"Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity." Col 4:5

The village awakes this morning to another brilliant, cloudless day and few will know that they were even here this last week. Yet in a real sense, that is as it would have been preferred. This last week the village of Dessalines witnessed a true transformation both physical and deep down inside where only those impacted truly understand the meaning of what has occurred in their lives. Having been briefed early in the trip as to what they might anticipate, the Lapeer Free Methodist team from Lapeer, Michigan went about their task with efficiency and purpose. Each had an assignment, each a corporate vision of what needed to occur and each went about their responsibilities with a conviction.

He had called them to such a time as this, to a place far from the “routine” where simply “getting there” is as much of a challenge as the task itself. More importantly, each had come with an anticipation of serving Him, of being a witness to the truth of Christ Himself and the message of hope, redemption and transformation and what it had done in each of their own personal circumstances. Each had come, “Pa kite okenn chans passé”, making the most of an opportunity.

Each were provided in a special way a glimpse of what God has created in the facility, staff and purpose of those serving in and in support of the Dessalines De Heureuse Hospital. The team was provided an opportunity to paint the nursing residence, a home to 14 individual nurses and their families, and in turn have a “canvas” of sorts on which God painted an experience of His own for each in His own way. He has created us all in His own image, regardless of skin tone and or culture, to serve Him.

With each day came a chance to work in and around a group of His children, foreign to those on the team and yet bound together with a common purpose. As the team assembled each morning to begin the day’s tasks, a group of local children and onlookers stood ready as well with an endless number of questions, curiosities and requests. Each of the “locals” had their own purpose for wanting to be a part of the overall experience. For some it was hope today of acquiring a few Haitian dollars sufficient to feed themselves for the day; for others it was anticipation of a new piece of clothing or perhaps these “blancs” had a football (soccer ball) they wished to donate to the local neighborhood, many sought work for the day and to the extent possible were given that chance.

Whatever the purpose it was captivating to watch as once again He brought the two groups together to work through the language restrictions. Singing common songs of praise and laughing at each other, knowing it was the common bond of seeking His will that formed the purpose for their being together on this day at this particular hour.

One would have to ask, having completed the task assigned in a superb style, what was the “true” purpose of His bringing you here at this time? Was it the adventure of a foreign country? Was it the chance to make a personal statement?

Perhaps, as the apostle Paul said to the believing Colossians, to “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward the outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.”

When He provides opportunity, one must not hesitate but run to the chance to be a part of what He is doing for the advancement of His Kingdom. We are but servants in a larger picture, painted by the hand of God Himself, each with his own accountability.

Our gratefulness to the Lapeer team and your accomplishment, our lives are richer for the experience of having met you. Our Haitian family has been encouraged by your generosity and willingness to “paint” in that much larger picture beyond that which we can see.

”Pa kite okenn chans passé” Colossians 4:5c.

"This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you." Jn 15:12

The relative quiet of the evening has been broken by the waking of the roosters, heralding another day in this remote village of the Artibonite Valley. The last of the Voudon drums are beginning to fade and the dancing and chanting of night are giving way to the local school bells as the teachers begin to call the students to class here in Dessalines. It is a little past 4:30 AM and life is just beginning to stir again as the sounds of the morning begin to filter into the senses.

We have been moving non-stop since arriving only a few days ago with the tasks at hand seemingly growing at an incredible rate. There seems to be little time to simply stop and take stock of the situation as it would seemingly swallow you up were you to dare. Friendships are being renewed and sharing in the incredible sorrow of those impacted by the earthquake of January 12, 2010 has already taken its toll as we look into the faces of those we have known for years.

There are medical personnel here on the premises sorting through literally thousands of dollars of medical supplies abandoned by various NGO and military units as they begin to shut down their units and prepare for the next global hotspot.”

They come from around the USA and Canada, each with their own version of what brought them to this Caribbean island for such difficult assignments. For some it is the adventure and for others the madness, for still others a human compassion that reaches beyond that easily quantified. For those in this particular location it is a sense that God has placed them here “for such a time as this…"

We are seeing literally miracles daily as the surgeons and medical doctors here are piecing back together the fabric of this community. Each in this village has lost someone either directly or indirectly from this catastrophic event. Those doctors and nurses here are starting the second wave of infectious diseases and trauma treatment as people continue coming through the doors seeking assistance. Lives are being salvaged through prayer and the trained minds of those serving in spiritual counseling. It is fair to say the end of each day brings a relative exhaustion of body and mind and yet they keep going out of commitment.

We are sharing stories nightly of this one or that one, who through the grace of God were spared in this devastating event. Of those who retained a limb or digit due to the willingness of those coming to serve. Of individuals who were fortunate enough to have access to medical supplies brought to this community that under normal circumstances would be difficult to find in rural areas.

Being a part of these teams is a privilege that we do not take lightly though our parts are a simple hand on the shoulder or a cup of cold water to someone in need. We are accepting the challenge of supporting those on the ground here in a variety of ways. There are funds to manage – there are no banks on the corner down the street. There is food and water to be brought in to feed those working in the heat of the day – the grocery is a 2 hour drive one way. There are vehicles to coordinate and keep running – we are sharing three with 12 currently. We sense that “as we do unto the least of these…” we are serving in His footsteps.

Over the course of the next several weeks we will be acting coordinators for this mission, overseeing the needs of doctors and nurses, professional trauma counselors, maintenance personnel and others with varying skill sets with a common goal of offering the opportunity to truly seek a new life – one committed to establishing and growing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

I share a recent quote with you, paraphrased as my memory is not what it once was, from the founder of the Burger King chain of fast-food stores;

“There are two important days in your life, the first is that day on which you were born, the second is that day on which you discover why you were born”.

Seems fitting here, serving those less fortunate than ourselves, that we should reflect again on what God has provided and consider how we are best suited to do our parts.

