionaries from Minnesota Stranded in Haiti
Some outgoing flights canceled, but the team hopes to make it home soon
A group of missionaries from Minnesota are stranded in Haiti. They are from the Church of St. Joseph in Rosemount, according to KSTP-tv Eyewitness News.
The TV station says that a team of 16 adults made what was supposed to be a week-long journey to the poor nation (See: http://kstp.com/news/missionaries-from-minnesota-stranded-in-haiti-rosemount/4982791/)
Beth McDonough reports that Judy and Tom Schramer of Church of St. Joseph-Rosemount are from Apple Valley and are passionate about helping villagers, whether that means providing food, education or any kind of job training.
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The Schramer's, along with others, intended to fly back last Saturday but they couldn't get out of the country before riots broke out.
"We saw tires burning and you can't go to the airport unless you have a confirmed flight," Judy said.
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Several airlines canceled all incoming and outgoing flights over the weekend as protestors showed their outrage over a government imposed hike in fuel prices ranging from 38-51 percent. The days of unrest prevented safe travels in Port-au-Prince, where the airport is located. The U.S. Embassy in Haiti also told Americans to seek shelter until further notice.
At one point over the weekend, the Schramer's group ran out of food at their compound and had to send ambulances to other locations to bring back food. The missionaries then moved to another compound run by the Mission of Hope, which has armed security guards and is stocked with food, water and medicine.
The last update posted on the church website was Friday. The team was supposed to fly home Saturday. Now, the Schramer's are booked on a flight for Wednesday night, if conditions permit. The seven-day trip has turned into one long, chaotic mess.
When asked if it was worth it, Judy Schramer responded, "When you come here and see the people and what they have to deal with in their everyday lives, we eventually get to go, but they have to stay here."
Several other missionary groups from other states are trying to get home as well.
Photo from KSTP.
