This past Christmas was unlike any I've ever had before and it wasn't only because I was in a different country and culture. There were many other factors including the replacement of blood relatives with my new Haitian family, substitution of classic holiday traditions with unfamiliar ones, and the unexpected responsibility of working in the clinic Christmas morning.
A couple days before Christmas, my good friend, roommate, and partner in crime, Julie, had to leave to go home due to some family issues that had recently come up. Kate had left earlier for a 3 week visit at home, meaning I was the woman of the house for a few weeks. Instead of staying in my house by myself, Vedane offered to let me stay with her fam in their house. Christmas is not as big of a celebration here as it is at home. They have a service at the church each night the week before and the week following Christmas. But there are no presents really, few if any decorations, no talk of Santa, and no Christmas trees. However, Vedane had put up a few lights and decorations and I had started talking to Wood about some of the traditions we have during Christmas like snow, lights, and Santa. Here they call Santa Tonton Noel, which in Kreyol means Uncle Christmas. On Christmas Eve I was explaining to Wood about Santa and that he was going to come that night and leave presents while we were sleeping. Well since he was never really told much about Santa, he didn't believe me.
My mom had sent some presents for everyone in the family, and Julie and I had bought some gifts for them when we were in the DR. I wanted to try and make this Christmas special for them, so I got up really early Christmas morning and went back to my house to get all the presents. I put each persons stocking and presents next to their heads so that when they woke up they would see it. Vedane opened her presents while we waited for everyone else to wake up. Finally we heard Wood screaming "Mesi Tonton Noel, mesi Tonton Noel, yeeaaaaaaa!" I went into his room, camera ready to capture the pure look of joy on his face. I got some great pictures of each of the kids that I will have to share with you all later, as I am having trouble getting pictures from my camera to my computer.
After everyone opened their gifts, I helped Wood put together his legos while Vedane made us breakfast consisting of spaghetti with chicken, salad, and fresh fruit juice. Although it may sound strange to have for breakfast, that is what they are used to and Vedane is a wonderful cook so everything she makes is great. After I finished eating, Dr. Rodney told me that they needed me to go down to the clinic to take an xray of a lady who had broken both bones in her Wrist. After I finished doing that, I decided to take a peak into the cholera house just to check how things were going. There was one nurse, Dr. Rodney's mom, trying to take care of about 16 patients herself. There were a few patients who had come early that morning or the night before who needed IV's started, and then there were IV's that needed to be changed and more IV fluids to be given. I decided to stay and help Dr. Rodney's mom until everything was under control.
Needless to say, Christmas was unlike any other one I've had before. Although I missed my family at home, missed the snow, and Christmas traditions, I had so many things to be grateful for. Being with Rodney, Vedane and the kids, watching the joy on all their faces, and knowing that despite our many differences, the love and hope that we all share as a result of the gift the Lord has given to us through His Son, was more than I could ask for this holiday season. I was just reminded that no bought present, no material thing that this world has to offer, or no amount of Christmas tradition could ever come close to filling me with that same kind of joy, peace, and love. I am so thankful for that gift the Lord gave me, and for His steadfast faithfulness despite ever changing circumstances.
Psalm 117:2
For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.
Psalm 86:15
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Psalm 36:5
Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Different world...
I started this blog awhile back, and then things got crazy again at the cholera ward and I didn't get around to finishing it...until now. At the beginning of December, Julie, me, Matt, Stacey, and their daughter Lily took a four day trip to the Domincan to one get our passports stamped(we have to leave Haiti every 3 months to renew our "visa") and two to have a little rest. We packed up and headed out Thursday afternoon and to drive to an all-inclusive resort in Puerta Plata, and then come home Sunday afternoon.
The day we left, Julie and I had been working in the cholera ward and had a pretty wild morning. A family brought in their young daughter who was already taking her last breaths and there was nothing at all we could do. She died in the front yard outside of the cholera house and since the bodies have to be burned to make sure the disease does not spread, they had to keep the body there until someone could come pick it up to take it away. At noon we staggered home to get our things and get on the road, both still very much in the mindset of all the happenings of that morning and the weeks prior we had spent treating cholera patients...by that evening, we were pulling into an all-inclusive resort with a huge lighted Christmas tree waiting to greet us as we drove up.
Talk about culture shock! While we were waiting for our rooms to be ready, we went into the buffet where we had a wide array of foods, desserts, and drinks at our fingertips. We were all a little shocked at the number of choices and the amount of excess. For the first few minutes we just walked around and stared at everything with open mouths, all the time whispering to each other and pointing, "wow look at those," and "oooo they have these," and "oh my goodness that looks wonderful!" We were all very thankful for the little bit of Christmas tradition we had found, for the blessing of foods and drinks we hadn't had in a long time, and for a good nights sleep after a long day of work and travel.
Friday it was a nice day, sunny and warm, so w all put on the bathing suits and headed for the pool, Lily of course being the most enthusiastic to jump right in(the water was not by any means very warm). It took awhile for me to wrap my mind around so quickly being thrown into a completely different environment, opposite of the one I had just been in the day before. It was bizarre to think that everything that was going on back in Haiti with cholera and our clinic was still happening, while only a few hours drive away, there we were trying to get a suntan with everything we needed/wanted at our beckon call. It was just surreal and I never could quite push that out of my mind, or be at peace while we were there...but I am grateful or the opportunity for a change of pace, some more sleep, good food, and great company with the Ayar's family before jumping back into the craziness that has been life working in the cholera house. 
We also had another huge blessing that came about because of this trip to the DR. Someone had sent both Julie and I a large amount of money to buy supplies for treating cholera as well as for baby formula and supplies. These things had become hard to find in Haiti and when found, were much more expensive than they had previously been before. On Saturday we all went to a large super market near the resort with a list of things the clinic was in need of. We bought around $800 worth of baby formula, bottles, diapers for both babies and older people, and baby wipes. We were able to get way more there for our money than if we would have tried to buy it in Haiti so we were praising the Lord for that as well. 
The rest of our time there was filled with walks on the beach, exploring the resort, watching Lilly dance up on stage with the other kids during their hour of scheduled and choreographed dance sesh, visiting with each other, people watching, and watching some Office episodes. It was great to get away and give our bodies a bit of a rest, but come Sunday we were ready to go home.
When we got home, Julie and I were motivated from seeing all the decorations at the resort, to set up our Christmas tree along with all the decorations we had in our house from the past years, all the while blasting Christmas music. Here is a picture of our little fake tree that we have in our living room.
