Saturday, January 30, 2010

Last night in HispaƱola

It's the last night on the island. Thank you so much for following the blog. I hope I was able to convey the Helping Hands mission on the ground into words. It was a pleasure reading the comments. Tomorrow I will begin following the blog like you so that I can keep abreast of the action.

Please keep the people of Haiti in your prayers. They need God's healing hand and our team there now needs God's guidance.

Damon

Cuz mamma.. Mamma I'm coming home

On the bus now. Our gear is loaded and we are headed to the airport to drop Angela off at the Hospital. She is such a talent. All of the medical team was incredible.

Only 12 more hours to go until SD. Then on to Miami and then home.

It has been a pleasure writing this blog. It's allowed me to clear my head at night and prepare for the next day. I truly believe it was not words poured out. Your comments were all appreciated and I hope I was able to answer any questions you had. Please continue to follow because I know I will be..........

Friday, January 29, 2010

5000 Feet

I'm lying here in the dark and I'm having trouble with the blog. It's not because I don't have anything to say. Anyone who knows me or who reads the blog knows I'm not short on words. 

I have too much in my head perhaps I've seen too much. Perhaps.........

Today was like yesterday. Only double!!!! Our clinic was packed all day. Helping Hands was the only mission in the plaza of 600,000. The crowds were bigger and the evangelism larger. Was this what it was like for Jesus. 1000's of spiritually hungry people thirsting for more than water. I don't know. I keep going back to Matthew. 

Andy and I transported more people to the Hurricanes Hospital. They accepted them without question. Aaron transported a malaria case and a TB patient to another hospital. 

At the clinic, the medical staff processed baby after baby. Eddy from Germany held and rocked more little babies to sleep than he could count. The wound care center patched up patients left and right. An 11 year old girl orphaned two weeks ago was taken in and transported to the mountain top orphanage. She is safe now.  

It all went so well...... For a street clinic we did the job. We did it well. 

  Peering down from a high elevation whether physically or theoretically, has always been my typical approach to most scenerios. I don't know if it's a leadership trait or just an organizational skill. What I do gain is a better understanding of how the whole picture fits together. 

Like the day before I rode back to the capital from the airport. Fallen buildings on each side of the van.  There was no sliding door so it was wide open and I joked with the military guys about it being my gunners door. We all laughed for a second. 

As I lay here tonight, I realize that is exactly what it was. I was peering out from 5000 ft looking at the city. I can clearly see the damage and dispair. The wind is whipping past my face. We are moving to fast at times to see faces but they all show sadness. 

In the middle of it all was our team. The only mission in the plaza. Allowing the thirsty to drink. 

In the morning I Ieave for the DR. The miracles will continue as will the blog. It's a story about the rebuilding of Haiti from our perspective on the ground. 

This same storey is told in the Gospels. 

In the background I hear Haitians singing. They are praising God and thanking Him as they stand among the ruins of their home. Even here there is light in the dark. 

Thursday, January 28, 2010

A Palace of a Different Type

Dusty, dirty, and early. The bus departed for a part of the city that most of us had not seen. 600,000 starving Haitians squatted in the Plaza area of Port Au Prince. The team was entering the unexpected and a little anxiety cut through the mood as we approached. In a semi military fashion our scout van preceded the main bus to identify the best location to set up our clinic. 

With the location identified immediately in front of the beautiful, now crumbled, white palace that formerly housed the non existent Haitian President, we began.  Tents, tables, and tarps erected in 15 minutes and pink crosses taped to the palace walls because we forgot the red tape. Soon a line formed and we handed out our little white admin forms. Our initial  assessment was that we might be mobbed by the 600,000. Armed Haitian police guarded our clinic and eased crowd control. 

The Helping Hands team easily started processing patients, now that the German team was with us.  We now had enough man power to process even more patients. Even with a language barrier we operated like well oiled machine. 

Through out the day many of us witnessed events that changed us. If serving 225 patients was not enough then maybe hearing stories of lost familiy members would be.  Many on the medical staff cried with people who didn't necessarily need a doctor. We heard from Haitians who had lost entire families and a even a teacher who lost her entire class of grade school students. Bandages and Tylenol can not begin to heal wounds this large. 

