Immediate Needs – Can you help with a donation?

Food has become an issue for a family relocated from the tent city.  This family has three sponsored children through this site.  If you can spare a donation, it would be appreciated!  Click on a link above and designate your donation. Food for Haitian Children.

Remembering Haiti – 2 Years After the Earthquake

It’s been two years since the devastating earthquake in Haiti and almost six months since my first trip to Carrefour.  I still remember the feelings of disbelief as we drove from the airport to the tent city where we would install a playground. The roads were filled with rubble and impassable in spots with dust so thick you could not see or breathe.  Yet people lived along the road in tents.  “How”?

Of the 1.5 million displaced persons after the January 12, 2010 earthquake, two-thirds of them are no longer living in tents and have found permanent shelter.  Yet two years later over 500,000 people are still living in and under tarpaulins without access to running water, a toilet or a doctor.  “Why”?

I read today there is much less rubble than there used to be.  Approximately 50 percent less with an estimated 5 million cubic meters of rubble removed.  I also read this and question if this is true.  Only 1 percent of all aid to the earthquake relief actually went directly to the government of Haiti; the rest went through humanitarian agencies operating in Haiti.  Do I think it was good that NGO’s and other agencies rallied to help Haiti?  Yes, but if the government of Haiti must be empowered and accountable so it can recover did this improve their situation.  I must ask “What if”…….?

“According to recently published reports by Oxfam, the UN, the US Government Accountability Office and international aid experts interviewed by GlobalPost, billions of dollars of aid were pledged to Haiti’s reconstruction, but promises of funding have not translated into money on the ground. According to the UN report, as of the end of September 2011, donors had disbursed just 43 percent of the total $4.6 billion pledged for reconstruction in 2010 and 2011.” To read the complete article go to:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/11/haiti-earthquake-funds_n_1200229.html?ref=fb&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009&src=sp&comm_ref=false  Will they ever receive this money?  “When”?

I have never been an activist or even an advocate for a cause, but I have become one since visiting Haiti three times last year.  There are many who need food, shelter, education, and medical care.  I know their names and could write a list.

2012 will be another year of helpingthehomeless here in the Susquehanna Valley of Pennsylvania AND  in the city of Carrefour and Leogane.   I haven’t forgotten you!

Looking forward to 2012!

In review, 2011 was the year I realized that being comfortable with my life actually meant I was really not living.   2011 taught me life is not meant to be comfortable and if it is, you’re probably living for yourself.     Albert Einstein said, “Life isn’t worth living, unless it’s lived for someone else”.  This quote hits the truth head on.

My desire to Help the Homeless went beyond a Rhonda encounter in Chicago after I experienced homelessness without hope on my first trip to Haiti in July.  Seeing the poorest of the poor touched me deeply and forever changed my life.  When the door opened to Help the Homeless after this trip, I welcomed the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone.   Even though I had no idea what the future held, I remembered the words I read in a book written by Richard Stearns, the President of World Vision.  “Saying that we are not clever enough, good enough, or talented enough to serve God is just making excuses.  Someone once said, ‘God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.’” (The Hole in our Gospel)  God had been calling me to for years to do something about homelessness and 2011 was my year.  Ready or not.  No more excuses.

After three trips to Haiti, I’ve been able to build relationships with a number of the homeless living in temporary tents in the city of Carrefour.  These men, women, and children have lived in tents since the earthquake in January of 2010.  They are homeless and desperate to move.  Through my Help the Homeless work, I’ve been able to move one family – Mardoche’ , his mother Leone’, and his two sisters in to a real 2-room Haitian home.  Last week, my friend Jacques the electrician from Carrefour called to let me know that land is now available for those living in the tents. Unfortunately, they have no means to build homes and need help. I assured him, I’m working on this and truly believe 2012 holds a future for the homeless in Carrefour.

The local homeless shelter is moving forward with the HandUP Foundation (HUF) in Milton.   Working at HUF in 2011 confirmed the need for a local shelter.   God had given me an opportunity to work with a few area homeless individuals and I am committed to help them.

Helping the Homeless has been a humbling experience for me the past six month.  I look forward to 2012 and sincerely thank those who have contributed to educate homeless Haiti children.  Your contributions have helped eight children go to school and they are overcoming their hopeless situation.  Thank you for Helping the Homeless with me in 2011.  I leave you with another quote from an anonymous writer.

“Sometimes I would like to ask God why He allows poverty, suffering, and injustice when He could do something about it.”

“Well, why don’t you ask Him?”

“Because I am afraid He would ask me the same question.”

I eagerly enter 2012 with a promise to continue to do my part in Helping the Homeless.

~Julie~

LifeClinic in Haiti – Day 4

10.21.11

Wow – what a day at the school.  It was LifeClinic’s  largest record for treating patients yet. 206 school children treated in 4 hours! I was able to see Mardoche’ and his two sisters Milanda and Calirvial in their school uniforms.  Cherley was also there and Judi (from the LifeClinic team) got to meet the little girl she has sponsored. https://picasaweb.google.com/104277519402329416569/LifeClinicHaitiTripOctober18th25th2011Part1?authkey=Gv1sRgCJjxkr6FkcLiJQ#5668175254674260098

After working in very HOT small rooms, the team finally took a break to eat a wonderful Haitian meal made and served by the Valmont family. Before you knew it, the clinic team had a medical emergency. A little boy fell out of a almond tree and had to have his entire thumb and the back of his head sutured up. Poor little guy. He was fortunate to have all of us (and the community!) there to help.  After some novocain, the procedure took about an hour and we said our goodbyes.

