Clinic Staff

    I have gotten an number of requests from you to put on pictures of all our clinic staff, these are as up to date as they can get, and there are two missing, they weren't working today.

Mis Joseline. She is always picture shy but nice about it.

Mis Leda, a very good nurse.

Mis Whitney, our newest addition to the clinic staff.

Mdm Leger. Pharmacist.

Zita, also a pharmacy worker

Fre. Dolphe, weighs the people in and keeps the files all in order. Does an
exceptional job. He is one of the deacons in church.

Fre. Noaz. Also a deacon in church, he does the devotions
each morning, and helps when it's busiest in traffic control
in and out of the clinic!!!!!!!!!!

Fre. Direk, he signs everyone in, fills out the dossiers as
well as collects the money.

Mdm Daniel, she is one of two cleaning ladies. Here she is
cleaning the hospital room, good time to do it, because it's
finally empty.

Mis Rhoda, she is just getting ready to do a bandage
patient.

I interrupted a conversation to get take this shot.
Mis Anitia, having an early morning chat with Nores.

Mis Katie's look tells us that baby need desperate care of some kind.

God loves them all!

This week has been full to overflowing at the clinic.  

We've had quite a few challenging cases as well as babies born which often means some short nights!  

On Monday this little fellow pictured below was brought in by his mom.  The mother claimed to have been pregnant with the child for 15 months, but it appeared to me that the baby was a preemie.  I really couldn't get straight information out of her about her pregnancy, previous pregnancies, and such.  She said she lost 4 babies, but I couldn't understand if they were miscarriages, stillbirths, or otherwise.  After trying in vain to gather information so I knew better how to help her, I moved on to the obvious.  She had a tiny baby (3 lbs. 4 oz) who had a good fighting chance at survival IF the mom took care of it.  The mom was concerned because it was little, but it wasn't extremely skinny.  It just needs cared of like a preemie.  I explained to her that she needs to make sure to keep it warm and nurse it often.  She said she nurses it when it wants to nurse.  I said, "No, you must nurse it frequently even waking it up if it's sleeping."  She nearly laughed at me.  Finally I asked her if there was someone else with her.  She called in her sister, and I explained to her how to care of the baby.  The sister seemed to understand.  The mom seemed to love the baby dearly, but I'm not sure she's capable of caring for a baby, especially a preemie.  

It was one of those cases when you try your level best and let it in God's hands. 

Two-week old 3 lbs 4 oz baby

You can tell a little how small it is by comparing it to my hand.  

Mama, Baby, and I

By now I don't remember which day, but this elderly gentleman was carried in on a stretcher.  He was 90 y.o. and quite obviously had some heart problems.  He was retaining fluid and having trouble breathing.  Seeing his age and with how poorly his heart was beating, I was concerned that at any moment, he'd go into cardiac arrest.  Before I started treatment, I explained to the family what condition he was in and that I didn't know what the outcome would be.  I told them that I didn't see that taking him to a bigger hospital would be very advantageous, but I wanted them to know that was an option so they could decide.  They said they wanted to stay here and wanted me to do what I thought was best as far as treatment.  

Also I explained to them that he may not have much longer.  He's older and his heart is worn out.  I then challenged them and him if they were believers.  As the children were giving their varied answers, he started saying, "I'm not going to change.  I'm not going to change."  I asked him what he was talking about.  He said that he was Catholic and wasn't going to change.  I told him that what mattered was that he trusted in Jesus and that Mary could do nothing for him.  It really didn't feel like he was listening--that he was set in his ways.  

All we can do is pray that God would speak to his heart.  

After monitoring him for 2 days, I was able to send him home feeling better.  He's to come back for a check up after 2 weeks.  

Heart patient

  

This baby is a year old.  She had such a sweet little face, but was very weak and under weight.  She weighed only 9 lbs 11 oz.  Her mother brought her in, but said that she had left the child in April.  I told her that she needed to take care of her child.  She said that she had to work.  I said that if she needed to leave her child with someone, she needed to make sure she was getting good care!  

We gave this Herbalife and an appointment to come back to see if she is improving.  

She nearly clung to you

All dressed up in clean clothes with a candy in her hand

Yesterday we had a bunch of new bandaging patients come in.  One was an abscess, one an ulcer sort of thing, and one a nasty wound in a man's foot with maggots in it!  

So proceed with caution!!!!

Nourishing the Needy Program

   I thought it would be good to write an update to let new subscribers know about the Nourishing the Needy and also give an update on how it has been going for us. But most of all I want to take this time to express sincere thankfulness to God who stirs people's hearts to pray and support through monetary aid this specific program so that these little infants, sometimes skin and bones when they come in, can survive. I love children and there is nothing harder than to see them come in barely able to utter the faintest sound, only big tears rolling down their cheeks. Sometimes a few more days without help would have meant death as a certainty.

