“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.“ Luke 2:4-7
Hi! This week a couple of birth situations occurred that ended with different outcomes. The medical team who did a clinic the other week here at Coram Deo had a successful week of clinics. At the end of 6 clinics they ended up treating 1,500 people. Their last clinic day was held at a church/school in the Delmas 19 area. A woman visited the clinic and it was also the time for her baby to be born. The medical team assisted her through her delivery and a healthy baby girl was born!
Early Saturday morning Lukner called to say that someone had abandoned a baby inside Cite Jeremie, which is not far from Coram Deo. We rushed over there hoping to find a living baby but instead found a dead baby. Cite Jeremie is a densely populated area and there are narrow corridors leading to some of the houses. Some corridors are so narrow you have to walk sideways through them. The baby was in one of these corridors. This story is a sad one with a bad ending. The mother was the mistress of a married man. She became pregnant and didn’t want anyone to know. She was a large woman and was able to hide her pregnancy from some people but others living around her suspected that she was pregnant. They would say that she looked pregnant and she would get angry and deny it. The people figured that one day this fact couldn’t be hidden. Late Friday evening her labor began and when the time came for the baby to be born she left her home and went nearby to an area that was quieter. Nobody was with her. She delivered her baby by herself and immediately smothered him with cloths. She then wrapped him in cloths and put him inside a plastic bag. Morning came and she left with the plastic bag to dispose of her baby. One of Lukner’s relatives saw her (he was one of the people who had thought she was pregnant) walking with the bag and he went up to her and ripped open the bag. The baby was revealed along with the placenta and umbilical cord still attached. The people surrounded the mother and accused her of being a “Devil Mother” and police were called. The police came and brought the mother to the police station on Delmas 33. The baby was left on the ground. Later the police returned with a judge to pronounce the baby dead. The people were upset and coming from different sections of Cite Jeremie to see what had happened. The people near me told me to take a picture to show what happens sometimes in Haiti. Unfortunately this type of situation is a common occurrence here. This baby boy never got the opportunity to live. This gift of God to this mother was rejected by her, but this baby is now with the Lord in heaven. Pray that one day the practice of killing babies at birth stops here in Haiti.
This week we helped out Paul of Angel Missions with translating and getting blood from the Red Cross for a girl that he is helping get surgery. Marienne is a 14-year-old girl who has a badly broken femur. She is one of the students that was injured in the La Promesse School collapse a month ago. She had been laying in her hospital bed at General Hospital, not getting the surgery she needed to correct this fracture. The family couldn’t buy the metal plates and screws needed for this orthopedic surgery and the state hospital doesn’t have the resources to provide them for her. As a result, the only thing done for her was to put her leg in a cast as is. The family contacted Paul for assistance and he was able to contact an orthopedic surgeon who would operate on her for free. He was able to raise funds to pay for her hospital bed at a private hospital in Port-au-Prince. Thursday morning she had her surgery and is now recovering. Pray for Marienne and the other students still recovering from their injuries of this school collapse.
We visited the man from Jeremie who was one of the patients stuck in the emergency room during the hospital strike at General Hospital. He needed surgery as well to repair all 3 of his leg fractures but it never happened for the same reasons as Marienne. One evening he had a dream and in this dream the Lord was working on his leg. The next morning he woke up and remembered the dream he had. He noticed that he had no more pain in his leg. Since that day there has been no more pain. He is now making efforts to walk. This is an amazing thing if you look at how bad his fractures were. His upper and lower leg were both fractured and he has what is considered as a floating knee as a result. I took a picture of him sitting on the edge of his bed in the orthopedics department. You can see that he is able to partially bend his knee. Thank you for all your prayers for this man. One of the doctors asked him what church he went to.
The man in the bed next to him is the prisoner who was also stuck in the emergency room. He is still chained to the bed as he awaits medical care. He enjoys our visits as well. Please continue to keep both these men in prayer.
The plastic surgeries at Hopital La Paix, located on Delmas 33 begin on December 18th. Pray for traveling mercies for the medical team and for all those who will be receiving cleft lip, palette and other plastic surgeries. It will be great to see how the children’s faces will improve after surgery.
The first semester exam period went well here at Coram Deo and we will be issuing report cards on Friday to the students. We will plan a special day for the children for their last day of school before Christmas break. One of these students, Jameson Glezile will hopefully be receiving cleft palate surgery next week.