This Christmas is going to be a little different than any other one I've had. For one, I will only see a white Christmas in my dreams this year, two I won't be with any of my family, three, I will be periodically going to the cholera house to take some shifts, and four, I will be staying with Dr. Rodney, Vedane, and their 3 kids so the majority of my communication will be done in a different language :) But I am so grateful the Lord has blessed me with their presence in my life since being here. They are a very special family and I am looking forward to spending this time with them. I am thankful for all the abundant blessings the Lord has so faithfully poured out on me this year, and am in awe of his love for us that He demonstrated by sending His son to earth to die in our place so that we may spend eternity with Him. That is what this season is all about, and no matter how much I miss all the traditions of Christmas back home, or no matter how much I miss being with my family, Jesus is the only one who offers that true happiness, love, and peace. It is in being reminded of that during this time, that I rejoice and am truly filled with His joy. May God fill you with this joy and richly bless you this Christmas season :)
The day we left, Julie and I had been working in the cholera ward and had a pretty wild morning. A family brought in their young daughter who was already taking her last breaths and there was nothing at all we could do. She died in the front yard outside of the cholera house and since the bodies have to be burned to make sure the disease does not spread, they had to keep the body there until someone could come pick it up to take it away. At noon we staggered home to get our things and get on the road, both still very much in the mindset of all the happenings of that morning and the weeks prior we had spent treating cholera patients...by that evening, we were pulling into an all-inclusive resort with a huge lighted Christmas tree waiting to greet us as we drove up.
Talk about culture shock! While we were waiting for our rooms to be ready, we went into the buffet where we had a wide array of foods, desserts, and drinks at our fingertips. We were all a little shocked at the number of choices and the amount of excess. For the first few minutes we just walked around and stared at everything with open mouths, all the time whispering to each other and pointing, "wow look at those," and "oooo they have these," and "oh my goodness that looks wonderful!" We were all very thankful for the little bit of Christmas tradition we had found, for the blessing of foods and drinks we hadn't had in a long time, and for a good nights sleep after a long day of work and travel.
Friday it was a nice day, sunny and warm, so w all put on the bathing suits and headed for the pool, Lily of course being the most enthusiastic to jump right in(the water was not by any means very warm). It took awhile for me to wrap my mind around so quickly being thrown into a completely different environment, opposite of the one I had just been in the day before. It was bizarre to think that everything that was going on back in Haiti with cholera and our clinic was still happening, while only a few hours drive away, there we were trying to get a suntan with everything we needed/wanted at our beckon call. It was just surreal and I never could quite push that out of my mind, or be at peace while we were there...but I am grateful or the opportunity for a change of pace, some more sleep, good food, and great company with the Ayar's family before jumping back into the craziness that has been life working in the cholera house. 
We also had another huge blessing that came about because of this trip to the DR. Someone had sent both Julie and I a large amount of money to buy supplies for treating cholera as well as for baby formula and supplies. These things had become hard to find in Haiti and when found, were much more expensive than they had previously been before. On Saturday we all went to a large super market near the resort with a list of things the clinic was in need of. We bought around $800 worth of baby formula, bottles, diapers for both babies and older people, and baby wipes. We were able to get way more there for our money than if we would have tried to buy it in Haiti so we were praising the Lord for that as well. 
The rest of our time there was filled with walks on the beach, exploring the resort, watching Lilly dance up on stage with the other kids during their hour of scheduled and choreographed dance sesh, visiting with each other, people watching, and watching some Office episodes. It was great to get away and give our bodies a bit of a rest, but come Sunday we were ready to go home.
When we got home, Julie and I were motivated from seeing all the decorations at the resort, to set up our Christmas tree along with all the decorations we had in our house from the past years, all the while blasting Christmas music. Here is a picture of our little fake tree that we have in our living room.
This Christmas is going to be a little different than any other one I've had. For one, I will only see a white Christmas in my dreams this year, two I won't be with any of my family, three, I will be periodically going to the cholera house to take some shifts, and four, I will be staying with Dr. Rodney, Vedane, and their 3 kids so the majority of my communication will be done in a different language :) But I am so grateful the Lord has blessed me with their presence in my life since being here. They are a very special family and I am looking forward to spending this time with them. I am thankful for all the abundant blessings the Lord has so faithfully poured out on me this year, and am in awe of his love for us that He demonstrated by sending His son to earth to die in our place so that we may spend eternity with Him. That is what this season is all about, and no matter how much I miss all the traditions of Christmas back home, or no matter how much I miss being with my family, Jesus is the only one who offers that true happiness, love, and peace. It is in being reminded of that during this time, that I rejoice and am truly filled with His joy. May God fill you with this joy and richly bless you this Christmas season :)Thursday, December 9, 2010
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
Yesterday was a rough day. It started off by finding out that an elderly patient in the Cholera ward had died earlier that morning. Not long after I got to the clinic, I had to explain to two younger women that their mom was taking her last breaths, and then hold and comfort them as they grieved over her death. That afternoon, after working on a little girl about 3 years old for over an hour, we finally had to call it and tearfully explain to the family what had happened. When she first came, she was already severely dehydrated and no one could find a vein on her to start pumping fluid into her body. She had been able to drink some, so we decided to keep trying to get her to drink, and then look for a vein a little later. Her dad took her to the bathroom, and after she emptied out, she just stopped breathing. He rushed her back out to us and we put in two IV's into both of her tibias and started squeezing in fluids as fast as we could. We got a bag and started trying to help her breath, but she vomited and then aspirated fluid into her lungs and we could not effectively suction enough out...even after 4 doses of epinephrine, constant bagging and attempting to suction out fluid, her stats kept dropping and we finally just had to let her go.
The rest of the day and night was kind of a blur, just trying to focus on taking care of the other patients and not dwell on what had happened. As I sat eating dinner that night with the rest of the missionaries and the team who is here, I watched as the little Bundy kids laughed, played and sat content in their parent's arms. I was hit hard with the reality of how precious life is, how fleetingly short and unpredictable. I was reminded that only the Lord knows the number of our days, and only He can determine how long we have here on this earth. At first with that renewed realization, I was hit with a sense of fear and helplessness. That truth had become so blatantly real to me yesterday, and I had literally come face to face with that reality. I realized that despite my fleshly tendency to feel fearful and hopeless in those situations, the one thing that calms the fear of the unknown, of death, of pain, of heartache, is a relationship with the one who created all things, who gives and takes away, who sustains, who is sovereign, who was and is and is to come. I was so thankful that I have that kind of a relationship, that I can come to my Father with the burdens of the day, knowing that He will carry them for me. After all the things I have witnessed here, all the suffering, pain, and hardships of this life, without the hope of that truth in my life, all that would be left is fear, uncertainty, grief, and hopelessness. It is His love, His promises, His grace, His goodness, His peace and joy that comes from His Holy Spirit that gives us as Christians the strength to endure the things of this world. And that and that alone is what we have to offer these people, the families of those who have died or who are sick and suffering. Please pray for us, that we can accurately paint them a picture of the beauty that is Jesus Christ, of the hope and love and peace that He offers through a relationship with Him. Pray for a refueling of the Holy Spirit for all of us working there, both missionaries and Haitian staff, that through these experiences our faith would also be strengthened and radically transformed.
