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Notes from the field
New board member
Aug. 11, 2008 | Foundation Report
Haiti Foundation of Hope welcomes Dr. Steve Sethi as a member of its board. Steve is an internist with a master’s degree in public health. He lives in the Portland area with his wife, Beth, and daughter, Grace. Steve brings a strong interest in community health and joins HFH as we work toward implementing CHE (Community Health Evangelism), a community development program of LifeWind International. We are pleased to have Steve join us.
Giving TLC
July 2, 2008 | Foundation Report
The June 2008 medical team has returned home safely after 10 days in Haiti.
Despite having none of the 32 boxes of supplies arrive with them in Port-au-Prince (the boxes arrived two days later), the 16 team members were able to greet Haitian friends in Terre Blanche on Saturday, June 21. The next day, the team participated in a 3½-hour combined church service and one-year celebration of the Clinic of Hope.
That was followed by a week of treating more than 1,000 patients, many of whom were very sick, and supervising more than 400 children in vacation Bible school.
Here are a few other highlights:
- Patients who stayed in the clinic while they recovered from minor surgery, trauma and extreme illness received lots of TLC.
- The team saw a 14-month-old baby weighing only 11 pounds and a 5-year-old child weighing just 15 pounds. They caused hearts to stir with grief mixed with gratefulness for the many supporters who donated money to purchase rice and beans to give to Haitians in need.
- There were frequent walks through the village and debriefing sessions on the clinic roof.
- Haitian leaders led team devotions, kept the clinic running smoothly, and fed the team like royalty.
Most importantly, every time Haiti Foundation of Hope sends teams to work in Terre Blanche, relationships blossom and wonderful blessings follow. Thank you all for your faithful prayers.
Open doors
June 25, 2008 | Laura Mackie, June 2008 Team
A report written from Haiti:
624 patients.
That's how many we've seen thus far. Thousands of Tylenol and multi-vitamins given out. Hundreds of smiling faces.
It's hard sometimes to grasp if or what kind of difference we are making here. Many of the faces are so stoic it's tough to get a smile. Others soften with a greeting of “bonjour” and the children warm up to you as soon as a lollipop is in their hand.
I once read about a doctor who devoted his life to ministering to health needs in Haiti. He said "Giving people medicine for TB and not giving them food is like washing your hands and drying them in the dirt." That quote struck me because we are here for one week. And teams come here three times a year. The beauty in this clinic is that there is ongoing medical care to meet the ongoing needs of the people here. We can see patients, start a medication, and encourage them to come back in a week or maybe a month to follow up with the nurses who are here routinely.
What a blessing to know that when we leave the clinic, doors do not shut but continue to welcome and treat the everyday needs of Terre Blanche.
We need Haiti
June 25, 2008 | Melanie Thomas, RN, June 2008 Team
A report written from Haiti:
The moment we set foot in Haiti last Friday night our senses went into overload. It reminded me of the very first time I traveled to Haiti. There is so much to absorb.
Traveling up to Terre Blanche on Saturday we saw the overwhelming poverty. We smelled the charcoal fires burning, the garbage burning, and the food cooking all in one spot. You could almost taste the smells.
We passed many small streams and could see people gathering drinking water from the same source their animals were drinking from and defecating in. This is also the same water that the women bathe their children in and wash their clothes and dishes in. I remembered thinking, back in 1994 when I first traveled here, "Why on earth would someone move to Haiti? Let alone go into a community with a compassionate heart and a selfless smile? How can I really make a difference?”
Then I began to understand the compassion and love. I began to understand this driven desire to help a hurting people who seem to have been forgotten. As we drove to Terre Blanche on Saturday my eyes were once again opened to the good of Haiti.
Everyone needs Haiti. Among its poverty is a wealth of faith, a gem of God's goodness and the innocent love of Jesus Christ. Everyone needs Haiti. We need Haiti to remind us of the abundance of God's blessings. We need Haiti to humble us and to bring us closer in our relationship with Jesus. We need Haiti for transformation.
