I know tensions are high with everyone here on the ground, so please forgive me if I seem like I am bashing anyone... everyone is anxious and tense. Everyone is fighting for supplies for their families/kids/orphanages, etc. etc. etc... I get that. I totally get that. MOST people I have dealt with are extremely civil. Haitians are strong people-- they can withstand a lot. Most of them aren't complaining.
Today however, something happened today that I just cannot fathom.
We've been trying to locate oxygen for a team of doctors that came in. They need it before they can operate. We located a supplier in Jacmel. We paid for it and told that we can take it in the morning. So we went to go pick it up. Of course he wasn't there. So we went to his house. He has oxygen. He had tanks. He wouldn't give us the tanks. He said unless we have empty tanks to exchange we cannot have oxygen. I told him that we need it for surgery. He told us than we better get some tanks. I said I would pay him whatever he wanted. Anything. Just ask and I will pay it. He refused. I told him that people were DYING because they need surgery and we cannot do the surgeries without the oxygen. He said he didn't care. I asked him again, "So you're telling me that you want me people to die rather than give us the tanks?" He said, "Yes."
I just walked away and muttered, "Ok, thanks."
The truth is, I wanted to punch him in the face but I knew IF we could find bottles we'd have to come back to him. The story ends well-- we were able to get to the local hospital and get empty bottles. We were able to get them filled.
I understand business is business, but at what point will people decide to be all in?
