My lack of skill at trying to assemble this has taken far too long and I often found it more frustrating to compose or arrange pictures or whatever and then having my work suddenly disappear forever. Yet I plod on, determinrd to share the story.
This initial overview (lengthy, wordy, self absorbed…many adjectives I’m sure come mind) I’ve basically covered highlights of the 1st two very galvanizing weeks in a journey neither of us was seeking or prepared for. Sure we went to help; we would then return home to resume our vital home missionary responsibilities which, for me, were pretty well centered between golf and softball, except for the increasingly frequent visits to my newly acquired friends in the surgeon community for replacement parts and fixes. Return? Not likely! But things change and more importantly, sometimes we do too.
The trek from March 6 thru our March 30 departure back to Vero will be more chronological, concise and with less fluff. Subsequent postings however will return to serious issues, such as the Haitian street children and the New Orphans, educating the Haiti orphans in the information technology age, sustaining efforts at NLCH and Pouille, and how those in the U.S. can help.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Unforgettable people- Brian Parker and Miss Fran
Brian Parker
Brian Parker is/was the Chief EMS helicopter pilot for West Palm Beach, FL....a vocation we've become much more aware and appreciative of since we became 1st Responders and ambulance drivers with the Wintergreen, VA Fire and Rescue Squad a year ago. He and his wife live in Jupiter, FL where he also owns and operates Agriculture Air Service, a four helicopter business serving the South Florida agricultural business community. Several years ago he felt called to create an organization to assist those in need using his expertise and Samaritan Air was formed. A 501(c)(3) corporation, Samaritan Air provides free emergency helicopter services (including patient and supply transfer) to remote areas and organizations. While Brian still balances his time between his other jobs, his 18 year old son Hunter, who’s been flying helicopters since he was 11, and Martin Schroeder, an intensely dedicated, hard working German citizen, carry on the bulk of the daily work in Haiti. Presently Samaritan Air has a single four-seater helicopter, but soon a larger model will be added to the fleet.
Miss Fran
It’s obviously not PC to put my wife at the end of the list, even one that’s kind of without order…chronological…significance…arbitrary? And, of course, as I do hope I indicated when I started, almost everyone I’ve met has been a blessing, an inspiration and deserves special attribution, so I apologize to those I haven’t yet acknowledged.
But Fran- being-Fran; skeptical at first…diligent, almost obsessive in her endeavors, steadfast in her daily devotions and uncomplaining in the heat, dirt and somewhat less than five star accommodations, thrives. On our 4th day she decided that the three storage rooms were inefficient and unmanageable. Falling back on our recent MFI experience, she recruited four of the older orphans and undertook to reorganize what would not be an understatement to call “xxxx censured xxxx”… even hotter conditions inside than out, she and her crew worked daily to straighten and then repack as Angela’s supplies, and those from others, rolled in.
One of the big problems even today in Haiti is finding what you need. There is no central clearing house and thus supplies languish unused. Over 6,000 NGOs (non governmental organizations) compete with the government to aid, assist the locals. Many don’t know what stocks they have and some aren’t particularly interested in helping other groups. Because of the nature of the disaster and the response to it, many needed items sit in boxes in warehouses, tents, containers and storage rooms – unpacked because those logistical people either aren’t here, or are doing something else. Some people are begging for supplies that others have but may not even be aware, and if they are, don’t know who needs it. Dr. Ken said one of the most useful people in his early response team to the tsunami in Indonesia was the person who organized the medicines and supplies.
Well, Fran took that task on to be her job and in so doing discovered a new weight loss plan that may rival Jenny Craig; warehouse restocking. We’re thinking that weekly trips to the storerooms of Haiti vs. the local “fat farms” may be a more effective diet strategy and a lucrative fund raiser. Maybe tax deductible too?
On our 15th day she awoke and said “we needed to talk” … there’s that phrase again! She shared that she had been led to pray like David (Pertl), a young missionary from AK who had been staying at NLCH, 1st with a group he to do some health clinics and preaching around Carrefour; later on his own (the Lord, he told us, told him to stay on longer). David did little without praying first, then listening.
Fran shared that today’s prayer had revealed concern for the operation and condition of the orphanage and the treatment of the children. Immediately after breakfast Miriam called us aside and asked us to consider staying permanently with the orphanage. She says that the current operation is unsatisfactory, and the fact that the head woman, Louisa, has just had a heart attack is not the reason. She said the entire operation needs a major reorganization…the children are being short changed…and after all, the whole purpose of the ministry is the children!
Had Miriam been outside our tent listening to our talk? Does God answer prayer this quickly? Don’t know, don’t care; Fran wept tears of conviction – when you’re convicted, you’re convicted –time to open a Haitian bank account. Shortly thereafter I made preparations to return to Vero to take care of immediate financial concerns to enable us to extend our stay through the end of March. Fran stayed, kept the storage areas straight and added yet another area to her realm, a container NLCH was given; Air Force personnel erected some shelves inside on one of their visits with us. She also helped organize and prepare for three large distributions of food we provided to families in our neighborhood involving over 450 bags of food.
Brian Parker is/was the Chief EMS helicopter pilot for West Palm Beach, FL....a vocation we've become much more aware and appreciative of since we became 1st Responders and ambulance drivers with the Wintergreen, VA Fire and Rescue Squad a year ago. He and his wife live in Jupiter, FL where he also owns and operates Agriculture Air Service, a four helicopter business serving the South Florida agricultural business community. Several years ago he felt called to create an organization to assist those in need using his expertise and Samaritan Air was formed. A 501(c)(3) corporation, Samaritan Air provides free emergency helicopter services (including patient and supply transfer) to remote areas and organizations. While Brian still balances his time between his other jobs, his 18 year old son Hunter, who’s been flying helicopters since he was 11, and Martin Schroeder, an intensely dedicated, hard working German citizen, carry on the bulk of the daily work in Haiti. Presently Samaritan Air has a single four-seater helicopter, but soon a larger model will be added to the fleet.
Miss Fran
It’s obviously not PC to put my wife at the end of the list, even one that’s kind of without order…chronological…significance…arbitrary? And, of course, as I do hope I indicated when I started, almost everyone I’ve met has been a blessing, an inspiration and deserves special attribution, so I apologize to those I haven’t yet acknowledged.
But Fran- being-Fran; skeptical at first…diligent, almost obsessive in her endeavors, steadfast in her daily devotions and uncomplaining in the heat, dirt and somewhat less than five star accommodations, thrives. On our 4th day she decided that the three storage rooms were inefficient and unmanageable. Falling back on our recent MFI experience, she recruited four of the older orphans and undertook to reorganize what would not be an understatement to call “xxxx censured xxxx”… even hotter conditions inside than out, she and her crew worked daily to straighten and then repack as Angela’s supplies, and those from others, rolled in.