There are no limitations to the human spirit and ingenuity, we need to each consider whatever God has provided and perhaps more importantly what we are to do with it.We’ll drop you an update shortly, as time allows, to provide you a glimpse of what life is like on this particular mission field.

Psalms 55:17 7 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

It is calm as the Eastern sky begins to brighten; the expression of a handful of birds the only hint of activity, the air is quiet, the temperature hardly noticeable. The coffee will be done soon and time spent reading on the patio will again start the day.

It is difficult to place into words the emptiness felt when one compares life in the USA in even the least of conditions to that experienced each and every morning by our Haitian friends and acquaintances.

The day starts hours earlier, well before dawn, with a cacophony of roosters calling to those still sleeping. Listen carefully and you can hear the livestock rustling through the brush looking for sustenance, a difficult ordeal in a land where nothing of value is discarded.

This morning in Dessalines will be similar to most; a neighbor will be butchering and perhaps a morsel shared; more than likely the average child will settle for a mango plucked from a “common property” tree or perhaps a tomato from the market yesterday. The temperature will rise with the sun as will the humidity of this Caribbean nation; there will be no withdrawal to an air-conditioned home or office. It has been a little less than three weeks since our return; as I have started each day I cannot help but pray that on this day God might find favor with those left behind.

I pray that somewhere in His resources might be found the donor that will provide the hospital with the 100,000 USD needed to provide renewable solar energy equipment; the 30,000 USD needed to staff a full time pediatrician. Somewhere out there are the 15,000 USD needed to fill the diesel reservoir and assure the hospital of both electricity and water for a season; the 10,000 USD needed to renovate the remaining physician and nurse quarters.

God has a plan and a purpose for each of us; we need to carefully and cautiously pursue that plan. One need not look only across the courtyard in Dessalines, past the iron entry gate beyond the witch doctor’s hut to see that He has shined mercifully on each of us. To be graciously accommodated in a country where beautiful homes, electricity and clean water are taken for granted is a privilege.

I pray this morning and each morning that God would use me and mine to find a ray of hope for at least a portion of this community, our “second home”, somewhere something I have done or will do has or will make a difference in the lives of a few in the streets of Dessalines today. I pray that someone today will find a way to share what He already owns with those whom He has brought us.

I declare it no accident that we have served from a distance these last few years; through our own local trials we have been called of Him and through Him have accomplished much yet much remains to be completed. I would ask that you pray with us today; pray that God will open the floodgates of Heaven and meet the needs of the needy, that the miracles of the New Testament might proclaim themselves once again.

"...Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.” Joel 2:28

And such it is with each visit we make to this Caribbean nation, forgotten by some, many never really aware of its existence. We leave with a sense of fulfillment and yet clearly aware of what has yet to be done;
a challenge that the Lord places before us all in some fashion. We think often of our focus “Bringing True Love to a Real World” and it forces thinking of how we fashion our everyday lives; what we believe to be “required” on a daily basis, what is essential and what would God have us release to His use elsewhere.

As we face yet another departure it becomes acutely obvious that we leave behind those whom we have assisted in one way or another by God’s mercy and provision. To some it was perhaps a meal, a few dollars to purchase a new pair of shoes; to others it was life itself, making every effort to reclaim a remote hospital located in one of the most desolate places in the Caribbean. Because of your generosity there are many families freed from the debt of hospital expenses too costly to pay; because the debt was reconciled there are funds to purchase diesel fuel for the generators and electric power to run the hospital.

“It is almost 5AM in a rural hospital in Dessalines, Haiti, only a few hundred miles from Miami, Florida, and the activity of the coming day is about to begin in earnest. By evening no one will remember the Caesarian operation performed by the light of cell phone displays that saved both the mother and child; few can recount the details that saved the little boy literally “skinned alive” as the frightened steer attempted to flee the bus coming from Port au Prince, dragging the boy helplessly tangled in the rope tied to its horns. Most will never recognize the man brought in after being fished from a lake with a broken leg; an act of kindness and God’s provision after being run over by a large truck in the wake of Hurricane Jeanne.

Who, over a period of twenty years, will recall the doctors, nurses and volunteers both domestic and international that have made the Dessalines Rural Hospital an outpost of hope in a land all but forgotten by the “1st World” on a global scale? Today we celebrate life; a life that in many instances would not exist were it not for the cadre of professionals and those giving of their personal assets and time in not uncommon ways to be certain someone else has the opportunity to make a difference in their world.

We celebrate the greatness and mercy of a loving God making it possible for an infant to live; a child to grow; a young adult to mature. We celebrate the reality of what God has provided and pray as did Jabez to be given much that we might give abundantly to witness the lives of hundreds of others moving forward. We celebrate the generosity and kindness of those who have caught the vision of what God intends for Dessalines, Haiti.”

We trust as you review this chapter of our Haitian adventure that you recognize, as do we, that this simply would not be possible without the prayers of many and the provision of God. We seek His will humbly and cautiously extend ourselves as He leads to attempt in our own small way to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. We leave you now with your own thoughts on what God has for you; how would you contribute to making this world a better place for those less fortunate.

The Fields Are Ripe For Harvest

It has been four days since arriving in Marchand Dessalines and the weather remains very much as when we left in 2007. It was quite warm last evening (90F) well into the early hours although much quieter than the previous night. Even the rooster elected to sleep in until almost 3:30AM!

We awake this morning to a lack of both water for showering and electricity as there is no fuel currently to run the generator. Fuel prices here in Haiti are similar to that found in the States currently with a gallon of diesel selling in the $4.00/USD. Pricing is a bit unusual in that whether it is purchased in single gallon or 2000 gallon increments it is the same cost. The hospital has a 2500 gallon tank that has not been filled completely for many years.

