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Notes from the field
A land of contrast
July 2, 2009 | foundation report
Bob Welch, a member of the recent medical team to Terre Blanche, Haiti, is a columnist for the Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.) newspaper. This week he is writing about his time in Haiti in two columns and on his blog.
To read the first column, which appeared in Tuesday's newspaper, click here. You can also see the slideshow he made and read more on his blog.
To read Bob's second column, about the challenges of returning to a world of excess, click here.
The return home (and a great video)
July 1, 2009 | foundation report
We recently had two teams in Haiti. Both have returned home safe and sound after much work with our in-country partners.
Members of the vision team were able to see many of the different projects supported by Haiti Foundation of Hope and they also volunteered their time helping at places like the Clinic of Hope. Two of the team members, Jedd and Michelle, blogged about their time in Haiti and also put together a video. To read about their adventure, check out their blog. To see the video, click here.
The medical team returned home Sunday evening after a week of treating patients at the Clinic of Hope in Terre Blanche. Thanks to generous donations from friends, family, church members and people like you, the team was able to give away beans and rice to nearly every patient. All total, the team distributed about 5 tons of rice and 1 ton of beans along with needed medicines.
Simple, but joyful
June 14, 2009 | vision team
Written from Haiti:
Around 4:45am, we (the guys, the girls couldn’t wake up till 7) awoke to a beautiful glowing orange light that shone through the sky and into the bedrooms. After coffee and a group stretch on the roof and a quick instant oatmeal breakfast, we joined the people of Terre Blanche to worship God at Church...
After lunch we toured the surrounding area which included a visit to a neighbor’s newly built home, watching kids play in the river, a mango grove, and greetings from smiling children and residents. All in all, life here is simple, but joyful and we have felt extremely welcomed...
Tonight Justin performs for the people of Terre Blanche at an outdoor concert and tomorrow we will observe the medical clinic in action with Papa Joe and Dr. Janan.
More to come ... Nou dwe ale (we have to go),
J & M
To read more and see pictures from J & M, members of the vision team in Haiti, check out their blog.
Read all about it
April 28, 2009 | foundation report
Haiti Foundation of Hope and board members Dr. Joe and Linda Markee were recently featured in an article in The Columbian (Vancouver, Wash.) newspaper.
To read the story, click here.
Community health update
April 13, 2009 | foundation report
Sometimes it is difficult to look out a window in Haiti and see change but change is happening in Terre Blanche and two surrounding communities. Last month 30 volunteers from the area were trained to conduct a baseline community health survey. This was the next step in the implementation of CHE (Community Health Evangelism), a community development program of LifeWind International.
The survey findings provide a clear set of targets for potentially dramatic improvements in community health during the coming years. The health committee members, from the three communities, will determine the direction the community health program will take. Their willingness to take responsibility for solving identified problems will help to bring change to this area. Stay tuned for further updates.
Photo: Weighing in during the survey.
'I return with hope'
April 2, 2009 | Kacy Cox, public health nurse, March 2009 team
Excerpts from written reflections by a member of a recent medical team to Haiti:
Arrival:
This has been an incredible experience so far. I am surprised that Haiti is on an island in the Caribbean, next to places like the Grand Cayman Island or Aruba or even Jamaica. The flight from Miami to Port-au-Prince was only a few hours and I have never seen poverty like this before: No safe, clean city of refuge. No tourism. Town after town of blank stares, dusty roads, shacks destroyed by the flooding ... When we got to Terre Blanche, the people started to wave with lit up faces. They know the visiting medical team that came to the clinic. It felt like we were friends and not just strange white people. The clinic is bright and welcoming, beautiful clean white floors. There is a small church out front, a soccer field, a school. Truly, there is hope in an area that has a lot of reason to be hopeless.
Clinic:
Today I saw a woman in her 60s, 86 pounds, with a left foot swollen to about three times the size of her right. She has a rare tropical disease called filariasis. There is no cure. Her foot will continue to swell, up until it reaches her groin when it will start to be really painful. She has acid reflux and diarrhea and malaria too. I gave her some different prescriptions and showed her how to wrap her leg to help with the swelling, but I did not heal her. I helped her slip her dusty sandals back on and watched her hobble to the pharmacy, while I raised my hand for the next patient. Some things we see are difficult.
