March trip 2015 - clinic day 3

     I’m at a loss for words today.  I don’t think any of my words can do the beauty experienced today any justice.  Brenda and I joined the medical team to run a clinic in Belot, an area at the very top of a mountain.  This area is all farm land right up the sides of the mountain.  There is nothing else there. 

     Pastor Reginald has been ministering to people there for 5 years, he really knows the people of the community.  He has worked with his own resources to build a small office and the foundation and walls of a church/school.  There are ragged tarps over a portion of the building that can’t withstand the wind and rain this area gets almost daily.  

     Medical care is almost non-existent.  They must travel a very long way, which means they don’t go unless absolutely unavoidable.  They have never had dental care or education. It shows.

     With all that lacks there, beauty remains.  Faith is evident.  God is moving.  My prayer for this community is that God’s word is spread all over that mountain!

Inside of the church/school

Pastor Reginald

Church/school

View of the Mountains from Belot

March trip 2015 - Day 2

     Following a visit to the community buildings AWAKENHAITI built and a quick meeting with Pastor Nathan, we joined the team for clinic.  There were of course patients already there waiting to be seen by a doctor.  As I made my way through the waiting area, a baby caught my eye.  My second time through, I noticed why this particular baby stood out to me over the other 20 or so; he was severely mal-nourished.  As I continued on running a few errands, I saw a nurse had taken he and the caregiver and was trying to get the baby’s weight.  When he made it to the exam room with the pediatrician, I couldn’t stay away. 

     When I asked God to break my heart for the things that break His, I didn’t picture this.  A precious baby boy (I’m calling him Samuel) thought to be about 6 months old weighing a whopping 3 lbs. abandoned on his aunt’s doorstep just the night before. 

     The pediatrician finished her exam and I followed Samuel and his aunt to wait to be seen by Derek, the cardiologist on the team.  He did an ultrasound of his heart to see if there were any problems there, thankfully, his heart is healthy.  While they were waiting though, I asked his aunt if I could hold him and pray for him.  She of course agreed.  I prayed for the pain and discomfort to be taken from him.  I didn’t pray for his life, I couldn’t bear to think what his life would be like if it would be anything like his first 6 months, I prayed for his spirit to have peace.  If God brings this little boy back to life, I would love to see how God would use him some day. 

     Dr. Bordes saw Samuel next.  I was so impressed with his care in working through the story with Samuel’s aunt.  I asked the to help a bit financially so the aunt could get Samuel to the hospital for ongoing treatment.  She had nothing herself and nothing to provide care for him.  It’s all we could do for him.  We release him into Jesus’ hands.

    

     Home visits can be very intimidating but they always leave me feeling so blessed.  I had three to make today.

     Our first visit was with Nadege.  She looks so good, but she is still experiencing a lot of trouble with her legs and walking.  She smiles anyway, laughs through it and asks for prayer to be able to walk well again.  She was sure if I prayed for her, she would be walking like new the next time I come to visit.  Her faith challenges and grows mine.

     I was amazed to see how Jenny and Ricardo are growing up.  Jenny is almost 7 and Ricardo is now 19, a man.  He takes good care of his mom while John is working in the states to earn enough money to get his family in a better place.  

     Our next stop was at Suzette’s house to see her daughters.  Only one of her daughters was there, she says they have been waiting and asking for a visit.  All of Suzette’s grandchildren were there playing.  It was a special time to share with all of them together even though they are young.  I will share their grandmother’s story with them someday so they will know her faith.  Suzna is the oldest, she already knows, she was there watching from a distance.  My prayer for Suzette’s family is that they come to know the faith she had and make it theirs.

     Our final visit was with Emilie.  Her faith is stronger now.  She looks me in the eye now and smiles.  Before she really began to know God, she welcomed prayer, my visits and questions but couldn’t look into my eyes and never smiled.  She takes her children to church now without her husband.  He doesn’t share her faith and doesn’t have work.  Life is very difficult for them because they are still some of the poorest people in the area.   My prayer for this family is for stronger faith.  When I shared that with Emilie, she responded by saying this is what she wanted prayer for.  I wonder how often we pray that God would strengthen our faith.  Especially when there are so many other things to ask for. 

Words can’t describe the blessings this day brought.  The Haitian people will never understand what we receive from them.  

~Deb

Trying to get Samuel to drink some formula

Samuel - about 6 months old

Derek, the cardiologist explaining what is being seen in the heart to the pediatrician

Little Jenny isn't so little anymore!

My friend, Nadege and Jenny

Suzette's grandchildren!

March clinic day 1

     Brenda and I are serving with a great group of doctors and nurses from the state of Washington.  Some of them have worked this particular clinic in Canaan before but I have not.  I was very curious to see the clinic operations with a Haitian doctor (Dr. Bordes) running it on a regular basis. We were simply coming to enhance what he normally does and to support him.  This team also hired a Haitian pediatrician and dermatologist in order to meet more needs.

     It turns out there was an emergency patient that needed to be taken to the hospital for surgery early in the day so Dr. Bordes took her and because the team was there, clinic went on without him.

     I personally was kind of a misfit today because I am normally the administrator and pharmacist. Today, I was the  extra person who ran a few errands, translated a few little phrases, held a child's hand during a tooth extraction, and held a crying baby (I know, someone had to do it) while her mom was seen by a nurse.  I wish I would have taken advantage of this role and spent more time offering to pray with people while they waited...tomorrow I will.
     Following a day of clinic,  knowing we won't be staying to do follow up over the coming weeks, I began to question if we have made a difference.  If our efforts really help or hurt.  Our haitian translators must have read the questioning in my mind because several of them emphasized just how much the work done today meant not only to the community but to them and their country. This reminder blessed me because I carry a burden for health care in Haiti, specifically Canaan and people in rural areas that just don't have access to it or can't afford it.  While I don't have any medical skills myself, I love seeing this need being met.  To top it off, after praying this morning that over everything else, people see Christ in us, in whatever capacity we are serving, I needed the reminder.

Praying for the same tomorrow...over everything else, let people see Christ in us, in whatever capacity we are serving.

I am Blessed to be here
~Deb

Junior did basic dental exams on the school kids this team support in Cite Soleil ~ they were bused to Canaan

Brenda giving Stephanie some hands on training in the exam room

This used to be my girls' job when we lived here, someone's gotta do it:)

March 2015 trip

     Today, I returned to Haiti after being away for 3 months with Brenda, (also known as "the other lady"), a nurse practitioner from Canada who has been on several trips.  I am really looking forward to this week as we join another group here serving in two separate clinics over the course of the week.  I am certain we will learn and be blessed by this group of doctors and nurses and I am sure the Haitian communities we are serving will also teach and bless us.
     Normally, I would have only written narrative information on this blog and more personal stuff on our family blog however, sometimes the narrative is difficult to write without the realities that come with our experiences and the lines become gray.  So for this week, I am sharing here.  It has been two months short of a year since I wrote on our family blog.  Mainly because the lines are hard to see.
     We have been quiet.  God has been quiet, asking us to wait so we could take the necessary time to make transitions back to living in Pennsylvania.  But lately, there is a stirring, an awakening.  We know God has some great things to come within AWAKENHAITI and we are praying without ceasing and listening, doing our best to follow wherever He leads us.
     So this week, I anticipate seeing how God is actively moving and we are open to however he chooses to use us.  We are humbled to be here sharing Christ's love with the people we encounter.
     We treasure your prayers!
      ~Deb Denlinger