We are well. We are busy!

You may have heard about the 49 people who have died and the 450 people who are sick in the central part of Haiti. We have too. That appears to be mostly located south west of where we are on the Northern Central Plateau. So far, thankfully, nothing seems to be happening in our area that resembles the diarrhea others are suffering. Thank you for your prayers for the families affected and for our continued safety and health.
We are, however, very busy with a team of veterinarians and veterinary students from Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada. They arrived here at HAFF yesterday and will be here for 8 days. Today we had our first of 2 seminars for local veterinary agents. The seminars were on techniques for safely restraining the various animals the agents work with and estimating the age and the weight of the animals.

The exciting part is the sharing that happens at the seminars. For example, in the photo at left, Philemy from Pignon shows Kristen and Lloyd from Canada a new, and quicker method for tying a quick release knot. Quick release knots are essential for assuring the safety of animals tied up for any period of time. An animal tangled in a rope needs to be released as quickly as possible to prevent injury to the animal and to any people who may be around.

The week to come will include 2 veterinary clinics, a number of home visits, labs at HAFF's secondary school, a talk to the Godly Leaders class about leadership in good animal care and a training session for 50 young people who will be receiving goats from the local Community Relief Committee. Pray for us all for safety, wisdom and a clear exchange of knowledge.

An Adventure and an Encouragement

This is a photo from a few years ago showing the HAFF Land Cruiser taking its first outing to market in Pignon with Barb and Greg Van Schoyck and a team from Fort Myers, FL. Last evening, the vehicle was put to another use. It became first an ambulance and then a delivery room!

As the only North American on campus at the moment, I get all the calls to take people to the hospital. HAFF's driver, Elizert has been keeping the vehicle some nights to give me a break. Last night it was my turn. About 7:20, I was advised that a woman on the other side of the Bohoc River (maybe 2 miles from HAFF) was having trouble having her baby. So, head night guard Ezayi and I got in the Land Cruiser and went to pick her up. We didn't get back to HAFF for another 3 hours!

Imagine a pregnant woman laying on the bench in the back to the right in the above photo. Imagine the midwife sitting with her, her mother and several others sitting across from her. Imagine basins and buckets and a foam pad and a suitcase and a spare tire piled in between. The road is terribly rough right now. Each bump elicited an, "I'm falling!" or a "Don't go so fast!" from the pregnant woman. At one point the speedometer needle was registering 0 (even though we were moving) and she was asking me to go still slower!

About an hour after leaving HAFF we stopped in LaJeune (normally that trip would take about 30 minutes) to see if anyone was at the small hospital there. No one was there and the employee who lives nearby doesn't have a key. So, we headed on toward the Pignon Hospital singing and praying to take the woman's mind off her pains while she cried out at every dip and lurch of the vehicle.

Finally, about an hour after leaving LaJeune (which would have normally taken about 25 minutes) the baby was born just at the top of the hill going down to the bridge crossing over into Pignon. A beautiful, healthy baby girl was born by flash light and Land Cruiser dome light!

Mom felt much better now that the baby was born, so with the baby in Grandma's arms and the mom resting in a friend's lap, we turned around and headed back the way we came. The bumps and rocking of the Land Cruiser didn't bother the delivered mother anymore so we made better time. And an hour after the baby was born, the family was returned to their home (I got to hold the baby while they were unloading) and Ezayi and I were back at HAFF. Other than the time spent on the terrible roads, this is when providing ambulance service for the area is a joy.


This is HAFF's daytime gate guard, Paulers and his family in a photo taken a number of years ago. I spent some time this afternoon with Paulers (prounounced Paul-ess) asking him about the training HAFF sent him to this past Thursday and Friday. He was so excited about it that he came by while I was getting dressed this morning to tell me about it and to show me the packet of materials he had been given.

The Haitian government has decided that it would be good to establish a Disaster Preparation Plan in communities all over the country. To that end, Haitian meteorologists are training 2 people in various communities to install and gather data from government provided rain guages. HAFF was chosen as the location for one of these rain guages because of the fence and security the campus offers. Paulers was chosen, with a community leader, Lumanes, to be trained to gather the rainfall data.

The training was quite extensive and the candidates were tested on the material. Paulers was very proud that he had passed and that he would be involved in this endeavor. He is the one I deliver my weather reports to and he is the one who posts them at the front gate -- after thoroughly studying them first! He is very pleased to now be taking part in the data collection process.