Today we got a nice surprise! The electric company came with a new transformer and hooked it up on the pole down the street to replace the broken one. 2 weeks waiting for a transformer is fast for Haiti. It can take as long as 3 months sometimes for transformers to get replaced. We also received a donation this week for food and it is good to have a stocked food depot. Another organization donated some peanut butter and the medical team gave us some medical supplies and medicines. We give the Lord thanks for these donations. In February we will be getting a mission team visiting Coram Deo. Please pray for their preparations.
That’s all the news for today. Have a good weekend!
Karen Bultje, Coram Deo
Monday, December 15, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
haiti update - december 6, 2008
“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us; O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” Psalm 33:20-22
Hi! This week was a busy one with the medical program and preparing for exam week for the school program. Monday morning the orphanage where John Charles stays, called to say that he had died. He is one of the hydrocephalus babies who was recently operated on. John had spent several months living at Coram Deo with his parents and after they abandoned him, the Food For the Poor orphanage took him in. He had deteriorated over the months and the operation helped to release pressure on his brain but his health never improved. The orphanage held a funeral for him on Thursday afternoon.
Maxon Marcelin now has his passport and we are now waiting for the hospital papers to come in before applying for a visa. Pray for the rest of the papers to come in and for the plans that are being made to send him to the United States to treat his hydrocephalus.
December 3rd was the International Day of the Handicapped around the world and there were a couple of programs that took place here in Haiti. One of the programs was the inauguration of “Maison des Petits Anges” (Home of Little Angels). Maison des Petits Anges is a Rehabilitation facility that is part of the Nos Petits Freres et Soeurs Hospital located on Tabarre Road. This facility will provide a hot meal, physical therapy and schooling for handicapped children. They estimate that they will be able to assist 5,000 children per year through their consultation services. Organizations in Italy sponsored the project. Now we have another place to go to for help with handicapped children!
Smile Train will be working in conjunction with Partners in Health and the Minister of Health in offering cleft lip and palette surgeries at Saint Therese Hospital in Hinche, which is located in the central plateau. A Smile Train team will be doing surgeries from December 8-13th. Pray for all those that will be receiving free operations. They will also hold medical training and seminars during their time there. Cleft lips and cleft palettes occur in 1 per 500-700 births around the world. It is estimated that over 15,000 people in Haiti have this defect that is easily correctible with surgery.
On Friday a large medical and missions team visiting from the United States came to Coram Deo to hold a clinic. 220 people were able to see a doctor and receive medicine for their ailments. This was the biggest clinic yet but the yard was able to accommodate everyone. We borrowed benches from Pastor Octave’s church and from Sherri’s school as well as using our school benches. While awaiting their turn to see the doctors there were activities set up for the children. Games, balloons and crafts with a bible theme were done with non-medical members of the team. The children enjoyed this surprise! Some of the adults did too! The team also provided bags of water and snacks for everyone. Evangelization was done as well. Bible stories were told and a Christmas skit was done with some of the children of Coram Deo participating. Some of the mothers sang Christian songs in Creole to the visitors. The Haitian people really know how to sing. Francois, the gatekeeper handed out evangelical tracts as people left the yard. The clinic finished around 4:00pm. We give the Lord thanks for all those who participated in this clinic. The team plans on doing 6 clinics at different places while here in Haiti. Pray for this team’s efforts for the upcoming week. People came from different areas to come to this clinic. Lukner, Jn. Eddy and Francois went and visited different sections of the neighborhood informing them about the clinic. Pastor Pierre came down with around 40 people from the Kenscoff area. These people set out at 3 in the morning from their homes in order to come to the clinic. One day hopefully a clinic day can be set up in the Kenscoff area as well. One grandmother came in with 3 of her grandchildren who all had bad skin infections. She told the visitors that she couldn’t look after her children. The grandmother can hardly walk. She says that she can’t provide for them and is looking for a helping hand. We are going to try and find orphanages to take them in. The youngest is 10 months old. The oldest is 8 years old. Pray we can find a way to help this family out. One of the members of the team knows of an orthopedic surgeon who may be interested in coming to Haiti to do surgeries. We have a lot of orthopedic cases that could use surgeries. There is also a need for dentists. So many people go without dental care. Pray for God to touch the hearts of dentists and orthopedic surgeons to come to Haiti.
