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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 6:50 pm Post subject: Haiti Earthquake

For Karen:

Day 3 post Earthquake in Haiti Children of Hope

Streets in Port au Prince are covered with concrete and bodies. Clearly the magnitude of this event is something we cannot even begin to comprehend.

A quote from Sue Kwirant...

"Numerous people are, at this moment, trapped under collapsed concrete buildings with little hope of being rescued. Resources for rescue operations in Haiti are minimal and many of the roads are impassable. Take a moment to consider what this really means…and please pray.

Many are broken and injured. Hospital and medical care is very limited on a normal day in Haiti . We have already heard reports of hospitals that have collapsed. With this disaster, many of the very people who would be working tirelessly to treat the injured, may be injured or dead themselves. Take a moment to consider what this really means…and please pray.

Pray that help would arrive soon from the International community. Without this, the magnitude of the post earthquake disaster will surely supersede the original catastrophe. Consider a lack of water, virtually non-existent sanitation facilities and the remains of those who have died. The daytime temperature in Haiti is averaging in the low 30s. Take a moment to consider what this really means…and please pray."

The Airport and the shipping port in Port Au Prince have been damaged. Now the priority is to develop a second plan to get the relief supplies including food, water, medicine, tents and aid workers off the many ships that have arrived or are traveling to Haiti at this moment.

Through previous emails in the last couple of days we know that Phyllis Newby and the children at the Orphanage in Saintard are safe. We heard last night via "Yahoo Messenger" that Pastor Penel's family and congregation have also not be injured (they are located more than 6 hours by vehicle southwest of Port Au Prince). Both locations received some structural damage. In Saintard, the learning centre and hospital are damaged and we are awaiting further information on the surrounding areas of Saintard and L'Arcahaie.

Phyllis Newby (Mission Haiti) supports over 250 churches throughout Haiti where over 33,000 student attend school. Over the years Children of Hope has partnered with Mission Haiti to provide Sponsorship and Special Needs programs throughout Haiti. One of the schools we have supported is the Handicap Association of Carrefour. This association is a handicap school of more than 40 students that is located in the slums of Port au Prince. Children of Hope, at this moment, has not been able to connect with the school.

The need of water, food, medicine, clothing and shelter will go on for many weeks and months. People from all over Haiti, affected by the earthquake, will go to Mission Haiti and the Hospital on the compound looking for basic essentials to survive.

Children of Hope is one of numerous organizations working in Haiti. If you would to make a donation to the Emergency Relief needs in Haiti, please send your funds to "Children of Hope" 3275 Dolson Court, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 4K5 or Church of God in Eastern Canada - 10 Cloverhill Ave., Dundas, Ontario L9H 2P2 (with reference to BOMP #4 Haiti Relief Fund). Receipts will be issued for donations.

Please feel free to contact me by phone 905-820-5956 or email kargoodyear@sympatico.ca at anytime.

Praying for Haiti,

Karen Goodyear
Children of Hope
Canadian Coordinator

Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:02 am Post subject:

For Karen:

Pastor Jean Marie and Memen and Sister Phyllis are attempting to man the hospital. Of our 6 doctors, 5 have been located, but are cut/bruised/etc. The lady doc has 2 broken hands. Dr. Pady, the clinic director, has not been found. His neighborhood was leveled. Please pray for Dr. Pady. Some of our docs will be coming to the clinic next week. Pastor reports that the grounds of the compound and the surrounding area are filled with people lying down – injured or afraid to go back in their houses or no house to return to. He said there is a steady stream of people coming to the clinic, with no end in sight.

The cost of diesel fuel is 3 times as much as normal and rising. Diesel fuel is not only needed for vehicles, but for generators. The generator at the compound that is used to pump water is not working; the new generator at the clinic is now being used both for x-rays and for pumping clean water. What a godsend that our friends at I-Power in Anderson helped provide.

Mike and Melanie Thralls, who have been to Haiti multiple times with Mission Haiti, Inc. – Midwest and others, are paramedics at Wishard Hospital in Indianapolis and have training as first responders. They have assembled a team of medical professionals and are leaving in the morning. They will work at Saint Ard and/or Quisqueya Christian School (as a make-shift clinic). PLEASE note – they have special training, are bringing MREs (meals ready to eat) like the military uses, bringing their own water, etc. This is NOT a time for a group to go who are not first-responders. There is no extra food, water, fuel, etc. to offer to volunteers. Prisoners who were in Haitian jails now roam free, as prison walls fell. Disease is beginning to set in as dead bodies abound.

Mark has a trip planned, leaving February 5. Everything about this trip is tentative and may need to be altered – the size of the group may have to change, the expertise of the people may need to change, supplies brought may be changed, living conditions for the team there may change, the trip itself may need to be delayed. It is very difficult to tell now what the situation will be in 3 weeks.

