I thought Ricardo was joking when he said that we were going to go to the beach after our wonderful church service this morning. He words were that if he can find gas we will go.
Well we found gas! We piled 10 people in the 5 seater truck, and off we went. An hour ride into the country side out of Carrfoure. I have never seen Haiti for what it really was I we have experienced till this point was the devastated city dusty and smelly and over crowded.
We drove at what seemed like 100 mph like we stole the truck and I have not asked how fast we were actually going because I don’t want to be accountable for that information. :0)
But when we arrived, it was awesome. That feeling of the cool water after a week of living in the Haitian oven. The water was a little churned up it was beautiful, blues and greens that only the caribbean style waters can have.
We spent the best part of the day in the water and washing off the stress of the week. It was so good for some down time because the pace has been pretty hard, but totally worth it to see the results in the work that was done.
We are headed home tomorrow, and I am happy for the chance to see my family. I miss my Kids! God has had his way here and excited to see what he will do after we leave. I look forward to praying in the house to haouse revival that is going to take place in Haiti, and if we watch close enough, we may even get to be part of it!
“I feel like our team has been effective. We’ve been stretched spiritually
and physically both, but it is all good. I feel like it is a good trip, and
I plan to take several more in the future. I’ve been here a lot of times.
The earthquake is unbelievable, the damage that’s been done. And dealing
with the 11yr old girl whose whole family was killed in the quake, that
affects your heart. You want to take them home with you, or do something.
Our whole emphasis in our church this year has been “you can’t do
everything, but you can do something.” After seeing the devastation here,
and all the piles and piles of rubble, we can’t do everything, but we’re
doing our something… That’s it I guess.” ~Pastor Tim, Family Christian
Center, Defiance, OH
This morning we got up and left at 6:30am with four car-FULLS to the beach
for a baptismal, soccer, and some “repose.”(not like Sarasota beaches).
Ricardo spoke to the Young Men of God before he and Godwin baptized each one
in the blue waves. The guys had a ruckus of fun afterwards in the water and
I played soccer with the boys while others slept or walked the shore or
buried Mark in the sand. I have a new young friend named Ferra. She is the
12 yr old girl with no family and no home. She hung out with me the last two
days coming along to take donations and do a post-partum tent visit. She
wanted to get baptized too, but I explained that she needs to watch first,
and understand what it’s about.
The worship last night in the tent city was wonderful. The
people received us with excited smiles and Chris estimates 350 to 500 people
*crowded *around the speakers and instruments. They sang, raised their arms,
and talked with all their white visitors. Our church members came early to
fellowship and walk around praying before as well as praying for people
during the service. I had about 4 little 4 and 5yr old girls clinging to me
who I’d never met. Luckenson and his mother (of 9), the family we set up
sponsorship for, were there. Some of our translators and 4 of my little boys
came along on the 20 minute walk too. Everyone was very pleased. They want
us to come back, and Ricardo says we will!
–
In His Grace,
Sabrina Zehr, CNM, ARNP
Medical Director of Haiti Family Ministries
Everyone was sick yesterday. 2 of my nurses had to leave because of not feeling well. We suspect the water source as a possible cause and have taken measures to resolve it. I felt better after finally throwing up last night but still feel very weak and slow today.
We’re realizing the difference between crisis mode and maintaining a steady longer term mission. I need to take a break every weekend. Rodney needs a home where he can go away to. When the leaders are here, the demands are constant. We sat down with Ricardo, Rodney, Dwayne, Kendra and I to discuss the long term vision of Haiti Family Ministries. We would like to start a 50 bed hospital under Haiti Family Ministries that could take off on it’s own. One immediate need is a facility for The Comfort military hospital ship, the Red Cross and other places to send their patients for post-op care. They also said that they do feel that a birth center would be a wonderful ministry. Both the hospital and the birth center would be focused on giving the patients the best care, showing them Christ’s love, and making them feel honored to be there and treated well.