Projects at the hospital are again well under way. Our newest volunteer has created much value in a short period of time; replacing a sink in the maternity/delivery. When finished at the hospital we took time to arrange for a similar installation in one of the apartments here on the compound that is presently vacant.

A second team unassociated with the hospital will be arriving tomorrow to work a small clinic in one of the market towns roughly an hour’s drive from Dessalines. This will be an interesting team to provide feedback on their experiences as they are staying here at the apartments and are used to more luxurious accommodation staying at one of the beach resorts in previous years.

We are on to building window screens for a new office being created to house the official Government statistician for the hospital. This individual is charged with collecting status on patient numbers, types of medical events, etc. and indirectly controls to some degree the amount of payment received from the government by the hospital – a very important individual.

Yesterday, though Sunday, was a day spent sealing a crack in the roof of the apartments we are occupying. Although rain has not been a part of our experience this trip, a series of significant faults in the roof have created a sort of waterfall event similar to what we would see in a mall back in the States – here it was occurring in the bedroom.

The structure is made of concrete and we have attempted repairs using a blowtorch that has not been operated for 15 years; a tank of propane gas used for cooking; roofing tar and felt paper left on the roof the last time the blowtorch was active. Not having a lot of hot pitch roofing background we are hoping for rain to determine whether the experience was fruitful or needing more attention. It ended up a draining experience that left all pretty well finished for the day as temperatures on the roof approached 120F.

It is 6:06AM here and all are up and moving for the day, water or no water, electricity or not there is work to be accomplished. We will be working the hospital again today hoping to finish off the hanging of a door; constructing “baby warmers” (it is over 80F according to the thermometer as I write) for maternity and investigating a leak in the plumbing of one of the buildings.

First Things First

At first glance one would see little difference in the streets were it not for our familiarity with the lifestyles of the people; life looks pretty much the same. People are moving about in the city with their normal routines; children are being escorted from one place to another and mothers are shopping to find the essentials.

Deeper down into the story there are those on the streets not found there in previous trips; those hawking various wares, fruits and vegetables that are not a normal part of the vendor culture so common to the streets of Haiti. These are those of the 80+ percentage of the population currently unemployed; those for whom simply existing until tomorrow morning is a priority.

Many will sit the entire day in anticipation of the sale of their offering and in the end walk away with enough to purchase a small portion of rice and a few mangoes to slice up for the evening meal. Many will repeat the same exercise and return home hungry. Even for the accomplished traveler the sight of so many attempting to sell something; so many children begging for anything is overwhelming.

Scripture tells us that we are to “be anxious for nothing” and we therefore move on with that for which we have come once again to this beautiful island in the Caribbean. Our newest traveler to the region has proved invaluable within the first few hours of arrival, assisting Gail in setting up a computer brought in for the Administrator at the Dessalines Hospital. The sun comes early in the tropics; we were on the roof by 5:30 AM and by lunch had applied multiple coats of a rubberized sealer to ward off the impacts of tropical storms over the years.
Down on the ground Gregg has found it necessary for a bit of generator repair to provide the much-needed electricity often unavailable through the normal city channels. Routine distribution provides perhaps 3-5 hours a day of city-generated electricity and timing of the arrival is varied so alternative sources are a must.

Life runs on a timetable in the tropics with the majority of effort extended well before the lunch hour to avoid the heat and sunshine of the later hours. Afternoons are spent generally running errands and preparation for the following day; a quick nap is available if one can find a quiet corner.

Morning of the second day finds much of the same for those of us bringing “True Love to a Real World” in our own unique way. Back on the roof, it is time for the third and final coat of paint; finished by noon, we have accomplished planned activity number one and tossed in a few additional including repairs to the sprinkling system; transplanting a 20 foot palm tree and a dozen or so potted plants purchased to replace those destined to neglect as the work in Dessalines took priority. The afternoon has proved welcome if not overly productive; the heat of the tropics quickly saps what remains of our strength and it is time to retreat indoors for a few hours.


We will be packing to head to the hospital on Thursday assuming we can locate enough diesel fuel. Along with food pricing, gasoline and diesel are skyrocketing in price and availability and we need to be cautious of commodities as once you have “crossed over” a point in the journey there is no heading back into town.

Preparation Time 2008!!

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, [and] to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27

This scripture rings more truely to my heart with each passing visit; each new acquaintance encountered; each project completed. We are returning once again to the culture, the beauty and the people of Haiti for the month of May. We are very excited about our upcoming adventure and believe God to have prepared the way for us.

Since our last posting in July of 2007 the "house built by faith" has been accomplished; the widow for whom it was built has moved in and the faithfulness of those contributing to the project is being shared among the villagers. Neither Jane nor I have seen the completed work since we had to leave prior to it being finished, we are most excited to see the results. I have included a couple of pictures sent to us from our friends to preview the work completed.

Macine Joeseph is a true gift from God and how He has provided for her is a remarkable story!

We know only limited bits of information about Macine; she is a widow of some years; exists solely on what she can garner out of the mountains each day; up until Jane came across her path, she lived in a mud hut just down the path from the mission facility. It is truly a blessing to be a part of something so special!

The Haitian people are in great need as we prepare this posting; the scarcity of food in the country has created an alarming need. People are expressing their discomfort through protesting against the government. To the typical US citizen this appears alarming; to those of us having spent a good deal of time looking this poverty in the face each day over the last decade it has become more of a routine experience that one does not easily forget.

Mothers are feeding their children "dirt cookies" once again in an effort to appease their suffering. I have experienced this only once before in my travels - at that time they were consuming the bark of mango trees to stay alive. One not need spend a good deal of time thinking about this before reality hits home - the Haitian expression is "we are down to Clorox and battery acid" which translates loosely to "we are prepared to die". A bitter reality in a country so barren of resources that the remainder of the world has forgotten its' obligation.