Returning home:
It was quite the week. We saw 1,039 patients in five days. Some notable events: Toward the end of the week, the doctors had to break the news to two of our patients they had HIV/AIDS. We started a number of children on Medika Mamba, a lifesaving supplement for severely malnourished kids. We took turns holding a newborn whose mother died in childbirth this week, the father staring blankly beside a neighbor who brought the baby in. I did two surgeries, prescribed medications, and began to reconsider what my future is in nursing. We nursed a child with malaria on the edge of death back to health. Two babies were born. And in the midst of it all, I experienced a bit of what life is like in this country not so far from our own...
When I left, I was in a flurry of activity, stressed out by areas of my life that seemed to be spinning out of control. I return humbled, quiet, and broken as I reflect on the magnitude of blessings I have been given. When I came into my house, I locked the door securely behind me and I didn’t have to worry about dirt floors getting muddy from the rain. I slept in a warm bed. This morning, I took a long, hot shower. I chose my breakfast from of a fridge full of food. I washed my clothes by throwing them into a machine. And I don’t really understand how to make sense of the stark contrast...
I feel as though I return with hope, even though I have seen the very edge of despair. God has once again surprised me in the way that He works, in the grace that so often seems too good to be true. I think that the next few weeks, readjusting will be quite challenging, but I say without a doubt that I am so glad to have gone. Will I go back? I hope so and I hope sooner rather than later.
Surely the presence
March 26, 2009 | Susan W. Cook, RN, March 2009 team
Written by a team member of a recent medical team to Haiti:
It’s now been more than a week since my return from Terre Blanche and the reflections of this week are still fresh on my mind. It was an extraordinary week with a lot of miracles from God. Surely the presence of God was in this place.
I felt the mighty power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. I could feel God’s presence and the touch of angels' wings on morning runs, friendship, devotional times on the rooftop, in the Clinic of Hope as medical care brought hope to many, and smiles from the children in school just from a touch and hug. This brought unexplainable peace and joy amongst our Haitian brothers and sisters.
Simply stating, I prayed to God often for what would be revealed during this week. Within the Clinic of Hope you could hear crying babies and children, loud voices of men and moaning from women as they were getting ready to give birth of a new life.
We were a remarkable team from both the east and west of the United States. Every team member had the same vision to bring comfort, peace, healing and joy to these people. Many physical, emotional and spiritual needs were mended that week. I feel so blessed to have been a part of this amazing team. I was humbled by God’s grace as I saw His glory in others.
I pray ... Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8)
'Christ, have mercy'
March 12, 2009 | Sarah Zollner Case, March 2009 team
Written from Haiti:
Three years ago, on my first trip to Haiti, one of the first Haitians I met was Vilcin. As we set up the clinic, we recruited Vilcin to help us package vitamins out of a huge bin into individual Ziploc sandwich baggies. We set up an assembly line and before long we were a vitamin packing factory, cranking out baggies in steady rhythm. Vilcin thought our focus on efficiency was funny, and soon was spurring us on with a jovial “Quick, quick!”
A year later, we were reunited with our friend when we returned to Terre Blanche, and when he saw us he immediately shouted “Quick, quick!” and broke into laughter. Each year, Vilcin is a friendly and familiar face, and over time we have come to consider him a friend ...
I have been watching for Vilcin since we arrived on Saturday, but he hadn’t materialized in the clinic until this morning. My face lit up when I saw him, and I called his name and rushed over to give him a hug. He looked up and said, “Sarah!” As soon as I got close, I could see how gaunt he has become, and when I hugged him I could feel his bony body trembling. Today, this six foot tall man weighs 120 pounds. His bright demeanor has been replaced by the quiet resignation that comes with a serious illness in the third world. After hugging him I had to make a quick exit so he wouldn’t see me crumble. I cried in the corner for a few minutes, composed myself, and went back to work.
Vilcin saw a doctor and was sent to the lab for a blood test which confirmed our worst fears — he is HIV positive and is likely in the advanced stages of full blown AIDS. My friend Vilcin is going to die ... probably soon. We don’t know for sure whether his wife has contracted the virus, but it seems likely that she will receive the same death sentence as Vilcin. Their children, who are students in the Terre Blanche school, may be orphans before they are grown.
Christ, have mercy.
Sarah is a member of the Haiti Foundation of Hope medical team that is currently working in Haiti. To read more, visit Sarah's blog.