Because our clinic was in the open we now began to take more seriously injured patients as well. The University of Miami was very generous and allowed us to bring these patients to them. First was a lady with a horrible infection in her broken ankle. Through the dusty streets her and I and Andy traveled with sirens blasting. Upon arriving she was admitted and I was told of her impending amputation. The second of the day was a young man who was recovered from a fallen building. He lost his entire family in the earthquake and escaped with a broken shoulder,  arm , and cheek bones. On to the hospital we went..... This time upon arriving I was asked to move 5 patients to another tent because I was the only person available with scrubs on. While there my patient was bumped because another young man had been rushed there from a fallen building. He had been trapped for 15 days without food and water. A true miracle!!!

As Andy and I returned with our armed escort I pondered for a second on the crumbled white palace before me. Man had built this structure to house another man of importance. An iron fence erected around if to keep people out. Right in front Helping Hands from America and Germany had not erected a clinic but an entrance gate. This gate didn't allow people to enter into the crumbled man built palace. It offered them an entrance to eternal life inside the kingdom of God. There is peace and salvation inside. There is no hunger or suffering. There is never an earthquake. Only Love....... Today January 28 2010 over 100 people asked and accepted salvation and they were granted entry into a palace of a different type.        

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Beans, Bandaids, and Bullets

Anyone familiar with the military  knows what the above title means. Before they mobilize commanders must make sure that these items never run out and that the supply of the above said never gets cut. 

Today, we quickly mobilized our unit into working order. Patients gathered at the front gate. We promptly organized them in a straight line behind the red crosses taped on the door by using a mixture of French, Spanish , English. The crowd agreed and the work day began. We processed over a hundred patients in all. Two of the victims had been trapped in the rubble for two days before being rescued, of which one of them was a young boy.   It's hard to imagine the strength necessary to survive in those conditions but yet they held firm to life and waited for help. Angela did a great job caring for them. A true professional.  

A different team went out and purchased rice and beans for tomorrow.  The prices were rediculously high but capitalism had it's purpose. Supply and demand even works in Haiti. The food will be handed out tomorrow to the starving masses. It's not a lot but every bit helps. Because of the donations back home we get the priveledge to serve God and this community. We, as a team could never thank everyone enough. 

After lunch, two of us went out to try and find medical supplies. This turned out to be greatly informative. Along the route we spotted a US Army post that was behind a green iron fence. Upon asking the private at the gate if we could get a few medical items we were invited in. Staff Sergent Acuff, who is the senior medical officer, explained to us that the University of Miami had set up a hospital at the airport and they could help us. He gave us directions and to our surprise he gave us a little of what they had. Cough syrup, an IV bag, and Mucinex were given to us with a handshake and a thank you. Again, I find myself proud of my home.  Why would he thank us?

    After dropping off the supplies we headed to the airport. Upon arrival we noticed the vastness of the international responce. Greek, US, Italian, French, Venezualan, Mexican, etc...etc. All of them working under the UN. Cars,buses,trucks,and planes danced among each other trying to aid Haitians. 

Upon finding the hospital we were immediately thrown into a chaotic, but yet amazing, circumstance. Aaron and I quietly searched for a resupply of goods among the critically injured. They patiently answered our questions and pointed us to the pharmacy who helped us with asonr qntacid. Then on to the headquarters tent where the chief medical officer explained to us that we could bring critical patients to their hospital for a higher level of care. He then gave us directions to the World Health Organization. He said they would supply us there. 

After a cold drink in the market we returned home. It was obvious that God had been in the van with us today. He knew what we needed for our small clinic and He opened the doors for us. We learned that it's not the size of the hospital that matters. What matters is that God has a plan for all of the people we have treated. We asked and he provided.       

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Domino's, Devastation, and We are Family(song)

Four aftershocks total started the day and it also added us to the list of millions who have been part of a historical event. It was not an event that any of us chose buy none the less we're part of it. Again, we ran our free medical clinic, this time until lunch.  We cut it short because team 2 was due to arrive shortly. It was a joyous occassiona for team one and our Haitian staff. We all waited along the filthy road for their black ...... I'm mean blue...... I mean red/burgundy bus as Aaron described. But finally they were here.

Team two had a similar trip as team one from Santo Domingo. Beautiful sun lit mountains and rolling hills along the way. Upon entering Jemani,Haiti  the easy ride turned to "hurry up and wait". Vaccinations for the bus driver and an unexpected scenic drive through Port Au Prince added the remaining 6 hours or so. Never the less they are with us now. 

