Good News from Haiti May 2010
It certainly was not good news when, on January 12th, the message was sent around the world that a major earthquake had hit the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, leaving 300,000 dead, 400,000 injured, 4000 large schools destroyed and over two million homeless. And all in 35 seconds.
Thousands of homes and other buildings in the Port-au-Prince area were flattened. The government reported that it will be six months before all the concrete slabs,rubble and debris can be removed so the many hundreds of bodies that are entombed under the devastated buildings can be buried. With the rainy season approaching it is feared that there will be an increase of TB, typhoid, malaria, cholera and HIV/AIDS.
Six days after the earthquake, a nurse (Omairis), accompanied by other nurses from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, went to the Haitian capital and set up a tent triage right across from the badly damaged President’s Palace and inside the headquarters of the Secret Police. Weekly she will diagnose, oversee and care for 3500 injured and hungry Haitians.
Omairis will dispense 1200 food bags, 20,000 bottles of water, plus 1,000 tarps and 250 tents. All this work is a typical week but the actual statistics were for the first week of March. The sick are cared for by volunteer doctors and nurses from the Dominican Republic and the U.S.A.
When the busload of workers from assemblies in Santo Domingo arrived, along with a truck carrying rice, beans, sardines, baloney, pasta, tarps and tents, Omairis could hardly contain her joy. Once again the Lord had answered her prayer, for the previous night she had prayed, Lord, we have only one doctor, could more please come. In the bus were Bibles, doctors, nurses, pharmacists and Christian workers ready to do anything necessary to aid the hungry, suffering and homeless Haitians who were crying out for help.
The good news from Haiti is that Christian workers are reporting that mini-revivals are breaking out all through the country. There’s a recognition of the Lord they had never seen before. Haitians are saying, “We don’t care how much the earth shakes, our trust is now in God.” Also, the Secret Police building beside the triage is abandoned for fear of it collapsing (they too are living in tents) but the Chief of Police has given permission for the nurses to stay for at least one year. This is in recognition and appreciation of the aid that is being given when many relief organizations left for Chile because of the earthquake there. This will give safety and police protection for Omaris and her crew, as well as to the doctors and others who will continue to take in food and medicines from the Dominican Republic.
Al Adams from Tampa who went to Port au Prince along with the other workers, reported that thousands of homeless Haitians are squatting under old bed sheets or tarps, supported only by corner poles. Their shacks were flattened by the earthquake and because of the rampant disease and poverty of the country many will never have any other home. Although the medical clinic and the multi-purpose building at Ouanaminthe in the northeast corner of the country, and across the river from the Dominican Republic did not suffer any earthquake damage, the daily medical work at the clinic has been temporarily suspended.
Because of the present anarchy and gang violence, we have been unable to persuade doctors to stay more than just a few weeks. However, teams of nurses and other workers from the Dominican Republic are visiting the clinic as they are able (a five hour bus ride) and are giving aid to the serious cases.
Earlier, Dr. Peter Aceti of Sault Ste. Marie and Al Adams (Tampa) took supplies to the medical clinic. They reported that there are over 80 in the assembly there. A larger group meets in an old, abandoned theatre in the city. Believers who were saved as a result of the clinic outreach preach the Gospel and teach the Word of God to fellow Haitians so there have been many baptisms. The Christian school beside the clinic is growing.
Work in Zambia
DNS Relief Fellowship has also been working in Zambia. Ken Wagler and Tom Browning from Ontario have made two trips to Chitokoloki. On their last visit, with the aid of Robert Clark of Sault Ste. Marie and some Zambian labourers, they drilled four successful water wells: one close to the hospitals, one beside the high school, one at the former leper colony and another close to one of the mission houses. Prior to their visit, DNS and MSC had shipped to Chitokoloki the well-driller along with a farm tractor to haul it from site to site.
At the same time, another part of the Ontario team, (Don McKay, Murray Riddolls and John Ellison, along with Ed Miller and Steve Adams), also worked steadily until they had completely wired the new hospital and re-wired the old one. That was a mammoth task that no one thought could be finished before the men had to return to Canada, but it was. Both buildings now have 24 hour electricity; thanks to the sun and the solar panels the men installed.
US News
From the U.S.A. West Coast: Phil Kazen reports that funds have been sent to Tony Flett in Nicaragua to assist with Mirta’s brain tumor surgery and recovery. Mirta has been attending the meetings and is really impressed with the kindness shown to her. Pray for Mirta. The radiation she must have is available only in Costa Rica a big expense. Tony has completed the hall in El Panama, a remote area where 40 professed to be saved. Eleven were baptized. Both electricity and clean water are non-existent. Now, if we could only ship our well-driller from Zambia!
John H. Adams
DNS Relief Fellowship
Romans 12:13
301 34 Swansea Rd., Unionville, ON L3R 0W3 Phil Kazen, 4611-109th PL. NE
Tel. 905-948-9972 john@dnsrelief.org Marysville, WA 98271 USA