Psalm 30:5
"Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
Psalm 34:18
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Psalm 46:1-2
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."
Psalm 71:20-21
"Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again."
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
Revelation 21:4
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
The rest of the day and night was kind of a blur, just trying to focus on taking care of the other patients and not dwell on what had happened. As I sat eating dinner that night with the rest of the missionaries and the team who is here, I watched as the little Bundy kids laughed, played and sat content in their parent's arms. I was hit hard with the reality of how precious life is, how fleetingly short and unpredictable. I was reminded that only the Lord knows the number of our days, and only He can determine how long we have here on this earth. At first with that renewed realization, I was hit with a sense of fear and helplessness. That truth had become so blatantly real to me yesterday, and I had literally come face to face with that reality. I realized that despite my fleshly tendency to feel fearful and hopeless in those situations, the one thing that calms the fear of the unknown, of death, of pain, of heartache, is a relationship with the one who created all things, who gives and takes away, who sustains, who is sovereign, who was and is and is to come. I was so thankful that I have that kind of a relationship, that I can come to my Father with the burdens of the day, knowing that He will carry them for me. After all the things I have witnessed here, all the suffering, pain, and hardships of this life, without the hope of that truth in my life, all that would be left is fear, uncertainty, grief, and hopelessness. It is His love, His promises, His grace, His goodness, His peace and joy that comes from His Holy Spirit that gives us as Christians the strength to endure the things of this world. And that and that alone is what we have to offer these people, the families of those who have died or who are sick and suffering. Please pray for us, that we can accurately paint them a picture of the beauty that is Jesus Christ, of the hope and love and peace that He offers through a relationship with Him. Pray for a refueling of the Holy Spirit for all of us working there, both missionaries and Haitian staff, that through these experiences our faith would also be strengthened and radically transformed.
Psalm 30:5
"Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
Psalm 34:18
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Psalm 46:1-2
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea."
Psalm 71:20-21
"Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. You will increase my honor and comfort me once again."
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
Revelation 21:4
"He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Combat Cholera
The past couple weeks Bethesda has been treating on average 15 Cholera patients each day at a house on our compound right next to the clinic. We have mats, beds, IV and oral fluids, cleaning supplies and everything we need in the house to take care of these patients. Since we first opened this Cholera ward to the community last Wednesday, we have seen and treated somewhere around 70 patients. The majority of our patients, we have been able to send home within 2 or 3 days, healthy and with the knowledge of how to better protect themselves from this disease.
That night we got all of the patients, their families, and some of the missionaries together in the main room and had a little service of singing, bible reading, and prayer. We really tried to encourage the patients and their families by telling them how much God loves them and that He has a perfect plan for all of our lives, even if we don't understand sometimes. Although many of them said that they were Christians, we had the opportunity to remind them of the hope and joy of their salvation, and the Lord's promise of eternal life with Him forever through our faith in Jesus.
The next day, Daniello was looking more alert and like he was feeling much better. The only problem was he was still having diarrhea and losing all the water he was drinking. For some reason, that afternoon one of the nurses decided to take him off IV fluids since he was still able to drink. But come dark time he had reverted back to presenting the classic signs of someone who has Cholera: eyes rolled back in their head, sunken in cheeks, mouth hanging open, and general fatigue. We started to get worried when Dr. Rodney was unable to find a vein to start him on IV fluids again. Finally after debating on what our options were, Dr. Rodney came up with the idea of an intraosseous IV. He had never done one before, but we all read the directions together and after 3 tries, got an IV started in his distal tibia bone. That whole night we sat up with him again, changing his diapers and trying to get him to drink oral fluids. There were more than a few times that we thought we were going to lose him throughout the night. He also had fluid in his lungs and was having trouble breathing. Julie did some chest physical therapy and was able to clear some of the fluid out, which made it easier for him to breath and drink.
He stayed relatively in the same condition throughout the next day, but the day after that he was looking much better and had started to become more vocal and interactive. His diarrhea was slowing way down, but he had contracted a low grade fever of about 101 and it wasn't breaking. Our plan was to keep him with us, continue giving him antibiotics until he was completely better before sending him home. His mom was the one with him during this whole time, but she told us that his dad who was living in the Dominican at the time and who hadn't seen Daniello in 5 months, had gotten some kind of medicine from a witch doctor and was coming to the clinic to give it to him. Ms. Prudence told him that Bethesda does not support any kind of voodoo rituals or remedies and that he could not bring that in to give to him. So the dad decided instead they were going to take Daniello and leave Bethesda against medical advice.
When I heard this news I was frustrated, sad, and scared for this little boy. I gave his mother all the medication she needed and told her how much and how often to give it to him. I gave him a bath, and packed him a bag of baby shampoo, diapers, and some shoes and clothes we still had in our house from what people back home had donated. His mom let me take a picture of them as they were leaving. Ms. Prudence gave them an appointment to come back for a check up the following Friday, but I never heard of they came or not. I still think about and pray for that little boy and his family, wherever they are, that God will redeem that situation. I am praying that Daniello will be completely healed to the glory of His name, and that through all of this his parents will come to know the truth that is Jesus Christ, so that Daniello can grow up knowing that it was God who has saved him both physically and spiritually.
Right now we have a team here from Nebraska with 2 doctors and 2 nurses who are helping out this week. All of us at the clinic are so grateful for the extra help as it really is draining work for everyone, especially when each of us has other jobs and responsibilities in the clinic added to it. We have set up a few tents out in front of the house for overflow when all of our beds our filled. The first week we had mostly young kids and babies who came, but since then we have had a variety of patients of all ages. These are some of the kids from the first week...
We would all appreciate your prayers for physical and emotional strength in handling this day-to-day kind of work. It has been both heartbreaking as well as uplifting, to see people come in deathly ill, take care of them for 3 days or so, and see the change in them as they start to recover (for some we have literally seen them healed within minutes and turn into a totally different person). It helps knowing that we are sending them home hopefully healthy and with the valuable knowledge of how to prevent the spread of Cholera, as well as the charge to inform as many people as they can. We are not sure how long exactly Bethesda will be working to treat Cholera, but it is predicted that it will be well into the next year. The need for supplies is going to be ongoing, as is the need for more nurses and doctors to come help out. If you or anyone you know would be interested in donating their time, resources, or both, you can either email me or get in touch with us through Bethesda's facebook page.
