"God is testing you"

I so often heard this from my Dad when things seemed to be going off track.  While it was probably not an original thought, sometimes it encouraged me to take a breath and get creative.

Boy, do I think he's smiling down after the last 48 hours!

Let me say up front the team. . .12 strong. . .is together in  Jeremie as of noon today.  We we spread out over three 5-passenger planes, one yesterday and two today, and only because our charter company had their big plane off-line for routine maintenance.

One big project is a solar power installation tomorrow in our adopted village of Chiraque.  It's been a logistics handful to get the equipment down here and to corral expert installation help from goodsamaritan.org.  He and his two sons were suppose to fly into PaP yesterday morning from another Haitian city, only to discover that their carrier sold their seats to other folks!  They were to jump on yesterday's 5-passenger charter with Nancy, and we only have the solar expert for Saturday.

With the help of our all-knowing driver, Nadar, and in just a few minutes, we managed to find a driver in the other Haitian city to drive the solar expert and his two sons 5 hours to PaP.  Next, three more of our team already in PaP needed to join Nancy on the first plane. . .departing in 90 minutes.  Next, room reservations in both Jeremie and PaP needed to change. . .for tonight. . .and if that didn't work out, there was some serious double-bunking in the offing.

"God is testing you."

Once together in Jeremie today, we got real busy. . .Dr. Scott and Jill went to th Gebeau Clinic and saw 25+ patients. . .in 2 1/2 hours.  Nancy, Jackie, Sarah and Jill's daughter Elle unpacked the 10 duffels filled with meds and vitamins and began preparing quantities for distribution for the 5 planned mobile medical events.  They had great help as the Haitian friends FUMC has made over the past several years pitched in. . .photos to follow!  The rest of us made our way to Chiraque to ensure we were ready for the solar installation tomorrow.

Ordinarily, solar panels are mounted on brackets provided by the manufacturer. . .which we ordered and had shipped to Jeremie in December on a secure 43-foot container.  Our Haitian friends, concerned about potential panel theft, built special brackets. . .which we all thought were more or less cages that would lay over the solar panels.  Instead, these brackets were also meant to hold the panels. . .even our solar expert was impressed as it was customized for the needs of Chiraque. . .something you wouldn't find in a catalogue!  Still, the solar fellow thought we should also look at the factory brackets. .c.and in turns out they were nowhere to be found.  Our Haitian friends had concocted a Plan B we didn't know we needed. . .absent which the "show" could NOT have gone on.

Not sure if this also qualifies as a "test" as Dad might have suggested, but you can't help but wonder if we' re getting a little help from his Host.

The villagers of Chiraque are genuinely excited about the new energy about to flow into their lives, and they have all of your love and support to thank for it. . .and a little help from the Almighty thrown in!

Pictures tomorrow!!

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A week from now. . . .

. . . .the first 6 of 9 team members will be en route to Port au Prince, Haiti.  Paul and Jackie Keller, and Mick and Sarah McClelland will be making their first trip.  John and Nancy Smith, already members of Haiti's Frequent Visitor Club, will be leading the group. . .which gets rounded out the next day with the arrival of Scott and Jill Wilkinson and their daughter Elle.  The entire team will make its way to Jeremie on Friday, April 8, and hit the ground running sorting through the contents of   10 duffels and items also stuffed into each person's personal luggage.  On this first day after arrival, we'll also make our way to the Gebeau Depot where a large number of items have been stored in advance of our arrival, and to the Gebeau Clinic to be sure all is in order before Dr. Scott does does eye clinic and surgery work the following week.

We'll be posting daily, Internet and electrical power  availability permitting of course, and hope to include some pictures as well.   We'll be installing solar power on the church roof in our adopted mountain village of Chiraque, where the end game is giving the kids in school the the same kind of access to the "world" that their contemporaries have most everywhere else.  We'll be conducting mobile medical/dental/eye clinics in Chiraque, Gommiers, the Jeremie jail, and a part of Jeremie known as "Tent City".  We'll be doing fluoride treatments, distributing dresses made by FUMC's seamstresses, delivering Chromebooks to Chiraque and the John Wesley High School, and helping carve out a crude but flattish  soccer field for the kids to use in Chiraque (right now, they play in a narrow pathway between the two 2-room school buildings).