Each month the data that he and Lumanes collect will be delivered to a local agriculturalist who will then pass it on to the government respresentative responsible for analyzing the data. And the data will serve as a basis for warnings of flood and landslides which will be routed back through the same channels.

I was very encouraged by this effort on the part of the Haitian government. I was also excited by Paulers' excitement. And pleased that, even though he does not have a full academic degree, he was accepted into the program and did well on his testing. When the project was originally presented to me, there seemed to be some doubt on the part of the presenter that Paulers had enough education to make use of the training. I was pleased to see Paulers shine! Keep him and the program in your prayers and pray for the Haitian government as they make the move toward being proactive in protecting their citizens.

Settling Back into the Routine

I walked into the house and called his name and was immediately answered with his always questioning meow. "It's about time you got back and what took you so long anyway?" My cat Morgan complains when I leave the house even to go to the outhouse, so he really hates it when I'm in the States for 10 weeks!

Yes, my travels back to Haiti went well and I am pretty well settled back in to the house in Bohoc. Life is getting back into a routine somewhat and I have even had my first 3 meetings this week!

Thankfully the rainy season was not a total disaster this year. Some folks aparently got their early corn crop and, while the second season corn didn't do so well, the rains are coming just right now for the beans and root crops and other crops for this next harvest. People have been cautiously optomistic this year.

But, sadly, I hear that Port-au-Prince is still a mess. People lament the fact that in the face of all that needs to be done, not much seems to be happening. But I have been told that many of the students who came to us after the earthquake have gone back to Port-au-Prince, though not all. It remains to be seen how many will return for this coming school year.

School starts the 4th of October. That is a little late this year. But I have already been meeting with Met Phanes, the head master, and others to make plans for the new year. Last year was the first we had World Vision sponsored students receiving scholarships to attend our school. Yesterday we went over some strategies for making sure we don't double up on scholarships by giving a World Vision sponsored student a work study job that another student could use!

Please pray for us this year for wisdom as we head into the new school year. Pray that we would be able to guide these young people into lives of faith and service. Pray for the students that they would be able to heal from their past trauma and would find strength in Christ and the steadfastness to ride out the waves of change this new Haiti will bring them.

Summer 2010

I have been back in the US for 5 of the 10 weeks I will be gone from Haiti. I left Haiti June 24. I was excited to be able to fly out of Pignon as it is much closer to the house (30 minutes rather than a 4 hour drive) and I arrive in Florida less tired. But this time, it was a bit nerve wracking. There was a huge rain storm gathering and the Missionary Flights International DC3 was late arriving from Port-au-Prince where it was held on the ground waiting out the rain there. Once they finally got to Pignon and we loaded and took off, it took 45 minutes, rather than the normal 20 minutes to get to Cap Haitien.
We had to fly around the storm taking us way to the west over Gonaives and Port-de-Paix rather than straight north over St Raphael. It was a little scary as the wind was buffeting us in the narrow passes between the mountains (though I knew I was in good hands with pilots Kenny and Brent). But it was exciting as well -- I saw some of Haiti I had never seen before, including a ruined French era fort perched on the prow of a mountain!
We arrived in Fort Pierce, Florida and unloaded the plane in the Missionary Flights International hangar around 11:00 that evening. (Thanks to MFI for these two photos)

After a weekend with friends in Florida, I got on the Auto Train the 28th to get to Pennsylvania as soon as possible, arriving at the house the evening of the 29th. The weather was wonderful -- perfectly pleasant (read cool and dry!) during the day and chilly at night! I helped my tenants prepare to move out of the house -- we labeled things that were to stay and things that could go on the truck.
They moved to Virginia July 1 and I had the joy of entertaining friends and supporters that same evening. I am going to try to not rent the house. I have found in the last few years that I need a nest – some place I can feel comfortable taking care of things in the US – preparing for visiting supporters, etc.
So I am slowly re-claiming the house. My cousin came 2 weeks after my tenants moved and spent a week painting the interior of the house (the photo was taken pre-painting -- thanks, Doug!). Now I am slowly getting settled back in – trying to figure out what I want where!

