Steevenson Petit-Frere - 7-year-old - Cancer

We lost the fight against cancer for a young boy. Steevenson Petit-Frere, 7-year-old died yesterday at Bernard Mevs Hospital. There is a children's mission hospital here in Port-au-Prince that has a small cancer program. In May we had sent Steevenson and his mother to the children's hospital. The mother told the doctor that a mission sent her. This children's hospital has good care but they don't work well with outside missions. The doctor contacted us and told us that Steevenson would need a cat scan and a biopsy done. They said they couldn't do it for free and I asked them to send a proforma of the fees to us. They wrote the proforma and said it would be $900US for the cat scan and 2,000 US$ for the biopsy surgery. Those are ridiculous rates. A cat scan with contrast at Bernard Mevs Hospital is $200US. We couldn't pay for the fees, and went to Bernard Mevs Hospital seeking help.

Bernard Mevs/Project Medishare Hospital is a private hospital. Project Medishare brings in medical teams from the United States and Canada to work at Bernard Mevs Hospital. Dr. Henry Ford, is a Haitian-American pediatric surgeon and when his team was here a couple weeks ago they did the biopsy procedure for free and Bernard Mevs Hospital did not charge any fees. They returned to the United States with the sample and sent it for analysis. The results were going to be given on Friday but on Monday Steevenson's mother brought him to the house and he was in bad shape. The doctors at Bernard Mevs Hospital admitted Steevenson to the pediatrics room where he died during the evening. We are grateful for the care Bernard Mevs hospital staff provided.

We know that Steevenson is with the Lord and suffers no more but what I don't understand is why missions can't work together to help each other out. I don't really know if the American director of that children's hospital knows what is going on with his administration staff but it is sad. Now I know not to show my white face and make sure to tell the mothers of the children we send to the childrens hospital to never let it be known that a foreigner brought them to their mission hospital. Pray that missions in Haiti could work together in respect and in a network. Pray for Steevenson's mother as she mourns the loss of her son. The following photos are of Steevenson and his mother after his biopsy procedure 2 weeks ago.

Unwanted Child

UNWANTED CHILD

A few weeks ago there was a medical team from Lakeland, Florida who came to Coram Deo for a couple of medical clinics. One of the patients who were seen was a sick little boy who had bit his lip during a seizure due to a high fever. He was very weak and we brought him to Bernard Mevs Hospital. He was admitted to the pediatrics unit and received good care from the Haitian and foreign medical staff. He had a bad case of pneumonia and brain damage caused by the seizures and high fever. By the grace of God and good medical care, ten days later this young boy recovered from his bout of pneumonia. We paid for his hospital bill and asked the mother where she would like us to bring them. She told us that she lived in the Rte. Frere area of Port-au-Prince, but that she needed to go see someone in the Delmas 65 area. We drove her as far as the ravine would let us and she said that she would walk the rest of the way to the place she was going. We felt good that this boy was going home with his mother.

We found out today that after we dropped the mother off she backtracked and took a tap-tap back to Bernard Mevs Hospital. She told the security guard that our vehicle had broken down and asked if she could wait inside the gates until we had fixed our truck. The security guards know us and let her in with her son. She went to the clinic area and left her son on the bench and walked out of the gates never to return to the hospital again. Now the hospital has an abandoned child to look after until a placement is found. It is sad that the mother used our name to get in the hospital gates to abandoned her child. We are going to tell Bernard Mevs Hospital staff to refuse access to anyone who says they are coming from Coram Deo, Karen unless accompanied by Amos or myself. I don't know how a mother can do what this mother did. If her child would have been left untreated he would have died. Pray that a placement is found for this child.

 

 

Fred's Family

A woman came to us this week seeking help for her 8-month-old baby boy. His name is Fred. He was dehydrated and malnourished. He weighed only 8 pounds. The mother doesn't breast feed and doesn't have funds to buy baby formula. We brought them to Bernard Mevs Hospital.

Bernard Mevs Hospital and Project Medishare have been helping out by doing the exams and a cat scan free of charge. The fontanels are still open and the skull bones haven't fused together yet. His hair also has a tint to it that shows he has malnutrition.

We pick up the lab test and cat scan results on Monday.

This side view shows the overlapping of the skull bones.

The family lives in the Ti-Place Cazeau area off of Delmas 33. Fred has 2 brothers; Frantz who is 2-years-old, and Benji who is 7-years-old. Frantz broke his lower leg a few months ago and has trouble walking. We are going to take him to an orthopedic doctor next week to check it out.

The family has been struggling since the earthquake. They lost their home and important papers like birth certificates during the earthquake. The mother rents a 1 room home for her family.

Today Fred's family came and visited us. Benji has never gone to school and we told Benji and his mother that he could attend classes here. Please keep Fred and his family in prayer. We are supplying Fred's mother with baby formula and shared some of our Feed My Starving Children Food with them.