We will be bringing finances to continue our work in supporting our hospital project (see older blogs for details) in hopes of continuing to provide a heightened level of medical care to the people of Marchand Dessalines and the surrounding villages and communities. Our goal is to completely refurbish a 50-bed hospital, the single source of medical care for an area covering many miles and a population of over 200,000 men, women and children.

Ours is a challenging effort, we are praised by several however joined by few. We are attempting what we feel God has led us to attempt; it is a daunting reality that millions throughout the world will be born, live and die without ever once recognizing much of what we in the United States take for granted.

Please pray with us for the sustenance needed for these people; share with us financially if you are able to do so. This hospital is a breath of fresh air in a land laboring intensely for each day's existence. God has a plan, it is up to each of us individually to discover what that entails.

July News 2007

"Ah, Lord God, behold, You have created the Heavens and the Earth with Your great power and Your outstretched arm. Nothing is too great for You!" Jer 32:17

So much is occurring that I felt I should continue this blog simply to record what God is doing with us to assist the Haitian people. I will look back on this some day (perhaps with a Caribbean breeze blowing gently across the patio) and be thankful I spent the time to record the events of recent days.

I shared with you all that our beloved Fanya went to be with the Lord on or about June 29th of this year as a result of a cooking fire incident. While we are truly saddened at our loss, it is with conviction that Jane and I both recognize this to be in God's plan for his little angel. She will always appear to us at the gate of "the White House" as we find our way back to Dessalines through the coming years with a smile that lights up the day.

Fanya will always remain in our hearts; at four years of age she has made our world better for her presence. She will be remembered as that little girl who had nothing by worldly standards and yet acted each day as if she had it all.

The home being constructed for our elderly Haitian widow is coming along quite well and should be completed shortly if all stays on schedule. Pastor Cherite' has blessed me with making certain that the home has a window overlooking the beautiful Haitian mountains of Dessalines - it was one of the "gotta haves" for this structure.
This is typical Haitian construction with the basic home being completed from concrete block; the lot is a very typical smaller piece of land and the home covers the majority of it.

The house when finished will contain a total of three rooms; there are no allowances nor ability to provide either water or electricity. The typical Haitian dwellling in Dessalines would have neither with water being drawn from a local well and light provided by kerosene lanterns.

The home will be "large" when compared to the previous dwelling as she will have access to the entire structure. This home has been designated by Pastor Cherite' as a home intended to serve the less fortunate for years to come. The land and home will be deeded to the church and will be awarded to an additional family in need as it becomes available.

Words cannot express our appreciation for all that have contributed both in financial assistance and in prayer as we have watched this answer to prayer evolve on the Haitian hillside. It is a glorious tribute to God's power and a standing expression within the community itself as to what He can accomplish.

As we shared with all earlier, on July 23rd we recieved word of a terrible automobile accident occurring near L'estere, a small community along the highway. You can imagine the shock at the hospital as the casualties of this accident were brought to the emergency center and it was discovered that they included our newest doctor's fiancee' and her relatives!

Several suffered severe lacerations of face; one of the aunts was killed; the doctor's own brother was admitted to a hospital in Gonaives where he was treated and released and/or left with no further word on where he has gone. Doctor Joseph's fiancee' suffered severe lacerations with a piece of the shrapnel from the wreckage just missing the jugular vein.

Please continue to pray for the Haitian people; for those who knew little Fanya. Pray for the home that God is building; that it will be a testimonial to the congregation and the village. Pray for the accident victims and for Dr. Joseph as the healing process gets underway and the grief of dealing with those lost in the accident becomes reality.

Pray for Jane and me as we seek the Lord's direction regarding our parts in the ever-growing chapters of this adventure story started almost 15 years ago.

Last Days

June 11, 2007

Well, it had to happen; the sustained levels of activity have about consumed us from a physical perspective. Today is the last day with the group from Seattle with them leaving at noon for PAP; they are quite unaccustomed to the heat here and the Lord has sustained their efforts up until the day they must return to the States. Jane and I have shared each evening on what a wonderful answer to prayer these three have been for our project; without them I fear we would not have accomplished nearly the interior/exterior work that has been completed.

It has been an adventure; we have managed the entire exterior of the hospital; we have managed a coat of paint on the main building interior – and all in a “working” hospital. Jane pointed out several nights ago that the rooms we needed to access went “empty” for the exact amount of time we needed to complete them. No sooner had the furniture been returned to its position than the beds filled – amazing. We had been concerned as we worked the “boxes” (consultation rooms) last afternoon that the rooms in ICU would go untouched this trip as there were 3-4 patients that were not prepared for discharge. By 4PM they were emptied and by 6:30PM they were “first coated” – second coat to be applied this AM at 7.

It is now 5PM; work has stopped for the day and the review is pretty amazing. We have painted the entire exterior security wall; exteriors of six separate buildings; the main hospital ward (both inside and outside); the ICU and Surgery rooms; the Pediatric ward; a guard shack and a feeble looking dog that fell asleep against the wall shortly after it had been painted – she is still green on one side. Human possibility aside, this has been an amazing accomplishment and God has answered our every need. Tomorrow we’ll finish up a second coat of paint on the nurse’s station and some trim work in the Surgery Prep area before my local guys move on to the Maternity building for a fresh coat of interior paint; after that are roughly three dozen metal chairs; two or three dozen hospital beds and who knows what else.

Jane has been working feverishly at sorting and filing many thousands of records – too many thousands to even attempt to count – 240 boxes of them to be exact. I really do not know how she has done it but her work is commendable and cannot be denied. All she has done is now sorted by city, gender, alphabetically and perhaps additional criteria as well; I cannot tell you other than to say the bright colored labels on the fronts of the boxes are simple enough that even I could find a patient if needed! The work that can be accomplished when God is in it is incredible; pictures and words just simply cannot make this clear to the reader of this memo.