The team is absolutely wonderful. The cohesiveness among everyone here cannot be outdone. As exhausted as everyone was tonight coming upstairs from the busy clinic day, we all are filled and have smiles on our faces.
Much love to all our friends and family.
Bonswa from Haiti
June 23, 2008 | Darcy Patterson, June 2008 Team
A report written from Haiti:
We had our first clinic day today and it went very well. Our team is fabulous and I am so thankful to work with these people. We saw 205 patients with conditions ranging from ob/gyn checks, to burns and sores that needed debridement, to hemorrhoids and hernias.
The worst case of the day broke my heart and I ask for your prayers. A young girl, 10 or 11 years old, came in with a huge mass on her right leg. She was undernourished and very small. It turns out she has terminal bone cancer. It was heart-wrenching to say the least.
Today I had the opportunity to work with Papa Joe (Dr. Joe Markee) in the ob/gyn exam room. What a thrill. I truly missed my calling.
I can't say enough good about Terre Blanche and the people of Haiti. This experience has truly been a blessing and I thank all who helped me get here. We are doing good work and I feel proud to be a part of it.
One year later
June 22, 2008 | Laura Mackie, June 2008 Team
A report written from Haiti:
One year later, my second trip to Haiti. Still no boxes at the airport. Marvelous how 32 boxes can disappear. This exact thing happened to my team last year. But God is still as amazing as ever and our boxes arrived safe and sound to Terre Blanche to an anxiously awaiting team.
The clinic still stands loud and proud in this remote village. Last night on the rooftop we could see nothing but the stars above and the clinic lights reflecting out from under us. This morning, at a three-hour church service, we celebrated the anniversary of the clinic.
Amidst singing, praying and numerous introductions of people, a message was delivered by our very own birthday girl, Ann Petersen. In it she referred to Matthew 5:14 which states, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." With these words she offered encouragement to a village that is flourishing with a church, school and now a clinic that helps to define their community.
I am so excited to be back here, a place that captured my heart one year ago. Tomorrow we start clinic, and I look forward to serving these gracious people that have welcomed us with open arms.
Community health
June 10, 2008 | Foundation Report
Haiti Foundation of Hope is excited to announce plans for implementing CHE (Community Health Evangelism), a community development program of LifeWind International.
In January, Haiti Foundation of Hope in partnership with Medical Teams International sent a team of four people to the area of Terre Blanche, Haiti, to complete a needs assessment. As a result, community leaders identified the top three health concerns as malnutrition, diarrhea and health for pregnant women. Haiti Foundation of Hope is now working toward implementing CHE to address these problems.
CHE uses a community’s willingness to take responsibility for solving problems by providing training and information. The program involves community volunteers, who receive training and help bring change in their community through relationships and teaching.
We're excited about the possibilities of this community-based program and the hope it offers to people living in rural northern Haiti.
Mounds of meds
May 6, 2008 | Linda Markee, Foundation Board Member
A team of five Americans, including three Haiti Foundation of Hope board members, is currently in Terre Blanche. They are working to unload medical supplies from a container sent by Medical Teams International. Here’s a report from one of the team members:
I'm very tired and don't know when the generator will be cut, but I wanted you to know that we made it to Terre Blanche safely. Delamy had no new surprises this time, but we were greatly surprised by the amount of medical equipment and medications that Medical Teams International (MTI) sent on the container. It was almost overwhelming.
Last night after our long bumpy ride up here, we were treated with a delicious dinner by Elvire. Then we were so revived that we put together all the shelving. Today, we put all the equipment in the place where it belonged. We started sorting the mounds of OTCs (over the counter meds like Tylenol and Aspirin). Yes, I said mounds. We think the Lord has a plan for us to help many people so we will be donating medications to some of the area hospitals as well as to some of the other pastors. We feel so grateful to MTI for sending all they sent. The clinic staff is so excited that the clinic is beginning to look like a clinic, rather than just a building. We were all busy putting medications on the shelves.