Gertrude Charles - Hospital Admission

Gertrude Charles was admitted to Hopital La Paix today. Last week there were no beds available and today there were The doctors prescribed the medecine and supplies they would need for the surgery and her brother went to the Red Cross for a pint of blood. If all goes as planned she will have surgery tomorrow. Please keep Gertrude in prayer.

Tante Lienie - Obituary

Tante Linie was an aunt who was kind hearted, and with a love for missions. She was a great encouragement for me and our work here in Haiti. "Mwen sonje ou". We'll miss her but rejoice that she is now with the Lord. Condolences to our family.

Obituary

Rikselina Schuurman (nee Bultje)
(May 21, 1929 - Nov 19, 2013)

In His time the Lord called into glory Rikselina Schuurman on Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at the age of 84. Loving wife of the late Willem (2008). Devoted mother to Mieke and John Jager, Alice and Pete Halsted, George and Cathy Schuurman, Philip Schuurman, Barb and Murray Foekens, Karen and Shaun DeJonge, Frank and Karen Schuurman. Oma to 17 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Survived by her siblings Babs (the late Kees) Van Dijk, Berta and Jan Haveman, John and Ann Bultje, Grace and George VanAndel, Bert and Jane Bultje, Albert and Grace Bultje, Linda and Ike Vanderee, Alberdine and Keith Louwerse, Phillip Bultje, and Sharon Bultje. Also survived by many relatives in the Netherlands.
Visitation at CORNERSTONE CANADIAN REFORMED CHURCH, 353 Stonechurch Rd. E., Hamilton on Friday, November 22, 2013 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. where the Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 10 a.m. Interment to follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Mission of T.E.A.R.S. Haitieen Project Coram Deo would be appreciated (http://www.haiticoramdeo.blogspot.ca/)

Please sign the Book of Condolence.

November 18, 2013 Anti-Martelly Protests - Port-au-Prince

 

Video footage from Le Nouvelliste of the November 18, 2013 Anti-Martelly protest on the streets of Port-au-Prince.

 

Lauren Pierre - Nose Surgery

When the Leap Foundation was here in Haiti was a day of turbulence in Cite Soleil (actually for the last few weeks it has been like that almost every day). Lauren Pierre lives with her mother and twin sister in Cite Soleil. Lauren was born missing the cartilage in her nose. Dr. Hobar had seen her in May 2013 and wanted to do surgery for constructing a nose in October 2013. There has been a lot of shooting and gang fights in Cite Soleil. Cite Soleil is a slum of over 300,000 people, yet gangs of 20-30 when they are fighting with other gangs create havoc for the people who live in the area. They struggle to go about their everyday lives. Lauren's mother called me that morning and said that there was shooting going on. We told her not to take chances but if she could get out of Cite Soleil when it was calm we could pick her up at Carrefour Aviation. Around noon she was able to get out of Cite Soleil and called us from Carrefour Aviation to drive her over to Hopital Espoir. We have good news! Dr. Hobar told Lauren's mother that the surgery is too complex to be done in Haiti and they want to bring her to Dallas for surgery in 2014. Pray for all the mothers in Cite Soleil who are trying to raise their children in a violent environment. Pray for peace in Haiti.

These twin girls are Laurence and Lauren. They are inseparable. Where one goes so does the other :)

Please pray for the paperwork process for Lauren's passport.

Anti-Government Protests In Haiti Turn Violent

ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS IN HAITI TURN VIOLENT
(USA Today) - AP

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Thousands of critics of Haiti's President Michel Martelly staged protest marches Monday that turned violent as people threw rocks and shots were fired in the air.
...
It appeared at least one person was shot. An Associated Press reporter heard several gunshots, and then a crowd loaded a man onto a motorcycle and took him to an ambulance. The ambulance driver said the man was shot in the back. His condition wasn't immediately clear.

The marches were among the biggest demonstrations against Martelly since he took office in 2011, and the crowd in the capital swelled as protesters passed each neighborhood. Their complaints ranged from the cost of living to high levels of corruption.

Protesters lit fiery barricades of discarded tires on one of the busiest streets as they called for Martelly's departure from office. Demonstrators also smashed car windows and tore down posters and billboards bearing the leader's face and burned those too. Pro-Martelly groups held separate marches, and the two sides took turns throwing rocks at each other as riot police dispensed canisters of tear gas.

"We are moving forward to removing him from power and won't stop until he leaves," said demonstrator Jean Daniel.

Martelly, his prime minister, Laurent Lamothe, and the first lady attended a church ceremony in the northern city of Cap-Haitien, the site of another, smaller protest Monday, a national holiday that commemorates Haiti's final battle before it secured independence from France in 1804.