I head to Potsdam, NY this coming weekend for the 40th anniversary of the start of Koinonia Church (now called New Hope Community Church), the church I attended 30 years ago for the two years I was at Canton College.
Then, the weekend of August 14th I will be in Orangeville, PA for the Welsh family reunion -- my mother's mother's family. I have hopes of not being the only representative of my Grandmother Conner's family this year!

Finally, I get back on the Auto Train August 23rd and travel around Florida a bit before heading back to Haiti September 2nd. Please pray for the traveling and for my final 5 weeks in the US. Also that God would prepare me for being the only North American at HAFF for several weeks when I first get back in September. Please remember in prayer as well the people in Port-au-Prince who are still living without adequate shelter. And check out www.HAFFDetails.blogspot.com soon to see what has been going on at HAFF in Haiti for the last several months.

End of the Year

Another year of school and eye clinic are at an end. School is in the midst of final exams now and Becky Wilson and I had our last regular day of clinic Wednesday the 16th. I have gotten more comfortable using the Tono-pen and everyone is happy to have their intra-ocular pressure checked. Thankfully I haven't found too many people with high pressures.

Since October 2009, we have seen over 200 people in the clinic. Most people come for reading glasses, but some come with more complicated prescriptions. It is always a joy when we can find a pair of glasses that meets a need. Thankfully, we have been able to help most people who come.

We continue to meet with the Community Response Committee to get relief funds and food into the hands of the people who need them. Right now, the committee is encouraging road work with sacks of bulgur wheat (see the HAFF Details blog). The committee mounted a crew to work on the dangerous ravine on the main road between Bohoc and Pignon. Twenty seven people received bulgur for the first phase of that job.

Saturday, about 175 people received bulgur.

These folks have been working on their own since February to improve the road from the Bohoc market up into the mountains to the area of Cercady. The bulgur was given as an encouragement to the folks who gave of their own time and energy to do the work to serve their community.

I am getting ready to leave Haiti on Thursday the 24th. I will be spending most of the summer in State College, PA working on my house, but will do a bit of travelling as well. If you will be travelling through Central Pennsylvania between the first of July and the end of August, get in touch with me and we can get together. I'll be heading back to Haiti in early September. In the mean time, please keep the Plateau in prayer -- for good rains and for a good harvest. And keep in prayer Port-au-Prince and the other cities in the south that were hard hit by the earthquake. Many people are enduring the rains in "shelters" made of nothing but sheets and plastic bags sewn together.

Roads, Teams and Graduations

It has been a while since I have posted anything to either blog. That has partly been due to time constraints, but also to the fact that we have been having major problems with the internet. So, here are some highlights from 3 weeks at HAFF:

Saturday 15 May, was the Young Leaders for God class graduation. They were blessed to have the team from Chattanooga, TN and Huntington, NY here. The team baked the cakes for the graduation reception, Pastor Eric Mullinax presented the message and Pastor David Aldridge and Met Derold had a special song to share. It was a joyful day.

That Sunday, we split the team and Barb translated for Pastor David at one church while I translated for Pastor Eric at another. Pastor Eric spoke from Acts 20:17 - 38 about the marks or signs showing that a church is characterized by a vibrant ministry of the Holy Spirit.


The road leading through the Caïman ravine has gotten bad. HAFF driver Elizert has said that another couple big rains and Pignon can remain by itself and Bohoc and LaJeune can remain for themselves – we would be cut off from the north.

Thankfully, the Community Relief Committee (CRC) started a project June 25th to fix the road. Trucks from Pignon, Bohoc and LaJeune have committed to bringing rock and gravel from the river for the road

Crews of men and women have been hired to clear the brush growing around, over and in the drainage canals on either side of the road.

Finally, the CRC has purchased fuel for the local grader to grade and crown the road and fix the canals.

After the first couple of days of work, traffic was flowing so freely that the local Dignite bus, which does not have 4 wheel drive, was able to bring the local school children from Pignon all the way to Bohoc – a first in a very long time. It was entertaining to see the bus trying to turn around at the HAFF front gate!

24 May a group of visitors arrived at HAFF. The group included visitors from Florida, Wisconsin and Rwanda. Violette Nyirarukundo showed me how to wear a Rwandan skirt!

Violette also blessed 30 members of 5 local churches with training in Trauma Counseling. Gabi Van Schoyck had previously translated a 19 page set of notes that Violette had sent ahead and Barb and Gabi and I shared the translating for the 4 day seminar.

