Note from a friend who survived the collapse of the house she was in in Haiti

This note just in from my friend Susie Weaver Day in Haiti. She was in highschool when I was in middle school. She was a student physical ed coach for us at the time and we thought she was so cool:

Dear Friends & Family,
We are overwhelmed with the out pouring of love shown in many different ways. We are sorry not to respond to each as we have hundreds of emails and fb messages. Denny & I sat together for a moment late last night trying to read w/ tears in our eyes...It is totally unbelievable here yet we know we have a God who is bigger than all of this and He is taking care of us..TRUST/FAITH takes on a hightened meaning in our lives. My children are overwhelmed...Micah keeps saying..& who says there is no God...realizing..who do we think we are making all these plans..busy, busy...have everything..can be taken away just like that!!!

We wanted to send out an email to everyone giving some update on us and the situation. My parents are safe. They had left Haiti on Monday for a very short trip to Florida with plans of returing today. This is a miracle in itself because it has been a long time since they left together & this was our first time house sitting for them. I was staying at their home in Petionville during the day and Denny with at least one of the kids at night.

I was at the house alone and started cooking dinner for Denny & Micah. The rest of the family were all at school for practise and Denny was coaching too. I knew they were all outdoors. Thankfully!! I left the kitchen to go to my dad's office to call my sister in law, Linda to give her my parents number in Florida. I had just talked with my mom...it was her birthday on the day of the Earthquake!!! As I was talking to her the terrible rumbling, violent shaking started throwing me on the floor across the room & right away the ceiling, walls, rocks, boards came crashing down blocking the door. I got hit with stuff to my right side mainly with minor cuts, scrapes, bruises to my right arm, head and back. I thought my arm was broken with all the swelling & appearing crooked...very limited movement. I kept talking to my sister in law who was not there...we got cut off right away but it felt like my life line...then realizing not...I began praying out loud...I kept my mind focus...knowing I needed to get out..looking up saw that my dad's iron window had broken loose at the top from the rock...I dug my self out...& climbed up on stuff and out.

I basically stayed on the property. No where to go for help & so many screaming, people walking, singing..on the streets...it was horrible. I couldn't leave as I didn't want any one coming thinking my parents were inside the house or myself. I had not contact..lost my phone..found out nothing was working anyway...I did not make contact with denny until 9pm that night...He came with Micah...We hugged..cried!!! It was so good to see them!!
My parents home is demolished. Unliveable.

Friends had taken the rest of the kids & 2 other boys we usually take home, to our house on the mountain. We had no damage to our home. Just somethings fell and broke. Our maid, Tali..please pray for her. she was here alone..worried sick about us and her family. Made her way down the mountain to my parents home. She took one look at me and broke into a Hysteria state. Calming her down..I was able to give her food out of my truck...to take to her family. She was afraid to go see as she felt the house had fallen....We have not heard from her. Please pray.

Sleeping is very difficult for everyone. Every noise, movement...we jump up. The after shocks are very scary. The first 2 days we felt them often with some bigger ones. Last night I felt at least 3 with stuff rattling in our home. I don't think I slept at all. I wanted everyone out of the house...but Denny calmed me down...Micah took a sleeping pill last night...he usually has no trouble..Noah has a hard time too. But the kids are all great and working very hard to help. We are sleeping all of us in the living room..with the front door wide open.
We have not hd much sleep. Wednesday the kids and Denny worked on getting what they could out of the house. It is very dangerous...but it doesn't seem like nothing else has given way. We also sought medical help for me as I had an open gash on my head...a mission team here said it was to the skull...I fot that taken care of. My arm nothing could be done as so many were more injured thean I..and no xray..but praise God..I am moving it more and more. It was just badly bruised and very painful but better now.

Today Denny went to go find water and Diesel and see if a store is open to at least get milk. We are okay for now on food. Was able to salvage too from my parents home. They are not giving city electricity. So we use our gen for a few hours aday..thus we can be on internet. After a few hours our invertor crashes and we have nothing. don't know how much this will last. We have filtered water...some containers left but have a firend that can filter water for us.

We are keeping close tabs on what the Embassy communicate with Americans. Our mission too is in close contact and to them we look for decisions. They are evacuating non essential personal from the Embassy. I have been hearing that some American families have left and some leaving today. Please pray for us in regards to what to do and when. We have so much to take care of. Our house is all in an upheavel..but thank goodness we have a home to come to. We want to go help people...we may go down to the school today as they are using it for patints...surgeries will be done in the school chapel. The Haitian workers and their famiies ahve taken shelter on the campus. An orpahage lost their place and are living on campus. The b-ball court is used for the injured. They need translators and workers..So we want to go.

Our mission campus last I heard has about 1000 patients taking refuge on campus needing urgent medical care. Supplies have run out & they are trying to find a way to get supplies in. I heard there has been a lot of aid coming in. Early this morning we heard planes and helicopters...

We have many friends..many people we know...who have either lost their lives or someone they know. Common buildings we go into colapsed killing and traping many people. The stories are unbeliebable. So far we know of 2 of our students who lost their lives and parents too. I'm sure more to come.
We can not get TV in our home..so we are not seeing the coverage. Out and about we see the devastation..people walking aimlessly...blank faces...it's terrible. We see pics on Face book.

To see Natalie's pics if you are not on fb go to www.flickr.com/photos/natouday You will see pics of my parents home.

Also, if anyone would like to send money to help especially people on our mission compound and others who need it desperately you can go through www.crossworld.org At the end of the article you will see a place to click for giving.

Just heard from Denny. He is in a long line waiting to get gas. He is with friends so not by himself. It is choas. Pray for safety as the looting has started. Good news..one for our friends worked at the hotel getting people out last night until 2am. Many organizations are there helping. It's one of the nicest hotels here and many of the dignitaries stay there holding many conferences...they pulled 5 people out alive. Our neighbors, the Bakers..their family owns this hotel and are missing cousins and other family at the hotel. The hotel is Montana. You may have seen it on CNN.

Well, sorry I'm rambling..but I don't know when I will be able to get another email out. Wanted to be in touch with everyone. Feel free to share this.

My parents will be staying with my brother, Mike in Orlando until...???? They can not move back in their home.
In His care,
Susie &Danny,