Photos from Jan 6

Here are a few photos from Yesterday. The girls went to the maternity hospital while the guys stayed back to paint another coat at the old base and put together another bunk bed here at the base. In the afternoon it was a return visit to the pediatric wing of the general hospitsl and to the orphanage. Had final debrief last night too-always sad. 

First Osei tried on a donated skirt-lol (a little morning entertainment)

We took a public tap tap to the hospital with Astreede. 

Hannah got to do wound care and dressing changes--so did some others with no medical training. But, they were more than willing to pitch in and assist. 

Examining an x-ray at the general hospital...

Praying with patients...

Pediatric ward....

Fun times in the car...

The new idea in action... Handptints on a board so they can come with us wherever we go in the future!! (the board will be screwed into the wall later and at the end of 2015 we will varnish to protect it or something)

God's been doing work...

     This morning we went to the Maternity Hospital.  Last year, and this year I’ve avoided going out with the med. students. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to contribute much in a hospital environment, so this was my first visit to the Maternity Hospital. We started by walking through and praying with some of the new mothers and some who were going into labor. It was awesome to spend time talking to God with the new moms, they were just beaming with joy for their new babies. One of the women we met there had just become an aunt. She was so excited for her sister and her new niece that she went up and down the halls proclaiming “God is good!” She even stopped to pray with different families and helped some of the moms in labor. It was really encouraging to see.

     We went down to the first floor, where there was a small urgent care room. Hannah put on some gloves and began working with some of the other nurses while Kelsey and I sat down to watch. After a few minutes a head nurse snapped her fingers at us and told us to get to work. We tried explaining to her that we weren’t med. students but I don’t think she understood because she handed us a box of gloves.       

     Kelsey and I looked at each other like “oh my gosh! I have no idea what I’m about to do!” but we got in there and tried to help as much as we could! I helped change some bandages and cleaned some cuts. Then a little girl with a big gash on her head came in. A nurse handed me some gauze and something to clean the wound. Thankfully I wasn’t asked to help with stitches, but I held her hands as they sewed her up. The poor girl was so scared, she had a death grip! I’m really thankful that I decided to go to the hospital today. It reminded me how important it is to be willing to go when God calls. Even when I doubt myself, if I can trust in God, he will use me.

     Over this last year, I feel like I have hardened my heart towards people. I’ve had a hard time allowing myself to let my heart be open to loving. I think that God started working on opening it up this week. We went to the Pediatric Hospital again today. Here, it isn’t uncommon for children to be abandoned at the hospital because parents can’t afford to take care of them. We spent a lot of time with those kids today. We also got to go to the Life is Wealth Orphanage again.  I genuinely fell in love with these kids. I was compelled to let some of my walls down and just give as much as I could. I know that that might not seem like much, since I won’t see them for another year and it might not be hard to love a bunch a kids. For me though, spending this week with them has been such a great reminder to me that giving myself can be one of the greatest blessings that God has for us.

     God has worked on all of us in many more ways this week, and in ways I’m sure we’re all still processing. Osei is telling me that since I’m writing the last blog, that I have to summarize the whole trip. That’s just too much… but I am really thankful for God’s presence here. I can see so much progress in this city, over just a year. It’s awesome to be back here again and continue building relationships in different parts of the community. God is working here and I’m so thankful that he has allowed me and the team to be a small part of his work.

       -Renee Wubbenhorst

                Hebrews 12:1-2 

Monday (Jan. 5) ministry

Today, our team had the opportunity to observe a children’s clinic. This organization reaches out to local communities and provides nutrition for malnourished children. Crystal and Hannah stayed and helped, while a group of us went on a prayer walk in the community. A prayer walk really creates opportunities to encourage leaders and many others. God really does work through these encounters; there are no accidents or coincidences. This forced me out of my comfort zone, but the people we asked to pray with were so receptive. My group spent time talking to a handful of children; who mostly asked for us to pray for good grades in school and after sang Papa Abraham to us. It was a really sweet experience. This trip has been a turning point for me in my life. Having ten days completely devoted to serving others and spending time with the Lord has really shown me that He has to be my top priority. I’ve been distracted and I have been placing my relationship with God on the backburner, but no relationship can grow if you’re not putting forth an effort I’ve learned. I’m so grateful to have met such wonderful people. Absolutely love Haiti!  - Amanda

Monday...

We will blog later today but today the group went to a medical clinic (nutrition). Some did a prayer walk by the clinic snd then went back to the base to paint at our old base. It was a great day!! Now they are out at the grocery store shopping for items to bring home. 

Nutrition clinic

Weighing children on a scale suspended from the rafters. 

So sad to see the handprints go at the old base.

Photos...