There is a long road of recovery ahead for this poor country and your continued prayers and support, not just for Bethesda and OMS, but for the country as a whole, is much needed and incredibly powerful. We know God is sovereign and in complete control. He will bring beauty from these ashes and His name will be praised.
"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine." Psalm 33:18
When we first decided to open our doors to care for Cholera patients round the clock, we started by putting up a few tents on the side of the clinic. But after a couple days, we realized we were going to need a much bigger facility and a more efficient means for caring for these people. 
One of our missionaries, Jane, came up with the idea to turn one of the vacant guest houses on our compound into a mini hospital. Julie and I, being a physical therapist and a radiologic technologist, naturally were selected to set up and run the operation. We had help of course with Dr. Rodney and the other nurses working at Bethesda during the day. However, the first couple of nights it was just me, Julie, and Dr. Rodney starting and changing IV's, changing fluids, changing diapers, cleaning up diarrhea and vomit, and making sure everyone got their meds as needed. Needless to say, we were all completely exhausted after a few days and it was obvious that we needed more help. So Dr. Rodney started to look for nurses to hire outside of Bethesda to come and take the night shifts.
Thanksgiving night was particularly busy and draining both physically and emotionally. It was the second day of opening up the house to patient, and we had one little boy 18 months old named Daniello who was especially sick. That day we had tried and tried to find a vein in any part of his body, but it had been extremely difficult as he was already severely dehydrated and still having diarrhea regularly. One of our nurses eventually got one in his head, but it was dripping slowly and not replenishing his water as fast as he was losing it. Both Julie and I took turns all day and night trying to rehydrate him orally with pedialyte but the situation seemed dire. There was nothing more we could do at that point besides pray and ask others to pray as well.
Daniello and his mom
One of our missionaries, Jane, came up with the idea to turn one of the vacant guest houses on our compound into a mini hospital. Julie and I, being a physical therapist and a radiologic technologist, naturally were selected to set up and run the operation. We had help of course with Dr. Rodney and the other nurses working at Bethesda during the day. However, the first couple of nights it was just me, Julie, and Dr. Rodney starting and changing IV's, changing fluids, changing diapers, cleaning up diarrhea and vomit, and making sure everyone got their meds as needed. Needless to say, we were all completely exhausted after a few days and it was obvious that we needed more help. So Dr. Rodney started to look for nurses to hire outside of Bethesda to come and take the night shifts.
Thanksgiving night was particularly busy and draining both physically and emotionally. It was the second day of opening up the house to patient, and we had one little boy 18 months old named Daniello who was especially sick. That day we had tried and tried to find a vein in any part of his body, but it had been extremely difficult as he was already severely dehydrated and still having diarrhea regularly. One of our nurses eventually got one in his head, but it was dripping slowly and not replenishing his water as fast as he was losing it. Both Julie and I took turns all day and night trying to rehydrate him orally with pedialyte but the situation seemed dire. There was nothing more we could do at that point besides pray and ask others to pray as well.
Daniello and his mom
The next day, Daniello was looking more alert and like he was feeling much better. The only problem was he was still having diarrhea and losing all the water he was drinking. For some reason, that afternoon one of the nurses decided to take him off IV fluids since he was still able to drink. But come dark time he had reverted back to presenting the classic signs of someone who has Cholera: eyes rolled back in their head, sunken in cheeks, mouth hanging open, and general fatigue. We started to get worried when Dr. Rodney was unable to find a vein to start him on IV fluids again. Finally after debating on what our options were, Dr. Rodney came up with the idea of an intraosseous IV. He had never done one before, but we all read the directions together and after 3 tries, got an IV started in his distal tibia bone. That whole night we sat up with him again, changing his diapers and trying to get him to drink oral fluids. There were more than a few times that we thought we were going to lose him throughout the night. He also had fluid in his lungs and was having trouble breathing. Julie did some chest physical therapy and was able to clear some of the fluid out, which made it easier for him to breath and drink.He stayed relatively in the same condition throughout the next day, but the day after that he was looking much better and had started to become more vocal and interactive. His diarrhea was slowing way down, but he had contracted a low grade fever of about 101 and it wasn't breaking. Our plan was to keep him with us, continue giving him antibiotics until he was completely better before sending him home. His mom was the one with him during this whole time, but she told us that his dad who was living in the Dominican at the time and who hadn't seen Daniello in 5 months, had gotten some kind of medicine from a witch doctor and was coming to the clinic to give it to him. Ms. Prudence told him that Bethesda does not support any kind of voodoo rituals or remedies and that he could not bring that in to give to him. So the dad decided instead they were going to take Daniello and leave Bethesda against medical advice.
When I heard this news I was frustrated, sad, and scared for this little boy. I gave his mother all the medication she needed and told her how much and how often to give it to him. I gave him a bath, and packed him a bag of baby shampoo, diapers, and some shoes and clothes we still had in our house from what people back home had donated. His mom let me take a picture of them as they were leaving. Ms. Prudence gave them an appointment to come back for a check up the following Friday, but I never heard of they came or not. I still think about and pray for that little boy and his family, wherever they are, that God will redeem that situation. I am praying that Daniello will be completely healed to the glory of His name, and that through all of this his parents will come to know the truth that is Jesus Christ, so that Daniello can grow up knowing that it was God who has saved him both physically and spiritually.
Right now we have a team here from Nebraska with 2 doctors and 2 nurses who are helping out this week. All of us at the clinic are so grateful for the extra help as it really is draining work for everyone, especially when each of us has other jobs and responsibilities in the clinic added to it. We have set up a few tents out in front of the house for overflow when all of our beds our filled. The first week we had mostly young kids and babies who came, but since then we have had a variety of patients of all ages. These are some of the kids from the first week...
We would all appreciate your prayers for physical and emotional strength in handling this day-to-day kind of work. It has been both heartbreaking as well as uplifting, to see people come in deathly ill, take care of them for 3 days or so, and see the change in them as they start to recover (for some we have literally seen them healed within minutes and turn into a totally different person). It helps knowing that we are sending them home hopefully healthy and with the valuable knowledge of how to prevent the spread of Cholera, as well as the charge to inform as many people as they can. We are not sure how long exactly Bethesda will be working to treat Cholera, but it is predicted that it will be well into the next year. The need for supplies is going to be ongoing, as is the need for more nurses and doctors to come help out. If you or anyone you know would be interested in donating their time, resources, or both, you can either email me or get in touch with us through Bethesda's facebook page.There is a long road of recovery ahead for this poor country and your continued prayers and support, not just for Bethesda and OMS, but for the country as a whole, is much needed and incredibly powerful. We know God is sovereign and in complete control. He will bring beauty from these ashes and His name will be praised.
"Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine." Psalm 33:18
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
"Angels of Milot" Haiti's Aftershock
This is a short preview of a documentary that will be available January 2011.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Baby time!
Between Julie and I, we brought back with us over 2 suitcases full of donated baby clothes. We also had a team from Indiana here who left us with a bunch. We have lots of friends who are pregnant or just had babies and we wanted to be able to give them gifts, so we asked people at home if they would be willing to donate some baby clothes. We were overwhelmed by the response, and there are many children who have been blessed by the generosity of people in Bend, Bangor NI, and Columbus IN. This picture is maybe half of all the clothes, bibs, hats, socks, shoes, and blankets that we had altogether.
I wanted to share with you some of the stories of moms and kids who were blessed by these clothes. The first story I'll tell you is about Dr. Rodney and Vedane's new little addition to their family. I wrote about Aleisha awhile back, how their family adopted her after her father brought her to our clinic, unable to look after her after the mother died. When they first took her, they didn't have many supplies on hand for babies. Julie and I were able to spoil her with adorable dresses, outfits, and other essential baby products. It is now safe to say that at least she will be well clothed for her first year of life. 
This next little guy is named Jeffrey. His mom was in Port during the earthquake and was pregnant with him at the time. She since then has been living in Milot at the hospital, where she had her left lower arm amputated, and gave birth to Jeffrey in July. We were able to give her some blankets and clothes.
Every Thursday is baby day at the clinic, and we handed out clothes to each mom and baby a few weeks ago. We gave Miss Ketely a bag of clothes to keep in her room at the clinic to hand out to as she sees fit.
This next story is of an 18 year old mom named Daniella and her 6 month old baby girl named Florcy. She first came to our clinic in September looking for formula to feed Florcy because due to an infection she wasn't able to feed her herself. We didn't have any formula at the time, but we knew we would be getting some the next month and told her to come back then. My mom sent down a box of cans of formula and when she came back in October we were able to give her one of the big cans for Florcy. When she came, Julie started to talk with her and ask her about her life. Daniella told her that the baby's dad is not in the picture and she doesn't have any other family except her sister. Both she and the baby are staying at the house of someone they really don't know, and are sleeping on the hard cement floor. Daniella also told Julie that Florcy was not doing very well and thought she was sick. Julie told her to bring Florcy to the clinic the next day so she could be consulted. We have a fund in the clinic that pays for people who come and really cannot afford to be seen by the doctor, so this is how she was able to have a consultation. The next day when she came and Florcy was weighed, she weighed less than she had when she was at the clinic 3 months before! Needless to say what she needed was food, so we put her on the feeding program the clinic has. We also were able to give both Daniella and Florcy some clothes, a blanket for the baby to sleep on, and some money to buy food. When they came back just 4 days later, the difference in Florcy's appearance and demeanor was incredible. She was much more full of energy, smiling and laughing for the camera. So adorable! 
Roseleud and her baby Miklen came to our clinic with a similar story. Miklen is just 18 months old and was lethargic, malnourished and underweight when she first came. Since her dad died in the earthquake, they've been really struggling to live. Since they were unable to pay, the clinic once again sponsored Miklen to see the doctor and get treated. We gave her cartons of milk along with some clothes. When they were about finished with the consultation, Roseleud asked Miss Ketely if she could become a Christian. So right there they prayed and Miss Ketely helped her find a church that is near where she lives. When they returned a week later, they both looked happy and healthy and full of life.
This is 16 year old Phara and her newborn baby Vanessa. We have taken her under our wing and given her clothes, diapers, wipes, and blankets. She has the attitude of a typical teenager, always thinking shes right and thinking mostly of herself. We have tried to give her some helpful counsel on babies in general and the huge impact raising a child is going to have on her life. We are praying for direction in how we can continue to help her in taking care of Vanessa. She was also able to be put on the feeding program through the clinic.
This little baby is extra special because her mom, Rose Marie, named her after Julie and I...Julianna! (well her middle name anyways). She was in Port during the earthquake and lost her right leg. She has been staying in Milot with the other earthquake victims, and had her baby this September.
A big thanks to people from Bend OR, Bangor NI, and Columbus IN who sent stuff, your generosity has been a blessing to many!
I wanted to share with you some of the stories of moms and kids who were blessed by these clothes. The first story I'll tell you is about Dr. Rodney and Vedane's new little addition to their family. I wrote about Aleisha awhile back, how their family adopted her after her father brought her to our clinic, unable to look after her after the mother died. When they first took her, they didn't have many supplies on hand for babies. Julie and I were able to spoil her with adorable dresses, outfits, and other essential baby products. It is now safe to say that at least she will be well clothed for her first year of life. 
This next little guy is named Jeffrey. His mom was in Port during the earthquake and was pregnant with him at the time. She since then has been living in Milot at the hospital, where she had her left lower arm amputated, and gave birth to Jeffrey in July. We were able to give her some blankets and clothes.
Every Thursday is baby day at the clinic, and we handed out clothes to each mom and baby a few weeks ago. We gave Miss Ketely a bag of clothes to keep in her room at the clinic to hand out to as she sees fit.
This next story is of an 18 year old mom named Daniella and her 6 month old baby girl named Florcy. She first came to our clinic in September looking for formula to feed Florcy because due to an infection she wasn't able to feed her herself. We didn't have any formula at the time, but we knew we would be getting some the next month and told her to come back then. My mom sent down a box of cans of formula and when she came back in October we were able to give her one of the big cans for Florcy. When she came, Julie started to talk with her and ask her about her life. Daniella told her that the baby's dad is not in the picture and she doesn't have any other family except her sister. Both she and the baby are staying at the house of someone they really don't know, and are sleeping on the hard cement floor. Daniella also told Julie that Florcy was not doing very well and thought she was sick. Julie told her to bring Florcy to the clinic the next day so she could be consulted. We have a fund in the clinic that pays for people who come and really cannot afford to be seen by the doctor, so this is how she was able to have a consultation. The next day when she came and Florcy was weighed, she weighed less than she had when she was at the clinic 3 months before! Needless to say what she needed was food, so we put her on the feeding program the clinic has. We also were able to give both Daniella and Florcy some clothes, a blanket for the baby to sleep on, and some money to buy food. When they came back just 4 days later, the difference in Florcy's appearance and demeanor was incredible. She was much more full of energy, smiling and laughing for the camera. So adorable! 