One of the big problems even today in Haiti is finding what you need. There is no central clearing house and thus supplies languish unused. Over 6,000 NGOs (non governmental organizations) compete with the government to aid, assist the locals. Many don’t know what stocks they have and some aren’t particularly interested in helping other groups. Because of the nature of the disaster and the response to it, many needed items sit in boxes in warehouses, tents, containers and storage rooms – unpacked because those logistical people either aren’t here, or are doing something else. Some people are begging for supplies that others have but may not even be aware, and if they are, don’t know who needs it. Dr. Ken said one of the most useful people in his early response team to the tsunami in Indonesia was the person who organized the medicines and supplies.
Well, Fran took that task on to be her job and in so doing discovered a new weight loss plan that may rival Jenny Craig; warehouse restocking. We’re thinking that weekly trips to the storerooms of Haiti vs. the local “fat farms” may be a more effective diet strategy and a lucrative fund raiser. Maybe tax deductible too?
On our 15th day she awoke and said “we needed to talk” … there’s that phrase again! She shared that she had been led to pray like David (Pertl), a young missionary from AK who had been staying at NLCH, 1st with a group he to do some health clinics and preaching around Carrefour; later on his own (the Lord, he told us, told him to stay on longer). David did little without praying first, then listening.
Fran shared that today’s prayer had revealed concern for the operation and condition of the orphanage and the treatment of the children. Immediately after breakfast Miriam called us aside and asked us to consider staying permanently with the orphanage. She says that the current operation is unsatisfactory, and the fact that the head woman, Louisa, has just had a heart attack is not the reason. She said the entire operation needs a major reorganization…the children are being short changed…and after all, the whole purpose of the ministry is the children!
Had Miriam been outside our tent listening to our talk? Does God answer prayer this quickly? Don’t know, don’t care; Fran wept tears of conviction – when you’re convicted, you’re convicted –time to open a Haitian bank account. Shortly thereafter I made preparations to return to Vero to take care of immediate financial concerns to enable us to extend our stay through the end of March. Fran stayed, kept the storage areas straight and added yet another area to her realm, a container NLCH was given; Air Force personnel erected some shelves inside on one of their visits with us. She also helped organize and prepare for three large distributions of food we provided to families in our neighborhood involving over 450 bags of food.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Unforgettable People- Larry Bergeron and Bishop Octamoliere Liberius
Larry Bergeron
We met Larry and five other members of a Cincinnati based church group that included Pastor Doss on the 11th day of our trip. Larry, 62, is a former pastor, and is presently Executive Director of A Child’s Hope International, Inc. (www.achildshopeintl.org), which sponsors a unique program, Kids Against Hunger (KAH).
Operating out of a closed Kroger grocery store in the Cincinnati area, Larry enlists volunteers to work two 2 hour shifts every other weekend producing enough sealed packets of vitamin and protein enriched food to feed a hungry child for a year at a cost of $125.00, or 34¢ per day. Disturbing statistic: around the world, A CHILD DIES EVERY SIX SECONDS from hunger and malnutrition. To postpone the agony of hunger, Haitian adults and children often eat mud cookies, which frequently contain deadly parasites and toxins. (See http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/080130-AP-haiti-eatin_2.html). Note: The end of that link should read “eatin_2.html” without the quotes – it just doesn’t show up with the underline.
Kroger provides the facility and necessary utilities, and the labor is free; the only cost is the ingredients and the shipping. Containers of finished product are donated to feeding programs throughout the world. The volunteers register on line, sometimes weeks in advance, often contributing financially to offset the ingredient and shipping costs, for the opportunity to help stamp out starvation while working along side their children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors and just other caring individuals. Larry has promised us a tour this summer when we return from our next trip to PAP. Please click onto the web link and visit this unique site.
Bishop Octamoliere Liberius
Bishop Moliere calls me his twin, as we both turn 68 and celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary this year. I met the Bishop on day 12 when I accompanied Larry, Doss, and the rest of the Cincinnati group on a mission to get food and supplies to several of his orphanages and schools in the Calabresse region (4,000+ ft. altitude) that had sustained substantial damage and were having difficulty receiving supplies.
I introduced them to the MFI supply area at the airport where we picked up some water (undesignated donated supplies from MFI have largely dried up); we made another nearby stop which they had a referral for and picked up four pallets of food and supplies. It was here I ran into a guy wearing a Hokie tee shirt. When I asked him if that was the only shirt left at the flea market, he admitted to being a graduate (Nathan Blessing of Charlottesville.)
By noon we headed to the mountains to deliver our bounty. The Bishop carries three cell phones on his dashboard which are constantly ringing. He also knows about every passerby, whether pedestrian or motorist. The honking (acknowledgement this case) or waving, shouting, running across the street to tap on the car and greet was almost annoying. I could only imagine what it must be like to travel with Bishop Tutu in South Africa. I definitely think the Bishop could become a political force in Haiti – not that he already isn’t - if he so desired. It is from his parishioners in the Calabresse region that the now infamous child kidnapping case involving the group of ten Baptist missionaries trying to take 33 Haitian children to the Dominican Republic occurred.
That afternoon we did visit one of the schools and unloaded some of the supplies; the kids played Frisbee and sang for us. A rant: One of the boxes we unpacked was full of paint roller covers. Sometimes you wonder…"what the hell are people thinking?"... they need paint roller covers like I need ballet slippers. Most people are good hearted and trust me, the Haitians are thankful for almost every little thing. But I have seen used basketballs with quarter sized holes in them, along with just plain junk. Maybe it’s easier and cheaper for some to send their junk to Haiti rather than the dump; after all, it is free for them (although the shipper ends up paying) and sometimes you have to pay at the dump.
We met Larry and five other members of a Cincinnati based church group that included Pastor Doss on the 11th day of our trip. Larry, 62, is a former pastor, and is presently Executive Director of A Child’s Hope International, Inc. (www.achildshopeintl.org), which sponsors a unique program, Kids Against Hunger (KAH).
Operating out of a closed Kroger grocery store in the Cincinnati area, Larry enlists volunteers to work two 2 hour shifts every other weekend producing enough sealed packets of vitamin and protein enriched food to feed a hungry child for a year at a cost of $125.00, or 34¢ per day. Disturbing statistic: around the world, A CHILD DIES EVERY SIX SECONDS from hunger and malnutrition. To postpone the agony of hunger, Haitian adults and children often eat mud cookies, which frequently contain deadly parasites and toxins. (See http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/080130-AP-haiti-eatin_2.html). Note: The end of that link should read “eatin_2.html” without the quotes – it just doesn’t show up with the underline.
Kroger provides the facility and necessary utilities, and the labor is free; the only cost is the ingredients and the shipping. Containers of finished product are donated to feeding programs throughout the world. The volunteers register on line, sometimes weeks in advance, often contributing financially to offset the ingredient and shipping costs, for the opportunity to help stamp out starvation while working along side their children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors and just other caring individuals. Larry has promised us a tour this summer when we return from our next trip to PAP. Please click onto the web link and visit this unique site.
Bishop Octamoliere Liberius
Bishop Moliere calls me his twin, as we both turn 68 and celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary this year. I met the Bishop on day 12 when I accompanied Larry, Doss, and the rest of the Cincinnati group on a mission to get food and supplies to several of his orphanages and schools in the Calabresse region (4,000+ ft. altitude) that had sustained substantial damage and were having difficulty receiving supplies.