First semester exams start next week for the school program. The teachers submitted their exams to me this week and next week testing begins! At the end of the week report cards will be prepared and handed out to the parents. Pray for a successful exam week!
The transformer on our street has been broken all week and there has been no electricity. One day hopefully it will be fixed. Kiki calls me “mom” when he wants something and “miss” when he is serious. Tuesday afternoon he came to my door and when he called me “miss” I knew he was being serious. He went on to inform me that his clothes were all dirty and he was now out of clean clothes to put on. He didn’t like the idea of learning to wash his clothes with his feet. The generator doesn’t generate enough power to run the washing machine, so I telephoned Chrisno’s mother and she came over the next day to do the laundry. Daphka’s mother is doing the laundry this morning for Kiki! The children are praying for electricity because they are not very willing to wash the clothes by hand!
The evenings are cooler now and we have been sleeping on the roof. Manu and Benson are the only ones who are willing to camp on the roof though. I call it “Hotel des Milles Etoiles” (Thousand Star Hotel). November 30th was the official end of hurricane season and the skies have been clear the last few evenings.
That’s all the news for today. Have a good weekend!
Karen Bultje, Coram Deo
Hi! This week was a busy one with the medical program and preparing for exam week for the school program. Monday morning the orphanage where John Charles stays, called to say that he had died. He is one of the hydrocephalus babies who was recently operated on. John had spent several months living at Coram Deo with his parents and after they abandoned him, the Food For the Poor orphanage took him in. He had deteriorated over the months and the operation helped to release pressure on his brain but his health never improved. The orphanage held a funeral for him on Thursday afternoon.
Maxon Marcelin now has his passport and we are now waiting for the hospital papers to come in before applying for a visa. Pray for the rest of the papers to come in and for the plans that are being made to send him to the United States to treat his hydrocephalus.
December 3rd was the International Day of the Handicapped around the world and there were a couple of programs that took place here in Haiti. One of the programs was the inauguration of “Maison des Petits Anges” (Home of Little Angels). Maison des Petits Anges is a Rehabilitation facility that is part of the Nos Petits Freres et Soeurs Hospital located on Tabarre Road. This facility will provide a hot meal, physical therapy and schooling for handicapped children. They estimate that they will be able to assist 5,000 children per year through their consultation services. Organizations in Italy sponsored the project. Now we have another place to go to for help with handicapped children!
Smile Train will be working in conjunction with Partners in Health and the Minister of Health in offering cleft lip and palette surgeries at Saint Therese Hospital in Hinche, which is located in the central plateau. A Smile Train team will be doing surgeries from December 8-13th. Pray for all those that will be receiving free operations. They will also hold medical training and seminars during their time there. Cleft lips and cleft palettes occur in 1 per 500-700 births around the world. It is estimated that over 15,000 people in Haiti have this defect that is easily correctible with surgery.
On Friday a large medical and missions team visiting from the United States came to Coram Deo to hold a clinic. 220 people were able to see a doctor and receive medicine for their ailments. This was the biggest clinic yet but the yard was able to accommodate everyone. We borrowed benches from Pastor Octave’s church and from Sherri’s school as well as using our school benches. While awaiting their turn to see the doctors there were activities set up for the children. Games, balloons and crafts with a bible theme were done with non-medical members of the team. The children enjoyed this surprise! Some of the adults did too! The team also provided bags of water and snacks for everyone. Evangelization was done as well. Bible stories were told and a Christmas skit was done with some of the children of Coram Deo participating. Some of the mothers sang Christian songs in Creole to the visitors. The Haitian people really know how to sing. Francois, the gatekeeper handed out evangelical tracts as people left the yard. The clinic finished around 4:00pm. We give the Lord thanks for all those who participated in this clinic. The team plans on doing 6 clinics at different places while here in Haiti. Pray for this team’s efforts for the upcoming week. People came from different areas to come to this clinic. Lukner, Jn. Eddy and Francois went and visited different sections of the neighborhood informing them about the clinic. Pastor Pierre came down with around 40 people from the Kenscoff area. These people set out at 3 in the morning from their homes in order to come to the clinic. One day hopefully a clinic day can be set up in the Kenscoff area as well. One grandmother came in with 3 of her grandchildren who all had bad skin infections. She told the visitors that she couldn’t look after her children. The grandmother can hardly walk. She says that she can’t provide for them and is looking for a helping hand. We are going to try and find orphanages to take them in. The youngest is 10 months old. The oldest is 8 years old. Pray we can find a way to help this family out. One of the members of the team knows of an orthopedic surgeon who may be interested in coming to Haiti to do surgeries. We have a lot of orthopedic cases that could use surgeries. There is also a need for dentists. So many people go without dental care. Pray for God to touch the hearts of dentists and orthopedic surgeons to come to Haiti.
