HAITI
HAITI
Haiti Field Director, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
The 2012 Mission Trip to Haiti was a tremendous success, thanks to the leadership of Dr. Mark Walker and Dr. Jeff Parrish. We were able to help Pastor Johnny and his work in a very poor part of Port Au Prince, and Pastor Xenas in his work in the north of Haiti.
It is always a blessing when you see your supplies and equipment come down the conveyor belt, and this time everything made it to Haiti and was returned to Seattle without a hitch.
On Saturday, our 17 member team divided into two different groups and said our good-byes at the airport for the week. One team traveled about half an hour through Port Au Prince to the mission compound in Bolosse. Riding in the back of a truck through the neighborhoods in Port Au Prince is impossible to express in words and opens your eyes to the needs of this small country. The other team headed toward the smaller airport to fly north to Cape Haitian and from there traveled another hour and a half to their destination in Ferrier. Then we all unloaded the medical tubs and relaxed in order to get ready for the coming week of work.
On Sunday we went to church with the missionaries which is always a wonderful experience. It is amazing to hear the Haitian people sing and to experience their culture in its truist form. Then we returned to the mission compound to relax and have a strategy meeting. This year we had a number of students from the Dental School at the UW, and is was great to experience the anticipation and excitement for their upcoming patient load for the week.
We worked Monday through Friday and saw over 300 people. We did restorative work, lab work and many surgical procedures. All in all we were able to help many Haitian out of their pain and open many doors for the work of the churches we served.
Thanks to each of you who supported the Haiti 2012 mission. Your prayers and heartfelt concerns for those traveling were felt and proved to pave the way for a successful and fulfilling week of work.
We are now in the midst of packing for the Kenya and Tanzania mission which will be June 29th through July 28th. We have most of the team identified; however, if you are interested in becoming part of either the Kenya or Tanzanian trip (or both), please contact me ASAP. The summer Olympics are in London this year and we need to get our tickets in advance, while there is still room.
Thank you again, and thanks to the team members who participated in the Haiti 2012 Mission!
Some comments from team members...
I had a fabulous time and it was an incredible experience that I will always remember. THANK YOU for everything each of you did and for making the trip so enjoyable and go so smoothly! Tyler
I loved working with Inna and Kjersten. Mark was SUPERMAN. I am so happy with whole trip. For the first time in my life, I know I did what GOD wanted me to do, because I could never think of or do the things I did without His total control. Mike
Donate to the next Haiti Medical Missions Team.
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HAITI
This year we have a team of 20 individuals that will split into 3 different groups and set up clinics in Port au Prince, Ferrier and Passe Catabois. Each team will have a number of dentists and dental students, and in Passe Catabois we will have a doctor as part of the team to help Dr. Anne Marie at the hospital/clinic. Once we arrive in Port au Prince the groups split up and two teams head for a smaller airport to fly north on a Haitian airplane, which is an experience in and of itself. Then the two teams will travel by vehicle, one group forging over a river in small boats to get to the locations where the clinics will be set up.
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HAITI
Sunday, 21 March 2010 21:15
Haiti - 2010 - Earthquake Relief (click for photo gallery)
Written by Janet Darling
Janet Darling reports (March 22):End of day and we are beat. 125 patients-85 med/40 dental. Shed a few tears for the interpreters. One lost his 20 year old ...son. The other lost a college friend who was sitting next to him in class. Still the Haitians smile.
(March 23)
At 4:45 each morning we awake to a Haitian church service. Now called "The Church Over The Wall." The preacher begins by singing several songs over the bullhorn and then preaches a firey 30 minute sermon. Jesus said to let them preach and to rise early to worship. We are repenting for not being able to sleep longer but they are full of joy and gathering every day! Father please forgive us!!!
(March 24)
So tired...Assisted with 85 year old for cleaning & 1 tooth extraction. He really had beautiful teeth. But then a young girl had 5 teeth removed & really needed more. I now know how to clean, extract, fill, file, & make partials. Don't fall asleep at my place when I get home as I have a new hobby!
(March 26)
Its our final night in Haiti. Phone is having difficulties with some keys. Worked in Merger today. Most fun was the classes we had for kids. teaching them to brush their teeth while at the same time giving them a floride treatment.
Zack Mays reports (March 23)Not hard to see how so many people died when you see the devastation! Unreal some of the things we've witnessed!!! We are seeing around 130 patients/day and everyone on the team is well. We've also rebuilt one of the houses on campus that crumbled in the quake. Still much to do and never enough time.
