Psalm 116:12-19 (The Message)

 ^12-19 What can I give back to God
      for the blessings he’s poured out on me?
   I’ll lift high the cup of salvation—a toast to God!
      I’ll pray in the name of God;
   I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do,
      and I’ll do it together with his people.
   When they arrive at the gates of death,
      God welcomes those who love him.
   Oh, God, here I am, your servant,
      your faithful servant: set me free for your service!
   I’m ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice
      and pray in the name of God.
   I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do,
      and I’ll do it in company with his people,
   In the place of worship, in God’s house,
      in Jerusalem, God’s city.
   Hallelujah!

Remember Caroline that was here this summer?  She was an awesome volunteer that came for two months.  She helped us out so much here at RHFH.  She loved on the kids, helped with some many things in the clinic, walked with us, laughed with us, cried with us, encouraged us, loved us and fell in love with this wonderful country of Haiti.  She is coming back to see us at the end of December.  We are so super excited!  She and her friend ,also named Caroline, have come up with a fund-raising idea for RHFH.  They are selling pictures from her trip here.  You can read her post about it here.  You can go to the site here to see the pictures and purchase some if you would like.  We would love for you to get the word out as well to others that might be interested.

Chase Charity give-away

Someone send me an email tonight letting us know that RHFH is listed on a give-away for a Chase Community Giveaway.  You can go here on facebook to vote.  You can go here  for a small write-up on what the project is all about.   Who knows maybe we could win and build my dream Rescue Center for the kids.  A girl can dream right?  If you have a minute go vote for RHFH.  Thanks Andrea for letting us know!

Priye pou nou joudia

Hey faithful reader.  I want to ask you to pray for us today.  The needs today seem overwhelming, no they are overwhelming.  There are well over 350 outside our gate waiting to pass in the clinic today.  There are a lot of kids in the RC today that are sick.  Several on IV’s and feeding tubes.  Several near death.  Several of the kids with kwashiorkor are severely sick.  Some of the worse cases we have seen.  Dad is leaving today for a 1 week trip to visit my brother and his family.  We need all of you today to pray- for it all.  Pray for strength for us, safe travels for dad, all the patients waiting to pass, all the sick kids, all the ones that are near death, and the ones that are just arriving.  We love each of you and know you are with us and you will pray. 

Isaiah 35:3-4 (The Message)

 ^3-4Energize the limp hands,
   strengthen the rubbery knees.
Tell fearful souls,
   ”Courage! Take heart!
God is here, right here,
   on his way to put things right
And redress all wrongs.
   He’s on his way! He’ll save you!”

Every day, almost 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes–one child every five seconds

Isaiah58:6-9

Ezayi 58:6-9 (Haitian Creole Version)

⁶Non! Men kalite jèn ki pou fè kè m’ kontan an: Sispann fè mechanste. Sispann fè lenjistis. Bay esklav nou yo libète! Mete chay k’ap foule moun yo atè.

    ⁷Separe sa nou genyen ak moun ki grangou. Louvri pòt kay nou pou nou resevwa malere ki pa gen kote pou yo dòmi. Si nou wè yon frè nou toutouni, ba li rad pou li mete sou li. Pa refize lonje men bay frè parèy ou.

    ⁸¶ Lè sa a, tankou solèy k’ap leve, m’ap klere nou, m’a fè nou wè jan mwen renmen nou. Lapoula m’a geri nou, m’a toujou mache ak nou pou m’ delivre nou. Pouvwa Bondye a va mache dèyè nou pou pwoteje nou.

    ⁹Lè sa a, si nou lapriyè nan pye m’, m’a reponn nou. Si nou rele m’, m’a di men mwen! Si nou rache tout mechanste nan kè nou voye jete, si nou sispann kraponnen moun, si nou sispann pale moun mal,

Where we are at….

I wanted to share a little from my heart today with you.  I have lived in Haiti for over 15 years now.  I love it here and would not be “at home” any place else.  I love being able to serve the Lord and I love being able to be a small help to the people in our area.  I love seeing kids recover and return home to their families.  I love being able to do all that I do.  Each month for the past 15 years the Lord has provided for RHFH.  Each month, never late. always on time.  Many times He provides in ways of donations of food, medications and supplies.  Most months we get about 1/3 of our donations from faithful monthly donors.  He provides the rest.  Every single month for 15 years He has done it.  We are so very thankful for God and all He does to help us.  I have many stories that I can share.  Many times we can be out of medicine and He will provide it that day.  We can be low on diapers and someone will drive up to the gate and say I have a trunk load of diapers and thought you might be able to use them.  It happens over and over again. I mean not just a few times but over and over each month.  When we have extra supplies we share with whoever we can, we do not let things go to waste.  I am sharing this with you today believing and knowing that God will provide for this month.  We have a staff of almost 80 employees now.  All but a few are from the village of Cazale.  All are very thankful for their jobs.  They have an opportunity that many cannot find in Haiti-employment. Each clinic day we see around 250 to 300 patients.  These patients walk miles and hours to get here to the clinic.  They trust us and believe in us.  The RC has 70 kids today.  That is a lot.  That is a lot of infant formula each day, a lot of food each day, a lot of water, a lot of baby food, a lot of just about everything to keep things running.  We are doing the best we can with the resources that we have.  This month our donations were low.  We do not have enough to even cover our payroll for our employees, let alone buy food for the kids, fuel for the generator, medications for the clinic, etc. We have about 2 weeks left in the month.   We are putting this need out there, believing and knowing the God will provide.  We thank each of you so much for all that you do for us here at RHFH. 

