Haiti Mission Team | Update #6

It was a very, very productive day for our team in Haiti. The teams re-formed to better address the needs in three different clinical settings and the teaching team met all day with 40 – 45 men and women, spending the whole afternoon in a Q&A session. Everyone loved it!

The medical teams went three ways – back to the Cayes Hospital, where a variety of needs were met including setting broken bones and seeing many, many sick infants; the orphanage, where the sickest were seen by one of our pediatricians (at least 50 today) and 200 more were treated for scabies and lice and given new clothes; and the community setting at Cambry, where both adults and children were seen with lots of malnutrition and minor surgery needs.

Several praises:
The nebulizer that was purchased and packed at the very last minute saved an infant’s life today; one of the pediatricians was sure the infant would not have survived for more than a day or two without that simple piece of equipment being there today.

The team is working seamlessly together even though they were in a new configuration today. They are convinced that the teams were put together the way God wanted it all along – even though some “signed on” rather late in the trip planning! Bonds are being formed that only enhance their ability to minister.

Broken bones were set today – bones that had been broken for a long time, likely since the earthquake. Refugees from PAP since the earthquake have new needs as well as untreated ailments that they were afflicted with prior to the earthquake, including the malnourished kids.

So far, the supplies are holding out beautifully. As of today, about 400 kids have new clothes and most have new shoes. Tomorrow, the last 100-150 kids at the orphanage will be seen, and the team will not come home with one extra stitch of clothing. There is enough scabies wash to take care of all of them.

Organization was much smoother today as the team could anticipate the situations better and adjusted accordingly.

Pastors who are disheartened, tired, worried for their families and their flocks, and overwhelmed by the immensity of the task before them were encouraged by the teaching team. Questions abounded – on practical ministry, theology, translation issues, the second coming – to keep our team on their toes. A special challenge – keeping answers short and simple for the translator! Good practice for our guys J It is food for the soul of these pastors, who will be looked upon to lead their often times disheartened people through many long months of recovery.

There was an aftershock near PAP today – 4.7 in intensity – but nothing was felt where the team is. Some injuries were reported in PAP as people had moved back into buildings that were not as safe as they had hoped. But nothing major has been reported.


Some things for prayer:
A few of the team members have had some illness of varying kinds – some fevers, some digestive. But they have the best medical help on the island right there with them, and the proper medicines to help them feel better. Still, pray that return to full health would be swift so they can continue their important work at full speed. Pray for protection for the others from similar symptoms. Also pray for adequate rest under these demanding circumstances.

The electricity continues on a rolling cycle; water flow in the guest house is also off when the electricity is off. Since cool air to sleep in and water to shower in is a godsend to our workers, pray for the provision of these simple yet much appreciated things.