Working in clinic
March 11, 2009 | Sarah Zollner Case, March 2009 team
Written from Haiti:
On Monday and Tuesday, we had brisk mornings in the clinic, with a steady stream of patients that kept us busy. But on both afternoons the flow of patients slowed to a trickle and eventually petered out before our normal quitting time at 5 pm. While the slower pace has been surprising, the doctors have been very thankful for the lighter traffic as it has given them time to give some thorough, high quality care to a few patients who really needed the attention.
For example, yesterday a fourteen year old boy was carried into the clinic with his mouth and nose badly cut up and covered with blood. He had apparently had a seizure in the school building and fell and cut himself all of the way down to the cartilage. They had just gotten him situated on the treatment table when he seized again.
A few hours later, with some anti-seizure meds on board, Dr. Chau and Dr. Harold spent at least three hours carefully and painstakingly sewing the boy’s face back together. Chau says that in the states she would have referred a patient with such a complicated laceration to a plastic surgeon, but here we were just thankful there was a team of doctors available to repair his face and medicate him against infection. We can’t imagine how his face would have healed without immediate medical attention.
Sarah is a member of the Haiti Foundation of Hope medical team that is currently working in Haiti. To read more, visit Sarah's blog.
Rebuilding Lives
Feb. 4, 2009 | Foundation Report
It's a new year and we're launching the Rebuilding Lives campaign. We're inviting you to join us as we continue to help those in Haiti who have been affected by the devastating 2008 hurricane season. If you choose to take part in the campaign we will send you monthly updates, for the next six months, about how your financial support and prayer are making a difference.
Haiti Foundation of Hope has been assisting people since the hurricanes and flooding struck several months ago. Many people lost homes, gardens and livestock in the rural area where the foundation has an ongoing presence. Many of those people are still struggling to get back on their feet. By participating in this campaign, you will be an encouragement to those rebuilding their lives. To learn more about the campaign or to join us, click here.
Back from starvation
Nov. 18 , 2008 | Foundation Report
The Clinic of Hope has begun distributing "Medika Mamba," peanut butter fortified with protein and other nutritional supplements, which brought young Edouard back from starvation. This life-saving peanut butter (the Creole word for peanut butter is "manba") is made in Haiti and is similar to Plumpynut, a product used in other areas of the world. This is a major advancement in treating severely malnourished children in Terre Blanche and throughout Haiti. Edouard was treated by visiting medical teams working at the clinic in October. You can see by his pictures and smile that he was doing much better within just weeks.
It used to be that about 80 percent of children who were as malnourished as Edouard died. Now, more than 90 percent of these children, who receive treatment, live. They can grow, learn at school, and play with friends. They have a chance at life.
The cost for a six-week course of the fortified peanut butter given out at the Clinic of Hope is $75. Please consider giving that amount to save a life or consider giving just $25 to help a child get on the road to recovery. To donate, send a check to Haiti Foundation of Hope or give online.
Returning home
Oct. 28, 2008 | Foundation Report
The October medical team has arrived home after 10 days of working and traveling in Haiti.We saw a lot and accomplished many tasks. Here's a recap:
Clinic — We saw 1,170 patients during five days of clinic. We were told there might be fewer patients because travel has been difficult since the flooding and people have been more concerned about finding food, but the clinic stayed busy all week. Our team was made up of four doctors, four nurses and six others as well as many Haitian co-workers.
Rice —We gave out rice to all the patients who came through the clinic doors. We had wanted to give away beans as well but they were difficult to find. We were finally able to track down 15 bags of beans for the final day of clinic. During the week, we gave away 9,800 pounds of rice. Thanks to everyone who donated money for the purchase of rice.
Solar power — One of the team members and a couple Haitian co-workers installed solar panels at the clinic. The panels 
are up and running, providing enough power to run the clinic while the teams are gone and the staff is smaller. This will be a huge savings in money as fuel for the generator is especially expensive now.
School — We got to spend some time visiting with children at the school in Terre Blanche. For the first time, children are getting breakfast at the school in addition to lunch. This is because food has been difficult to find following 
the flooding.
Community — We spent lots of time talking with people — patients, co-workers and neighbors — about the recent hurricanes and flooding. We learned a lot about how difficult it is for people who have lost their gardens, livestock and belongings. The need is overwhelming.
Giving hope
Oct. 23, 2008 | Foundation Report
Report written from Haiti:
Despite the difficulties of traveling in Haiti since the flooding, people continue to arrive at the Clinic of Hope. Our 14-member medical team is busy. We've had two babies born at the clinic this week and several over-night patients. A very sick little boy came here and was treated for typhoid. After two nights at the clinic and lots of care, his health improved. And this morning, we said our good-byes and sent him home to continue healing. When one of the doctors told the mother her son was doing better, the mother said she now had hope.
