CDRE Thomas Negus, USN November 2 2010 04:29:52 PM
The call came in the night. We were ordered to cease our operations in Suriname, begin a backload of all CONTINUING PROMISE personnel and equipment back aboard ship, and set sail to best position to respond to a potential hurricane strike on Haiti. Hurricane Tomas is bearing down on the exceptionally vulnerable population of Haiti and they may need our help. We are going to be there if they need it.
At dawn, personnel packed up their gear and headed to our various work sites established throughout the Surinamese capital city of Paramaribo. We began the orderly though expeditious re-assembly of the CONTINUING PROMISE team back aboard our flagship. Our great enterprise shifted gears from planned humanitarian assistance in Suriname to potential disaster relief in Haiti. Helicopters buzzing overhead, phones ringing around the ship and around the city, and emails popping into computers everywhere are the sounds of shifting gears.
Sad farewells were unexpectedly conducted. Thirty civilian NGO partners all had arrangements to return to the States following the completion of the mission in Suriname, so they had to leave a few days earlier than anticipated given our necessary departure. We found ourselves speechless at the suddenness with which we had to separate; we sang the songs of life together over these past several months. It was hard to say goodbye.
But duty has no pause for sorrow, and the entire team worked throughout the day. After all people had been recovered aboard, our last farewell's given to those going ashore, all equipment accounted for or delivered, and all possible fuel pumped onboard from a refueling barge, CAPT Chassee gave the order to lift the ship's great anchor. CONTINUING PROMISE was again underway on our journey of the sea.
Praying for the best and planning for the worst is a military trait. We are desperately hoping that Tomas shall pass Haiti by; we are earnestly preparing in the case that it does not. If the hour of need arise, then CONTINUING PROMISE will be there - back in Haiti where we began this magnificent journey; once again offering our hands to the least among us; once again continuing the promise that turns our efforts into hope.