For me, I plan to leave around March 25th to return for Grace’s wedding. At this point I have no reason to keep me from returning to continue on with the administration and vision of establishing a hospital and midwifery clinic. I see myself helping to get these started and turning the hospital and most of the midwifery clinic over to someone else. If God keeps me here long term I would help with administration of the birth center, deliver babies without getting run down, and have relaxed time to minister in the church with dance, health teachings and just living life. Because that’s what it’s about here. Living a life of ministry. If or when God wants my time here to end and move me somewhere else, I will follow as well.
I missed my Haitian brothers and sisters while they were gone to Goinieve for the memorial service. Last night while I was throwing up they all came around to care for me and came to my sleeping area on the roof to pray over me. They’re wonderful. Such a family.
The Americans are down at the base camp right now. Katrina and I are up here at Louise’s house with all the Haitians, where it all started before we cleared Ricardo’s land. The generator is running. They’re jabbering in Creole and laughing about goofy teases. Laughter is good. I’m going to head up to my place on the roof to sleep and recover. Someone bought some wine tonight so maybe I’ll sleep real well
Posted in Uncategorized on January 31st, 2010 by seth
Today we set up a large overhead tent and I spent the whole day organizing
our medical supplies. We received a new supply of donations today. It was
quite overwhelming but we finished! It looks SO wonderful and *organized!! *I
love it.
Today we learned that the director of the small local Food for the Poor Hospital will take over the management of it with the government and begin charging patients. All of the volunteer nurses who have become good friends of Katrina are leaving. They came to her today saying that they know of a location where they want to set up a mobile hospital with 2 Haitian doctors. But they have no supplies. Katrina went with them today to learn more about it. If all works well, we will be the channel to give them with our readily donated medical supplies and even augment their service with bringing in full medical teams every week.
Several praise reports of the day: We were giving formula to a 24 day old baby who’s mother is in the hospital, but we used our last can of formula to give them. Sarah had been visiting her every day for a few days.
The family had no money for formula and was trying to feed the child baby food. I had the idea yesterday, and today I saw my friend MariNoel (the 19
year old mother who had the very emaciated baby Jude who she gave for adoption in the States) and asked her if she would be willing to nurse this baby. She said yes!! We found a wet nurse! Praise the Lord!!!
The two French men happened to find an American run clinic here in Carrefour that provided them with a bus to transport patients. They drove a woman who was hit by a truck before the earthquake and re-injured by falling blocks in the quake, to the airport where she was flown to Miami for better care and surgery. In total they transported an estimated 15 people with deep wounds, broken bones and much more. They also treated many wounds. Today I revisited Nadelsia, a ~15yo girl who had a 103 plus temperature for 3 days, not eating at all. It is my 4th or 5th time seeing, praying, and treating her. Today was the first day: She was Smiling!! and NO FEVER!!!! Praise the Lord!!!
There are more updates, but the teams have not returned to report them yet. I will include them tomorrow. Keep praying for Miracles! and things to fall into perfect place for a hospital, teams, doctors and continuing improvement of efficient care and transport for the masses.
-Sabrina
food for the poor hospital
The medical division of Leglize Kay an Kay (House to House church) is now organized into 4 areas:
1. Scouting (headed by Katrina) of new tent cities to find the needs, searching out those who need transport to the hospital and other needs, such as someone to help a woman with a broken arm bathe everyday.
2. Small mobile …medical teams going out into tent cities providing first aid and basic medical care.
3. Transportation for those critically ill to a hospital with surgical and other advanced capabilities
4. Home based clinic treating and referring those who come to us.
Our future goals: bringing larger teams in for setting up mobile a mobile hospital, a midwifery clinic, and possibly resourcing to start a hospital.