Roseleud and her baby Miklen came to our clinic with a similar story. Miklen is just 18 months old and was lethargic, malnourished and underweight when she first came. Since her dad died in the earthquake, they've been really struggling to live. Since they were unable to pay, the clinic once again sponsored Miklen to see the doctor and get treated. We gave her cartons of milk along with some clothes. When they were about finished with the consultation, Roseleud asked Miss Ketely if she could become a Christian. So right there they prayed and Miss Ketely helped her find a church that is near where she lives. When they returned a week later, they both looked happy and healthy and full of life.
This is 16 year old Phara and her newborn baby Vanessa. We have taken her under our wing and given her clothes, diapers, wipes, and blankets. She has the attitude of a typical teenager, always thinking shes right and thinking mostly of herself. We have tried to give her some helpful counsel on babies in general and the huge impact raising a child is going to have on her life. We are praying for direction in how we can continue to help her in taking care of Vanessa. She was also able to be put on the feeding program through the clinic.
This little baby is extra special because her mom, Rose Marie, named her after Julie and I...Julianna! (well her middle name anyways). She was in Port during the earthquake and lost her right leg. She has been staying in Milot with the other earthquake victims, and had her baby this September.
A big thanks to people from Bend OR, Bangor NI, and Columbus IN who sent stuff, your generosity has been a blessing to many!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Bethesda Medial Center-Find us online!
This past month, Julie and I have been working on creating a more readily available way for people to find out information about our clinic, what we do here, and how they can help. We hope in doing this we will be able to increase the awareness of all that God is doing in and through this clinic, as well as encourage people to continue to support us prayerfully and financially.
We have created a link on the OMS website that will be accessible in the near future and there is now a facebook page for the clinic where you can find weekly updates, testimonies, photos, and various other information. The address is
http://www.facebook.com/BethesdaMedicalCenterHaiti
We have also just finished a promotional video for the clinic and are in the process of getting DVD copies made to have available for short term teams that come to OMS Haiti, and anyone else who would be interested in what we are doing here. The video is posted on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abtlakw0GDI, or you can just search Bethesda Medical Center on You Tube's website. (The video is only 4 minutes long, not 15!)
Currently we are working on a brochure for the clinic with information, pictures, and a way for people to commit to supporting the clinic through prayer, finances, or both. These too will be available for visitors and teams to take home with them to share with their friends, families, and churches.
We are really excited about getting others fired up and involved in Bethesda's vision to provide the people of Haiti with high quality health care in the name of Jesus Christ, with the sole purpose that others may come to know the true joy, peace, love, and hope that is found only in a relationship with Him.
We have created a link on the OMS website that will be accessible in the near future and there is now a facebook page for the clinic where you can find weekly updates, testimonies, photos, and various other information. The address ishttp://www.facebook.com/BethesdaMedicalCenterHaiti
We have also just finished a promotional video for the clinic and are in the process of getting DVD copies made to have available for short term teams that come to OMS Haiti, and anyone else who would be interested in what we are doing here. The video is posted on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abtlakw0GDI, or you can just search Bethesda Medical Center on You Tube's website. (The video is only 4 minutes long, not 15!)
Currently we are working on a brochure for the clinic with information, pictures, and a way for people to commit to supporting the clinic through prayer, finances, or both. These too will be available for visitors and teams to take home with them to share with their friends, families, and churches.
We are really excited about getting others fired up and involved in Bethesda's vision to provide the people of Haiti with high quality health care in the name of Jesus Christ, with the sole purpose that others may come to know the true joy, peace, love, and hope that is found only in a relationship with Him.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Cholera education
As you probably know already, there has been a Cholera outbreak in the central region of Haiti. The majority of the cases are found between St. Marc and Gonaives and as of October 27, a total of 4,722 cholera cases and 303 deaths have been reported. Cholera is transmitted through fecal contamination of water or food and causes an acute, severe, watery diarrhea that can result in hypovolemic shock and death if not treated immediately with fluid replacement. The Haitian population is not aware of the dangers or effects of insanitary conditions, and the widespread poverty only aids in facilitating such circumstances. Lack of education along with unclean living conditions makes these people more susceptible to the infection.
However, Cholera is an easily prevented disease, and it starts with promoting water treatment, adequate sanitation and hygiene, and safe food preparation. That is the main goal right now, to educate people on how to prevent the spread of Cholera in Haiti, as well as care for the those who are already infected, through oral rehydration salts and IV fluids.
Bethesda, as well as many other healthcare facilities, have begun responding to the outbreak by having supplies on hand to treat those infected and by offering information about Cholera to the public. Bethesda has already implemented a plan to keeps its doors open 24 hours if need be to treat patients, and leaflets have been made in both Creole and English to hand out to schools, churches, leaders in the community, and missionaries. Dr. Rodney has made announcements on Radio4VEH which is an OMS ministry that reaches thousands of people across the country via radio.
Last Wednesday, Bethesda put on 2 education classes for students from the local schools in Vaudreuil. We met in the church on the OMS compound and in both sessions combined there were about 1500 kids ranging from ages 5 to 20. Each child got a little brochure of information, and one of Bethesda's Doctor's, Dr. Cader, explained to the children what Cholera is, how it is contracted, what the symptoms are, what to do if you think you are infected, and most importantly how to prevent themselves and others from getting Cholera. We demonstrated how to properly wash your hands and gave each student a bar of medicated soap to take home with their brochure to share with their families.
The next day we went to Saccenville to speak at OMS's seminary. We educated the students and staff there and asked them to pass on the information to their churches, families, and friends. We held a similar teaching session after that in the local church for the people in the community. 
We believe that the key to controlling the further spread of this disease truly lies in teaching the importance of clean water, good sanitation and hygiene habits, and the awareness of how Cholera is contracted. We are praying that the information learned in these sessions, and the others like it being conducted throughout the country, will not stop there but have a widespread impact and aid in putting an end to this outbreak.
However, Cholera is an easily prevented disease, and it starts with promoting water treatment, adequate sanitation and hygiene, and safe food preparation. That is the main goal right now, to educate people on how to prevent the spread of Cholera in Haiti, as well as care for the those who are already infected, through oral rehydration salts and IV fluids.
Bethesda, as well as many other healthcare facilities, have begun responding to the outbreak by having supplies on hand to treat those infected and by offering information about Cholera to the public. Bethesda has already implemented a plan to keeps its doors open 24 hours if need be to treat patients, and leaflets have been made in both Creole and English to hand out to schools, churches, leaders in the community, and missionaries. Dr. Rodney has made announcements on Radio4VEH which is an OMS ministry that reaches thousands of people across the country via radio.