Later in the aftrnoon Dr K sent a small group of us to find the only remaining Domino's pizza in Haiti. Following a different route through the city we traveled through some of the hardest hit neighborhoods. Total devastation for a few miles. Everyone displaced and living among that now familiar smell of death. Signs spray painted on semi standing walls pleading "Lots of Dead Please Help". We traveled further and I pondered about how important this pizza might be. God revealed two messages to my heart. 

One: Dont forget where you are!!!! This was the knock down. 
Two: It's ok to fellowship. See, fellowship boosts morale. 

Our team wasn't down but God allowed us bond as team one. We studied the values of a Christian this morning. 
Fellowship.... Check
Stewardship..... Check

We ate our pizza on the way back to camp. Two miles out among the total destruction. People began to sweep trash off the street and finally...... Hope emerges.    
  

 
Two aftershocks this morning at 5am. Everyone is ok.

Monday, January 25, 2010

We are TEAMing with excitement

Thank God they are on the ground and in the hotel. We dont have much room here but we will make it work. The FBO is set up for their arrival and we desperately need them and the supplies they bring. The journey is long from Santo Domingo (156 miles= 13 hours) but we will be waiting for them with open arms. Tomorrow we morph from a 6 person crew to a 14 person team. Our numbers will even grow larger the next day when our German counterparts arrive. We love them all and pray the trip is a safe one. Sleep well tonight team mates....and take a shower too...these things are in short supply when you get on the ground.

Love,
Team One

M.A.S.H.

No, we arent regular army or even a mobile surgical unit. Clearly though we have shed a little hope on the 75..76..77..78..79...... lives that we intersected today. They waited patiently in the hot sun to have anyone listen to their ills. All of the health problems needed some sort of medical attention. Most of them could have been cured by the immune system. It didnt matter though...What was important was that someone cared enough about them to listen and touch. Humans need interaction and when millions are displaced by a catastrophe humans tend to process humans like cattle. Im not intending to say that they were treated poorly by first responders but rather...First responders are trained to handle immediate care issues. Our patients were given a sort of care that superceded band aids and bandages..We gave them those things plus human love, and the Love of Jesus Christ.

The importtant thing was that a small team from Gainesville, GA mobilized 6 Americans plus 4 Haitians in about 1 hour set up a free clinic for whomever wanted to come in. It was possible because of God, donations, and will power.

I am writing this as we continue to treat PEOPLE. The sun is going down and the sound of helicopters flying over makes me start humming that familiar tune from the TV show. Just like Hawkeye and the gang, we all want to go home but the mission comes first. All we want to do is help

Team 2

Team 2 has made it to Santo Domingo. We are in our hotel and cleaning up. We were able to go to the "walmart" and get food for the week. We will catch a little sleep tonight and head out at 2am for Haiti. All the luggage made it and everyone is good. Thanks for all the prayers and support!
This morning we awoke and began building our medical clinic. Within an hour we had 100 plus patients lined up waiting to see the doctors. People were patient. We moved thru 45 patients before lunch

Team 2

Team 2 has landed in Miami. The American flight crew was great. The pilot came over the mic and told everyone that we were going to Haiti and thanked us. The passengers started clapping. Then they gave us some donations to take with us. To God be the glory!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Sorry about the typos. All of this blogging is from my iPhone.
An answer in response to America's supposed occupation of Haiti.

Typically when a foreign military occupies a country They deploy troops in areas where they can control communication, transportation, and supply. As we drive through the city we have noticed American troops on the ground in these areas. We met one US soldier that was guarding the gate to a hospital so that critically injurered Haitians can be medevac'd without delay. We met other US soldiers directing traffic so that people could move about freely, and yet another US soldier
, Sgt Rendy, who was helping to guard a hotel so that rescue/recovery operations could be conducted without hinderance from looters. Our troops were respectful and helpful. Sgt Rendy assisted us in speaking with a casualty assistance officer about the whereabouts of a missing American from GA. The US military was helping to recover 41 Americans who were buried in a hotel. They had organized a method for identifying the bodies and then notifying the families. Cordial and firm but completely professional. These guys represented our nation on foreign soil with humbled dignity. I'm proud of them and the Anerican response to this catastrophy. God Bless The USA!!

Please feel free to leave comments or questions for me to answer. This should be an open dialogue. We also have 5 Haitians who are working with us. They would love to answer any questions you might have
Today's mission has been completed. We successfully moved 40 smiling faces and have completely set up our fixed base of operations. The next team arrives a day from now and we are ready to move full steam ahead.