Today we sent out several mobile teams. Sarah revisited an 23 day old baby who’s mother is gone in the hospital and has not been eating. We are attempting syringe formula feeding and trying to find a wet nurse. I revisited Leo, a man with a damaged wrist and hand who I had all the children around pray for him. I had been looking for him for 3 days. He is doing so much better!! I has no pain, much improved movement, and great healing! Praise the Lord! Those are two of the many. Katrina re-visited an emaciated girl who had not eaten since the earthquake. She was severely depressed. She has been feeding her electrolyte fluid, encouraging, and praying for her every day. Tomorrow we will have the Dr. come to see her. Another girl who was also hadn’t walked or eaten in 8 days today was walking and laughing with light in her eyes! Just now we returned from the hospital. The nurses came and got Katrina. Someone dropped a man off at the hospital (which closes around 4) who is around 70, skin and bones, burning up with a 102.7 temp, and looks awful. We prayed for him with a large group and gave him medical care. He may have cancer, aids, tb or something else. Tomorrow morning we will take him to the hospital.
–Kendra
Posted in Uncategorized on January 29th, 2010 by seth
Dear Restoration Family,
Greetings from Sabrina on behalf of the Haiti Family in Carfour! I finally have a free few minutes to sit down and write a full update letter. Seth and Doyle left this morning, and Dr. Patrick left this afternoon. Seth left the wonderful laptop in my stead with the role of updating the States. We had a meeting this afternoon with JaiPaul, Ricardo, Katrina, Mike and I discussing where we are with things and what the theorized plan is (Rodney & his family and Larissa JUST arrived so we’ll see how this sitting and typing goes now.)
Here’s what we discussed.
Updates:
1. We have finished the sheet metal perimeter of the cleared land over what was the Francois house.
2. We now have several camping tents set up inside on a tarp for sleepers, one medical supply tent, an open tent, and an area with a tarp draped over and chairs under. There is a functioning outhouse and “shower” there. (I used the gravity functioning tube shower the other day and felt like a queen!).
3. Katrina and I have been going out into the tent cities and streets treating the wounded and sick with whomever medical people are currently with us. Katrina has been working intensely to transport those in criticalneed to the hospital.
4. Food for the Poor Hospital:
There is a local small hospital called Food for the Poor (within a 10 minute walk). It lost all of it’s OR, lab, and supplies in the quake. It is chaotic to say the least. Today I myself attended a meeting with the director and two others. We are still evaluating how involved we want to be with the hospital. If you know of a team of men who are ready to come help
tear down rubble and rebuild a hospital, who have Creole translators, and who can bring extra money to pay for the supplies and pay the Haitian workers, please contact me.
Our Estimated plan as of now (before meeting with Rodney),
1. Set up (real) plumbing and the bathroom for the compound. Followed by pouring a concrete floor. Rebuilding a house is not a priority right now.
2. Our MAIN focus is helping the community with giving them:
1) Relationship, encouragement, and ministry
2) Tarps
3)Food
4)Medical attention
Needs:
1. Food to pass out
2. A Vehicle solely for transporting people to the hospital
3. Tarps to pass out
Example of a day:
Today Ricardo drove Seth and Doyle to the hospital while we took 10 U.S. pastors around to the tent cities with Michael Labady to see the need so they can better give. They plan to send food. Our medical people and others
went to Food for the Poor hospital to try to help run it. Katrina went out with a few to seek “the least of these” who are overlooked with desperate need for medical attention in the tent cities. I stayed here to see those who come to our door needing treatment and organize. Others in our camp went out on medical walks to treat and find those who need transport. Men did more work on the base with a new shower. Through the well we pumped out free water (a very precious commodity) in the street. (I walked to one of my known tent cities and called out to everyone “Vini! Genge dlo la! Vini!” *Come, have water there, come! *The mother’s eyes lit up and they flocked in a massive line to the street. It was great! I have revisited this camp every day for a while to re-check some sick that I have treated. They know me by
name now. I can hardly walk down the street without getting someone call “Sabrina!” every 10 seconds. I love it. Someone brought soccer balls and Lindsay and JaiPaul were just playing in the street with the Hatians. I can hear another group of singers praising God in the distance. Monday we had quite a good sized aftershock there scared everyone again with memories and fear. Shortly after we heard singers. The sound grew into a hoard of people walking the streets of the city saying “It is by the grace of God that I am alive! Hallelujah!” Ricardo says, “People are turning to God, whether they know Him or not.” Most everyone that I ask to pray for is very accepting and many say they are Christians. But the issue runs deeper, the culture, the values, issues with selfishness, greed, and standing by while the man who sleeps next to them with a broken leg cannot get to the hospital. Maybe something is happening. It’s too early to tell. Last week we still heard the witch doctor preaching through a loud speaker to some crowds. But Pastor Eddie (a good friend of the Smokers’ and Francois) said that there were demons there that said it was all lies (!).