   Who is on the Milk Program? Babies whose mothers have died, often from eclampsia. Sometimes they had the baby in a different hospital, but they get infections etc shortly after and die. At times the babies are born right here in the clinic and the mom is sick, she doesn't have milk or very little. Sometimes the mother had a sickness that required a kind of medication that isn't good for the baby therefore the baby needs a different source of milk. Sometimes the mom runs of and leaves her new born and the rest of the family to fend for themselves, often times the dad isn't with them either, so relatives have to take care of it. These are just some of the reason that we sign the children onto the milk program.

   How do we know if the people that come in are honest? I'll just mention some precautions that we take. If the mom is alive but can't nurse the child, and she is too sick to come in, she has an infection, or different ailments that are treatable, the relatives usually show up with the baby. We won't turn them away, we give them 2 days worth of milk and tell them that they need to bring the mom in, even if they have to carry her in on a stretcher from many hours away. It has worked well. Especially if the mom can be seen at the clinic and given medications to clear up the infection and is soon able to nurse the baby. Therefore we do not need to put it on the program full time. We have herbal supplements that tremendously help a lot of ailments.

   If a baby is put on the milk program and the mother is alive, we require that she comes in throughout the next pregnancy for prenatal check-ups, to make sure everything is being done to prevent her from getting sick and us needing to put that child on the program as well.

   Sometimes we have someone bring a child in and we suspect it isn't the mom, Shana will ask them to nurse the child, that brings forth a quick shocked look if she isn't the mom. If it isn't we won't chase them of, we will do everything we can to help the child, it always turns out well.

   At times it has happened that the mom didn't come in for check-ups, or she had the baby at a different hospital but then sends relatives with the baby, and we know that is was a preventable sickness that the mom has, we will ask them to pay as much as they can each time they come. Sometimes it's 5 Haitian Dollars ($0.57USD), sometimes it's 20 ($2.30 USD) It keeps them accountable. Each situation is different, but we try them all, and have them pay whenever they can.

   Currently we have 19 children on the program, there are a few that are handicapped, mentally, some with cerebral palsy and such like illnesses, and they have been and will be on their for a long time. But each child is closely monitored. They are required to bring the child in on a continual bases, each child has a file, when they come in we pull their file, check the last weight, then weigh him/her again. For the most part we see continual weight gain. If we don't we have a little chat with the caregivers, and if we don't see a change in weight within a few weeks, they get removed from the program. There are different reasons for that, sometimes they could be selling the milk for money, sometimes they don't accept the child and don't take care of it and use the milk on their own children or themselves, etc. But these situation are few and far between.

   Are the babies that are on the Gospel to Haiti website, the only ones we give milk to? No, in fact we give or sell milk powder almost every day or at least on average 3 or 4 times a week. Moms come in with infants that are needy or need a quick boost for a couple weeks or even a month or two, and we will help them along a bit.

   This is not always easy to do, because of the lack of funds to buy extra milk powder for that reason. But we try never to let a child leave without some kind of help. We are thankful that we have always gotten by each month. God is faithful, and trusting Him with that need, He has proved Himself mighty and very faithful.

   Sponsorship or donations for the program. We currently have 7 out of the 19 children sponsored. It's a one year sponsorship, 100% of the funds donated are sent to the field. It can be a monthly, quarterly or one time donation. The sponsorship is $40.00USD/month, $120.00USD/quarter and/or $480.00USD/year. We also accept any donations, it is used to buy extra formula for babies that we help.

   We buy two kinds of formula, one is called Celia, it is quite expensive but it has a huge amount of everything good in it and has worked amazingly for 0-6 months of age, then we buy Bonju Formula, that is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin D and Calcium, that is given for the ones 7 months and up. Both formulas are rich in all manner of good stuff, therefore the cost is higher, and we feel it's good to make sure if we help them we help them in a way that builds their bodies up from the start.

   Each child that gets put on the program we also put on the Nourishing the Needy blog on the gospel to Haiti website, we take pictures and keep updating the pictures on a continual basis, and we keep updating the weights. When or if a child dies for any reason we will automatically assign the sponsorship over to another child that isn't sponsored until the year is over.

   Again I would like to say thank you to all of you who have supported this program, also all of you who will in the future. Each breath these children breath is a breath of thankfulness. And you are storing up treasures in heaven. If you feel lead to sponsor a child, or even send donations whenever you can, please feel free to contact Donavon for sponsorship information and signup sheets, or any other questions regarding the program.

Donovan Hostetler- Phone:  1-608-475-9504

Email:   gthmission@gmail.com

Mailing Address:     Gospel To Haiti

PO Box 3. Richland Center WI 53581

Please be sure to check out or website at:  www.gospeltohaiti.net

Let the little children come!