Jane has committed to returning in August; I am out of vacation for the most part having used up several months worth between here and South Africa last November. Anyone interested in joining her? We could use an electrician, a plumber and a carpenter – licenses are optional. There remains much to do and the work is reasonable but tiring in the heat of the Caribbean summer.

The house project is moving forward; slowly, as is the custom here in Haiti. The land has been identified; believe it or not, surveys are required here – simply unbelievable in a country where “possession is nine tenths of the law”.This is going to end up taking considerably longer than I had anticipated; I only hope we can complete the work before the little old woman goes home to be with our Lord.

Materials for the house will be obtained locally for the most part with the sand coming from the river; the gravel coming from huge boulders that have been hammered into pieces roughly 1.5-3.0 inches in shape. Blocks will come from PAP or perhaps the facility in Gonaives up the road – I tried to buy that business once just after the flood in Gonaives in 2005 – obviously, I failed to persuade the owner even though they still have it running at about 15% of capacity.

The Haitians have a proverb “Deye mon, gen mon” which translated says “Behind the mountains, there are mountains” or “If its not one thing, its another” – having spent the month here in the mountains it carries a larger meaning.

Bondye Bon (God is Good)

Randy

Market Day

June 09, 2007

It’s Market Day in Dessalines; the normal chatter of the neighborhood has moved about three blocks down the street to “Le Mache” for the day and we are relaxing over a cup of smooth Café Rebo. For an agrarian community Market Day is a necessary time to purchase foodstuffs and other essential items as refrigeration is limited at best. Fresh goat can be purchased (one must be careful, it is best left to Elange) along with portions of the hog that turned “commodity” in the early morning hours and a smaller selection of fruits and vegetables. If you find yourself a bit hungry there are “fast food” opportunities with fried chicken, pork and the ever available plantain “bites” and hot relish on every corner.

Painting is at a lull momentarily as we have exhausted our last batch of 55 gallons and the paint store is 4 hours away over roads accessible only with a four-wheel drive unit. I will find out after this is over how many might have been applied in this last three weeks – I’m not sure I want to know prior to that time. Restock is on the way and should be here by 10AM and all are actually relishing the down time.

Today is a heartbreaker as I must make decisions as to what will not get painted this trip; my original thought is that we paint the 6 “boxes” or consultation rooms where patients are seen prior to treatment. This has been difficult as we are painting in an “active” hospital and there is simply no room that can be closed off as we work – it is a matter of “where are the least people affected...”. We have determined to paint the boxes as it will impact the doctors positively; that means the surgery and ICU will not get a coat of paint and there is a chance the nurse’s station may not get painted as the color in there is different and must be custom blended using what we have on hand.

We have been fortunate to have a Seattle-based electrician visit with us this last week; he has literally salvaged parts from wherever available and restored lighting to many rooms in the hospital for the first time in years. Walking through the courtyard last night on our way home we noted the impact of the lighting on the evening shift – amazing difference.
Lights in the shop area have been restored as well although not on the inverter and consequently a loss of city power (each evening) and lack for generator make for cleaning of painting equipment in the dark almost impossible.

Our time is almost over; the thought of leaving so much undone is as difficult as the country itself. We plan on working on Sunday (not a standard by any means) as we are simply out of time and must return to Port au Prince within a day or so in order to complete arrangements on that end prior to leaving for home.

Pray with us as we close up for this period that God will send competent workers to the field for this purpose. Ever thought you might be called to the mission field? There is no place on Earth that could better prepare you for what you might expect – frankly, if you can handle this environment, most areas of the world would be child’s play in comparison. Pray for those willing to come and spend a vacation learning about life and what it means to another culture. Pray for Fanya that God would protect her and provide her an opportunity to see life as a child before it is over for her. Pray for the equipment, personnel and supplies to make this an effective, efficient medical facility; for the staff that make it function using what is available.

Pray for Gregg and Gail that the Lord would maintain their desire to continue; that they would “rise up and soar like eagles” in their quest to see health care provided for the thousands impacted in this area. Pray for those called on a long term basis to serve in Haiti.

Until we see you next:
“Woch nan dlo pa konnen doule woch nan soley” which literally translates to “The rock in the water does not know the pain of the rock in the sun” or more loosely “there is no way to fully comprehend another’s pain”.

Our hearts are broken at your generosity and prayer support; we can only bring you stories and a few pictures until we see you here with us next time. Our trip has been memorable; it could not have been possible without you.

Catching Up

June 6, 2007

It’s hot today; upwards of 95F and humidity as high or higher. Today we went to share soccer equipment that Adam had purchased for the school associated with the church here in Dessalines. No need to attempt to explain how excited we made that place with just a couple hundred dollars worth of soccer gear! We were told there would be an organized match played in our honor over the weekend; they were ecstatic!

Hospital has been painted outside completely; new window glass ordered where needed and will be delivered on Saturday – everything has to come from PAP; it’s over 3.5 hours away! We have started the inside and have finished the pediatrics ward; have first coated part of the ICU as well as two additional smaller rooms. Tomorrow is a Haitian holiday of some sort and we should be able to move quite quickly if not having to accommodate constant patient arrival and departures – its hard to tell how many Haitians have white and/or green stripes on them somewhere!

Little Fanya is doing well these last several days; I don’t believe she has been subjected to the beating I witnessed prior to my earlier email to you since I asked you all to pray for His plan for her life. She is a constant encouragement to us and sings to herself virtually all day as she goes about completing her chores for the day. She is truly a flower among a group of thorns and has no place in the family she resides with at this time.

