Panama medical trip

So we've been to the islands where we stayed in a new village - Playa Caimito. We traveled to three different villages where we had to cross a bamboo bridge, climb never ending stairs, jump from the boat to shore, scramble up and down slippery rocks.

We saw lots of people in oppressive heat and had a great time together.

Went to the border with Costa Rica today to a church there and saw a whole lot of people. Got to talk with the pastor and hear his inspiring story. Have met a lot of inspiring people young and old, including a great group of high school kids from Florida on fire for the Lord!

We're holding up well. A few minor illnesses here and there but nothing too serious. Lots of heat, wetness, fatigue, and joy serving the Lord.

Love you all,

Dr. Jim

Sent from my iPhone

Haitians to the Rescue!

It was hot, I mean hot. It was humid, super humid. We were finishing up our walk through the most despicable place on earth with many little "helpers" in tow.  As we rounded the corner close to where our truck was parked, my mind raced to make sense of the horror I had just witnessed.  As we approached the truck the children began to line the bumper. A grown up signaled for them to scatter so we could load up.  That's when we saw it, we had flat tire! 

The guys spring into action. They begin looking for the tools necessary to change the tire. The proper tools were nowhere to be found, big suprise! Ryan Howe morphs into McGyver and begins to figure out how to get the spare out without the proper tool. As Ryan and a few guys go to work, the rest of us begin playing games with the kids, thankful for a little extra time with them. And that's when it happens...the Haitian tent camp residents come out in full force to help. My heart begins feeling confused, how is it that we have traveled all the way to Haiti to help it's people and we find ourselves in need of their help...The men bring out their meager, beat up tools and blankets for the guys to lay on.  All that they had, their prize possessions for us to fix a tire! We toured the tent camp with no tangible help in tow...no food, clothing or bedding, only heavy hearts and loving arms.  With no help given, the Haitians extend a kind arm of assitance to us.  I will never understand why, but for that moment the kind, resilient and helpful Haitians rescued us!

So the American missionaries, those here to help, found ourselves on the receiving end.  Humbled, confused and saddened by the reality, I waited in great thirst for our tire to be changed.  I was so thirsty, but in my heart I knew the thirst I felt could not and would not ever compare to the hunger these people experience everyday.  So, our visit to the tent camp with forever be seared in my memory...the day we were rescued by the Haitians!

Love and hugs to all!
Emilie

Running boy

7 years old, running, playing. Like most kids having fun but on his own. A fall, broken bones. Bone sticking through skin. You and I would be go to the ER, have surgery, probably IV antibiotics, splint, rehab and life goes on.

If you live in the mountains of Haiti life may be different. If you're like my little patient yesterday you may be hours and hours away from  hospital. Your parents unable to feed you much less transport you for surgical care. Knowing all of this, you look down, see your arm bone sticking out, pull your bone back into the skin, set the arm yourself, pull your shirt off and make a sling. A sling to support not only your compound fracture but also your elbow fracture, your rotator cuff tear, and your complete shoulder seperation. Your arm hurts a lot, but you go on. Six weeks later your bones are healing but you have a sore that won't heal, a sore that goes on and on and on.

Six months later your parents finally walk hours to drop you off with your aunt, who feeds you and walks you several hours to the christian hospital being built in Peredo. Newly constructed, still being outfitted with equipment, you see Dr. Jim.

Dr. Jim knows that sore are needs to be removed in surgery. Unfortunately the bone could be infected and may need more than we're equipped to do. We need an Xray which could be done in a nearby town but the Aunt has already spent money she couldn't afford to bring him here. Our surgical area isn't fully equipped, isn't as clean as we would wish, what is a missionary to do?

You do what you can. We explained the situation and proceeded to numb up the area. This tough little boy called out to Jesus, saying he would make it all better. We successfully removed the tissue and closed him up.

We rewarded his bravery with a chance to pick out some donated clothes and a toy. Leaving the clinic he had a smile, some stitches, some new shorts, tootsie rolls, and an invitation to have lunch with the school kids next door.

 One less problem in a life full of them. It is my prayer that God will reward his aunt for her generosity and provide for him and his family. That people in the area will know God generously provides in the clinic at Peredo. That Peredo becomes a center for excellence in this beautiful town and country. Already people are coming cross the country to recieve low cost, high quality, compassionate care. Hopefully they will encounter our Lord who provides it all.