There are good things happening, because of our team people will keep their limb, not suffer systemic infiltrating infection, and received prayer and encouragement for their suffering heart. The emotional trauma is as damaging
as the physical. Yesterday I saw woman at the F4TP hospital again and one pregnant woman told me she had bleeding after the quake. She was never hit or hurt, she was sitting in a car and debris fell on top and crushed the driver. She watched him die. She said since then her heart is racing and she has abdominal pain. Every time she feels the earth move she is so scared. She began to cry in my exam room. Through a translator I prayed for her and did what I could. It is sad. Another boy “Wood” had to have his arm amputated, but that is least when you know that he is now an orphan because of it all.
I know this is long, but there is so much going on here. One day feels like a week! And there is always new people coming and going and things changing. I will now send an update every evening.
Orevwa! Bonnuit!
-*Sabrina *(on behalf of all of us at Haiti Family Carfour)
John Fussle is a guy who has been flying to Haiti and back almost non-stop since a couple of days after the earth quake. He is an amazing man working with those in contact with Haiti Family Ministries in the Midwest. This is his update as of 1-25-09
Take two: I had my notes for the update today, However because my pack was in a place with lots of access, I found it searched through and many items missing. The last pages of my journaling are by far the greatest loss. So I start again…
Another Great night, I was worried because of the issue we would have if it decided to rain. As clouds began to form over Haiti, I could feel the intensity of the prayers as I joined with them to send the rain to the Dominican Republic so they would be watered and our wells would be filled! But I was put to sleep as we all were while Sabrina sang Andy Anderson and the rest of us on the roof our nightly lulaby. The night before is was Doyle and Ricardo… that was a real treat! ;0)
We had a very unusual wakening this morning. There was a tremor, not just a small one either. It felt like some one was shaking the bed to wake you really hard, but I was on concrete. I jumped up and called out to Doyle, Andy and Sabrina. Doyle and Andy laughed at me and Sabrina had her stuff down stairs so fast she was a blur. I was not really afraid until that.. and after that I was second guessing everything. Talk about a mind shiftt. I had a little insight into why the Haitians wont go back to their homes.
So we got up and did the usual morning routine: treat the water, brush your teeth, get some coffee, read, pray and journal.
Today we went back to the hospital to get stuff again and we had the truck. The plan was to get the hospital started and then take the truck out to look for the wounded so we could bring them to care. It’s a good plan! We jumped up in the truck and I was driving. Driving in a third world country is an experience. One that I am glad to have, but wow talk about drive it like you stole it. So we made our way around, to the hospital, then we were on our way out. At that time I was backing out of the hospital, which was tricky, and there was two way traffic plus street vendors and all sorts of stuff around, and in all the confusion… I missed the break for the clutch and rolled the truck back in to a vendors wares. I knocked them all over the street! It seemed like everyone in the whole world was laughing at me. I was too. Just not the vendor. Nothing broken and nothing hurt we were quickly back on our way with one less burned heavy.. MY PRIDE!