You may be asking, Are you hot? YES. Are you tired tonight? YES. Are you pleased tonight? YES. We will all sleep well tonight before starting again in the morning with the medical supplies still waiting to be organized.
Thank you for your help with prayers, money and gifts-in-kind.
Looking to the future
May 5, 2008 | Foundation Report
On April 19, the board members of Haiti Foundation of Hope set aside the day to examine the past and present work in northern Haiti. We discussed goals and strategic plans for the future. We came away encouraged by our discussion and determined to move forward as we endeavor to meet the many ongoing needs. We are thankful for those who have donated money and time to help meet these needs. Your involvement touches lives and makes a difference.
Food crisis
April 9, 2008 | Foundation Report
You may have read in the news this past week about the riots and protests in Haiti, where demonstrators are upset about the rising cost of food.
"Haiti is particularly affected by food prices, which have risen 40 percent on average globally since mid-2007. With 80 percent of its population struggling to survive on less than $2 a day, the rising prices pose a real threat to its fragile democracy," according to the Sun-Sentinel.com.
Our thoughts and prayers are with those in Haiti during this time of unrest. We pray for their safety during the violence and we continue to pray for the underlying problem of hunger.
Haiti is considered the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest in the world. Volunteers with Haiti Foundation of Hope have seen over the years that malnutrition is a real concern. They have also seen that hunger has a solution: food.
Haiti Foundation of Hope has an ongoing feeding program for children who attend school in Terre Blanche. Every student receives a hot meal each day. For some students, it's their only meal of the day. Like everything and everyone in Haiti, the feeding program is being affected by the rising cost of food.
We thank those of you who have generously donated money to buy food for the school children in Terre Blanche and ask you to continue. We ask everyone else to consider giving in this time of need. You can donate online or send a check and donation slip by mail.
It doesn't take much
Feb. 7, 2008 | Sarah Zollner Case, Jan/Feb 2008 Team
A report written from Haiti:
The day we flew to Haiti, I had worked until noon. Just before I left, I stopped by the desk of one of my co-workers to say hello. He asked me a few questions about the trip and then pulled out his wallet. "Can you take a cash donation? I'll give you what I have in my wallet," he said, and handed me a twenty. I thanked him and told him I'd make sure it went to good use.
Exactly one week later, I still had that twenty dollar bill tucked in my bag with a Post-It note attached, reminding me that it was intended for "something good" in Terre Blanche.
This afternoon, I was assisting Dr. Shellie, who is completing an infectious diseases fellowship at OHSU. One of our patients was a gaunt-looking 22-year-old woman, who said she had been coughing up blood. According to her chart, she had come to the clinic in October, the last time a team of doctors was here. On that visit, the doctor noted that the patient had been coughing up blood and needed to go to Gonaives (where the nearest hospital is located) for a chest X-ray to rule out tuberculosis.
Today, four months later, she was back at the clinic with the same symptoms but she hadn't gotten an X-ray. When Dr. Shellie asked if the woman could get an X-ray, she replied that she would like to do it but the test would cost about one hundred Haitian dollars, the equivalent of twenty U.S. dollars. I asked, through the interpreter, if she would be able to get transportation to Gonaives if the test fees were taken care of. She nodded.
After checking with a team leader to make sure I wasn't stepping outside of our protocol, I ran upstairs and grabbed that same twenty dollar bill out of my carry-on bag and brought it to Pastor Delamy, who arranged for our patient to go to Gonaives. The patient must have figured out where the money came from because she approached me and, holding the money out in her hand, said, "Mesi anpil" (Thank you very much).
I can't wait to tell my co-worker that his pocket money is buying life-saving diagnostics for a young woman who ought to have a full, healthy life ahead of her.
A young patient in need
Feb. 6, 2008 | Sarah Zollner Case, Jan/Feb 2008 Team
A report written from Haiti:
Some days are more stressful than others. This morning felt calm and (dare I say) predictable; Dr. Joe was heard complaining that he hadn't had any "interesting" cases yet. As is usually the case, the afternoon brought more than its share of activity.