Here's some of what's happening beyond the clinic floor...
On the roof we've almost finished installing the solar panels. We've got much of the clinic running off of solar power rather than the generator which will end up saving money as fuel is expensive here — more than usual since the flooding.
In the school yard children are playing, and fourth, fifth and sixth grade students are studying in their classrooms. School started late this year because teachers couldn't travel from their homes after the hurricanes. On Nov. 4, all the students will return to class. The school feeding program has expanded from lunch to lunch and breakfast because since the flooding it has been extremely difficult for people to find food.
Thanks again for your support. We look forward to sharing more stories after our return home.
Clinic begins
Oct. 20, 2008 | Foundation Report
Clinic is under way. The doctors and nurses are busy treating patients. We are seeing the usual complaints of aches and pains along with other problems. A young girl returned this morning for treatment after being burned in a fire. Some patients are going home with reading glasses. We are giving away rice to patients as they leave. Beans, which we normally provide as well, have proved nearly impossible to find after the flooding.
On the rooftop of the clinic, one of our team members, along with Haitian co-workers, is installing solar panels. This will save money that is being used to purchase fuel for the generator.
Everyone on the team is doing well. We are happy to be here and excited to stay busy all week.
Medical team arrives
Oct. 19, 2008 | Foundation Report
The October medical team has arrived in Haiti safe and sound. Our journey from Port-au-Prince was longer than usual. There was a detour along the coast and another one to get around the lake in the Artibonite Valley — a lake that formed during the recent hurricanes and flooding. The drive through Gonaives was eye-opening for all of us. For some members of our 14-person team this is their first time in Haiti. And for most us, this is the first time we have been here after such a disaster. The streets in Gonaives, which was hit especially hard during the flooding, are lined with mud that has been shoveled out of homes and businesses. Most of the flood water has receded but some residents are still living on their rooftops.
Outside the city, a river near the Clinic of Hope has torn away the land near it. The flooding left behind rocks on what used to be farm soil. One family lost their entire millet crop along with half of their land to grow it on. The good news, which sometimes seems hard to find, is that a new millet crop has been planted on the remaining land and it is growing. A young woman who works at the clinic, cooking meals for the medical team, lost everything when the flood waters struck her home in Gonaives. She had to escape to a friend's house. The good news in this story is that she survived and is well.
These are hard times in Haiti. We hope to provide some encouragement and comfort to people who come through the clinic in the coming week. Thank you so much for your support for this team and for the people living in Haiti. Mesi anpil.
School update
Oct. 8, 2008 | Foundation Report
Because of the severe storms that hit Haiti in late August and September, the start of school was delayed. School in Terre Blanche was scheduled to begin Monday but has been postponed again. The plan is for the fourth, fifth and sixth grade students to begin Oct. 13. The secondary school students will return to class in early November. The startup date for the younger students is unknown at this time. The Terre Blanche school buildings survived the flooding while many of the nearby schools in Gonaives were damaged, destroyed or left full of mud.
Haiti Foundation of Hope helps to financially support the school in Terre Blanche where there are 800 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Students receive a noon meal each day. The feeding program has been going since 1996 
and during that time students have said they can’t wait to return to school on Mondays because food at home is scarce. The program is even more important now that crops have been wiped out due to the recent storms. Food has become hard to find and prices continue to rise making it extremely difficult for many families to afford.
If you would like to help us feed children in Haiti during this coming school year, you can donate by clicking here.
Offering comfort
Sept. 30, 2008 | Melanie Thomas, RN
Written by a member of the disaster relief team now in Haiti:
Hard to believe that just over a week ago we were notified by Medical Teams International that a disaster team would be sent to Haiti, and I'm even more in awe that I would have the opportunity to return to this beautiful country once again to serve. Our team of six made it here after a very LONG and BUMPY trek. Once again I've been blessed to be on a team with such amazing and gifted people.