I introduced them to the MFI supply area at the airport where we picked up some water (undesignated donated supplies from MFI have largely dried up); we made another nearby stop which they had a referral for and picked up four pallets of food and supplies. It was here I ran into a guy wearing a Hokie tee shirt. When I asked him if that was the only shirt left at the flea market, he admitted to being a graduate (Nathan Blessing of Charlottesville.)
By noon we headed to the mountains to deliver our bounty. The Bishop carries three cell phones on his dashboard which are constantly ringing. He also knows about every passerby, whether pedestrian or motorist. The honking (acknowledgement this case) or waving, shouting, running across the street to tap on the car and greet was almost annoying. I could only imagine what it must be like to travel with Bishop Tutu in South Africa. I definitely think the Bishop could become a political force in Haiti – not that he already isn’t - if he so desired. It is from his parishioners in the Calabresse region that the now infamous child kidnapping case involving the group of ten Baptist missionaries trying to take 33 Haitian children to the Dominican Republic occurred.
That afternoon we did visit one of the schools and unloaded some of the supplies; the kids played Frisbee and sang for us. A rant: One of the boxes we unpacked was full of paint roller covers. Sometimes you wonder…"what the hell are people thinking?"... they need paint roller covers like I need ballet slippers. Most people are good hearted and trust me, the Haitians are thankful for almost every little thing. But I have seen used basketballs with quarter sized holes in them, along with just plain junk. Maybe it’s easier and cheaper for some to send their junk to Haiti rather than the dump; after all, it is free for them (although the shipper ends up paying) and sometimes you have to pay at the dump.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Unforgettable People - Angela Lizotte and Lowell & Sally Senitz
Angela Lizotte
Angela, 30, a single mother of two, who with several of her close friends formed a foundation to serve the people of Haiti; they raise funds on their Facebook pages.
Angela is beautiful; a high school dropout who went to Europe to model, she reminds one of Angelina Jolie. I have never witnessed anyone charm, bluster, confuse and wear down people to get “things” that they have and that “her” people need. She is relentless. Angela got food, toys, tarps, and tents…containers full of stuff… Lysol, medical supplies. One day we crashed the UN complex, she using some U of M badge telling the guard at the door that I was Dr. Barnard and was with her. Once inside she used a name of someone she had met several days earlier to call someone at IOM (International Organization of Migration) who was handling tent distribution. We went to their compound and after several hours in their office, filled out the paper work at their desk-her “people” needed tents now, not next week. They’re not used to working this way; we received verbal approval for 250 tents before we left. (Several days later she returned to back check, found they had lost the original application and was told we could only get 125, but she reapplied using Manhattan, NY as a site plan that she found lying around, and received the tents three days later.
Five days after our trip to the UN Angela somehow talked the military out of 26 undesignated containers they had been storing at the port. We organized the groups we had been working with and spent a free-for-all day with organizations battling one another for precious items for the people they represent, trying to maintain order to the mayhem. It was seven hours in the very hot sun and in even hotter containers, ankle deep dust sent flying through the air by the oversized vehicle used to move the containers, not to mention the large box trucks rented by the organizations at $250/day to get these supplies for their people.
I got the sense that heretofore, Angela was kind of a wild child. She made the comment to me that not only was she not a Christian (I say she’s an agnostic beginning to explore with more seriousness her growing spirituality), she said that four months ago she would not have even considered working with a Christian organization. She now observes Christian missionaries in Haiti are the ones she seeks to assist because they are the ones who really care, really touch and really try to make a difference with those who are most in need.
Angela extended her first stay by almost a week and was back on the ground in Haiti 10 days later working her magic.
Observation-In my first 18 days in Haiti I saw one Red Cross Truck. They may be doing things … and we all know they sure raised enough money to do things … but so far they sure have had a low profile.
Lowell & Sally Senitz
We met Lowell and Sally Senitz on our third evening at NLCH. They had come to PAP on behalf of their organization Wings of Shelter Int’l, Inc. (www.wingsofshelterintl.org) to implore the UN to pressure Haiti to support the international agreement on slave trafficking. Haiti is currently a non-signer, a tier three classification, which makes dealing with the US on many issues very problematic.
Like us, the Senitzs’ are in their mid 60’s and live in FL; unlike us, they have been actively involved in the mission field for years, spending considerable time in Kenya and Uganda, dangerous hotspots in the fight against international slave trafficking. They are also involved at home in FL, establishing a safe home in Lee County and petitioning local and state authorities to the silent but virtually unknown problem here at home (an estimated 360,000 slaves are counted in the US – many drug related; alarmingly, FL ranks as the 2nd worst state in the country). We hope to have them visit local law enforcement and local high school and college administrators in Indian River County as soon as we can arrange it. Further discussion of slave trafficking will be given prominent future commentary, especially as it relates to Haiti, as we have since met several others, engaged in the fight, notably Dean Ouilette, Carmen Vaught, and Michael Brewer, a truly remarkable man, who has been on the ground working with Haitian street kids for over a decade. A tragic story!
Back to Lowell and Sally; harkening back to a connection they had with their previous church in California, Dr. Rik and I joined them on a visit to Mission of Hope in Titanyen where we met with Brad Johnson, President. Because of some timely publicity shortly after the earthquake, an NBC camera crew visited Mission of Hope and aired footage on the Nightly News which resulted in significant quantities of food and medical supplies pouring in. Our meeting and tour established a valuable contact, as we have been able to assist both Bishop Chervil and NLCH obtain needed medical supplies.
While waiting to meet with Brad Johnson on that first trip, I was introduced to Bill Neusch from Burnet, TX. who is volunteering there. Bill is affiliated with Sparrows Home (www.sparrowshome.org), and is president of Gibraltar US (www.gibraltarus.com), the largest fabricator of fence panels for the border crossing between the US and Mexico. More pertinent to his current ministry in Haiti, Bill’s organization has initiated a program to allow the adoption of special needs Haitian children directly into the US. Medical visas are already in place and several churches have enrolled: each church agreeing to help five parishioner families maintain a home and social support system for both the family and the child. Families have already undergone FBI background checks and counseling on what to expect. Bill has since visited NLCH and met with Miriam and Dr. Schroering, and there is interest in the two amputee orphans we have; however, at this point our other special needs kids fall into a different category. We will continue to pray for their future adoption also.
Angela, 30, a single mother of two, who with several of her close friends formed a foundation to serve the people of Haiti; they raise funds on their Facebook pages.
Angela is beautiful; a high school dropout who went to Europe to model, she reminds one of Angelina Jolie. I have never witnessed anyone charm, bluster, confuse and wear down people to get “things” that they have and that “her” people need. She is relentless. Angela got food, toys, tarps, and tents…containers full of stuff… Lysol, medical supplies. One day we crashed the UN complex, she using some U of M badge telling the guard at the door that I was Dr. Barnard and was with her. Once inside she used a name of someone she had met several days earlier to call someone at IOM (International Organization of Migration) who was handling tent distribution. We went to their compound and after several hours in their office, filled out the paper work at their desk-her “people” needed tents now, not next week. They’re not used to working this way; we received verbal approval for 250 tents before we left. (Several days later she returned to back check, found they had lost the original application and was told we could only get 125, but she reapplied using Manhattan, NY as a site plan that she found lying around, and received the tents three days later.