 1 Peter 4:10-12 (The Message)

 ^7-11Everything in the world is about to be wrapped up, so take nothing for granted. Stay wide-awake in prayer. Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!

Glory Just Around the Corner

 ^12-13Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.

New children in the RC

Two children died this past week.  I did not have time to get this post up before they died.  The first was Juslyn.  She was 1 month and had a terrible skin infection on her legs and feet.  She had a high fever and stopped drinking her formula.  We put a feeding tube in for her but she died on Friday morning around 7:30am.

The second was Dieudson.  He was 11 months old and weighed 15 pounds.  His mother died and dad was trying to take care of him.  He died Friday morning at 2:00am.

This is Dickenson.  He is 20 months old and weighs 14 pounds 6 ounces.  His dad died in the flood last year.  The mother has many kids to feed and he has been falling behind and not gaining weight after she stopped breast-feeding him.

This is Junior.  He is 18 months old and weighs 12 pounds 8 ounces.  He is unable to walk yet and is very weak.

This is Landa.  She was burned a few weeks back when she fell in a pot of boiling water.  She has been coming each day for dressing changes.  She was refusing to eat anything for her mother.  She began to get signs of kwashiorkor.  She kept getting worse each day.  We were willing to give her mother food to feed her and she said you can give me the food but she will not eat.  We admitted her into the RC and began to give her the medika mamba.  She is doing wonderful on it and has her appetite back.!  Yeah!

This is Wilbert.  He weighs 19 pounds and is 4 years old.  He could not walk the first week her was here. But is getting stronger and doing better.

This is Silfise.  She is 4 years old and weighs 18 pounds.  She has Down Syndrome.  Her father has 8 children and all of them but Silfise are in school.  This is something for the father to be so proud of.   This is her first time with kwashiorkor.  The only reason he has not put her in school is due to her malnutrition.

This is Mimose.  She was playing on a rock wall when a rock fell and smashed her foot.  Her foot is very infected and yucky.  She is unable to walk on it.  She has another sister in the RC that is malnourished.  She will stay and get daily dressing changes.

This is Kendia.  She is 8 years old and weighs 38 pounds.  She is suffering from kwashiorkor.  She has 3 other siblings at home.  She was crying a few night ago in the RC after dinner.  I thought she was missing her family.  I went over to sit with her for a while.  I told her how much her mom and dad loved her and they brought her to the RC to get help.  I thought that would make her feel better.  I said is that what is wrong.  She looked at me and said no white lady I am still hungry!  So I told her any time she is not full and  still hungry to let me know and I will hook her up.  We have been having extra cookies, milk and meat.  She is a sweet girl.

This is Jn Hiler.  He is 11 months old and weighs 12 pounds.  His mother took off to the Dominican and left him with his father.  His father has several other kids to take care of.   He cannot go to work and take care of Jn Hiler at the same time.  He can find someone to watch him when he is walking and a little bigger.

This is Titincil.  He is 4 months old and weighs 6 pounds.  His mother is very ill and has been trying to breastfeed him.  She cannot produce enough milk for him.

This is Christerline.  This makes three times she has been in the RC.  She is suffering from kwashiorkor again. 

This is Clermita.  She is 2.5 years old and weighs 14 pounds.  She is suffering from kwashiorkor.  She is severely malnourished.  This is the second time with kwashiorkor.  She is very weak and sick.  She is now unable to sit up.  She is eating which we are grateful for.

This is a map of Haiti. Do you see where we are at?  Do you see the island in the middle there.  It is called La Gonave.  The two children below are from that island.  They had to travel across by boat.  They had to take one day to get here.  They had to stand in line and get a number.  They waited most of the day with the other 250 patients that passed that day in the clinic.  The could not make it back to their homes that day.  So three days that they needed to get help for their children.  I asked both of them why?  Why did they travel that far away from their homes?  Why did they come?  How did they hear about us?   The first mother said that people by her house talk about the hospital in Cazale.  They say it has good medicine and they help people.  She said she went to two other clinics by her house.  They both gave her prescriptions for vitamins and sent them home.  The second mother said about the same thing but added that she heard we help kids with kwashiorkor.  I ask why again.  She said I love my child and will go to where I think I might find help for him.