 It's Tuesday afternoon in Aleg. The sun shines hot as Mis Rhoda finishes translating her bible story into kreyol and grabs her felt board. I page through the kreyol songbook...finding a few children's choruses. We open the compound gate and with many bounces and giggles and happy shouts from the children we finally make it to the clinic benches. While Mis Rhoda sets up the felt board I go back out the trail to call in all our favorite little people. Kristella comes skipping along with her beautiful smile. Fabulla has a freshly washed face and has finally brought her little brother along, who shyly looks up at me with wondering eyes. Even 2 yr. old Malia sees the action and comes tottering down the trial with outstretched arms. Finally, I close and lock the gate. Then I count heads. 18 bouncing little bodies cram in the front benches leaning and pushing for the best view. Rho and I laugh and try to be strict and in a few minutes the noise level dies down. 18 pensive little faces watch Rhoda as she starts telling the story of creation. And then we sing!! There is nothing more beautiful then a throng of filthy, smiling, children raising their voices and praising Jesus. Their black faces shine as we sing and clap through our songs. And then, like a herd of baby goats, we shoo them out of the courtyard. Rho and I look at each other and smile. Sometimes in happy thankfulness and other times in frustration. Pray for Danyson, one of the 'outcast' children, who often won't come to class and runs around the neighborhood stealing and begging. Pray that we would plant seeds of love and hope in these sad little hearts.

Saturday Night Live

   I was almost asleep around mid night Saturday when I heard this distinct noise, "wow, what could that be"? You probably are wondering right now!!!! Yes, it was the very aggressive rap rap rap on the gate post. In fact it was the very knock that makes two of the nurses to scoot out of bed. Steve was the first to make it to the gate, so the girls had been listening to him as they heard him asking what is going on. Yes indeed, it was a lady in labor.
   Needless to say I didn't hear Steve talking with them at all so after a few moments of wondering how I could get out of not having to get out of bed to walk down to the clinic with the nurses, and not hearing the radio going of asking for me, or Glenden I fell into a very peaceful sleep.(HHHmmmm, I feel a bit guilty writing this!!)
   Anyway,Steve walked down with Mis Anita and Mis Katie to the clinic, and after checking everything out, they figured the birth would happen soon, they came back and got some water boiling and went do there again. A healthy little boy was born at 2:00AM, he was 7lbs 2oz. 

Tired but happy parents.

Survival Techniques

When 4 babies decide to come in a weeks time, it keeps the nurses hopping.  And since lose of sleep is often involved, we have to find ways of surviving!  Travel mugs and coffee are great survival techniques!  

Rhoda's and my coffee cups from the birth yesterday.  

Rho and I with the newest arrival

We got called at 5 am so at least we had most of a night's sleep.  Baby was born at 9:35 am.  Rhoda delivered the baby and did an excellent job.  She'll soon be on her own!!!  By the time we were done clinic was well on it's way so we jumped right into the swing of our day.  

We know the mom and family so we got a pic of the gang.

L-R: Great Grandma, Mother, Mis Rhoda, Baby, Baby's Aunt (in front), Mis Anita, Baby's grandma, and another Aunt (Madam Celeste)  

I just wanted to add a snapshot of Mis Leda.  We lean on her a lot!  She does an excellent job at treating patients, hanging in in the thick and thin, being there when I need her.  With some of the classes we've had the last while, she's really been picking up on new concepts too.  I love to hear her witness to patients as well.  

Mis Leda

Below is a picture of the healing cut that we stitched up last week.  It won't be scare free, but it seems to be healing well.  Because of it's depth and angle, it wasn't the neatest stitch job I've ever done.  I am very grateful though that he does have movement of his little finger and ring finger.  It's not total yet, but I'm hoping it will continue to improve as it heals and he uses them.  

Healing cut with stitches out

Staff Stuff

     I love saying Good-morning at the clinic. I like to shake all the hands and have all the cultural good-morning pecks on both cheeks from the other Haitian nurses. We have time to ask how the night was, or if we feel really grouchy, we have time to count pills or hide away in a corner and study the meds for a patient.

    And then, the day is on. We are zooming around grabbing meds, and extracting pus from wounds, and forgetting that some of us are white skinned and some aren't. I love it. Dolph is over there praying with a patient in the hospital room, while Nores scolds a lady for not taking her meds. Direk peeks over his half glasses as he prepares paperwork for the patients. Anita is calling a doctor about a hospital patient, who presents a difficult case. The cleaning ladies are burning blood and bandages outside, or mopping hallways inside.

    Katie is doing a really good job of doing check-ups on malnutrition cases. It is so exciting that we can actually see some children helped so much! This past month we didn't really have a very big stock of milk for them, and so we were thinking and praying about some other options of nutrition for them. It is scary to look into a swollen face and see the bleary, tired eyes of a child who is slowly dying in your very presence. Please pray that we would know where to go with these needs right now. I often hear Katie saying, "Can I just keep this one and nurse it back to health?"  Is there a way that we can start a more supportive program and more aggressively help or prevent death in this way? But the Lord blessed us so that we are able to buy more milk formula for the next while.

     This afternoon after a busy day at the clinic, Katie and I took a hike with Rachel Widowski up to visit the Haitian nurses in their house. It was so fun. I had to forgive them for their late arrivals to work some mornings after I realized how much energy it takes to trek up the mountain. I had to laugh when Mis Leda asked about a rash on Rachel's arms, and noticed that it was difficult for her to walk because of a previously sprained ankle. She is a good nurse, I said to myself....even watching out for health when she was washing her cooking kettles.

   So that is our update from clinic today. I just wanted to honorably mention my co-workers today. Because, when the day is all over, they are usually exactly the people I want to work with the next morning. And  if not, I can always count pills!