Five days after our trip to the UN Angela somehow talked the military out of 26 undesignated containers they had been storing at the port. We organized the groups we had been working with and spent a free-for-all day with organizations battling one another for precious items for the people they represent, trying to maintain order to the mayhem. It was seven hours in the very hot sun and in even hotter containers, ankle deep dust sent flying through the air by the oversized vehicle used to move the containers, not to mention the large box trucks rented by the organizations at $250/day to get these supplies for their people.
I got the sense that heretofore, Angela was kind of a wild child. She made the comment to me that not only was she not a Christian (I say she’s an agnostic beginning to explore with more seriousness her growing spirituality), she said that four months ago she would not have even considered working with a Christian organization. She now observes Christian missionaries in Haiti are the ones she seeks to assist because they are the ones who really care, really touch and really try to make a difference with those who are most in need.
Angela extended her first stay by almost a week and was back on the ground in Haiti 10 days later working her magic.
Observation-In my first 18 days in Haiti I saw one Red Cross Truck. They may be doing things … and we all know they sure raised enough money to do things … but so far they sure have had a low profile.
Lowell & Sally Senitz
We met Lowell and Sally Senitz on our third evening at NLCH. They had come to PAP on behalf of their organization Wings of Shelter Int’l, Inc. (www.wingsofshelterintl.org) to implore the UN to pressure Haiti to support the international agreement on slave trafficking. Haiti is currently a non-signer, a tier three classification, which makes dealing with the US on many issues very problematic.
Like us, the Senitzs’ are in their mid 60’s and live in FL; unlike us, they have been actively involved in the mission field for years, spending considerable time in Kenya and Uganda, dangerous hotspots in the fight against international slave trafficking. They are also involved at home in FL, establishing a safe home in Lee County and petitioning local and state authorities to the silent but virtually unknown problem here at home (an estimated 360,000 slaves are counted in the US – many drug related; alarmingly, FL ranks as the 2nd worst state in the country). We hope to have them visit local law enforcement and local high school and college administrators in Indian River County as soon as we can arrange it. Further discussion of slave trafficking will be given prominent future commentary, especially as it relates to Haiti, as we have since met several others, engaged in the fight, notably Dean Ouilette, Carmen Vaught, and Michael Brewer, a truly remarkable man, who has been on the ground working with Haitian street kids for over a decade. A tragic story!
Back to Lowell and Sally; harkening back to a connection they had with their previous church in California, Dr. Rik and I joined them on a visit to Mission of Hope in Titanyen where we met with Brad Johnson, President. Because of some timely publicity shortly after the earthquake, an NBC camera crew visited Mission of Hope and aired footage on the Nightly News which resulted in significant quantities of food and medical supplies pouring in. Our meeting and tour established a valuable contact, as we have been able to assist both Bishop Chervil and NLCH obtain needed medical supplies.
While waiting to meet with Brad Johnson on that first trip, I was introduced to Bill Neusch from Burnet, TX. who is volunteering there. Bill is affiliated with Sparrows Home (www.sparrowshome.org), and is president of Gibraltar US (www.gibraltarus.com), the largest fabricator of fence panels for the border crossing between the US and Mexico. More pertinent to his current ministry in Haiti, Bill’s organization has initiated a program to allow the adoption of special needs Haitian children directly into the US. Medical visas are already in place and several churches have enrolled: each church agreeing to help five parishioner families maintain a home and social support system for both the family and the child. Families have already undergone FBI background checks and counseling on what to expect. Bill has since visited NLCH and met with Miriam and Dr. Schroering, and there is interest in the two amputee orphans we have; however, at this point our other special needs kids fall into a different category. We will continue to pray for their future adoption also.
Unforgettable People - Dr. Rik Celie and Pastor Volner Alexandre
Dr. Rik Celie
A Belgian born doctor who founded Doctors on Mission.org, has served as a missionary doctor in Bolivia, establishing three indigenous clinics in various regions of that country. He actively served in Bolivia until 2009 when the local drug cartel decided to hold one of his clinics for ransom and put a bounty on his head. He and his wife, also a doctor, reside in South Florida between mission assignments.
Dr. Rik was to accompany Pastor Frank to Bishop Chervil’s church and assist with the clinic. Fran and I were invited to assist with the clinic, putting some of our First Responder training to work. While working at the clinic for several hours, Dr. Rik observed that they had plenty of medical personnel (3 doctors and 120 nurses belong to the church): the problem was lack of supplies. He set off to get some, finding that the existing system was unsustainable. He began filing paper work to get the church set-up with the World Health Organization (WHO) so that the medical supply chain could be routinely accessed by local medical personnel.
During Dr. Rik’s forays to WHO, we had the opportunity to introduce him to Pastor Volner Alexandre who has need for clinical services in the remote regions he serves, and Martin Schroeder and Hunter Parker of Samaritan Air, (www.samaritanairhaiti.blogspot.com) a missionary helicopter outreach serving medical emergencies in remote areas of Haiti. It is based in Jupiter, FL. His vision expanded, Dr. Rik created a new Doctors on Mission for Haiti. He’s already received the promise of a large tract of land by the mayor of Cressier, a town near Leogane on which to build a hospital. Regional clinics will be supported from the main hospital and regular missions to remote areas will be organized by the clinics. The organization will be operated and run by Haitians.
Through the assistance of Bishop Chervil and doctors and lawyers from the church, the paperwork was completed and filed within a week.
Pastor Volner Alexandre
Volner, 39 has served the remote area of Pouille for 12 years. Trust me, if one wasn’t called to Pouille, you wouldn’t be there for a week, let alone 12 years. He also has a ministry in Savanette, even more hours distance from PAP. Volner is one of the nicest men I have ever met with a true Godly Spirit.
Just prior to the earthquake, Volner’s 21 year old niece was working in the kitchen. Acting on a feeling that she needed to look for his five year son, she went upstairs, took him out the back door, and was walking down the outside stairs when everything broke loose and the second floor collapsed. Volner told us later that God had saved his child and now he, Volner, had to stay in Haiti and save God’s children. His wife and three children are now relocated to Carthage, IL where a church group that partially supports his mission, Christ’s Freedom for Haiti, (www.christfreedomforhaiti.org), resides. He also receives some support from a church group in KY. As is common with all nonprofit funding in the US, the economy has forced support cutbacks and local activities are being reduced or curtailed.
Pouille is a two hour car ride from PAP. Once there you cross a ¼ mile wide, shallow river by a wooden boat that looks to be dated from biblical times. It is poled across by a local. Once ashore on the other side, it is a brisk 45 minute hike to the church compound. From a barren piece of property when he arrived, several structures now stand, the newest, a brand new church building for 300 is almost completed. Originally it was to have been dedicated in February, but things are running behind schedule and it looks now as if Easter will mark the first service.