This is Schneider.  He is 2 years old and weighs 21 pounds.  He will lose several pounds over the next few weeks from his kwashiorkor.

This is Wilguens.  He is 3 years old and weighs 21 pounds.  He is suffering from kwashiorkor.  This is the second time for him to have kwashiorkor. 

Both of these boys are sick and malnourished.  Both of these mothers love their kids.  The traveled a long way to see if they could find help for them.  No one ever told them what food they needed to feed their boys.   No one took the time with them to help them and just talk to them.  I am so very thankful that the RC is able to provide help for these kids.  I am thankful that even though we have 70 children in the RC today we will always make room for another.  We will always try to save those that we can.  I am sad that they could not find a place closer to their homes.

More tomorrow…..

Will you go and read my best sister in the world’s blog and consider this child’s story. 

Man I love this country!  When are you coming to experience it!  What are you waiting for?

Hebrews 12:12-13 (The Message)

 ^12-13So don’t sit around on your hands! No more dragging your feet! Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall, so no one will step in a hole and sprain an ankle. Help each other out. And run for it!

 

Two of the nurses from the clinic are at a seminar this week.  So that means, Licia, No-Im-not-a nurse is helping out in the clinic.  I saw over 100 patients today.  My brain is fried.  I will be working again tomorrow.  So I will get to back to emails and blogging Friday.  Since Tuesday we have admitted 7 children in the RC.  Four of them with severe Kwashiorkor.  They are very sick.  Two of the mothers traveled from very far away to get here.  I have a post in my head to write about them.  But now all I can hear is my head is mwen genyen ( I have) fyev (fever), grip (cold),  asid (acid),  vant femal (stomachache), tet femal (headache) pa ka manje (can’t eat) ma ka domi (can’t sleep) etc.  My favorite from today pye-m pa travay literally translates my feet aren’t working.  But what are they really trying to tell me.  That they have not seem their period this month. 

Be thankful today for all you have access to.  Be thankful that you can go to a local drugstore and buy some pain meds.  Be thankful that you do not have to walk hours up and down mountain  to get those meds.  Be thankful that you have food to feed yourself and your kids.  Be thankful that you have  clean water to drink and you do not get diar.  Be thankful that you have more than one nice outfit to wear this year.   Think about these simple things and thank God.  More later….

 

Friends coming for a visit

Remember Jeanne?  My flood buddy from last year?  Guess what she is coming for a visit next week.  We are all so EXCITED!  We can’t wait to see her.  She is the one that made the first contact for us with Water Missions International.  They are the ones that have donated the water machine that is  pumping clean drinking water for all of us at RHFH and the local community. 

 Caroline spend 2 months with us.  We had so much fun together.  We laughed, we cried and we loved on lots of kids.  Guess what she is coming back at the end of December with her mom!    We can’t wait to see her again!  God is good! (Caroline in the pink shirt)

Blessings….

A few weeks ago someone called from the US Consult.  They asked what we needed for the RC and clinic.  They wanted a needs list.  We gave them one over the phone that day.  They said they would contact us by email.  We never got an email.  After a few days, we were convinced that they had called the wrong number.  They must have been looking for one someone else.  We did not really think about it again, until last Sunday.  We were having a big cleaning day in the RC we had removed everything from the kitchen and were bleaching everything down and had the hoses out hosing down the floors.   We looked up and saw several people coming in the gate.  They were a security group coming to check us out  for the visitors from the US consult.  They wanted to make sure that the area was secure for the US ambassadors wife and a generals wife that was coming to RHFH.  We were just a little stressed out!  So the next day there was a group of Haitian police that came.  They were checking out the area for security as well.  Someone called the day before to again confirm the visit.  They would have 30 to 35 minutes with us and would be bringing a few items for the kids.  So about 10 that morning a truck pulls up with all these supplies.  We unloaded everything to wait on the group that was coming.  They arrived about 30 minutes later.  They ended up staying about 1 hour.  It was a great time.  Each of them were very down to earth and asked a lot of questions about the kids and clinic.  It was a great visit.  The ambassador’s wife had her own security that walked around with her.

They brought lots of food for the kids in the RC.  Rice, milk, infant formula, oatmeal, oil, sugar, diapers, baby food were among the items donated.

Anna made this welcome sign the day before.

Giving the tour of the RC with the US ambassadors wife in the yellow shirt.

talking before the tour

Besides all the food for the kids they brought lots and lots of toys.  The kids were super excited! 

 We are so thankful for these extra blessing this month.  The kids are able to have 2 glasses of milk a day.  They even brought chocolate power to make chocolate milk. What fun!  They all have toys to play with …what a joy!  God is good!