We had a young mother deliver her first child in the clinic - a 7½ pound healthy girl. Just after this precious one entered the world and before the nurses had finished the post-natal cleanup, a man ran into the clinic carrying a limp, unconscious 5-year-old boy. The boy had apparently been caught in a rope trailing behind a mule and had been dragged for a ways. He had a concussion and deep lacerations to his head. Doctors Eric and Dan, flanked by several assistants, went to work cleaning and irrigating the wounds and sewing him back up. Beau sat with the boy's grandmother and held her hand as the doctors worked steadily.
For those of us outside the treatment room, it seemed like forever before we got word that the boy would be ok. We are so thankful that due to skilled doctors, good supplies and God's timing we were able to be here to attend to this little one during a time of crisis.
First days of clinic
Feb. 4, 2008 | Sarah Zollner Case, Jan/Feb 2008 Team
A report written from Haiti:
It was a great joy for all of us to worship together with the community of Terre Blanche Sunday morning. There was plenty of soulful singing in Creole, mostly from the ranks of the locals, but we decided to learn a Creole song that we could contribute to the service to express our enthusiasm for being here.
After the noon meal and a brief time to rest, we opened the medical clinic for the second half of the day. We were happy to begin seeing patients (which is, after all, what we came here to do), and also glad for the opportunity to figure out the logistics of patient flow, pace and general operations of the clinic.
This morning we were very thankful we'd had some time Sunday to acclimate to the clinic operations because it was a very eventful morning! Between breakfast and lunch, amidst the normal slew of aches and pains, we treated two men who had been involved in a motorcycle accident and a woman who was semi-comatose. Another patient had a seizure in the clinic, and most importantly, a baby was born!
Earlier in the morning, team members had noticed a woman walking rather uncomfortably outside the clinic. Her belly wasn't big enough to make it apparent that she was ready to give birth - in fact it wasn't even obvious that she was pregnant. By the time it was her turn to be seen by Dr. Joe, she was crouched over as she walked toward his exam room. Once he got her on the table it was time to push! Dr. Joe called in Katie, a registered nurse, to assist him and after five minutes of pushing, a 5½ pound girl with a full head of hair was born.
Katie got to fulfill a lifelong dream of "delivering babies in the bush," as under Dr. Joe's supervision she guided the child into the world, tied off the umbilical cord and delivered the placenta. When Dr. Joe asked the child's father what they would call the baby, he answered, "Katie."
Good to be back
Feb. 3, 2008 | Sarah Zollner Case, Jan/Feb 2008 Team
A report written from Haiti:
Our journey to Terre Blanche gave us many reminders that God is in charge. Cancelled planes, last minute itinerary changes and luggage complications gave us some opportunities to remember that we are not in charge of all of this - and the One who is in charge is worth trusting.
Despite these challenges and after a very long, hot, bumpy ride up country, 17 of us arrived safely in the village Friday around 5 p.m. Those of us who have been here before were amazed by the dramatic road improvements between Gonaives and Terre Blanche - what used to take an hour now takes 15 minutes!
We have had a lovely day of setting up clinic, resting and walking through the village. As always, we have been greeted with warm smiles and hospitality by the villagers and of course by Pastor Delamy, Madame Elvire and the many Haitian brothers and sisters who work behind the scenes to make our time here possible.
At the end of the day, most of us make our way up to the roof of the clinic building, where there is a gentle breeze and a canopy of stars that shines brighter than just about anywhere. It's good to be back in Terre Blanche.
Wishing you happy holidays
Dec. 3, 2007 | Foundation Report
Haiti Foundation of Hope wishes you a merry Christmas. We hope you and your family are enjoying the holiday season.
This has been an exciting year for the foundation and the community development that is taking place in Terre Blanche. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights:
• Construction on the Clinic of Hope was completed and a dedication ceremony was held Feb. 25. Since then, Haitian staff have been providing ongoing medical care at the clinic and visiting medical teams have seen thousands of patients. The clinic has a second-floor dormitory for visiting teams and a separate dorm was built for clinic staff.