The amazing thing is that everything that goes to the Pouille compound must be carried by hand : food, bags of cement for making block, stucco, etc. An orphanage to house 50 children will be started within the next several months thanks to a generous $35,000 donation from a KY woman.
He runs a Christian school for over 300 local children which we observed. They wander in from all directions, all in their neat school uniforms; many with backpacks. The boys play soccer behind the church with a flat soccer ball (since replaced with three new ones).
A Belgian born doctor who founded Doctors on Mission.org, has served as a missionary doctor in Bolivia, establishing three indigenous clinics in various regions of that country. He actively served in Bolivia until 2009 when the local drug cartel decided to hold one of his clinics for ransom and put a bounty on his head. He and his wife, also a doctor, reside in South Florida between mission assignments.
Dr. Rik was to accompany Pastor Frank to Bishop Chervil’s church and assist with the clinic. Fran and I were invited to assist with the clinic, putting some of our First Responder training to work. While working at the clinic for several hours, Dr. Rik observed that they had plenty of medical personnel (3 doctors and 120 nurses belong to the church): the problem was lack of supplies. He set off to get some, finding that the existing system was unsustainable. He began filing paper work to get the church set-up with the World Health Organization (WHO) so that the medical supply chain could be routinely accessed by local medical personnel.
During Dr. Rik’s forays to WHO, we had the opportunity to introduce him to Pastor Volner Alexandre who has need for clinical services in the remote regions he serves, and Martin Schroeder and Hunter Parker of Samaritan Air, (www.samaritanairhaiti.blogspot.com) a missionary helicopter outreach serving medical emergencies in remote areas of Haiti. It is based in Jupiter, FL. His vision expanded, Dr. Rik created a new Doctors on Mission for Haiti. He’s already received the promise of a large tract of land by the mayor of Cressier, a town near Leogane on which to build a hospital. Regional clinics will be supported from the main hospital and regular missions to remote areas will be organized by the clinics. The organization will be operated and run by Haitians.
Through the assistance of Bishop Chervil and doctors and lawyers from the church, the paperwork was completed and filed within a week.
Pastor Volner Alexandre
Volner, 39 has served the remote area of Pouille for 12 years. Trust me, if one wasn’t called to Pouille, you wouldn’t be there for a week, let alone 12 years. He also has a ministry in Savanette, even more hours distance from PAP. Volner is one of the nicest men I have ever met with a true Godly Spirit.
Just prior to the earthquake, Volner’s 21 year old niece was working in the kitchen. Acting on a feeling that she needed to look for his five year son, she went upstairs, took him out the back door, and was walking down the outside stairs when everything broke loose and the second floor collapsed. Volner told us later that God had saved his child and now he, Volner, had to stay in Haiti and save God’s children. His wife and three children are now relocated to Carthage, IL where a church group that partially supports his mission, Christ’s Freedom for Haiti, (www.christfreedomforhaiti.org), resides. He also receives some support from a church group in KY. As is common with all nonprofit funding in the US, the economy has forced support cutbacks and local activities are being reduced or curtailed.
Pouille is a two hour car ride from PAP. Once there you cross a ¼ mile wide, shallow river by a wooden boat that looks to be dated from biblical times. It is poled across by a local. Once ashore on the other side, it is a brisk 45 minute hike to the church compound. From a barren piece of property when he arrived, several structures now stand, the newest, a brand new church building for 300 is almost completed. Originally it was to have been dedicated in February, but things are running behind schedule and it looks now as if Easter will mark the first service.
The amazing thing is that everything that goes to the Pouille compound must be carried by hand : food, bags of cement for making block, stucco, etc. An orphanage to house 50 children will be started within the next several months thanks to a generous $35,000 donation from a KY woman.
He runs a Christian school for over 300 local children which we observed. They wander in from all directions, all in their neat school uniforms; many with backpacks. The boys play soccer behind the church with a flat soccer ball (since replaced with three new ones).
Unforgettable People - Mariam Fredrick and Pastor Frank Amedia
Miriam Frederick – Director of NLCH and World Harvest Mission of Lake Worth, Fl.
Miriam, 67, established NLCH 34 years ago. During that time she has lost her property twice, once during a governmental coup when she and her staff were flown out by a Lear jet, the other time when the family of the Haitian employee she was required to add to the property’s deed to reclaim it, showed up with machine guns to forcibly evict her. That time she managed to flee by small boat, eventually being rescued by two Coast Guard Cutters off the coast of Cuba. She later recalls that when questioning God as to why he let her fail, she was reminded that He had sent her a Lear jet and the Coast Guard as evidence of His support. To return for a third start represents a conviction that passes all understanding!
NLCH runs a Christian orphanage for between 90-125 children, many with special needs. Over 15 current orphans are mentally challenged and wheelchair bound. Two are amputees. Some were just abandoned at the gates of NLCH or left nearby to die; others have been rescued from the various remote regions of Haiti where they conduct medical missions. Several orphans being cared for in the Post-Op facility are babies that were so severely malnourished when brought in that they were within a day or two of death.
The Post Op Clinic is currently affiliated with the Medishare Hospital Operation (a University of Miami Medical School outreach program) at PAP airport. Amputee and other critically injured children operated on at Medishare are sent to NLCH for Post Op care. Doctors and nurses rotate through the clinic caring for the patient needs on kind of a missionary availability… signing on anywhere from three days to three months. Dr. Ken Pierce and his wife Diane, an ER doctor and RN from Kauai were recently here for three weeks with their youngest daughter Emily, a home schooled high school junior. (In addition to doctoring, Ken has published a book “Wise @ Heart”, plays guitar, sings and leads worship service). They were a fantastic addition to “our family”. This clinic, housed in the former church building in the compound, is being overseen by Dr. Steve Schroering an orthopedic surgeon from Ft. Myers who is in the process of adding a permanent prosthetic fitting facility to accommodate patient recovery and rehabilitation.
Pastor Frank Amedia
A former wild child who played with the WHO, Alice Cooper, etc. business owner and entrepreneur. Frank was born an orthodox Jew, has a PHD in Philosophy, and now is an evangelistic, conservative born again Christian, a conviction reinforced on April 20, 1999 when 12 students were tragically gunned down at Columbine High School. (Franks rather remarkable vision and subsequent conversations with Darrell Scott, the father of the first girl shot, Rachael, are fascinating and I encourage you to Google “Frank Amedia Rachael Smiles”, and follow the link.
Frank arrived at NLCH to deliver aid to various orphanages, etc. He is also in the planning process of setting up a two day revival (tentatively May 6-7) for 1200-1500 Haitian pastors on the street across from the collapsed Presidential Palace downtown PAP. The purpose of the revival is to reinstill a new spirit of commitment, service and leadership to Haiti, led by pastors at the community level. This can only succeed, Frank believes, if the pastors confess and repent of transgressions in the secular world in recent years.
On the morning of our third day we joined Pastor Frank and his assistant, along with Dr. Rik Celie, to go to Carrefour and meet with Bishop Vilsaint Chervil, church Eglise Jesus Christ De La Guerison, one of the area’s religious leaders. Pastor Frank wanted Bishop Chervil to head up the team to obtain the permits for the pastoral crusade.