I went to the market today for pictures and audio and was excited about what I was able to record both visually and through the audio recorder loaned to me. I was so encouraged that I intend to just keep recording and let Paul assist me in getting it transferred to my computer for including with my yet-to-be-created DVD of our trip. Hopefully, sufficient numbers of the files I have attempted will be of a quality that can be used; getting the recording levels accurate here is virtually impossible for the neophyte – there are extremes almost by the minute here and one can only attempt to anticipate what might come next.

We are closing in on our stay here and Jane has been asked if she would consider an additional month; please pray with us that God would make it clear as to her next steps. I am probably off to Singapore immediately after returning home and perhaps on and off for the remainder of the summer assuming my security clearance comes through from the White House.

It is tough for us to be so engrossed in our daily activity and not feel the absolute needs of the moment. The hospital is coming along nicely; there are training needs in virtually every corner and hardly anything is off limits. With the staff available to them it will be years of training to accomplish a self-sustaining mode of operation.

A huge cheer has just gone up outside (usually means the city electricity has come back on for the evening) and we have discovered that Haiti is playing Guatemala in the CONCACAF GOLD CUP soccer match. These folks may not have a lot but what they do have in the way of athletics they are most passionate.

St Marc Sunday

May 28, 2007

We were invited to St Marc for church on Sunday; let me tell you of a few things on the agenda. Church in Haiti is like no other anywhere and is well into the interactive mode of worship. At any given time there are at least three things going on; constant music, musicians tuning their instruments, announcements and/or preaching, singing, parents disciplining children, someone chasing the goats out of the entry – there are no dull moments in church in Haiti.

The day started with a review of the baptismal candidates; a few questions and then a procession of some 45 minutes through the streets on the way to the beach of St Marc that is truly beautiful. The procession included a brass band; three sets of choral ensembles; the candidates and approximately 4-500 additional congregation members to witness the baptisms. It was a unique service in a wonderful beach setting with all in attendance singing and praising God for each who participated.

Returning to the sanctuary we were guests of the pastor today and as such were requested to sit on the platform – within a foot of the drummer. After a rousing rendition of several songs that were unfamiliar we were recognized by the pastor to the congregation; followed by an additional set of familiar hymns followed by three to five numbers by each of the three choral groups – within a foot of the drummer.

Hardly had we finished when it was time to recognize the new members (20+) and those newly baptized followed by recognition of those visiting from sister churches and those in church for the first time. Following this was an opportunity to sing again – within a foot of the drummer.

A short recognition of the Mothers in the pews (it was Mother’s Day in Haiti) by a poem read by one of the older children – translated it was quite emotional and was a wonderful experience. Now that the prelude was out of the way it was time for church – a message preached out of Malachi (foreshadowing for the launch of the building fund to come later) and from what I could understand quite intense.

Next on the agenda was Communion – a wonderful presentation and we were grateful to partake of the Lord’s Supper with our Haitian friends. Then comes a few more songs – yes, the drummer is still quite nearby. Now it is time for the message (the Malachi text was just to make all aware that a building campaign was coming) out of Matthew to the newly baptized. In anyone’s mind now it is certainly time to call for an offering and wish everyone a joyous Sunday – did I mention the drummer?

It is now time for Celebration of the First Fruits – as only the Haitian community can celebrate! There was dancing and singing; conga trough the aisles; offering of first fruits of the harvest; more singing, more dancing. By the end of this I was certain we were heading home; it was after 1PM and we had arrived at 7:30AM; the drummer was about out of drumsticks…

Next came the finale of the day; the launch of the building campaign. This is done somewhat differently in Haiti as it becomes a challenge between the men and the women as to who can raise the most of launch day. Singing, dancing, more singing, more dancing; the men pass a basket; the women pass a basket. Monies are tallied and the baskets are passed a second time – and the drummer drums onward… By now I am trying to understand what is going on to explain it to a visiting gentlemen from Michigan here training at the hospital; I realize that it is being explained to me but that I can no longer hear anyway.

The counting occurs a second time; the tallies are announced and the women win again – the choral groups are going wild by now; the intensity is something one only sees in the States with the score tied in the Super Bowl with 4 seconds left on the clock and it’s fourth and thirty yards. The pastor calls the offering to a close amid shouts for yet another passing of the baskets from the men and fortunately all make it out of the church, conga style, with the music at an incredible decibel and the drummer trying to be heard above it all. “Film at Eleven” – I can simply do it no justice in writing. Pastor Ross would be amazed. Total time in the service: 7:30AM – 3:00PM.

As we are passing out the pastor sends for us and we find lunch has been prepared by the congregation for us as appreciation for our attendance. Haitian food is among the best I’ve eaten and I cannot tell you how much I’m enjoying it here currently. It is unfortunately extremely high in those things that cause blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. but one only lives once on this Earth…

God's Chosen Ones

May 25, 2007

We have been fortunate over the years to know many around the globe working in service to others; in Haiti are two of God’s finest who have labored here for over 20 years. We have known Gregg and Gail Ennis for some 15 years with my having made my first Haitian mission trip in 1992 to assist in laying the foundations for a small church in Le Beule, a small mountain village above Port au Prince. It’s 15 years later now, Jane has joined me some 10 years ago, and we are hardly into our current trip as we start the planning for the next year.

The Ennis’ started here in 1982 and remained until 1986 before returning to the United States. In 1992 Gregg returned to start another span of service to the Haitian people via short trips for construction purposes and returned full time with Gail in 1994 with an official title of “evangelism and construction” – allow me to share a bit on those terms of description.

Gregg and Gail together oversee the operations of 121 “stations” (church buildings, palm groves, tin sheds, etc) including 65 physical church buildings; 9 ministry structures including a hospital, a Bible school, 2 transit housing (used for visiting mission construction teams) facilities, 4 mission staff lodging facilities and a guest house in two separate towns separated by some 100+ miles. Add to that a vehicle fleet of 8 counting construction trucks and everyday transportation and you start to get the picture of incredible dedication and perseverance.