The immediate need now is money. Red Cross, the U.N., and the military are trained first responders and need money to continue those operations. Our nonprofit is using donations to purchase medicine and supplies to keep the clinic equipped to keep up with the overwhelming demand. Once acute medical needs are addressed, infection from wounds and disease will set in. The medical needs will persist for a long time.

As time passes, we will need to fill semis with food, clothes, baby formula, medicines, shoes, and personal hygiene items. The ONLY way to ship supplies now is via the military, U.N., Red Cross OR someone who can ship a semi into Cap Haitian and then transport supplies on the ground (not us).

Dr. Mark Fulton

Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:03 am Post subject:

Below is an updated report from Dr. Mark Fulton, Mission Haiti Midwest, Indiana.. Dr. Pady (Pediatrician) Director of the Hospital in Saintard.. We are so thankful
he is alive and safe!

Karen Goodyear
Children of Hope

There are blessings amid the tragedy. Dr. Pady, our hospital director, is alive! Praise the Lord! He is injured, though not seriously, and his house is gone, but he is safe. Many of our Haitian doctors are at or are coming to the hospital to treat the injured. They are lacking medicine and medical supplies, but are doing what they can.
A missionary friend in Port Au Prince, Troy Livesay, said he knows a prison guard who reported that 4 prisoners in the main prison were found dead; 4600 escaped. One of Troy’s special gifts is photography; he has updated photographs of Haiti at http//www.flickr.com/photos/livesay/.
There are so many prayer requests we do not know how to even detail them all. John Ackerman’s Haitian nurse lost her 2 children and her sister, another Haitian-American friend of ours lost his brother, sister-in-law, and 2 uncles, another Haitian-American friend continues to call, hoping for any updates of his family, though he learns nothing of their whereabouts. CNN.COM reportedly has a link where people can try to find loved ones. Government officials are now estimating that over 100,000 people will eventually found to have died in this tragedy. In the Haitian sun, people are wearing masks to try to survive the stench of death.
From North Carolina, Dr. Ed West and 2 nurses are on stand-by to travel to Haiti in the next 2 weeks to offer help. They will be stationed in a triage area in Port Au Prince. All 3 of them are FEMA-trained and are working with FEMA to coordinate their efforts. They and their church will pay for all travel expenses, and will be responsible for food, water, and will bring supplies. FEMA will guide them to the triage location and provide them with a tent and a cot.
At Mission Haiti, Inc. – Midwest, we have developed a 3 stage plan. The immediate plan to carry in medical supplies, medicine, and funds on February 4th, or as soon as it is possible to enter the country without hindering the first responders. The short term plan is to assemble medical teams and construction teams for mission trips. The long term plan is to ship semis filled with medical supplies, clothing, and non-perishable food. Channel 13 www.wthr.com lists www.missionhaitimidwest.org as a “reliable” place to donate. We can tell you that there is no American who receives any pay for the work we do; the only paid employees we have are the Haitian hospital staff. All money donated will go directly to provide food and medical care for the people of Haiti. Thank you so much to our supporters who have already given despite the economic state our own country is in.
Mark & Kathy

Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 9:04 am Post subject:

Pastor Jean Marie and his daughter Rebecca (living in Saintard) contacted us today, January 17th. Rebecca told me that it is bad bad in Port Au Prince. They are ok in Saintard but the government is telling them to stay outside their home. They have been sleeping outside on the ground. They are not sleeping well and growing more tired day by day. Many people from Port Au Prince have arrived and are looking for water and food and are sleeping just outside Pastor Jean Marie's home.. What ever food they have they are sharing with these dispatched people.. The food is slowly running out. (As per previous emails 100 pounds of rice cost $73 US.)

Pastor Jean Marie's voice sounded weak, discouraged and tired. He tells me it is bad bad and very difficult. The last thing he said to me was. "Pray for me, pray for all of us".

Karen Goodyear
Children of Hope

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:26 am Post subject:

Dear Friends,

Attached please find the Final Report for 2009 from Children of Hope. The accounting and reports are now complete. http://lsyc.com/FinalReportHaitiTrip2009.pdf

It is a new year and with that comes a great deal of heart ache and devastation for Haiti. The orphanage and the children in the immediate and surrounding areas of Saintard are safe. Some of our sponsored children under Children of Hope have not been heard from as of yet. Many displaced people have already arrived in Saintard from Port au Prince looking for water, food and medical care.

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has announced plans to match funds donated to Registered Canadian Charities. "Children of Hope" is partnering with HELPS International as we work together to complete the application that is required to access these funds. Another email is being sent out explaining in more detail what is happening in Saintard, Haiti and how you can help. Our goal is to feed, provide shelter and medical care for the many displaced families and children that will be arriving in Saintard.