Carrefour, being nearer to the earthquake epicenter, sustained more destruction than PAP. Quite a bit of the church property including the school, and even the Bishop’s residence several miles away, were destroyed. The main church structure itself was not damaged and was being used as a clinic on Monday when we arrived. They were routinely seeing 200-300 patients per day, or until they ran out of meds. Many families were living behind the church in the destroyed school facility and on the bare ground in front of it, sleeping on blankets on rock hard ground (which would turn to mud and standing water when the fast approaching rainy season arrives) under a couple of tarps. One of these families included the Miracle Baby born the day of the earthquake and twins born the day after the quake.
After the clinic (see below) we ended the third day in front of the Presidential Palace and adjacent to a massive tent complex of displaced Haitians surveying the site for the revival. As the day’s light began to fade, seven of us joined hands to pray. One by one those on the street began to join in until the group swelled to over 50. After an angry young man passed by and created a big disturbance, Pastor Frank calmed him down, got him to repent, and a healing revival broke out. Turns out the young man had lost his entire family in the earthquake. A potentially explosive disturbance was averted and we returned to our compound safely as darkness fell.
Miriam, 67, established NLCH 34 years ago. During that time she has lost her property twice, once during a governmental coup when she and her staff were flown out by a Lear jet, the other time when the family of the Haitian employee she was required to add to the property’s deed to reclaim it, showed up with machine guns to forcibly evict her. That time she managed to flee by small boat, eventually being rescued by two Coast Guard Cutters off the coast of Cuba. She later recalls that when questioning God as to why he let her fail, she was reminded that He had sent her a Lear jet and the Coast Guard as evidence of His support. To return for a third start represents a conviction that passes all understanding!
NLCH runs a Christian orphanage for between 90-125 children, many with special needs. Over 15 current orphans are mentally challenged and wheelchair bound. Two are amputees. Some were just abandoned at the gates of NLCH or left nearby to die; others have been rescued from the various remote regions of Haiti where they conduct medical missions. Several orphans being cared for in the Post-Op facility are babies that were so severely malnourished when brought in that they were within a day or two of death.
The Post Op Clinic is currently affiliated with the Medishare Hospital Operation (a University of Miami Medical School outreach program) at PAP airport. Amputee and other critically injured children operated on at Medishare are sent to NLCH for Post Op care. Doctors and nurses rotate through the clinic caring for the patient needs on kind of a missionary availability… signing on anywhere from three days to three months. Dr. Ken Pierce and his wife Diane, an ER doctor and RN from Kauai were recently here for three weeks with their youngest daughter Emily, a home schooled high school junior. (In addition to doctoring, Ken has published a book “Wise @ Heart”, plays guitar, sings and leads worship service). They were a fantastic addition to “our family”. This clinic, housed in the former church building in the compound, is being overseen by Dr. Steve Schroering an orthopedic surgeon from Ft. Myers who is in the process of adding a permanent prosthetic fitting facility to accommodate patient recovery and rehabilitation.
Pastor Frank Amedia
A former wild child who played with the WHO, Alice Cooper, etc. business owner and entrepreneur. Frank was born an orthodox Jew, has a PHD in Philosophy, and now is an evangelistic, conservative born again Christian, a conviction reinforced on April 20, 1999 when 12 students were tragically gunned down at Columbine High School. (Franks rather remarkable vision and subsequent conversations with Darrell Scott, the father of the first girl shot, Rachael, are fascinating and I encourage you to Google “Frank Amedia Rachael Smiles”, and follow the link.
Frank arrived at NLCH to deliver aid to various orphanages, etc. He is also in the planning process of setting up a two day revival (tentatively May 6-7) for 1200-1500 Haitian pastors on the street across from the collapsed Presidential Palace downtown PAP. The purpose of the revival is to reinstill a new spirit of commitment, service and leadership to Haiti, led by pastors at the community level. This can only succeed, Frank believes, if the pastors confess and repent of transgressions in the secular world in recent years.
On the morning of our third day we joined Pastor Frank and his assistant, along with Dr. Rik Celie, to go to Carrefour and meet with Bishop Vilsaint Chervil, church Eglise Jesus Christ De La Guerison, one of the area’s religious leaders. Pastor Frank wanted Bishop Chervil to head up the team to obtain the permits for the pastoral crusade.
Carrefour, being nearer to the earthquake epicenter, sustained more destruction than PAP. Quite a bit of the church property including the school, and even the Bishop’s residence several miles away, were destroyed. The main church structure itself was not damaged and was being used as a clinic on Monday when we arrived. They were routinely seeing 200-300 patients per day, or until they ran out of meds. Many families were living behind the church in the destroyed school facility and on the bare ground in front of it, sleeping on blankets on rock hard ground (which would turn to mud and standing water when the fast approaching rainy season arrives) under a couple of tarps. One of these families included the Miracle Baby born the day of the earthquake and twins born the day after the quake.
After the clinic (see below) we ended the third day in front of the Presidential Palace and adjacent to a massive tent complex of displaced Haitians surveying the site for the revival. As the day’s light began to fade, seven of us joined hands to pray. One by one those on the street began to join in until the group swelled to over 50. After an angry young man passed by and created a big disturbance, Pastor Frank calmed him down, got him to repent, and a healing revival broke out. Turns out the young man had lost his entire family in the earthquake. A potentially explosive disturbance was averted and we returned to our compound safely as darkness fell.
Initial Impressions
Haiti is a 3rd world country. Before the recent earthquake it ranked with Bolivia as one of the two poorest nations in the hemisphere. The native language is Creole. We arrived February 20th, a little over a month after the earthquake (January 12th). The epicenter was between Leogane and Carrefour, approximately 15 miles from PAP, but the destruction is extensive and everywhere. It occurred at 4:53 PM and the current official estimates are that 222,570 persons were killed, over 300,000 injured; 97,000 homes were destroyed and another 158,000 damaged resulting in over 1.3 million people being displaced. As recently as early March people reported the smell of decaying bodies from some of the larger destruction sites.
PAP, the capital of this island (shared with the Dominican Republic) country is a port city surrounded by 5,000 foot high, mostly barren mountains. It is the filthiest, most polluted place I could have ever imagined, let alone been; an environmental disaster. The stench and insect population surrounding the main market area next to the Port is about enough to cause you to hurl. Scraps leftover from the day’s activities are thrown over the side of the road to join with those of the previous days. Pigs, goats and dogs feast on the morsels. Garbage, when disposed of other that throwing it in streams or alongside the roads, is openly burned along with plastic containers; this smoke mixed with diesel and gas fumes from the numerous vehicles on the roads without emission control devices, and the dust from rubble and unpaved streets, makes the air dense, foul and almost unbreatheable. Every one of the numerous streams and bayous throughout the city are filled with rubbish and animals. Adult and infant humans bathe and wash clothes in the streams.
