Things have gotten a little less complicated this week after the departure of our 14 person medical team on Saturday. Team leader Dr. John Judson was much impressed with our small little hospital and what we are attempting to do there. That is a great compliment because John has been involved in Haiti longer than anyone else I have run across. He first came here as a doctor in 1968 and has been involved ever since and has a long time connection to Hospital Albert Schwietzer where he served as director of surgery in the late 1990's.
John's team accomplished quite a few surgeries, ultrasounds and gynecological exams last week at our hospital. Our clinic treated about 300 plus patients in our cholera ward since Oct. 22nd. We hear that approximately 340 have died to date and 4,700 have been treated since the outbreak started two weeks ago. There have been several organizations doing awareness seminars and distributing clorox and disinfectants, Compassion International hosted such an event Saturday here at our Borel Conference Center.
The big news event this week, of course, is Tropical Storm Tomas which could turn into a hurricane and brush across south Haiti. This of course could be devastating with so many people living in refugee camps. So far Haiti has been pretty lucky in avoiding major hurricanes and the massive amounts of river flooding they often bring with them.
Even though we had 14 people leave on Saturday, we still have two other teams here this week. A six person team from Grace Covent out of Platt City Mo. arrived last Wednesday. They have been working in Haiti since 1995 and use our guesthouse facility at Pierre Payen. They usually bring two teams a year in April and October.
A five person team from Indian Head Church of God in Pennsylvania along with our auditor Wayne Hlavecek from Springfield Mo. arrived on Saturday. The Indian Head team is working in the mountains putting a roof on their sister church at Targette. Logistically this is no small undertaking. This project originated back in 2006 when an Indian Head Church mission team led by then Pastor Ben Tobias came to visit their sister church. Though I was not working for PH-H at that time, I agreed to help lead their team up to Targette.
This mountain church probably ranks as the third remotest church we have out of 35 churches in Haiti. You can drive into the mountains as far as Gilbert where you have to walk on narrow mountain trails the next 2 hours. All supplies have to be carried in backpacks, or pack animals or be carried by people up to the village. The new church measures 34 x 60 and is made out of cement blocks all transported up by people and horses. The roof trusses which are welded steel were carried up bar by bar along with a gas welder , a generator and a cut-off saw and manufactured on sight. The roof is comprised of 120 pieces of 12 foot metal roofing, also carried up by villagers, and will be screwed onto metal purlins welded onto the truss rafters.
The team went up yesterday to join up with the Haitian welding crew from our Borel work shop who have been in the mountains since last Thursday . I was in phone contact with team leader Stacy Dix this morning, and all the rafters were made and in place and purlins were welded on one side of the roof so they could start screwing down roofing today. So far the weather here in Haiti has been without rain for the last week and a half so we hope they finish and get back before tropical storm Tomas possibly brings rain.
Today I have been doing a listing of projects that need done by the remainder of this years and 2011 teams. I will be figuring up a materials list tomorrow so we can start buying materials for next weeks teams. I have also started resuming work with our Haitian workers here at Borel on some of the projects we were working on before I left I left in August. In God's love , Steve
Keep praying for the people of Haiti as they await the rains headed their way. Ask God to spare the country from another catastrophe. Give thanks for those who have been treated for cholera and for organizations working together for the benefit of the people. Remember to pray for our missionary staff and American teams serving there at this time.
Thanks so much!
Blessed to be a blessing,
Don Dennison, Director