Last Wednesday, Bethesda put on 2 education classes for students from the local schools in Vaudreuil. We met in the church on the OMS compound and in both sessions combined there were about 1500 kids ranging from ages 5 to 20. Each child got a little brochure of information, and one of Bethesda's Doctor's, Dr. Cader, explained to the children what Cholera is, how it is contracted, what the symptoms are, what to do if you think you are infected, and most importantly how to prevent themselves and others from getting Cholera. We demonstrated how to properly wash your hands and gave each student a bar of medicated soap to take home with their brochure to share with their families.
The next day we went to Saccenville to speak at OMS's seminary. We educated the students and staff there and asked them to pass on the information to their churches, families, and friends. We held a similar teaching session after that in the local church for the people in the community. 
We believe that the key to controlling the further spread of this disease truly lies in teaching the importance of clean water, good sanitation and hygiene habits, and the awareness of how Cholera is contracted. We are praying that the information learned in these sessions, and the others like it being conducted throughout the country, will not stop there but have a widespread impact and aid in putting an end to this outbreak.Wednesday, October 27, 2010
With faith, all things are possible...
About 4 months ago in June, when Julie was translating for a team who was distributing radios, she found a 30 year old guy in a zone called Balan which is a half hour from where we live. This young man, Berlota, had fallen from a tree a few weeks before, landed on his back, and was paralyzed from the waist down. He had been laying on hard ground in his house and had developed a large pressure sore on his backside. It had become severely infected because it had not been kept clean or covered with anything. She came home and told me about it and we decided that if he didn't get to a hospital soon, he would definitely die. So that Monday we drove out to Balan to pick up Berlota, his cousin, and his mom and took them to Milot hospital with us. When we got to the hospital, the first doctor we talked to said that there was really nothing they could do and that he would most likely die. They kept him at the hospital, gave him antibiotics, cleaned the wound, and gave him a bed to sleep on. We were worried because the family literally had nothing and could not possibly afford to keep him there and pay for all the treatment he needed. Julie wrote about it on her blog but didn't ask for any help other than that people would pray for the situation. A week later a woman she didn't know but who had read her blog, emailed her and said that she read about Berlota and wanted to send some money to help. She ended up sending about $1500 dollars towards his treatment and care, which covered everything he has needed. I praise God for how he faithfully answered our prayers and provided a way for us to help Him. The money has covered all of his medical care up until about 2 weeks ago. The last of the money had been used up and we weren't sure what we were going to do. Berlota had made a miraculous recovery. He had an operation to put a flap of skin over the pressure sore which was healing very well, and he just looked much healthier and happier. But there were still medical bills that needed to be paid plus he will need ongoing care for a few more months until he heals completely.
Then Sunday night about 2 weeks ago , Julie received an email from that same lady saying that she wanted to send $800 more dollars for Berlota's ongoing treatment. Amen! The Lord gave us our answer plain as day. The very next day we were working in Milot and the hospital said that they were going to discharge him with orders to come back every two days for dressing changes and antibiotics. It was just crazy how we happened to be there the very day they were sending him home, to be able to drive him to his house ourselves so that he didn't have to pay and endure public transportation.
We took some pictures, laughed and hugged, and then prayed for him and his family before we left.
There were many miracles that happened in this young man's life to bring him to this point. The Lord not only saved Berlota's life here on this earth, but more importantly He saved him spiritually for all of eternity.
"Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10
Then Sunday night about 2 weeks ago , Julie received an email from that same lady saying that she wanted to send $800 more dollars for Berlota's ongoing treatment. Amen! The Lord gave us our answer plain as day. The very next day we were working in Milot and the hospital said that they were going to discharge him with orders to come back every two days for dressing changes and antibiotics. It was just crazy how we happened to be there the very day they were sending him home, to be able to drive him to his house ourselves so that he didn't have to pay and endure public transportation.
We also found out that since coming to Milot, both Berlota and his mom became Christians. Berlota said He realized that it was God who had saved his life and who had provided everything he needed each step of the way. His mom had a similar response, and both of them never mentioned anyone other than God who had brought them to where they were today.
Berlota and his mom
It was just cool because we never said anything other than who we were and what we were doing in Haiti. It is amazing how God uses us when we least expect it and in ways we would never expect, to allow us to boast only in God's glory and faithfulness. 
Berlota and his momI wish I had taken a picture of when we first found Berlota to compare it to the one I took on the way home. I just remember the first trip to Milot, the hassle it was to get him in and out of the car, that he had to lay on his stomach in the back seat because of the open sore, the terrible smell of infection, and the look of hopelessness on everyone's faces. When we brought him home this time, he was sitting up, looked much healthier due to good nutrition and antibiotics, actually smiled, and was thankful to be be going home.
When we started to drive through his town, people on the side of the road and from their houses started pointing and shouting his name as they realized who was in the car. When I looked behind us, there were about 30 people following, running after our car! By the time we reached his house, there was a large group ready to welcome him home and many more on their way.
We had gotten a nice wheelchair that was sent up from Port-au-Prince to give to him and we wheeled him up to his front door with friends and family crowded all around him.
Outside Berlota's house
It was a time of joy and celebration as he was reunited with these people he hadn't seen in over 4 months. We all sat in his house, him on his new bed surrounded by friends and family.
When we started to drive through his town, people on the side of the road and from their houses started pointing and shouting his name as they realized who was in the car. When I looked behind us, there were about 30 people following, running after our car! By the time we reached his house, there was a large group ready to welcome him home and many more on their way.
We had gotten a nice wheelchair that was sent up from Port-au-Prince to give to him and we wheeled him up to his front door with friends and family crowded all around him.
Outside Berlota's house
We took some pictures, laughed and hugged, and then prayed for him and his family before we left.
There were many miracles that happened in this young man's life to bring him to this point. The Lord not only saved Berlota's life here on this earth, but more importantly He saved him spiritually for all of eternity."Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Aroma of Christ
It was a blessing to be back in Diquini this past weekend. Despite the hot dusty ride and getting bounced around in the back of the truck for a total of 16 hours, the journey there and back was quite enjoyable and full of energy, singing, laughing, and prayer. I only knew two of the seminary students from prior trips and mobile clinics, Pastor Belonie and Pastor Devicour. It was great to get to know some new people and see their hearts for God and for their Haitian brothers and sisters. Junior met us in Port, he went down the week before to organize all of our housing and eating arrangements and to get the word out in the community that we were coming.
The first night we arrived we had a service at the church and 8 people came forward and gave their lives to Christ! Matt passionately preached the truth of the Gospel and the power we have through the salvation of Jesus Christ. It was a great way to start off the crusade and everyone left excited and encouraged for how God is clearly at work in this place.