Tent cities are everywhere; upper class folks have newer tents handed out by relief organizations; lower class still live in cardboard covered with blankets (those better off, cover with tarps); “old money” have tin shanties which I assume were established prequake. People who live in structures that weren’t destroyed sleep outside in make shift tents because of fear. Two 4.7 aftershocks that have occurred since our arrival have reinforced their feeling of terror. People are desperate for jobs but none exist.
Debris is everywhere. Roads which were originally four lanes are often reduced to two. Most vehicles are total junk and traffic jams are often caused by breakdowns. This however, doesn’t dissuade drivers, all of whom are IDIOTS. Roads reduced to three lanes by debris often see five lanes created; four going one way, one the other. If this requires occasional sidewalk usage, so be it. All drivers are in a hurry but traffic goes nowhere. The horn is the most important part of any car and broken down vehicles make for additional obstacles every block.
Despite the widespread chaotic conditions, I’ve never felt unsafe. I’ve been all over PAP as well as several remote villages delivering food and supplies – but all travel has been during daylight hours. The greatest cause of unrest is the distribution of food and water where panic can breakout if careful planning is not used. As supplies are becoming more available, this is rarer.
The Haitian people seem genuinely resilient and are quite thankful for all we do. Generally most condemn their government for being corrupt and incompetent; they would love to be annexed to the US. We’ve explained that short of a massive oil discovery here, that dog’s not going to hunt. The government, on the other hand, wants the US out as soon as possible so they can reinstitute the old-boy way of doing business. This withdrawal has now begun, and soon the UN will be left in charge. For whatever reasons, the Haitian people consider the UN ineffective … their rubber bullets aren’t much of a deterrent and they do little but drive around. There is concern that increased lawlessness may be a near term result of the US withdrawal.
Arriving February 20th with no mission or home base…and a lone name to contact at the airport we have witnessed God’s hand in our journey. We have been blessed to stay at New Life Children’s Home (NLCH), a five acre property adjacent to the airport. You could walk from the property to the airport, if allowed to cross the runway, in five minutes. Travel by car can take between 20 minutes to an hour+.
We sleep in our tent on cots. As there is no hot water, showers are cool at the start, refreshing at the end. Because of the increase in number of people coming thru Haiti to aid in relief efforts, numerous tents are on the grounds and Porta Potties are available. Thank heavens they are serviced frequently and are very clean, even by US standards. Every day is hot with the heat index at 105+ and during the day and 90+ at night as you lie in your un-air-conditioned tent and await sleep.
On the three nights it rained our tent leaked and we were living in Barnard Pond. I think we have solved the problem but won’t know for sure until the next time. Fran, bless her heart, though not enthused about our coming and one who’s idea of roughing it before this journey was staying at a Motel 6, only whined once. She has since been convicted of our purpose here and is in full speed ahead mode. [The next rain storm turned out to be a major downpour that flooded out many of the displaced camps. Our compound turned into standing water for several days. Our tent was pretty much under water and we were forced to abandon it. We now have a better, drier version…it’s like we’ve moved up to the Marriott. Our old tent, which we would have thrown away at home, has been recycled to a less fortunate Haitian family.]
The compound is/was surrounded by and eight foot high block wall, half of which was damaged by the quake (only damage to the facility). The walls are presently being rebuilt ($30,000); in the interim they employ armed Haitian guards ($2,000 a month). We are fed breakfast and dinner and the cooks are excellent; someone is available to wash our clothes (we pay $3/$4 each time). Fran has since taken over this job...back to hanging out the laundry with clothes pins circa 1940s, 50s. They charge $30 a person per day to stay here. Wi-Fi is available, but at dial-up speed only.
NLCH is a fascinating place and I will elaborate on it more as I review our specific activities and goals.
The first two weeks are best overviewed by listing some of the fascinating people we met and worked with. This is somewhat chronological and does little to explain why or how we were brought together in this moment in time. Just accept that it was God’s plan. It also isn’t to slight the many other talented, hard working, warm hearted people we have been privileged to meet, talk and work alongside.
PAP, the capital of this island (shared with the Dominican Republic) country is a port city surrounded by 5,000 foot high, mostly barren mountains. It is the filthiest, most polluted place I could have ever imagined, let alone been; an environmental disaster. The stench and insect population surrounding the main market area next to the Port is about enough to cause you to hurl. Scraps leftover from the day’s activities are thrown over the side of the road to join with those of the previous days. Pigs, goats and dogs feast on the morsels. Garbage, when disposed of other that throwing it in streams or alongside the roads, is openly burned along with plastic containers; this smoke mixed with diesel and gas fumes from the numerous vehicles on the roads without emission control devices, and the dust from rubble and unpaved streets, makes the air dense, foul and almost unbreatheable. Every one of the numerous streams and bayous throughout the city are filled with rubbish and animals. Adult and infant humans bathe and wash clothes in the streams.
Tent cities are everywhere; upper class folks have newer tents handed out by relief organizations; lower class still live in cardboard covered with blankets (those better off, cover with tarps); “old money” have tin shanties which I assume were established prequake. People who live in structures that weren’t destroyed sleep outside in make shift tents because of fear. Two 4.7 aftershocks that have occurred since our arrival have reinforced their feeling of terror. People are desperate for jobs but none exist.
Debris is everywhere. Roads which were originally four lanes are often reduced to two. Most vehicles are total junk and traffic jams are often caused by breakdowns. This however, doesn’t dissuade drivers, all of whom are IDIOTS. Roads reduced to three lanes by debris often see five lanes created; four going one way, one the other. If this requires occasional sidewalk usage, so be it. All drivers are in a hurry but traffic goes nowhere. The horn is the most important part of any car and broken down vehicles make for additional obstacles every block.
Despite the widespread chaotic conditions, I’ve never felt unsafe. I’ve been all over PAP as well as several remote villages delivering food and supplies – but all travel has been during daylight hours. The greatest cause of unrest is the distribution of food and water where panic can breakout if careful planning is not used. As supplies are becoming more available, this is rarer.
The Haitian people seem genuinely resilient and are quite thankful for all we do. Generally most condemn their government for being corrupt and incompetent; they would love to be annexed to the US. We’ve explained that short of a massive oil discovery here, that dog’s not going to hunt. The government, on the other hand, wants the US out as soon as possible so they can reinstitute the old-boy way of doing business. This withdrawal has now begun, and soon the UN will be left in charge. For whatever reasons, the Haitian people consider the UN ineffective … their rubber bullets aren’t much of a deterrent and they do little but drive around. There is concern that increased lawlessness may be a near term result of the US withdrawal.
Arriving February 20th with no mission or home base…and a lone name to contact at the airport we have witnessed God’s hand in our journey. We have been blessed to stay at New Life Children’s Home (NLCH), a five acre property adjacent to the airport. You could walk from the property to the airport, if allowed to cross the runway, in five minutes. Travel by car can take between 20 minutes to an hour+.
We sleep in our tent on cots. As there is no hot water, showers are cool at the start, refreshing at the end. Because of the increase in number of people coming thru Haiti to aid in relief efforts, numerous tents are on the grounds and Porta Potties are available. Thank heavens they are serviced frequently and are very clean, even by US standards. Every day is hot with the heat index at 105+ and during the day and 90+ at night as you lie in your un-air-conditioned tent and await sleep.