The training included practical break out sessions for sharing with one another and for role playing. Even before receiving their certificates of participation, the seminar participants were sharing and using the knowledge they were gaining to minister to others.

The Florida, Wisconsin, Rwanda team was still here for the Godly Woman class graduation on May 29th. The visitors baked the cakes for the reception and Pastor David Rogers presented the message. The women of the class had a wonderful day showing their craft items made during the class. Their parting song at the end of the graduation ceremony was enlivened by a round of hugs and kisses for each other, for Mme Gesson, Barb and me and for the visitors and some of the invited guests sitting nearby!

Sunday May 30th was Haitian Mother's Day. We took the team to a small, lively church on the other side of the Bohoc River from HAFF. The children of the church had a special song and procession to honor their mothers. During the song, each child carried a small package of crackers or cookies in a little dance to meet her mother, gave her the package and kissed her, before dancing back to join the rest of the girls singing.

I translated for Pastor David as he encouraged the people to look to Jesus when they are helpless. He taught from Luke 9:37 – 42. From this passage he showed how Jesus came for the helpless and how we are all helpless, like the disciples, the father and the demon possessed boy, because we try to solve our problems on our own and don't look to Jesus.

June 3rd, the Van Schoycks and I had the great joy of traveling to Limbe in the north of Haiti to attend the graduation of HAFF's first University scholarship student, Georges Cadet (shown here with his god-daughter). We traveled with other friends of Georges for 5 hours Thursday and spent the night in Cap Haitien. The graduation the next day was a wonderful celebration of hope for the future as the first class since the earthquake was able to complete their studies on time despite the horrendous toll that day in January took on all their lives. Even the 7 hour trip home, having to backtrack due to a high river blocking the shorter way home didn't dampen our joy from the day.

Rejoice with us in all these wonderful accomplishments and join us in keeping all the graduates in your prayers. Pray for Georges as he works now toward ordination and recognition by the government as a pastor with the legal right to marry, bury and register the birth of children. Pray for him also as he has already been functioning as the young pastor of a new church in the area. Pray for the Young Leaders and Godly Women who have just been graduated that the Lord would show them the ministries He has planned for them and their new training. And pray especially for the Trauma Counseling Seminar participants as they use that training in the mercy ministries they already have. Pray that God would bring people to them who are in need of their new understanding of how to listen to and help traumatized people.

I just wanted to post a note that, thankfully, I seem to be fully recovered from my illness. The allergies are still bad, but I seem to be able to better stay on top of them.

Here, like in the US, Spring has arrived. It is mostly noticable beacuse there have been some rains, so things are very green and there are more flowers blooming. It also means it is hot and humid. Please pray for the rains to start in earnest so people can get their gardens planted. And pray too for the rains to come in their proper time and quantity so people can realize a harvest.

It has been a busy time. I seem to be always saying that, but life here is busy. It was good to get back in the eye clinic again after 2 weeks away from it getting over whatever I had. I saw 7 people by my self since Becky and Colin were in the US. I could have seen 11 people, if the last 4 walk-ins had had their way! But I was out of time.

Mme Lenes came to the clinic Wednesday. She has been to see me several times for pain in her eye and for glasses. She was complaining of pain again this time, but she also said she couldn't see well with her new glasses anymore. I took them, cleaned them for her and gave them back. She could see quite fine with them now! That was just the confirmation I needed to remind me that I needed to be telling people how to best care for their glasses. It never occurred to me, since I can't stand it when my glasses are dusty or smeary, that others would need to be told they could wash their glasses! 24 years in Haiti and I am still figuring things out!

Another activity adding to the busy-ness was the distribution of most of the boxes with items shipped down from the people of Rome, Georgia (see the HAFF Details blog). I didn't do as much with that as I could have since I had things to do in the office in Colin's absence, but by the grace of God and the organizing skills of the Community Relief Commity, the distribution went quickly and smoothly.

Now, today my main activity has been planning for the first regular work study team we have had since the earthquake. Thursday people are coming from Chattanooga, Tennessee and Huntington, New York to spend a week ministering to the people in the community through construction, church leader training, women's Bible studies and home visitation. I have been creating a meal schedule and later today I will meet with 3 of the dorm cooks to make the market list to purchase the food.

Pray for us this week as it will be an intense week leading up to the work study team coming.