Michael Mays reports (March 27)
Today was bitter sweet...said bye to half of the MRI team as they left this morning, we miss you already! Monday and Tuesday we will be going to a place that has not had any medical attention since the quake so we will need all the prayers we can get. Miss you all
John White reports (March 27)
Just a short note. We have been here in Bolosse for 10 days. I have been an Ophthalmologist for 3 days and Dental Assistant/Dentist for 3 days and a construction worker for 3 days. I haven't really used my french in 22 years, but it is coming in handy especially when we are short on translators. It's great to see people smile when you are able to help them read without trouble or relieve them of tooth pain or rebuild the wall to their home.
We also spent some time in Merge, a small town of 2500 in the middle of sugar cane fields that have no business infrastructure left. The people in the shanty towns of Port Au Prince have many times what these people have.The only thing going on in that town is prostitution, gangs and voodoo. There is only 1 small church in the middle of town that is trying to pull the people out of their poverty. The main street is a 2 ft deep ditch that runs the length of the town.
We are heading out to Carforfeuille (sp) on Monday and Tuesday. It's been 2 months since the quake and they have not seen any medical or dental relief. About half the country has not see any aid at all. We'll do what we can with what we have as half the team has had to head back to the states (about 14 persons remaining).
Bill Mays reports (March 29)
Today we set up clinic amidst the rubble at a church in a town that has not yet received aid. My friend, Dr. Milo and his wife were killed here. Here is a video of the clinic as we set it up this morning.
John White reports (March 29)
I took some time on a break this afternoon to fly kites with some of the kids in Corfuviel (this area has not seen any medical relief since the earthquake). They make them out of 5 pieces of stick, some twine and a plastic bag. We had 20 kites flying in the air from the rooftops. They taught me how to make them dip and do circles. It was definately a highlight.
(March 23)
At 4:45 each morning we awake to a Haitian church service. Now called "The Church Over The Wall." The preacher begins by singing several songs over the bullhorn and then preaches a firey 30 minute sermon. Jesus said to let them preach and to rise early to worship. We are repenting for not being able to sleep longer but they are full of joy and gathering every day! Father please forgive us!!!
(March 24)
So tired...Assisted with 85 year old for cleaning & 1 tooth extraction. He really had beautiful teeth. But then a young girl had 5 teeth removed & really needed more. I now know how to clean, extract, fill, file, & make partials. Don't fall asleep at my place when I get home as I have a new hobby!
(March 26)
Its our final night in Haiti. Phone is having difficulties with some keys. Worked in Merger today. Most fun was the classes we had for kids. teaching them to brush their teeth while at the same time giving them a floride treatment.
Zack Mays reports (March 23)Not hard to see how so many people died when you see the devastation! Unreal some of the things we've witnessed!!! We are seeing around 130 patients/day and everyone on the team is well. We've also rebuilt one of the houses on campus that crumbled in the quake. Still much to do and never enough time.
Michael Mays reports (March 27)
Today was bitter sweet...said bye to half of the MRI team as they left this morning, we miss you already! Monday and Tuesday we will be going to a place that has not had any medical attention since the quake so we will need all the prayers we can get. Miss you all
John White reports (March 27)
Just a short note. We have been here in Bolosse for 10 days. I have been an Ophthalmologist for 3 days and Dental Assistant/Dentist for 3 days and a construction worker for 3 days. I haven't really used my french in 22 years, but it is coming in handy especially when we are short on translators. It's great to see people smile when you are able to help them read without trouble or relieve them of tooth pain or rebuild the wall to their home.
We also spent some time in Merge, a small town of 2500 in the middle of sugar cane fields that have no business infrastructure left. The people in the shanty towns of Port Au Prince have many times what these people have.The only thing going on in that town is prostitution, gangs and voodoo. There is only 1 small church in the middle of town that is trying to pull the people out of their poverty. The main street is a 2 ft deep ditch that runs the length of the town.
We are heading out to Carforfeuille (sp) on Monday and Tuesday. It's been 2 months since the quake and they have not seen any medical or dental relief. About half the country has not see any aid at all. We'll do what we can with what we have as half the team has had to head back to the states (about 14 persons remaining).
Bill Mays reports (March 29)
Today we set up clinic amidst the rubble at a church in a town that has not yet received aid. My friend, Dr. Milo and his wife were killed here. Here is a video of the clinic as we set it up this morning.
John White reports (March 29)
I took some time on a break this afternoon to fly kites with some of the kids in Corfuviel (this area has not seen any medical relief since the earthquake). They make them out of 5 pieces of stick, some twine and a plastic bag. We had 20 kites flying in the air from the rooftops. They taught me how to make them dip and do circles. It was definately a highlight.
Published in
HAITI