On the three nights it rained our tent leaked and we were living in Barnard Pond. I think we have solved the problem but won’t know for sure until the next time. Fran, bless her heart, though not enthused about our coming and one who’s idea of roughing it before this journey was staying at a Motel 6, only whined once. She has since been convicted of our purpose here and is in full speed ahead mode. [The next rain storm turned out to be a major downpour that flooded out many of the displaced camps. Our compound turned into standing water for several days. Our tent was pretty much under water and we were forced to abandon it. We now have a better, drier version…it’s like we’ve moved up to the Marriott. Our old tent, which we would have thrown away at home, has been recycled to a less fortunate Haitian family.]
The compound is/was surrounded by and eight foot high block wall, half of which was damaged by the quake (only damage to the facility). The walls are presently being rebuilt ($30,000); in the interim they employ armed Haitian guards ($2,000 a month). We are fed breakfast and dinner and the cooks are excellent; someone is available to wash our clothes (we pay $3/$4 each time). Fran has since taken over this job...back to hanging out the laundry with clothes pins circa 1940s, 50s. They charge $30 a person per day to stay here. Wi-Fi is available, but at dial-up speed only.
NLCH is a fascinating place and I will elaborate on it more as I review our specific activities and goals.
The first two weeks are best overviewed by listing some of the fascinating people we met and worked with. This is somewhat chronological and does little to explain why or how we were brought together in this moment in time. Just accept that it was God’s plan. It also isn’t to slight the many other talented, hard working, warm hearted people we have been privileged to meet, talk and work alongside.
The Beginning
Having been touched by the nature and scope of the earthquake, I was moved to volunteer in the effort to mobilize aid to Haiti thru Missionary Flights International (www.missionflights.org) when Carol Liebler made an announcement at our church on Sunday shortly after it happened.
Assisting at MFI by repacking the heavy stream of donated items arriving daily was like drinking 3.2% beer, filling but not really satisfying. I did run into Terry Foley from Lake Worth one afternoon; he was preparing to return for his 2nd visit. Going sounded so simple and Terry was so enthusiastic that I went into the office and said I am putting a group together and to let me know when some empty seats to Port au Prince (PAP) were available. Several days later they called, said they had some seats, and asked if my group had all their shots. Shots!??! What shots? What group? Those initially interested, were suddenly apprehensive. It took two weeks to schedule necessary shots, at which time I returned to MFI’s reservation clerk and said my wife and I were ready. Unfortunately they called Fran and asked several unnerving questions like where we were going to stay, etc. A “We need to have a talk” moment occurred the next time I arrived home. This led to a 9:00 PM meeting with Terry on his return from his 2nd trip several nights later. We flew out two mornings later, hoping to find someone named Justin (no last name) at the airport. Fortunately within an hour of arrival we met up with Justin and our journey began.
Assisting at MFI by repacking the heavy stream of donated items arriving daily was like drinking 3.2% beer, filling but not really satisfying. I did run into Terry Foley from Lake Worth one afternoon; he was preparing to return for his 2nd visit. Going sounded so simple and Terry was so enthusiastic that I went into the office and said I am putting a group together and to let me know when some empty seats to Port au Prince (PAP) were available. Several days later they called, said they had some seats, and asked if my group had all their shots. Shots!??! What shots? What group? Those initially interested, were suddenly apprehensive. It took two weeks to schedule necessary shots, at which time I returned to MFI’s reservation clerk and said my wife and I were ready. Unfortunately they called Fran and asked several unnerving questions like where we were going to stay, etc. A “We need to have a talk” moment occurred the next time I arrived home. This led to a 9:00 PM meeting with Terry on his return from his 2nd trip several nights later. We flew out two mornings later, hoping to find someone named Justin (no last name) at the airport. Fortunately within an hour of arrival we met up with Justin and our journey began.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Prelude
Thanks to my daughter Lisa for setting up this blog and my Facebook page after my church purchased an I phone for me. I wanted to not only report on what Fran and I did and saw in Haiti, but also to have a platform for tying in appropriate media such as “The Silent Cry of Haiti”, a 15 minute DVD which Miriam Frederick of World Harvest Mission and New Life Children’s Home made telling the story of some of her kids.
I chose the name “bbyn – Haiti Relief” because I was moved by the song Blessed Be Your Name by Matt Redman. The partial lyrics:
Blessed be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be you name.
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be your name.
Every blessing You pour out
I’ll turn back in praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name.
As a privileged, retired American, this was my first encounter with massive poverty and suffering on a scale that doesn’t translate well in the 24 hour cable news cycle’s preoccupation with Tiger’s affairs or A Rod’s steroid abuse. Going from a land that is ostentatiously plentiful to one marked with daily suffering and pain is the story of this journey. Not for us, we can come and go. Yet while the people here can’t just pick-up and leave, and the suffering and destruction are without understanding, we seek to find strength in serving …and praising…and blessing.
I know blogs are supposed to be like daily posts, etc. and once I get over the learning curve and catch-up, I intend to do that. I’m going to go ahead and post my initial writing, followed by photos gleaned from our 1st journey. Fran will also insert her observations as she feels led as she too has been mightily involved, and as those of you who know us well are aware, frequently sees things with a far different perspective than me.
Our 1st visit lasted from February 20 to March 30, 5 ½ weeks. We plan to return for another 4 – 6 week period in May – June, and then later in the fall. We would like to continue some of the work we have started and are in the process of setting up a tax exempt non profit 501© (3) corp. to help fund these efforts if any are so led to participate. Lisa, too, is assisting with this, and more information will be available.
I chose the name “bbyn – Haiti Relief” because I was moved by the song Blessed Be Your Name by Matt Redman. The partial lyrics:
Blessed be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be you name.
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be your name.
Every blessing You pour out
I’ll turn back in praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name.
As a privileged, retired American, this was my first encounter with massive poverty and suffering on a scale that doesn’t translate well in the 24 hour cable news cycle’s preoccupation with Tiger’s affairs or A Rod’s steroid abuse. Going from a land that is ostentatiously plentiful to one marked with daily suffering and pain is the story of this journey. Not for us, we can come and go. Yet while the people here can’t just pick-up and leave, and the suffering and destruction are without understanding, we seek to find strength in serving …and praising…and blessing.
I know blogs are supposed to be like daily posts, etc. and once I get over the learning curve and catch-up, I intend to do that. I’m going to go ahead and post my initial writing, followed by photos gleaned from our 1st journey. Fran will also insert her observations as she feels led as she too has been mightily involved, and as those of you who know us well are aware, frequently sees things with a far different perspective than me.
Our 1st visit lasted from February 20 to March 30, 5 ½ weeks. We plan to return for another 4 – 6 week period in May – June, and then later in the fall. We would like to continue some of the work we have started and are in the process of setting up a tax exempt non profit 501© (3) corp. to help fund these efforts if any are so led to participate. Lisa, too, is assisting with this, and more information will be available.
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