In a speech that followed at a historic site where the fight apparently took place, Martelly appealed for unity. "If we didn't put our heads together, we wouldn't have had the Battle of Vertieres," he said. "If we didn't have our heads together, we wouldn't have a Haitian state."

The U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti on Saturday urged Martelly and opposition parties to sort out their differences in a peaceful manner. The world body also dispatched armed troops for the demonstration to join riot police with shields and helmets.

The mounting tension between Martelly and his opponents stems in part from the government's failure to hold legislative and local elections that are two years overdue. The U.N., U.S. and others have been overly supportive of the Martelly administration but relations seemed to be straining in recent months because of the delayed vote. The election was supposed to have been held before year's end, but it most likely won't happen until next year.

"The international community should take notes," said Moise Jean-Charles, a senator and vocal critic of the government. "The people are rising for a change. Martelly and Lamothe aren't doing anything for the country but stealing money."

Haiti's Remembrance Day - Battle Of Vertieres

 

November 18, 2013 - Haiti's Remembrance Day

Today is a national holiday in Haiti. The Battle Of Vertieres was a revolutionary battle against slavery and resulted in the birth of Haiti as an independent nation. It was through this struggle that the Haitian people defeated Napoleans' forces and also resulted in the state of Louisiana being formed. To cover his losses in Haiti Napolean sold the Louisiana territory and an American state was formed.

Today there are protests happening. One group of protesters who don't want Martelly as president are walking through the streets of Port-au-Prince are voicing their opinions for his removal as president. Another group of protesters are walking to voice their support for Martelly. Pray for unity in Haiti.

Emerson Simplice - Plastic Surgery

 

Emerson Simplice was born with a severe cleft lip/palette/eye. People would tell his mother to throw him away and to let him die. Emerson had good parents. They were both christians and wouldn't listen to those who would insult Emerson. His mother would go to prayer services at the church she attends in Petit Goave and pray for help for Emerson. In 2007 Emerson's father came with him to Port-au-Prince and came to Coram Deo in search of help. A mission in the United States that finds surgeons to donate medical care found a hospital that would treat Emerson for free. The hospital and surgeons waived any costs.

On October 13, 2007 Emerson traveled to the United States.

He had 2 surgeries to repair his cleft lip/palette and eye.

The surgeons said that Emerson would need further surgery on his right eye in the future.

In 2008 Emerson returned to Haiti and to his family in Petit Goave. Since that day his family has kept in contact. They are very grateful and call us from time to time to say hello. Emerson's eye was bothering him and his father brought him to Port-au-Prince. There was a visiting eye surgeon from the United States helping to do surgeries in September 2013.

Emerson had a surgery to close his eye partially. Because of his congenital malformation he has no eyelids and can't blink. Plastic surgery is necessary. The University of Miami plastic surgery team looked at Emerson while they were doing plastic surgeries at Bernard Mevs Hospital. They took photos of him and will be doing fund raising to bring Emerson to the United States for surgery. We give the Lord thanks for this contact.

Leap Foundation

A short video about the work of the Leap Foundation around the world :)

 

Christelle - Cleft Lip Baby

 

Christelle and her mother live in Cap Haitien. Her mother came with her to Port-au-Prince searching for medical for her daughter and to begin a new life for herself. The father of her child abandoned the family. People she met on the streets of Port-au-Prince led her to Coram Deo.

In October Dr. Hobar and a Leap Foundation medical team came to Hopital Espoir to perform plastic surgeries. Christelle was one of the babies selected for surgery to repair her cleft lip.

This is Christelle one week after her surgery :)

Christelle and her mother live in a refuge camp near Airport Rd. She sleeps inside a church within the refuge camp. Pray that she can find work to support herself and Christelle. Inside these tin walls is the church she attends and a place to sleep at night.

Mylanda Louis - Post-Surgery

 

Mylanda Louis was discharged from Bernard Mevs Hospital yesterday afternoon. Her face now looks like any other baby. Her mother is very happy!

The surgeon did a great job at repairing the cleft lip. In a few months she will have a 2nd surgery to repair the cleft palate inside her mouth.

Pray for babies who are born with congenital defects. A cleft lip can be repaired. So many children around the world do not have the opportunity for this type of surgery and live their lives with disfigured faces. We give the Lord thanks for plastic surgeons who come to Haiti to repair cleft lips and palates.