Jim

Number 26

We (medical team) left the orphanage for the clinic at 815am. We traveled along the beautiful coastline just as we had for the past two days. When we arrived, Haitians were waiting patiently for clinic hours to begin. The first three hours were pretty routine; Dr. Jim, Dr. Randy, Dr. Henry and Dr. Kenner (Haitian doctors) seeing patients, Diane pulling teeth, and Mary and me filling prescriptions in the pharmacy. As I was filling a routine Tylenol prescription, Dr. Henry called me into the exam room. There sat a very young mother, with what looked like a newborn baby sleeping in her lap. As I looked closer, I realized this baby was seriously ill. Dr. Henry explained that the baby was born about 18 days ago and had not been eating. The mother had informed him that she was having problems producing milk and did not have enough money for formula, so she walked two hours to the clinic to have the baby examined. The baby had not been fed since birth, 18 days.

Dr. Henry and Dr. Kenner immediately went in search of formula. The clinic had three cans in storage, and two were expired. We took the one and only can of formula and mixed a few ounces to feed this precious little boy.

With a syringe in hand, I began to feed the lethargic newborn. At first, he had no interest in eating this foreign tasting milk. But after a few minutes, he was eating like a professional. He took the first syringe rather quickly, but slowed down when feeding him the second syringe. His little belly was not equipped for large amounts of formula.

As I was feeding this little one, the weight of this situation fell upon me. This baby's mother walked two hours to see us! She loved her baby so much, she knew if she didn't, he would starve to death. It was at this point I began to cry. I cried and I prayed to watch over this baby and help him grow, help him survive. I noticed Laura standing beside me at that moment and her sweet smile made me cry even harder. I told her his story and she knelt down and prayed with me, the mother, and the baby. We cried together, we fed the baby together, we continued to pray together.

In the meantime, Dr. Kenner had made a phone call to Tina. He had arranged for the baby and mother to return to Jacmel with the medical team where he would be fed and cared for at Miss Tina's orphanage. We finished our final tasks in the clinic and Diane, Mary, the baby's mother, and myself piled into Dr. Kenner's vehicle for the bumpy ride back to Jacmel.

Forty-five minutes later, we were pulling onto Miss Tina's property. The construction crew and Chuck opened the gate and  welcomed us with open arms. We showed Miss Tina the beautiful new addition to her family, whom she had already named Josiah, and whisked him away upstairs to feed him a bottle and bathe him. While Diane and I were feeding and bathing Josiah, Tina was speaking with Josiah's mother. His mother explained to Tina that she could not care for him and her other two children at home anymore. She had no money and her husband had died in the cholera epidemic right before Josiah was born. She knew with no milk production and no money, her baby would starve to death. Previously, she had tried to give him to another orphanage, but they refused because they had no room. The two hour walk to our medical clinic was her last resort. The mother willingly gave baby Josiah to Tina, and Tina in turn sent the mother home with food for the other two children. The mother so grateful, cried and thanked Tina multiple times.

Josiah is now sleeping, with a full belly and clean diaper, ready for our evening devotion. Another wonderful addition to Miss Tina's family. A precious gift from God. "Number 26".

Helping & Hurting

Up @ 5:30am, had pancakes, coffee & conversation, then off to the construction site by 7am.  Forming a line we passed LOTS of block to each other & up on the roof to continue the process of finishing the home for an elderly couple that came from the Village of Hope that had been flooded out (the one Jared refers to in his blog) It was HOT, but so rewarding to be able to be apart of such a great team including the Haitian crew!  Emilie & I are the only 2 girls on the construction team & the guys make us feel just like one of them!  Chuckie, who spent 24 wks last yr in Haiti & has been coming here for the last 3 yrs, is an AMAZING individual who is the most compassionate man, so soft spoken & loving & everyone knows CHUCKIE, as they call out when he drives past or is walking down the street, he really reminds you of how Jesus was, loving the children & humble!  He's a modern day Jesus :) After we finished at the worksite, Chuckie took us into downtown Jacmel to meet Charlotte, who was in charge of the largest tent camp in the Jacmel area!  What a powerful woman, so full of energy, assertive & strong!  She took us to the tent camp today & I couldnt believe it, these people are living in filth, feces, urine, they're starving & most are covered in scabies...I can't believe that our government doesn't do something about this & that they're government is to corrupt to care!  It makes me MAD, I don't get it...we wouldn't let our animals live in the conditions, so why would we be so inhumane to let men, woman & children live in it!  As soon as we got out of the truck I had 2 little ones hanging on my arms, holding my hand, playing games & all I could do was let them, love them & tell them I'm sorry.  All of us who visited tent camp today were followed by several children, pointing to their bellies, because they are so hunger & food is not getting there...where did all the money that was donated go?  There hair is red on the ends because they don't get enough protein & their eyes are yellow from jaundice.  This should NOT be happening, it's not right.  I feel ashamed for the things I have & nice home I live in & for the bed I get to sleep in.  These people don't even sleep when it rains because inside their tents its like a mud hole, a bacteria infested mud hole!  Sad, so sad!  So many question my motives for wanting to go on a mission trip out of the country saying, "why can't you help people in the United States?"  Well our people have opprotunity & the resources to be able to do something, shelters to go to, food banks to feed them!  Haiti doesn't have that, again the goverment doesn't care & prohibits them from doing anything.  The only help they get is outside help, people like our mission team, so that's why I do it, because if people from the outside didn't, then no one would!  All we can do is pray that God will help them find a way out, help as much as possible & do what Jesus has commanded us to do!!