Here are some photos from Saturday (and Friday). Friday we went to the pediatric hospital, then Life is Wealth and then to help a mom/baby in critical condition get to a hospital and get treatment. Saturday we met with the leadership at Pastor Robbys church in the morning and did blood pressure screenings/wound care and soccer in the tent/shack community near the base. Busy days make for tired team that goes to sleep early. 

Holding an abandoned baby at the general hospital. Her name is Sarah. 

Praying for the patients/parents. 

Getting the baby admitted (no name yet-one month old)

Blood pressure checks

Watching the soccer game and building relationships in our community. 

Renee taking a break to rest.....  (from soccer)

Fierce soccer game....

Singing songs and dancing with the neighborhood children. 

Oops!  The ball went over the fence!! End of the game.... 

We also stopped in to visit our friend Gamine (a little girl with Downs syndrome). We talked with her parents a bit and another friend of ours, Gary. It is good that our groups are starting to be known and trusted in that community. 

Having Faith

     I have a huge mix of emotions after today.  We had the opportunity to go to the general hospital and visit the pediatric ward. Also, we went to Life is Wealth orphanage and got to spend a few hours there.  I was very blessed by getting to go to the hospital.  I am a nursing student and it was really neat to see healthcare in a different culture.
     In the pediatric ward at the general hospital, there were two rooms that housed kids from newborns to teens.  It was so interesting to see how the hospital was set up.  There were just big open rooms sectioned into groups by beds.  The beds were grouped by a color and one nurse was assigned to each group of beds. For the supplies the healthcare people had, the conditions were very good.  
      The families were responsible to provide all of the medicines, tools, and supplies that were prescribed by the doctors.  The first room we went into was the newborn room. We split into groups with our translators and went around praying and talking with people.  I was deeply touched by getting to pray with many of the families. Getting to hold a few of the babies and it was such a cool experience.  Some of the babies were so sick and it ripped my heart out.  It was so hard to see such small children so sick and know we couldn’t do anything physically to help.  It was neat to just hold the babies and talk to them.  I love the fact that even though we can’t speak Creole, we could still make a relationship.  Some babies and children were abandoned and were being taken care of by women that lived in the hospital with them.   In the second room, there were older children.  Many of them were receptive to talk or to play with toys.  A lot of parents were around and really into their children’s care. Before leaving, we were standing in the admission room and saw a very sick baby.  This little girl was a month old and had a large distended abdomen.  We prayed for her and talked with her mom before leaving.
     Next, we went to Life is Wealth orphanage.  The smiles, hugs, laughs and waves we got when we got there made me so joyful.  It is amazing to see the love these kids have.  Many of the girls had new dresses on that they received at our Christmas Party on Wednesday.  Sitting down and just holding a child has made me realize how many moments I have taken for granted.  It has been really cool to see how much joy it brings these children to have you just sit with them and show them you care about them.  We also made some pretty sweet friendship bracelets and played fun group games.
     When we were leaving the orphanage we got to go back to the general hospital and take the very sick baby and her mom to get more treatment.  We went to the University of Miami field hospital.  Crystal made arrangements for the baby to be seen there because her condition was very severe.
      When we arrived we took the baby to triage and had a doctor talk with the mom and find out some history.  The baby was severely dehydrated, anemic, weighed around 4 lbs, and was very malnourished.  Getting to be there with the mom and baby was awesome.  The mom was concerned about finances and didn’t know how she would pay for her little girl to get better.  I could tell that us being there to just hold things for her and pray meant a lot.
     I know God has big plans for that little girl and that His plan is always the best.  Having faith in what He wants can be hard but it is so rewarding.  Today, I was really tested to just give this girl to Jesus and trust Him.  Faith can be a really tough thing but it is so rewarding.

                            -Hannah Kirkpatrick

Photos....

Even though Kelsey posted some photos with her blog I am putting up a few. Enjoy!!

Ben with Betlandia

Hannah with the children. 

Carrying everything to the bus. Soooo much stuff!!!

Shoes, shoes, shoes. 

A room FULL of clothing to shop from. :)

Some really had trouble carrying all the clothing and shoes they got! 

Soooooooo excited!!

The boys shopped last.... We got six new children the day before the party and THREE during the party. What a welcome to get new clothes... (or clothes at all)

Some of the nicer dresses (a huge box) will be shared among the girls. Pastor and the Nannies will hand them out on Sunday and collect back to keep them nice. 

Modeling the new dresses by holding them up. 

(note: the Nannies enjoyed the meal with us and got to "shop" too--we had some women's clothing donated in many sizes)

**meal photos will have to wait. My camera fell and broke and my phone overheated in my pocket-lol. I will borrowsome from the team when they wake.