• This summer marked the beginning of a bio-sand water filter project to give people clean water at their homes. The filters, which don’t require electricity or modern technology, are being built in Terre Blanche and sold through a subsidized program.
• A seventh grade was added to the school this fall. It’s the beginning of a secondary school and plans are to continue adding a grade each year. Construction on additional classrooms is under way. The existing primary school continues to grow and students are making use of a new well on the school grounds.
• The micro loan program is helping about two dozen women and their families live better lives.
• Volunteer medical teams visited throughout the year, bringing hope and care to those in need.
We are looking forward to the new year. We will continue to work with our Haitian partners in projects like the water filters, the classroom construction and visiting medical teams. There continues to be many needs in Haiti and we are privileged to be a lending hand.
Thank you to those who have supported Haiti Foundation of Hope through finances, prayer and actions. We look forward to working with you in bringing hope to Haiti in 2008.
Calendars are ready
Nov. 1, 2007 | Foundation Report
Haiti Foundation of Hope 2008 calendars are here. The calendars are 5x7 inches and perfect for sitting on an easel or for framing. They will make great Christmas gifts. For each calendar that is ordered, the foundation asks for a $20 donation ($15 of that is tax deductible). The $20 donation will purchase a calendar and feed three school children for a month. To order a calendar, send us an e-mail or call (360) 993-0974. Thanks for your support.
Return home, rain in Haiti
Oct. 31, 2007 | Foundation Report
The October medical team has returned home safely. Three of the team members returned a day later than planned because of a missed plane in Miami. Such is traveling.
This week has been a difficult time in Haiti. Tropical storm Noel has hit both Haiti and neighboring Dominican Republic. According to Pastor Delamy’s recent call, “The rain and flooding has caused school to be closed. There are many dead animals already, homes toppling over, loss of life, and fear of the disaster of 2004 will happen again.” (In 2004, tropical storm Jeanne caused floods and mudslides that left more than 3,000 Haitians dead.)
Rain, patients and music
Oct. 23, 2007 | Linda Markee, October 2007 team
A report from the medical team now in Haiti:
We all arrived together in Port-au-Prince ... amazing since we were flying from five different airports. Who says the airlines are not dependable! After a six hour trip to Terre Blanche, we were delighted to get out of the car. This ride was actually fun, as the whole team was together in one vehicle and it was the first time we had all met ... and since you've ridden this trip you know how much “togetherness” this can be!
Haiti looks beautiful this time ... everything is very green from all the rain. There is lots of water in the river. The road to TB is being prepared to be paved so it is scraped and built up and very fast now. All the dirt they are removing from the side of the road is being dumped down by the TB river so hopefully sometime in the future it will be used to control the river.
We had hoped to walk around the village on Saturday morning but there was so much rain and nothing but mud so we stayed pretty much inside and watched Joe jog around the compound on top of the rocks.
After setting up the clinic we decided to try it out and hold clinic for three hours in the afternoon ... good idea, but as you know so many people wanted to come in. We ended up seeing 52. Sunday afternoon we saw another 70 patients. We have no idea how many were seen today but several team members said it felt like they'd seen lots more (of course we did, now that we have the knack of it). We've seen lots of sick people ... malnutrition, tumors, scabies (infected), malaria and high blood pressure. We are all so happy to be able to come and serve.
Worship Sunday was amazing ... the church was packed out and then it seemed like there were 500 children outside (not enough seats inside). This Sunday was a special Sunday (don't really know why) and people came from all over ... even a group from PAP. The music was outstanding and we had several choirs, and two electric guitars, an accordion, a saxophone and the very best was Stephan playing his violin! Remember, he played at the dedication. A couple of evenings he has played during dinner and it is like our own chamber music ... cannot believe we are in remote TB. Two of the women with us have been to Haiti before, but only to the big cities so they are delighted to see the countryside.