Gregg oversees all construction projects including new church buildings and additions to existing structures (the Haitian church continues to grow at 9-12% yearly); maintenance of the hospital and all remaining facilities. In addition, he manages the upkeep of over 50 water wells across the country drilled over the period of 20 years that provide in some instances the only fresh water for an entire village. Actively involved at the community level, Gregg also has also assisted in the ongoing reforestation program set up to restore trees to the mountains overlooking Dessalines.

Gail oversees the ongoing ministry of providing food, clothing and education for some 9800 sponsored children; feeding of some 22,000 daily (you can’t feed only those sponsored by someone in the States) in over 75 different school locations throughout the country. During the last “occupation” of Haiti and the ousting of President Aristide she and Gregg were forced to leave the country and turn the administration of the International Child Care Ministries over to her staff that she has personally trained over the last years. This staff has carried on remarkably well and continues to manage the operation today.

Their newest task involves the work of building an administrative system of processes and procedures for the hospital in Dessalines to assist it in returning to a self supporting status. Since arriving in October the patient load at the Dessalines Rural Health Program has risen from 30 to over 100 daily with the assistance of part time work from a variety of doctors and nurses supplied by the government as well as personal contacts in the United States devoting weeks/months of time.

Pray with us for these whom God has chosen who, with their incredulous determination, have impacted the lives of literally thousands over the years. Please pray for their health and safety; for the funding that is required annually to keep these operations functioning and additional funds required to expand the current health programs. Pray for the lives of so many here dependent on this facility and its outreach. DRHP is the only medical care for over 200,000 people (private medical practices are for the elite of Haiti and do not serve the general population) in this region. Pray for the doctors, nurses and equipment that keep this facility functioning. Together, as we petition God for assistance, we can make a difference.

It's Sunday!

May 20, 2007

It is Sunday and church starts here around 8:30AM and lasts around two hours; 3-400 people gathered in a sanctuary roughly half the square footage of the 121CC foyer; 90F outside – considerably up from that inside – and did I tell you they love to sing? There is no experience quite like a Haitian worship service; I will attempt to record same before we return and once I’ve determined how to turn down the gain considerably on Paul’s equipment. If there is one thing a Haitian Christian does well it is place every ounce of vocal ability into the singing!

I have often shared with you my position concerning “hymns of the faith” and their absence in church today – most have replied (including two separate pastors on two separate continents) with a simple “get over it” to my dismay. Let me assure you, the Lord knew what He was up to when He directed those old hymns be written - they survived so that Americans speaking no Creole could worship in the Haitian church. It was a bit of challenge to try and make the congregation understand I was weeping as the very Spirit of God caught us in singing these old hymns!

Jane and I were introduced to the congregation (happens each time we return) and all were most appreciative of our coming to assist in the hospital renovation. As only the Lord could have it; we seated ourselves directly behind an ancient little lady who appeared to have perhaps founded the town of Dessalines back when John Jacque Dessalines landed. Perhaps half way through the service it became apparent that worshipping the Lord was no “Sunday” thing for this woman as she lifted her hands high in praise and adoration to her Creator.

Toward the end of the service Jane and I were advised that this was the little old woman for whom Jane had carried home a burden to build her a house! The same widow that many of you have donated to help us construct what will certainly be here last Earthly home! Today we were advised that the woman had been served eviction notice that she was to leave her home in 30 days! Believe it, I tell you the truth. We have arrived in Haiti 30 days before she is to be evicted from her home with funds in hand to construct a new home – on land that was donated. Today. My prayer is that you are seeing the reality of your prayers and offerings for this trip – it is a story of hope and significance; a miracle in real life terms. I weep as I write this; I am believing God to place the reality of what you have all done along with us to complete this need in the life of one so dear to Him.

I urge you all to start planning for your next trip to Haiti, it is a life-changing experience for which you will never regret the challenge it takes to get you here. Come join us next time as God directs; there is no joy greater than serving others in His name. Here is where the stories you hear others tell originate; here is where God alone allows you to reach within yourself to find someone you have not yet met; Praise the Lord.

The Hospital

May 19, 2007

We spent today at the hospital, arriving about 6AM and leaving the hospital 12 hours later at exactly 6PM. I spent the day power washing the walls in preparation for the painting to come sometime later next week. It was an exhausting day blowing off paint chips and a lot of unidentified material (details of which I will spare you) from literally thousands of square feet of wall space. The saving grace for the day was that it was pretty much shaded as the hospital grounds contain a good share of the remaining trees in Dessalines – the remaining trees have been harvested years ago for charcoal for cooking.

Jane has spent the day inside (roughly 95F) sorting through hundreds of patient records as she continues the job she started here earlier in the year. Many have stopped by to greet her as she has become somewhat of an enigma to these Haitians who wonder openly why anyone would come to serve in such a place as Dessalines. She has friends from previous visits that are letting out her secret of knowing perhaps enough Creyole to “get by” in a pinch as I have heard some simple conversations taking place that end in both parties walking away quite satisfied.

Our goal here is to make the hospital self sufficient or nearly so as the Lord will provide as there are great needs in the community of Dessalines (25,000 population) and the surrounding areas (an additional 175,000 people) in various mountain villages. A simple birth here jeopardizes the lives of mothers simply due to the distance and quality of medical care. Dessalines Rural Health Project (DRHP) provides the key medical care for disease, malnutrition, broken bones, HIV, AIDs, malaria and the only legitimate dental work in the region to name just a few of the “specialties” offered.

A young man came by today as we were working to share with Jane the miracle of his life being spared by the staff of DRHP. He had been shot in the leg in a neighboring village with the bullet going into the thigh and out the calf; infection had set in by the time he managed to get to the hospital and the lower part of his leg had to be removed. He and his wife were praising God that his life was saved and how fortunate he was to have medical facilities so “close by”! Jane and Gail had listened to his story earlier and when he discovered that the husbands were working outside he hurriedly directed his wheelchair outdoors to share the good news with Gregg and me as well. There is a huge lesson in all of this somewhere for each of us, I am certain.