First semester exams start next week for the school program. The teachers submitted their exams to me this week and next week testing begins! At the end of the week report cards will be prepared and handed out to the parents. Pray for a successful exam week!
The transformer on our street has been broken all week and there has been no electricity. One day hopefully it will be fixed. Kiki calls me “mom” when he wants something and “miss” when he is serious. Tuesday afternoon he came to my door and when he called me “miss” I knew he was being serious. He went on to inform me that his clothes were all dirty and he was now out of clean clothes to put on. He didn’t like the idea of learning to wash his clothes with his feet. The generator doesn’t generate enough power to run the washing machine, so I telephoned Chrisno’s mother and she came over the next day to do the laundry. Daphka’s mother is doing the laundry this morning for Kiki! The children are praying for electricity because they are not very willing to wash the clothes by hand!
The evenings are cooler now and we have been sleeping on the roof. Manu and Benson are the only ones who are willing to camp on the roof though. I call it “Hotel des Milles Etoiles” (Thousand Star Hotel). November 30th was the official end of hurricane season and the skies have been clear the last few evenings.
That’s all the news for today. Have a good weekend!
Karen Bultje, Coram Deo
photos - medical clinic - part 1
Francois, the gatekeeper was kept busy controlling access.
The front part of the house was full with people waiting. 220 people were seen at the clinic.
A couple of the team members handled patient registration writing down names and medical complaints.
These 2 doctors were busy at one of the consultation tables.
The other consultation area was the kitchen. The mission team from the United States did an excellent job and were enthusiastic and well received by the people. The team is going to do 6 clinics in different parts of Port-au-Prince. Pray for their efforts at providing for the medical and spiritual needs of the people they seek to help.photos - medical clinic - people - part 2
The team came with a lot of medicines for the people. Here are people waiting in line to get their prescriptions filled.
After receiving their medicine they exited the yard. It was nice as the day went on seeing less and less people in the yard!
These 3 children are all from the same family and all 3 have skin infections. The grandmother can't look after them and is seeking assistance. Maybe we can find an orphanage that can help them out. The grandmother is handicapped and can not walk far. We gave the family a ride home at the end of the day.
I have known Roseanne for 13 years now. She has 9 children. She has not been feeling well the last week and her health has deteriorated. Hopefully the medicine she received will help her. She makes a living selling haitian crafts to tourists at local guesthouses. Every time she visits she brings me a souvenir as a gift. This time she brought a small stone statue.
This mother is keeping an eye out on her son. They come from the Kenscoff area.photos - medical clinic - people - part 3
Elderly people were seen as well. They were given priority and processed ahead of others so that they wouldn't have to spend too much time sitting and waiting.
Quite a few children were at the clinic wating with their parents to see a doctor.
The parents enjoyed the balloons as well!
This little girl came with her family from her mountain village in the Kenscoff area. They left home at 3:00am in order to get to the clinic in time.
This little girl is waiting to see the doctor after being registered at the intake table.photos - medical clinic - child activities - part 4
One of the activities for the boys was kicking around a soccer ball.
These older girls are showing a member of the missions team a haitian game that girls do using small stones.
There was a craft table set up with activities centered around a bible story theme.
The mothers enjoyed this activity as well!
The children loved the balloon shapes!photos - medical clinic - evangelism - part 5
While people were waiting to see the doctors part of the team did evangelization. They sang, told bible stories and put on skits.
Some songs were action songs.
Manu played the part of an angel in the skit on the birth of Jesus.
Jacob was one of the wise men.
After the visitors finished singing, this haitian lady was singing to them and teaching them some of the creole bible songs that she knows.
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