We made our way to the village under the bridge, it was a special place very poor, even by Haiti standards. We walked in and the first thing we seein a 350+ lb pig and some cows under the bridge. I would have never expected to see them there, but there they were! Are first connections was two young pregnant girls, teens and one was with a baby already. They looked good but MIke wanted to give one some vitamins so we did and went in deeper. We came on a tent colony, smaller by there was a girl there who had not had a full meal in 15 months. That was not earthquake related, she had surgery that long ago and just never got better.
We worked out a way to get her the right kind of food and follow up by Kartina and we prayed for her. Some of the crew who had just come in the day before were there and prayed with us and it was really a powerful time. We could feel the presence of God in this dark place that was just down the block from the Voodoo temple.
After that I got this great video of a man who was telling the story of what they were experiencing: Watch this.
And the last stop we made that morning was with Ruben. Ruben had a compound fracture in both of the bones in his shin. Very painful. We found him by accident, and Katrina was so excited. As we walked into the area that he was living with his family there were ruins, that had sheeting over them and an open charcoal fire and some chairs where his mom and sisters were reading their bibles.
One of the sisters were praying when we walked in and I just could feel that she was praying at that time for he brother to get help. Then we showed up. We rushed him to the hospital for an x-ray. The young man had been laying there for about two weeks. His whole left side was swollen when we had to move him he screamed in pain like I have never heard. We had to do with out a stretcher of any kind because one was not available. That would have killed me right there. However this tough man lives! We took him in and then we had to move him again to a different hospital because we didn’t have the surgery center to help him. At the airport there is a Miami University Medishare program where people have been taking a lot of the broken bones and major injuries. There are hopitals set up all over Haiti, but Mike knew we needed to go to this one. The problem was that it takes two hours to get there in the middle of the day.
We made the trip and set up the family with that doctors. But here is the real deal.. We made the trip tp the airport not knowing exactly where the hospital was. SO we get to the main teminal of the air port and there is Partick doc who had been staying with us but had jut taken off for a few days and we had no idea where he was and he just happened to be walking out when we were puling up. Praise God!
He took us to the hospital, and as we are pulling up to it the Haitian Doc that Mike knows is walking out the door. Hows that for miracle #2 because this doc got him in with his x-rays in less that 5 minutes! After that Patrick told us That the pilot who has been flying supplies down was waiting to be picked up so we went and scooped him up.
There was a gas shortage with the plane gas and he didn’t have enough to get back to the states, or even to an airport close by, so Michale labady worked it for us to borrow some gas from another pilot and we were able to set him up to go out in the morning.
God worked so much today that I just saw his hand every where we went. I didn’t see any flashy miracles, but I saw God working all day long. I am amazed at the awesomeness of God and his plan that leads us to the right place and the right time.
“He leads me beside the still waters and restores my soul” Ps. 23
Posted in Uncategorized on January 24th, 2010 by seth
Day two….Today was a day of hard labor, and a day for extreme payoff. I opted out of the medical camps today. Honestly my heart just couldn’t take it. I was so glad to switch to moving rock and sweating through all my clothes.
I did find the day very rewarding though. I have made some friends. While I have a bunch of people in the camp that are wonderful, these friends we little boys. Jean Miguel and Schider. These boys I want to take home. They worked for food and water. Jean Miguel worked yesterday too moving rock and running a wheel barrow. He is about 8 and he is some wonderful. His eyes full of life just excited to eat and drink and feel like he is doing something.
The boys, Andy Anderson, Doyle Helmuth and I hooked up the well that was buried under the rubble at Ricardo’s. After all the digging and removing of rocks, Ricardo brought in the generator and we fired up the well. It was like christmas! We have water for a shower! Also we were able to give much of that water to the surrounding community.
There has been no greater joy then to shout free water and see the people mob for the chance. We miraculously got them to line up and we began to fill 5 gallon buckets for what seemed like an hour. Probably 300 gallons and there will be more tomorrow.