It was a wonderful to see the school in operation.  They have over 200 children enrolled and the classrooms are full.  Some improvements were made since I was there in July, but the school is in need of more repairs.  A typical class room has a large chalkboard and benches (see picture) https://picasaweb.google.com/104277519402329416569/LifeClinicHaitiTripOctober18th25th2011Part1?authkey=Gv1sRgCJjxkr6FkcLiJQ#5668175410182942242

Today was the confirmation I needed to continue my education sponsorships.  Giving the homeless children living in the tent city an opportunity to attend school is  working.  I will continue to collect money on my blog at www.helpthehomelessblog.wordpress.com   When I return the end of November to build two more playgrounds, I hope to have enough money to enroll 5 or more children to attend school in December.  I am going to sleep very well tonight! 

LifeClinic in Haiti – Day 3

As written 10.20.11

Today was everything I expected.  The beautiful Haitians were indeed waiting
outside the gym and turned away because there were more than we could treat. We also began to run out of medications and made substitutions when possible. Overall the day went very well but it wasn’t easy to tell the older
adults that we were out of glasses.  It didn’t seem fair to turn away people or apologize that our medications had run out.   If the people in customs hadn’t taken so much of our medications, this would have been avoided.

In total we treated 155 patients today.  The team saw and treated a 2-year-old with cholera and operated on a young boy with a tumor.  The highlight of the day was watching Judi and Julie from LifeChurch fit an amputee with her brand new leg.  For the first time since the quake almost 2 years ago, this woman walked without crutches…pretty awesome to say the least!

It is such a privilege to be part of this team who are making a difference in Carrefour area.  Through donations from the people of LifeChurch the team drove around in a new ambulance, which also carried our supplies.  https://picasaweb.google.com/104277519402329416569/DropBox?authkey=Gv1sRgCIbf9_rrz5epSA#  Having the ambulance to store our bags relieved the need to carry 30+ bags weighing over 50 lbs.  to our rooms at night and back out to our van in the morning.  Nice!  :-)   One more comment – LifeClinic employed 15 Haitians to work with us.  Yes – I am proud to be part of a team who are making a difference in Haiti!

Tomorrow we are going to the Valmont’s school.  The sponsored children
from the tent city are going to this school.  With five children sponsored so far, I am excited to see if this sponsorship is working.  My desire to find more
donors to educate the children depends on what I see tomorrow.  Tonight might be a restless night for me.

LifeClinic in Haiti – Day 2

As written 10.19.11

Today was exhausting.  I had no idea how hard the clinic team worked to provide medical care.   From what I’ve been told, this is our routine for the rest of the week.  Start very early and carry 25+ heavy duffel bags of supplies to setup a clinic; only to tear down and pack everything in duffel bags for the next day.

We setup our first clinic in the gym at the sports center by the tent city.   Ike (my son) and Nicole from LifeChurch registered and triaged over 150 people to be seen by the LifeClinic medical team.  Here is a link to a picture of the people waiting to be seen.    https://picasaweb.google.com/104277519402329416569/LifeClinicHaitiTripOctober18th25th2011Part1?authkey=Gv1sRgCJjxkr6FkcLiJQ#5668171405840870946

I started my day helping Lori from LifeClinic administer vitamin A to children under 5.  We also fitted adults with glasses.  About two hours into the day, help was needed in the pharmacy.  After 10 minutes of training I filled medications for the rest of my time with the medical team.  It was scary at first because I was afraid of making a mistake.  Once I understood the medications I actually
got pretty good at knowing what medications treated specific symptoms and it wasn’t that bad.

The best part of the day was talking with all the people I came to know and love when I installed the playground in July.  It was touching to have an opportunity to help them in a different capacity.  To be honest, I may have enjoyed this more.  The people are not healthy because of lack of food and water.  They are suffering in ways I cannot even imagine.  Being able to give vitamins, and medications to treat their infections and illnesses gave me a sense of
purpose beyond words.

Before leaving for the day, Leone, Mardoche’s mother brought her three
children to see me.  I gave her the gift I brought for her and she could not stop hugging me.  It was a picture frame with the four pictures she had given me back in July.  I also gave Mardoche’ a picture album of many pictures taken during the playground build.  I’ve never been hugged and kissed so much in my life!

Tomorrow we will be back at the sports center again to see another 150 people.  I’ve been warned that mothers and children will be lined up outside when we arrive in the morning because they are expecting us.  Many will be turned away because we won’t have time to see more than 150.  This will be hard to do when they are begging to be seen.

LifeClinic in Haiti – Day 1

10.18.11 – Leaving this morning to travel to Carrefour, Haiti is just what I need to begin the healing of my heart.  My father’s funeral was 3 days ago, and the reality of never hugging him or hearing his voice is harder than I imagined.  Thinking about him and believing he will see my journey motivates me to be faithful to the God he loved as I try to help the poorest of the poor here in Carrefour.  The children.

Arriving in Port au Prince did not seem as chaotic as the first time.  But, it was very frustrating.   Customs took our most important  medications.

The BEST part of my day was our first stop once we left the airport.  We drove to the tent city, where the playground was installed back in July.  As the van pulled off the street to drive in to the tent city, there he stood.  Mardoche!  He ran behind the van waving and smiling.  By the time the van stopped there where children everywhere.  They had their faces on the glass sending me kisses.  I cannot even describe the emotions I was feelings as we opened the door and Mardoche hugged and kissed me.  Lisa (I now know her name is really Cherley) ran into my arms and I swung her around as we hugged.  Children were everywhere pulling me to the playground.  My son tried to capture everything on my phone but the kids and men wanted to meet him.  Here is a link of what he did capture by video on youtube at: http://youtu.be/q7tVe9Kxpug

As we were leaving, the man I nicknamed Harmonica man (see earlier blog) ran to the van.  I opened the door and gave him a big hug.

LifeClinic will be back at the tent city today to treat the people living there.  More updates tomorrow.