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty & you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger & you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick & you looked after me, I was in prison & you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger & invite you in, or needing clothes & clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'  The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

Matthew 25:34-39

Humbly in His Grip,
Rachael

Kids, Kisses, Clinic, Chaos

Plane touches down in Haiti. Once again i am blessed with God giving me the gift of landing here. first impression PAP - much improvement. many areas from the airport construction to fewer tents in the medians of the city streets to actually seeing big machines moving the crumbled earth. as i rode through the city of PAP i thanked God for the few changes i did see.
ahh, the mission and the KIDS! i was so excited to give hugs and kisses! instantaniously i knew names and saw new faces. the shock of seeing Ezekiel... WALKING! hands raised in praise, thank God! he was knocking on deaths door a few months ago and now he is charging head first into his future that God hs in store for him. little jamesly who hardly had any muscle control is crawling, pulling himself to his feet and interacting with his quick smile and laugh with everyone.
i was ready for the new faces like little jon eddy who spent the church service sleeping on my lap and smiling huge while awake.
in preparation for this trip i prayed much for the ability to be able to be in the moment, and see through His eyes and be His hands and feet.
I've been blessed to be able to spend time in the medical clinic in Peredo with pastor RoRo. the clinic struck me as one built by Gods love, giving honor to those in the surrounding mountainous area by giving them a place to visit doctors and be treated with respect and honor. haitians must walk sometimes hours on the rough terrain- sick- with a hope of being there early enough to see the doctor on that day. if they were too far back in line, they will be told to return the next day. although my heart aches for their suffering, i know that the volunteers are doing their best in being able to determine the immediate needs to allow the docs to see them.
market day- chaos.
filth, crushing crowds, noise. ive experienced market twice this week. once on foot through the crowds in jacmel to purchase vegetables for the mission house. the second time in  vehicle with  my husband at the helm steering us through the throng of people and their wares. getting just the right spot to set up your display of goods is of utmost importance. even if that means setting up in the middle of the street. so while driving, we waited, with 8 in a vehicle,  for the vendors to move their goods in order for us to pass through. the crowds walked past, the horns honked, the voices raised in question and all the while we were waiting in a see of people. a 45 minute scenic coastal drive to peredo turned into a 2 hour heart pounding, patience testing experience. many praises to my husband for remining cool- calm - and collected throughout the whole ordeal!
praise God for this amazingly humbling experience of life in Haiti!
Kari

3 Feet from the Sun

Today the construction crew was able to make some good progress on the house in Village of Hope. The house is a duplex designed for a few elderly folks...it's about the size of most of your garages. We've been working on the roof which will be all concrete and ready for a second floor to be added if need be. The work was very tedious...AND HOT! The Haitian work crew are very hard workers, but today even they were dragging a little bit in the 100+ degree weather. It felt like Haiti was 3 feet from the sun.
Every day there is a steady stream of Jacmel residents that stop by the worksite to visit "Chuckie and the Gang." The language barrier is difficult while we work but hilarious while we visit. Jonesie (John D) and Shugie stop by every day after school. Their visit today ended in a water fight! Jonesie speaks 3 languages and thinks he's a hip-hop star. Shugie calls Chuck his brother and currently has a machete wound on his hand that we've been treating. His uncle wacked him for reaching across the table for food. These two teens would fit right in with our youth at SonLight!
Haiti is a beautiful country. We're building our house on a small lot nestled between Miss Tina's school, a voodoo priestess's house, the Hands and Feet Orphanage (run by the guys from Audio Adrenaline), the old Village of Hope flooded during last year's hurricane, and the base of a beautiful mountain.
The work is hard. The conditions are horrifying. The country is broken. But these kids we're staying with are adorable, fat, healthy, and learning. The folks here eat lobster like we eat chicken and we get to cool off in what might as well be our own private Carribean lagoon! And if that weren't enough...we get to see what God has been doing here. In every interaction we have with the missionaries, pastors, students, and locals we hear that God is good and that God is healing this broken country. More importantly God is saving individuals and we get to join in the work!
-Jared