We could see the damage caused by the hurricanes early in our trip. Roads and bridges were completely wiped out so we had to take lots of detours and "long way arounds." Lots of mud. All over we could see on the houses how high the water got, as they were still wet. As we got closer to Gonaives, our team got quieter...whispers of "Oh my goodness." It is even worse than we could have imagined. Houses still completely submerged under water. I could see just the roofs sticking out of the water. Every rooftop covered in furniture, clothes and belongings. We could see by the way everything was thrown on the roofs, the desperation people had to save what little they have. As we drove into Gonaives, there was mud everywhere, and I'm not talking about a little bit of mud on the road. What I'm describing is four feet of mud in and around houses. Most houses still have water coming out of the front door. Schools, buildings, hospitals, completely destroyed by the flooding.
I am reminded that God has a plan for each of us and a way for us to spread His love. What I saw today in the clinic as the workers showed up with open arms, smiles and an eagerness to serve, this is what loving is all about. Most of these people have lost everything, their homes, their belongings and some family members. But yet they are here, serving. They may have lost everything, but ask any of them, and they will say, "I still have hope. I have a God who loves me and will provide for me and my family. I must help my people."
How do you make sense out of a situation that, quite frankly, makes no sense. And while none of us have the "whys," we have something even greater. We have a blessed hope. We have peace that passes understanding. We have a joy unspeakable and full of glory. It is so important that we, as believers, rise to the situation and be the light to the world....the city that is set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Because we have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we CAN be the strength that others need to see. We can and must be Jesus to the world.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Christ Jesus, the Father of compassion and the God of all who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those with the comfort we, ourselves, have received from God (2 Cor 1:3-4)
Relief team arrives
Sept. 28, 2008 | Foundation Report
Volunteers with Haiti Foundation of Hope have teamed up with Medical Teams International on a disaster relief mission to Haiti. The team members arrived today in northern Haiti, not far from Gonaives. Here is what they report:
Two days after leaving Portland, Ore., we arrived safely with a wonderful reunion with our friends. Fortunately the building within the campus (where the team is working and which includes a medical clinic, school and church) are in excellent condition, although we saw horrific destruction on the route here. It is shocking to see the water that extends well into Gonaives. There is mud everywhere, many household goods on the roofs, and the feeling of despair and hopelessness of what to do next seems to be all around us in Gonaives. All of our supplies arrived intact, and everyone on the team is healthy. As we prepare to help relieve the suffering that is all around us, we ask for your prayers.
Pictures of flooding
Sept. 13, 2008 | Foundation Report
These pictures were taken earlier this week of the flooding and damage caused by recent hurricanes and tropical storms in and around Gonaives, Haiti.
Damage update
Sept. 8, 2008 | Foundation Report
We are learning more about the destruction caused by the recent tropical storms and hurricanes that struck Haiti in the past few weeks.
Homes have been demolished and many of those left standing are now filled with mud. Some of the staff who work at the Clinic of Hope in Terre Blanche have lost everything. Travel is nearly impossible, especially coming from Port-au-Prince north to Gonaives. Bridges on both routes have been destroyed. The United Nations reported today that more than 500 people were killed in the storms and as many as 800,000 people have been affected. Churches and schools have become places of refuge but are struggling to help all those in need.
The start of school has been postponed until Oct. 6. In Terre Blanche, where Haiti Foundation of Hope helps to support 800 students, text books and uniforms had already been given out. It's likely that many of those supplies were lost in the flooding and will need to be replaced.
Through it all, people are helping one another. The principal at the school in Terre Blanche walked from Gonaives to Terre Blanche to check on people. Pastors and relief workers are helping people as they can and making plans for greater assistance.
Another storm strikes
Sept. 7, 2008 | Foundation Report
Hurricane Ike this weekend became the fourth major storm to hit Haiti in less than a month, causing more damage and taking more lives.
Just four years ago Tropical Storm Jeanne killed some 3,000 people in the city of Gonaives and devastated the region. Damage caused by this year's storms is said to be as bad or worse than what occurred in 2004.
It still remains unclear how many people have died due to the recent tropical storms and hurricanes. But it is certain that thousands of people are now in need of help. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, has been struggling with skyrocketing food prices, and now food has become more scare. To compound that problem, rice fields in the Artibonite Valley have been destroyed in the floods.
As the storm season passes and the rebuilding of lives begins, we will continue to assist those in need. Please consider joining us in that task — helping to piece lives back together — by giving a tax deductible contribution to support the ongoing medical, education, employment and community health programs of Haiti Foundation of Hope working in rural northern Haiti.
Thank you for taking an interest in what's happening in Haiti. We are keeping Haiti in our prayers as well as the many other countries and communities being affected this hurricane season.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
