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SALT LAKE CITY -- The Utah Hospital Task Force left for Haiti Thursday with the goal of bringing back orphans who were already adopted by Utahns before the earthquake.
Several members returned to Utah Saturday, and say their mission was a success.
They were happy, cheerful and triumphant, but also somewhat sad. "It's in such chaos down there. The system changes every day," says Jason Taylor.
Taylor is one of four volunteers with the Utah Hospital Task Force who came home to Salt Lake City Saturday afternoon. They arrived on a flight to the Salt Lake City International Airport.
Taylor was part of a bigger group that went to Haiti this past Thursday to get orphans who were adopted by Utahns before the earthquake. "Those kids are the most amazing children, the most resilient children I've ever seen," says Taylor.
Roosevelt Richard, who was also part of the group, has lived in Utah for two years. Before Utah, he lived in Haiti.
He says going back to his home and seeing the way it is now is depressing. "I lost about 10 friends of mine. People I grew up with," says Richard. "It's going to take a lot of time and money to rebuild this country, and a lot of effort."
The team spent two full days in Haiti. Members say they had to talk to the Haitian government and to the prime minister to get the children to America.
They were hoping to get 150 orphans, but were only able to bring back 141. The other nine are being held in Haiti so the government can get additional fingerprints from them.
The group flew to Florida late Friday night and was still in Florida late Saturday. Parents who adopted the orphans have to fly to Florida to get them.
Some have already been cleared and could start arriving in Utah Sunday. Others are being kept by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for further checks.
The group is expecting to have all of the children in Utah by Monday night.
Richard says he just can't wait to see them in their new homes.
"America is a country of opportunity for everybody, you know? It's going to be a country of opportunity for these kids," he says. "They will be able to go to school and be able to eat and have good water to drink and everything, you know?"
The group says it will try to get more orphans in the coming months. "Why not? We were called down to this earth for a purpose," says Taylor. "Those are our brothers and sisters down there."
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