This is the time for us all to pull together, to help the Haitian people who have nothing because of this unbelievable disaster.

Praying for the people of Haiti,

Karen Goodyear
Children of Hope
Canadian Coordinator
905-820-5956

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:27 am Post subject:

Follow up information from Mission Haiti Midwest (Dr. Mark Fulton) Re: Haiti Earthquake.
Karen Goodyear

A 6.1 aftershock occurred around 6:00 am Wednesday, the biggest aftershock since the initial earthquake. It is difficult to know what damage/injuries/fatalities occurred country-wide due to the state the country was already in, but we do know that it did not cause damage/injuries in Saint Ard, where our outpatient hospital is located.

Specific prayer requests at this time:

Fuel is needed country-wide to power generators to pump clean drinking water to run medical equipment, and to transport injured people to medical facilities. There are many clinics outside the Port Au Prince area with Haitian-staffed medical teams that are able to see patients, but the lack of fuel is preventing these people from getting to the help they so desperately need.
Clean water and food is needed, especially in the Port Au Prince area. Distributing this efficiently is very difficult in a country that had a poor infrastructure pre-earthquake, let alone post-earthquake.
Orthopedic surgeons are desperately needed to perform amputations, and battery-powered bone saws are also needed to be used for these surgeries.

We have received SO MANY monetary donations and offers from medical personnel to go to Haiti. We are so grateful for this outpouring of love for our “backyard neighbors”. It is difficult to tell someone who is willing to drop everything and go to help that we cannot take him/her at this time. Our organization is not equipped to be a first responder in a crisis of this magnitude. There are issues that we are not prepared to deal with, such as security, procuring fuel once we are there, providing all our own food & water once we are there, air transportation, etc. In planning trips in the near future, we will need to limit the size of the group, and take those medical personnel who are most specifically needed, who have been to Haiti before, most preferably who have been on the compound in Saint Ard and know how to function there, etc. We pray that the paramedics and other personnel who so willingly volunteered to go to Haiti immediately have either found an organization where they already have gone to Haiti or are willing to wait for future trips.

Medical care is and will continue to be desperately needed, not only to treat earthquake victims now, but for the foreseeable future. With so many injured, there will be major issues with infection, wound care, and prosthetics in the months to come. Mission Haiti, Inc. – Midwest plans to add additional medical mission trips in 2010 and beyond to address these concerns. As time goes on, we will be able to include more non-medical personnel who want to serve with a willing heart.

Also, as time goes on, there will be MANY opportunities to serve at home for those who are not able or called to go to Haiti. Ideas:

Food drives – especially peanut butter, cooking oil, rice, canned black beans, evaporated milk (both canned and powdered), and baby formula
New/nearly new clothing drives
Over-the-counter medicine drives
Fund raisers

Mission Haiti, Inc. – Midwest usually sends about 2 semis a year filled with medical supplies, food, clothing, etc. In 2010, we plan to send many more. If your church or organization would like to have a drive as mentioned above, please contact us and we can discuss the current needs and when the semi can be loaded.

I received an email from the father of a little girl who wanted to donate toys to the children in Haiti. He explained that he was having a difficult time finding an organization to accept these from his daughter. I explained to the father that each semi costs $12,000 – 15,000 to purchase, transport, taxes, etc. This is the costs of the semi and shipping alone – it does not include the value of its contents. With shipping so expensive, agencies must be very particular about what they pack into a semi. All that being said, I understand, too, that a little girl identifies with other little girls wanting to have toys at a difficult time in her life; donating something precious could be the seed in his daughter’s heart for a lifetime of serving. Here are some ideas for ways children can truly help:

Have children draw pictures or make cards for the children of Haiti – this takes little space in a semi but lets the children of Haiti know there are U.S. children who care
Have children design fliers to advertise your food/medicine/clothing drive, and take it to their schools, youth groups, clubs. Let the children help sort, put out collection bins, etc.
Have your child clean out their toys (and your closets, too) and have a garage sale. Add a lemonade stand for your child to run and advertise that all proceeds will go to Haiti earthquake relief.

One of the most important prayer requests is this:

For years, the plight of the Haitian people went unnoticed by the average American, even though they are right in our “backyard”. Now that their dire situation has been brought to light, we pray that after the initial shock of this earthquake, their situation will not be forgotten. This is America’s chance to partner with our Haitian “neighbors” to build a better future.

Mark & Kathy

Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:30 am Post subject:

Attached please find an update on the earthquake in Haiti.
http://lsyc.com/ChildrenofHopeNewsletterJan2010.pdf

Children of Hope will be partnering with HELPS International as we work together to alleviate some of the pressure that is being felt in the towns and villages as a result of the mass movement of displaced people leaving the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

Karen Goodyear
Children of Hope
Canadian Coordinator
kargoodyear@sympatico.ca