The next morning Julie and I went out in groups with the students to evangelize. Although I was a bit nervous and timid about how I as a young “blan“(white in Kreyol) female would be received, the students boldly spoke of the grace of Jesus in truth and love and almost everyone was willing to listen and let us prayer with them. There were still more who heard the message of redemption and decided to live the rest of their lives in light of that truth. There was one older lady who had been deep in the cultural roots of voodoo for most of her life. The students revealed God's true perfect love for her and what He had done on her behalf because of that love. She became a Christian that day, and to symbolize the dying of her old life and beginning of a new one in Jesus, we had a little fire outside to burn all the various voodoo articles she had in her house.
This experience truly challenged and stretched me, and my own faith was strengthened through witnessing the power of the Gospel.
Saturday night Pastor Belonie preached about Jesus and the Samarian woman in John 4. He incorporated humor, passion, and intensity into his message and had all of us shouting an amen at one point or another. He drove home the point that whoever drinks of the water Jesus offers will NEVER again be thirsty and that water will become in him a spring welling up to eternal life. We sang and danced, more people were saved, and the night ended in everyone running to their homes to try and escape the downpour. 
We were all up early the next morning. Church started at 6 because we needed to get on the road early so we wouldn’t be driving on the treacherous roads in the dark. The service was lovely, we heard from Pastor Elizay about the true bread and water of eternal life. In total, there were about 20 people who came to know the Lord during the crusade. We took communion, prayed for the church, and pastor Charlo who took over after Junior left, prayed for all of us as well. After church we had breakfast, packed up, and spent some time together as a group thanking God for who He is and all He had done in the short amount of time we were there. We prayed for His continued presence and blessings in the lives of His children in Diquini.
I am so grateful that God has allowed me to be apart of experiences like these and apart of the work He is doing here. Even when we feel weak, discouraged, unfit to accomplish anything for the Kingdom, worn out, under attack, in the middle of a crisis, or out of our element, praise the Lord He is so much greater than our circumstances and that through our weaknesses He is made strong. For it is Christ who is living in us, and who chooses us as vessels to accomplish His will so that He may be glorified.
"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing..." 1 Corinthians 2:14&15
The first night we arrived we had a service at the church and 8 people came forward and gave their lives to Christ! Matt passionately preached the truth of the Gospel and the power we have through the salvation of Jesus Christ. It was a great way to start off the crusade and everyone left excited and encouraged for how God is clearly at work in this place.The next morning Julie and I went out in groups with the students to evangelize. Although I was a bit nervous and timid about how I as a young “blan“(white in Kreyol) female would be received, the students boldly spoke of the grace of Jesus in truth and love and almost everyone was willing to listen and let us prayer with them. There were still more who heard the message of redemption and decided to live the rest of their lives in light of that truth. There was one older lady who had been deep in the cultural roots of voodoo for most of her life. The students revealed God's true perfect love for her and what He had done on her behalf because of that love. She became a Christian that day, and to symbolize the dying of her old life and beginning of a new one in Jesus, we had a little fire outside to burn all the various voodoo articles she had in her house.
This experience truly challenged and stretched me, and my own faith was strengthened through witnessing the power of the Gospel. After lunch we planned out a VBS for the kids. We sang songs, learned about Noah and how God blessed him for his obedience, memorized Genesis 7:5, and Julie and I sang a song in English that we had taught them back in April. We were both amazed that straight after we finished singing that same song in Kreyol, they started right into it in English and remembered the whole thing without any of our help!
We had a great service that night, Devicour preached and the theme for this weekend was all who are tired and thirsty, come to Jesus because He is the living water and only in Him can we find true lasting life. There were more people who came forward after he spoke to give their lives to the Lord.
The next morning Julie and I went with Junior to see a lady who had a broken hip the last time we were there. Julie had given her some exercises to help strengthen her muscles and wanted to see how she was doing. We walked down the side of the mountain through the mix of tarp tents, lean-tos, and the occasional cement house. The lady was very happy to see us and said she still had pain but could walk and get around just fine. After we left her house, Junior told us about how he had helped build 12 houses in Diquini during his time there. When he was in his early teens he went to live with a missionary family in Port who took him in as their own son. He told us that his “dad” had sent him money to buy materials to build houses for those in Diquini who had lost their homes in the earthquake and were now living in tents. He took us to see a couple of them and they were by far some of the nicest houses in the area and definitely a big step up from the tarp homes surrounding them. 
Junior told us that he has been looking for more support so that he can buy materials and continue building houses for these people. The need is so great and each night we were there, there was thunder, lightening, and pouring rain. We heard of one house collapsing under the force of the rain, and I'm sure there are many more that are frequently damaged during those kinds of storms. It is also safe to say that no one living in one of those tents would have a chance of staying dry when it rained. It was heart breaking to think that most of these families had been suffering in these conditions for the past 9 months.
I am praying for a way in which I could help raise support to give these people proper homes to live in. If you would like to join in helping the families of Diquini, you can get in touch with me via email and I will give you more details about how you can do that.
Kids club on Friday afternoon got a tad bit chaotic when we brought out beads and string to make bracelets. We had black, red, white, green, and yellow beads and we explained to them that black stood for the darkness our sin, red represented the blood of Jesus that cleanses us from all of that sin, the white bead represents how we are made clean and pure through His blood that covers us, the green stands for growth in our faith in who He is, and yellow represents heaven and the hope we have of spending eternity there with God. The seminary students were all really wonderful, and it was a blast working together with them.
Saturday night Pastor Belonie preached about Jesus and the Samarian woman in John 4. He incorporated humor, passion, and intensity into his message and had all of us shouting an amen at one point or another. He drove home the point that whoever drinks of the water Jesus offers will NEVER again be thirsty and that water will become in him a spring welling up to eternal life. We sang and danced, more people were saved, and the night ended in everyone running to their homes to try and escape the downpour. 
We were all up early the next morning. Church started at 6 because we needed to get on the road early so we wouldn’t be driving on the treacherous roads in the dark. The service was lovely, we heard from Pastor Elizay about the true bread and water of eternal life. In total, there were about 20 people who came to know the Lord during the crusade. We took communion, prayed for the church, and pastor Charlo who took over after Junior left, prayed for all of us as well. After church we had breakfast, packed up, and spent some time together as a group thanking God for who He is and all He had done in the short amount of time we were there. We prayed for His continued presence and blessings in the lives of His children in Diquini.
I am so grateful that God has allowed me to be apart of experiences like these and apart of the work He is doing here. Even when we feel weak, discouraged, unfit to accomplish anything for the Kingdom, worn out, under attack, in the middle of a crisis, or out of our element, praise the Lord He is so much greater than our circumstances and that through our weaknesses He is made strong. For it is Christ who is living in us, and who chooses us as vessels to accomplish His will so that He may be glorified.
"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing..." 1 Corinthians 2:14&15
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