We spend the evenings in somewhat of a “share the load” mode with the two other couples residing here currently with each actually preparing an evening snack/meal every third day.
Again Jane is in charge as it would make no sense to delegate something so important to my care. Each couple returns to their “home” apartment around 8PM with “lights out” occurring roughly at 9-9:30PM; the resident fowl arise at about 3:30AM and it’s pretty much cat-naps from then until daylight.

May 18, 2007

An intriguing day, very much like the Haiti I remember; take anything simple and make it complicated! A trip to the hardware store to replace a fitting in the USA is an hour’s time out of the day; in Dessalines it is a 4-hour trip back into Port au Prince. “No Problem” is the favorite local retort to these type issues and then proceed to ignore the item that created the concern hoping it will go away!

I’ve had only a day to snap a few pictures but hope they will help you to connect to our efforts here in Dessalines. On our way out of Port au Prince (PAP) I snapped the little boy begging in the streets – perhaps 6 years old – for his day’s food. It is truly a country of amazing contrasts as the wealthy always seem to be building; those living in poverty are on the streets daily simply trying to exist.
We made our way to Dessalines and will be spending the month here basically with bare essentials of water, food and shelter and very little additional. The housing here is provided by a Canadian businessman related to much of the mission work here in Dessalines; food for the most part is obtained at the local market by our capable Elanje – a wonderful lady of extreme talent to tend to our every need; water is obtained from a processed source – one need only look at the water here and wonder how these children survive. I’ve included a picture of the complex; it looks quite nice against the mountain backdrop.
Days here are quite hot, registering around 90+F easily by 10AM; perhaps as high as 100+F or better by noon and cooling down only after sunset around 6:30PM. Morning starts around 5AM with coffee and fresh bread from the street vendors; noon meals are the larger of meals with perhaps a cookie and coffee later in the evening.

Visited the hospital today to determine a game plan for painting – I think it will boil down to something very similar to the Nike sports equipment slogan – “Just Do It”. Seems to be a series of endless walls with multiple colors of which none have seen a fresh coat of paint applied for many years.

Today was Flag Day; I caught a picture of one of the local celebrations for you. There is no work done (well, scheduled work, anyway) on this day as the people are quite proud of their independence and want to celebrate the occasion.

Spent the afternoon chipping a shower pipe out of a solid concrete wall; seems the last plumber in residence split the fitting attempting to replace a showerhead – as they say here “No Problem!” Started at 10AM – finished around 4PM and have little to show but a rather small hole in the wall. Managed to get the part off that needs replacing; now must schedule a trip into PAP to obtain the fitting.

I’ll share a day with you in Jane’s world here in our next communication.

It's Time To Go...

We are hours away from our next trip to Dessalines, Haiti with few words that can describe our amazement as we have watched God provide for our needs. To see the outpouring of faith in our efforts in the form of prayer, equipment and supplies and financial giving has brought us literally to weeping for joy at what we will be able to present to our Haitian friends on your behalf.

As we look back over the last several months it is impossible to perceive the series of events that placed us without the funding we needed to obtain the materials, equipment and finances for our upcoming project. Our Haitian involvement has taken a lot over the years in terms of time and determination in addition to the vast amounts of funding needed to make the projects viable and this was to be no different.

We will be providing oversight and materials for a fresh coat of paint over both the exterior and interior walls of the structure as well as continuing a process of developing administrative procedures started some months earlier to bring the hospital back to a self-funding position. This will be the first of a multi-year plan developed by the staff in Haiti as a priority in order to make the Dessalines Rural Health Program a viable community asset once again. As we have shared with you previously, this takes a vast amount of time and funding.


If this were not enough in itself we were challenged to come up with a house (yes, you are reading this correctly) for a widow woman in the village where we will be working. The home in which she is currently residing has started to split apart in the upper corners and a section of the roof is leaking beyond correction. Without funding or local support this widow will shortly be forced into the streets as she has only the handouts given by those in the local church.

In April, shortly after an incredibly large, unplanned, tax burden wiped out our “Haiti Savings” we were challenged to pray for the significant needs of this next trip and literally had no means of procuring these ourselves in the time remaining.

As we began to pray and asked those of you who have shared with us in prayer to lift our needs to God we began to feel a sense of comfort and quiet about the matter. Ever concerned about being proper stewards of what God has provided to us, we admittedly have shown our concerns as the dates have grown closer and yet felt the Lord’s presence in all that we have done in preparation. It is uniquely God who has directed the steps over these last few days as the materials, equipment and finances have started to flow in abundance. We have received outpourings of prayer and financial support in excess of what we had ever anticipated.

We had set a goal for ourselves early in the planning and determined to meet that goal up until the day the IRS took away our savings for the trip – but God had other plans. As the time to depart approaches rapidly it has literally escaped our imagination as we have watched God deliver office supplies, recording equipment, luggage and financing in abundance.

Friends we have not seen in months have appeared seemingly out of nowhere and handed us checks for various amounts; several of you have been impressed to share with us for which we have no way of telling you our gratitude. A man from Indiana that we have employed for years to assist us with our finances has made it clear that he will be supplying us with a check before our departure; on Sunday we walked out of the building with a commitment for additional thousands of dollars that we did not have when we entered the morning service!

For those of you keeping pace in the Table for Two one of the recent scriptures;

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6


As we leave you on Wednesday it is with a firm conviction that God has surpassed our understanding and is in fact leading as we once again find our way back to Haiti. Please use this vehicle to stay current with us; we treasure your support as we move through these next few weeks and will attempt to keep you updated regularly as electricity allows.