The secondary school has men working all over the roof to finish the first floor and make it possible to use. There is lots of energy and excitement about this in the village.
Changing lives
July 23 , 2007 | Bonnie Ward, RN, June 2007 Team
Journal Entry June 24, 2007 - I am falling in love with the Haitian people, and especially the babies. I saw some babies today who were so beautiful and rubbery; they gave me great joy. When they are a little ill, they sit quietly and just look at you with big brown eyes. I also love the older men and women. They are lean as sticks, their faces beautifully chiseled and thin. They have such character and grace. Their smiles are my reward.
June 25, 2007 - After clinic we went for a walk through the village. After being inside all day it's wonderful to be outside, to see the green, green mountains. We walked on trails through town, stopping to visit at a few houses. A skinny female dog snapped at me when I tried to pet it. "Never touch a Haitian dog," someone said, and I believe it now!
July 1, 2007 - We had dinner then gathered in a circle for our final team meeting. Joe led and said some very helpful things to aid us in the transition back to our homes. We all had time to talk about the experience of the past 10 days. I shared that it was so inspiring to be in the presence of people who trust so deeply in God. I realized that not only are Joe and Linda helping the poor here in Haiti, they are also changing the lives of many Americans by providing this experience to serve.
Leaving my heart
July 23 , 2007 | Pat Floersch, RN, June 2007 Team
This little boy is why I left part of my heart in Haiti.
Safe return
July 3, 2007 | Foundation Report
The June medical team returned home safety this week. The team of 12 Americans and about two dozen Haitians worked in Terre Blanche for a week and saw around 1,500 patients. There were two healthy babies born in the Clinic of Hope. Among other illnesses treated were malaria, scabies, infections, abscesses and wounds. About 10 people, including two children, tested positive for HIV. Several patients were referred to hospitals and specialized clinics. Two Haitian doctors were part of the team this summer. That was a first for Haiti Foundation of Hope and the experience was great.
There are lots of new things happening in Terre Blanche. This fall the primary school will expand to include a seventh grade. A new bio-sand filter program is also getting started. It allows people to filter water at their homes so they can have clean water to drink. More details on the clean water program and other programs will be coming.
Reflections on dedication
May 15, 2007 | Sandra Van der Pol, February 2007 Team
Have you ever been part of an event that made you think, “this must be a little bit of what heaven will be like?” That is what we experienced the Sunday morning of the worship service/clinic dedication. The clinic was resplendent in paper decorations made by the women’s trade school. Visiting musicians came to play their instruments to the glory of God. Free Methodist pastors and other pastor friends of Pastor Delamy were handsomely dressed in their suits and so proud to be in this beautiful building that God had built for the community. Glorious singing and many words of testimony gave exuberant praise to God. Our hearts were so full with the richness of this experience.
At the end of the service the band started playing the Haitian national anthem with everyone joining in. The anthem is so symbolic of Haitian national dignity, but on this day Ray and I were particularly moved as we watched our Haitian pastor friends, faces beaming, lustily singing with such obvious patriotism. Despite all the hardships and dashed hopes they continue to endure every day of their lives in Haiti with their families, churches and communities, they can still sing about their country with optimistic love and pride and believe that God can deliver Haiti.
Something new
May 15, 2007 | Foundation Report
Pastor Delamy says, “When you start something new, it is important to make time for it.” Elvire and Delamy are making time for the new clinic to start off on good footing! They are spending more time at Terre Blanche and Delamy is often using his Toyota Land Cruiser as an ambulance to transport seriously ill patients to the hospital.
Patients continue to come
May 9, 2007 | Foundation Report
Linda and Joe Markee went to Terre Blanche, Haiti, April 21 to 28 so Joe could work with the newly hired nurse, Mme. Julberte. The intention was for Joe to work directly with her and to use the medications/supplies from the permanent medical clinic. However, after arriving in Haiti, where the news travel fast, the clinic was overwhelmed with patients. In 4 ½ days the two of them saw over 500 patients. It was ‘like a medical team experience, but without being setup as a medical team.’ Linda, who had hoped to do some administrative things, ended up working with the pharmacist/administrator pre-packaging medications and digging through team boxes to find the needed medications. Many of the patients who were seen were very sick. We are happy that the medical clinic is open and able to serve the people in the Terre Blanche area.