We're able to do many things because of the generous support from FUMC's congregation, and because of the many friends we've made in the ground in Haiti. . .who do a LOT of legwork for us before we arrive.  Many thanks to everyone who cares and pitches in one way or another.  Every little bit helps. 

Haiti is hard!

Let me repeat in case you didn't get it.....HAITI IS HARD!  I cannot ever adequately explain what a day in the life of a Haitian is like. There are no midday breaks, coffee breaks, lunch breaks, Spring breaks, four-day weekends or 'bucket list' vacations.  There is only the grueling daily hardship to merely survive and care for your family. Each day brings a need and a constant search to fulfill that need. Perhaps it is a simple bar of soap, a bucket of charcoal, an 8 ounce bag of rice.  Perhaps larger needs such as $5 IV bag for your sick child, the backpack that completes the obligatory items to actually attend school or the $50 tuition to attend one more year.  And as each day brings its task, the stomach gnaws from hunger and the throat thirsts.  This is life in Jeremie. And as you travel outside the city, there is one task and only one task--food and clean water. It is so unimaginable.  So, where do they get their strength?  I shake my head as I truly don't know. I believe their strong belief in God guides many through their days. Without that protective spirit and unconditional love they would despair. But instead the tackle each day--one day at a time. 

I cannot seem to write in detail about the people we've met and touched, but feel blessed merely because WE CAN. At the end of each day we laugh with joy for some and cry for others and pray that tonight God would take them to a better place.....a place that isn't so hard.

Two steps forward....one step back

Visited our medical clinic in Gebeau today. Over the past 6 months the clinic has been in state of transition. New budget, trimmed down staff, new medical doctor director-----new realities. Like anywhere else, change is hard and it showed on all the faces at Gebeau. Patient census is down (word spreads quickly when there is no doctor in the house ) and pharmacy is TOTALLY  bare. It is difficult to make any difference in health without medications, so you can imagine that frustration has led to apathy and depression. 

However with feet on the ground here I believe a statement of caring has been clearly made. 

My work is to communicate that we, the Jeremie Haiti Project, are committed to helping them succeed and get back on their feet doing what they do best----helping the local Haitian people. 

Yes I brought some medicine (certainly not enough) but constant communication is what is most required and perhaps more listening than talking!  Likewise it is a two-way street---- the way things were doesn't count for much and the sooner the new reality is accepted, the better it will be for all. 

Geez I feel like a union negotiator rather than a caring nurse!

Plan to return to the clinic on Monday......

Nancy 

Finally!

First time we have Internet since arrival on Thursday. Welcome to Haiti!

Did I yet mention it is really HOT here?  I mean REALLY hot. But, that aside I am happy to see friends and all the sights and sounds of Haiti. Yet amongst the joy of rekindling friendships and preparing our 'to do' lists, we've experienced a great sadness. Our friend and interpreter, Wilbens, lost his younger brother shortly after our arrival. We had just arrived at the Jeremie hospital to visit him and see how we might assist with his care, but were moments too late. God had taken him to a better place. We are filled with the sadness of his passing and for the deep family loss. Our prayers are extended to Wilbens' family for peace and solace.  Funeral arrangements are being made and planned for Monday. 

Nancy 

One 'mo time!

Nancy is off to Haiti tomorrow, tagging along with friends from thenJeremie Haiti Project.  She'll be taking 3 duffels of mess and other supplies for use in her visits to Good Sam, the Gebeau Clinic, the village of Chiraque, and St. Antoine's Hospital.  She knows her around and has lots of ground support, but keep her in mind and send her telepathically lots of encouragement to drink LOTS of water as it's about as hot and humid as it gets in Haiti this time of year.  She'll be back on September 12!  John Smith