When the line was done there were a few buckets still there and I saw these little children who were by them. We asked if it was their bucket, there was no way possible for them to lift it let alone carry them. Exhausted, but a surge of compassion Doyle and I carried the buckets back to the tent city where they are living.
It was about a 1/4 mile and I didn’t feel the burn at all. As I walked back into the city I was taken to the home of the fist child. At Best it was a make shift tent 5 poles some string and sheets. That is all that is separating this family of 5 from the elements. The mother of the house was washing clothes in a larger mixing bowl and there was a trash fire there were cooking food on. It looked like there were eating a little bit of corn meal, and some banana’s. The women in the tent were so glad to see me they shouted “thank you” and the other “merci” with tear filled eyes.
That has rebuilt my heart. Yesterday, it was head wounds and infants with amputations and today I was given back hope. I was able to see that these people with the right help will over come. They are in Choas. Let’s not discount that, however, they will keep going.
This morning my devotional was in Ps. 25.
(this is my paraphrase)
unto to thee O Lord, do I lift up my soul… Lord I trust you and I know that you will not let me be ashamed as you are being glorified. That my enemy will not triumph over me and Your works will be known through all the world.
My prayer this morning was to be like Jesus. To be in a place that I could be his hands. Today to those children, I made a difference. Even if it was small, I showed them love. Love them I do. I want to take all of these Haiti children home with me.
Well goodnight. I am good spirits as there is much to do, but I don’t carry the load my father does.
Posted in Uncategorized on January 23rd, 2010 by seth
First let me say I have only a few minutes to type this and I am the world worst typist..
Ok.. here is what is real. I landed at the airport and shortly afterward I was on my way with ricardo. He brought me with a borrows truck to his compound. On the way let me describe what I saw in the dark.
I saw rubble everywhere. there was houses down and we had to be careful driving because people are sleeping in the streets. They wont sleep in houses, they are afraid. really afraid.
Also the whole area that we have been smells like a a garbage place, However, the smell goes away after a while. One the way in I saw the body of a young boy face down in the gutter. It broke my heart to see it but some how I held it together.
When we got to Ricardos, we walked through the gate and there were a lot of people there. We are here sleeping on the gravel, in sleeping bags. Not what I expected, but I was prepared. The night was beautiful, except for the African/German guy who was snoring and it keep me up the whole night except for about an hour.. Its ok thought i was on hold for four days I couldn’t sleep anyway.
I woke up and it was manual labor time and it was great I felt strong and it was honest work. We were making the new place to call base camp. The area we are in is too small for all the supplies and for the people, so we are tarping up the lot where Ricardo’s house is and we found the well.
after that was ready the medical team was preparing to go, so doyle and i joined the team. Riding in the back of an ambulance did not prepare me for what I was about to see. I had no idea.
Children with amputations, with the wounds still fresh and infected. head wounds, children with cuts and broken bones that just made me as a parent shutter. there was a woman who had a 8 inch wide and 3 inch deep wound in her stomach and leg. these injuries were just one or two, there were a steady stream for hours of one after the other. it was so hard. Another medical team joined us from the DR and they were doctors we were cranking the people through the clinic really fast, I was even treating minor wounds trying to help with the demand.
That was the hardest thing I have ever done. We carried out on a field stretcher about 7 people and with every trip back I had to put my sun glasses on because I could not hold back the tears.
the people here are two ways. one they are hungry and desperate, or they just seem un-moved just going about life as usual. I don’t understand. It is really hard with the children, they ask for food and I know that they are really hungry. It is so hard to eat. I haven’t finished anything that I have opened. I give it away. I am trying to keep my strenght up and I can do it for 5 days. But what about them? they may not eat for five more days. I wish I could more. My heart is breaking. I don’t know what else I can do.
I thought Ricardo was joking when he said that we were going to go to the beach after our wonderful church service this morning. He words were that if he can find gas we will go.