One other piece of news: The clinic now has a satellite dish and the internet is available. Pastor Delamy purchased this so communication and medical consultation could improve the medical care in this underserved area.
Ambrosia
April 26, 2007 | Sarah Zollner Case, March 2007 Team
The biggest mango tree I have ever seen stands over the communal water pump in Terre Blanche, Haiti.
In a remote, dusty village where water is scarce and the one source of well water is contaminated,
Where the ground is craggy and barren
Where the last rain was in November of last year, and drought starves the tender foliage of subsistence farmers,
Where children have no shoes,
Where almost everyone has worms and more than half the population suffers from malaria,
Where cataracts are common place for people in their thirties,
Where a 10′x16′ house is home to a family of seventeen…
Somehow, in that very spot is a monstrous, ancient tree, laden with ripe fruit.
The mangoes in Terre Blanche are like food of the gods.
What a blessing
April 24, 2007 | Susan W. Cook, February 2007 Team
What a blessing it was to be in Terre Blanche for the medical clinic dedication on Feb. 25, 2007.
I had returned to Terre Blanche for the first time since October 2001. I was quite amazed at the work that has continued in this village since that time. I went from tent covers, outhouses and make-shift shower heads to a concrete cover in a nice dormitory, portable/flushable toilets and running water from nice shower heads and ceramic tile and sinks.
The Haitians have so much to be proud of. This is their community with a little help from us. I have never been surrounded by so much love, encouragement, happiness, joy, peace - I can go on without saying more. I know the sorrow and suffering continues but we have so much hope now. This will always hold a special place in my heart. The work of everyone is untouchable. My heart remains forever there. I see a community thriving and striving to work for themselves. The best way I can sum this up is a community that is “supremely elegant and continually relevant.”
The whole community has pulled together to form this union of essentials. We Moravians have drawn a circle large enough to take in a great number of people leaving us this motto - I often think of our brothers and sisters in Haiti:
In essentials, unity
In non essentials, Liberty
In all things, LOVE
In closing, I often refer to this passage from Psalm 19 - This reminds me so much of Terre Blanche, Haiti: “The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaiming His handiwork.”
The waiting
April 21 , 2007 | Foundation Report
Here's a picture of patients lined up outside the new clinic in Terre Blanche. The clinic gives a bit of shade from the hot sun (Terre Blanche means White Earth - not so easy to rest your eyes on). What the camera doesn't capture is dozens more people behind the photographer who are getting their blood pressures and weights taken. They will soon join the line in front of the clinic. Outside the compound are more people waiting to get in. After visiting a doctor, people wait for their medications and beans and rice. After that, they might wait a little longer in the shade of the clinic before heading out on the road.
Clinic building is dedicated
March 4, 2007 | Foundation Report
The newly constructed medical clinic in Terre Blanche, Haiti was dedicated
Feb. 25. The ceremony was attended by hundreds of people including Free
Methodist pastors from around the country, Haiti Foundation of Hope board
members, a visiting medical team from the United States, construction workers
and community members. Many people spoke during the dedication. Some talked
about how the community of Terre Blanche has been transformed. In a village
where there was once nothing, there is now a growing church, a community
well, a school with more than 500 students, and now the medical clinic.
The clinic, with a second-floor dormitory, will provide a space for visiting
medical teams to work and live and a place for Haitian medical personnel
to work year-round.
The 16-member medical team, which returned home safely March 4, was the first to use the new clinic. After the dedication and a celebration meal, team members went to work at unpacking supplies and setting up the clinic. During the following four days, the team treated about 850 patients. A second medical team is working in Terre Blanche this month.