Cholera

 

CHOLERA OUTBREAK - DELMAS 31 Our neighborhood has been going through a cholera outbreak this week, specifically in the Cite Jeremie area. One of our students family was hospitalized at the Medecins Sans Frontieres Cholera Treatment Centre and early this morning we rushed a family member of Milo to the Cholera centre. We are reinforcing to our students cholera prevention tactics and using a lot of bleach for cleaning everything. Several of our students live in Cite Jeremie. We are wiping down walls, benches and tables inside the school shelters everyday. Pray the outbreak passes. Cholera is easily treatable but is deadly if action isn't taken quickly to prevent dehydration. Below is a good video about cholera and Haiti:

 

Gertrude Charles - face mass

Gertrude Charles is a woman who lives in Cite Soleil. She came to the medical clinic that Dr. Karen McCarthy and her medical team from Jacksonville, Florida was holding here at Coram Deo in September.

We brought her over to the state hospital located on Delmas 33, Hopital La Paix. After bloodwork and xrays the surgeon planned a surgery to remove the mass growing on the right side of her face. Yesterday, she was admitted to hospital for surgery. Pray that the mass is benign and that it can be completely removed.

Mylanda Louis - Cleft Lip Baby

 

Anna Marie is a young mother who lives in the Mirebalais region of the country. Monday she went to Port-au-Prince to try to find help for her baby, Mylanda. Mylanda was born with a cleft lip. After reaching Port-au-Prince and talking with people she met on the street she ended up coming here to Coram Deo. We called Maguy of Project Medishare and she told us to bring the mother and child to Bernard Mevs Hospital. An american plastic surgeon was doing surgeries at the hospital this week.

Mylanda will be getting surgery today for her cleft lip. We give the Lord thanks for another open door for medical care. I can't wait to post an "after" picture of Mylanda's new face :)

Aristide And The Endless Revolution

Today marks the 22nd Anniversary of the September 1991 military coup d'etat against Jean Bertrand Aristide, who was the president of Haiti during that time. The above documentary "Aristide And The Enless Revolution" show what happened during those times.

Today Amos was taking someone downtown for medical tests and there were traffic jams in the downtown area caused by a group of protesters from MOPOD (Mouvement Patriotique de l'Opposition Democratique and Lavalas. The Haitian police broke up the protest with tear gas near the National Palace. Schools reopen tomorrow. Pray for peace on the streets.

Laurent Lamothe Speaks Before U.N. General Assembly - September 26, 2013

Laurent Lamothe, the Prime Minister of Haiti spoke before the U.N. General Assembly on September 26, 2013. The Haitian Government is trying to rebuild the country and to work towards developing the country, especially through tourism. I believe they are trying to do their best for the country. Pray that Haiti can one day not be known as a "3rd world nation".

Carnival Des Fleurs

 

During 3 days at the end of July a Flower Carnival - Carnival Des Fleurs, was held here in Port-au-Prince. Hundreds of thousands of people were on the streets to enjoy the festivities. The carnival was held in the Champ Mars area of downtown Port-au-Prince. We went with some of the Coram Deo people to visit the 2nd afternoon of the carnival.

We arrived downtown at 4:00pm and walked to the Champ Mars area.

We got there just as ambulance staff headed to the mobile hospital that was set up along the parade route.

Police/security staff were a heavy presence in the area to control the large crowds.

A band strolled by. The tuba had a duct pipe welded to the end of it. I thought that was a neat arrangement of using readily available supplies for his tuba :)

These instruments the band members are holding are commonly used in rara parades here in Haiti

Vendors were set up along the Champ Mars to sell refreshments and food.

A signboard for a building project in the downtown park. The amphitheatre will be reconstructed for outdoor programs in the park.

This man stopped us as we were walking by and asked us to take his picture.

It was still early and the parade hadn't started yet. We walked around the Champ Mars area taking in the sights.

This stand is the booth sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, a sponsor of the Carnival Des Fleurs

Haitian made straw hats were available for purchase. It was a nice sunny, warm day.

Amos had fun taking pictures as well :)

We had a nice walk along the parade route.

Some people will soon be sitting in these stands specially constucted for those willing to pay for a place out of the sun.

One stand had some finishing touches being put on the artwork.

Sejourne is a Haitian carbonated drink brand. It tastes not bad, but is not as good as Coca Cola!

We saw a crowd by the Digicel booth.

We got a close-in look at the crowd and what people were watching was a karate display by young children.

The swat team was sitting in their vehicle, ready for when needed.

A group of foreign boy/girl scouts walked down the street with a Haitian colleague. The boys/girls scouts were used for crowd control. They helped to hold the ropes separating the crowds from the parade route.

This fancy booth is for the Haitian president, Michel Martelly. This is where he will sit and take in the festivities.

A metal work sculpture of a bike and rider.

Police officers mingled with people in the crowd. It was a relaxing time.

As time wore on more people came to the streets in anticipation of the parades' start.

A musical mural. Haitian artwork is always colorful.

A young man carrying a home made tractor.

We were starting to get hungry as we walked by all the street vendors selling fried food.

This area of the park had souvenir vendors.

Booths were set up hoping that people would buy Haitian made souvenirs.