Tonight I will set up our mobile network. High speed Internet and dialtone via satellite. On the LAN side I will establish our wifi network. This will allow us to communicate more effectively with our team at home as well as CBS and WSB.

Whole down here I have been shooting video for thd CBS station in Atlanta. They were gracious enough to supply a camera for the work. Hopefully the video will capture the devastation from our "street view" as well as tell the people at home about why it was important for us to come.

For me personally...... My purpose was fulfilled when all of those children moved away from this place. If God only sent us to do that then it's enough.

Our team has successfully moved about 40 orphans and staff to a church in the mountains. Finally back to PAP. We are anxious to go look for the missing Americans at the Montana hotel.
Bright sunshine!!!!! And rays of hope. This morning I was awoken by small calibre gunfire and people walking past my tent. There was no danger but it was a quick reminder of where we were. As the morning progressed past 3:30am the sun broke. Children everywhere. Typical for a weekend morning for most of us but these children had no parents. With the love of God and a willing orphanage staff these kids survive the days happy.

All of them have smiles and wanted to help us crazy Americans pack our gear. Their reward was fruitloops cereal. They gobbled it up like any normal kid sans cartoons. Happier still they climbed aboard the green bus that was a mix of green, orange, and dirt and took their seats towards a better life out of the city

Saturday, January 23, 2010

The longest bus ride of my life

I have taken long trips in the past and on more than one occassion it was on a bus. Today was different however. Not because I was traveling to a disaster area of catastrophic proportions but rather because......well......

After sitting in a traffic jam for 3 hours we finally made it to Port Au Prince. Upon entering the city you started to get a feel that something was off. Everyone was moving primarily in one direction... AWAY. The basic instinct of self preservation was in play for perhaps 1 million people. The city wasn't evacuating but fleeing and because it would be impossible for all of the citizens to flee the rest squatted. Tent cities everywhere.

As we got close to the city center it became obvious that there was devastation of biblical proportions. I could relay many knowns about collapsed buildings. Such as the smells, tastes, and sights of 200,000 dead people. I can't and won't attempt to wrap words around what we have seen so far. I will leave it at horrible. Simply put.....Horrible!!!!

I will focus on one aspect that I can report was in full effect. Love..... The Haitians are hurting. They wear it on their faces as they bathe, eat, and sleep in the streets. This hurt is being answered by God with is unending love. Evil may have killed and maimed and destroyed but God unleashed his love in the form of relieff workers from almost every continent. They have been sent here by Him to Love the Haitians and to rebuild their city.
We have arrived in Jimani. It is a scene if organized chaos. Overhead is abuzz with US medivac H-60 helicopters and on the ground the international medical community has established makeshift communities. Amongst all of this is the normal day to day activities of the locals. One hour from here lay approximately 200,000 dead. The whole world has responded to the catastrophe. I'm proud to say I'm a Christian and an American
We stopped at 6:30am local for fuel. This allowed everyone to awaken from a slumber. Finally the sun was up. The Dominican mountains are beautiful, especially when the sun is rising over them. There is a sense of anticipation in the air as we draw closer to jimani, Haiti. It is here where we will cross over. This same town is also being used as a field hospital for many injured Haitians.

It will likely be our first glimpse of the devastating effect of the 2010 quake.

Good morning!!!! Our team is on the road again. This time headed to Haiti. It will be s long day on the road but everyone is ready. Joining our team are three translators from Haiti and costa rica. The HHFM team can now speak Spanish, English, and French.

Today's trip will help us determine how to plan the insertion and extraction of our teams in country. Currently the information is sketchy at best as to how long it will actually take to get to Port Au Prince. Some estimates are 12 hours and some are 4 hours. God is our guide and he will determine how quickly he wants us in Haiti.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Good night from Santo Domingo. Tomorrow Haiti bound at 4am
The team has arrived in the Dominican Republic. Our guide was prompt and has been very helpful. After leaving the airport we stopped at a the Hiper Ole and bought supplies for the next 10 days. We are a motivated and ready for the cross country trip tomorrow
Great news from Germany!!! We just found out that the German division of Helping Hands is sending 9 members to Haiti next week....God is Good!!!
Sitting in Miami with the rest of the team. Currently everyone is still wrapping up last minute details before we hit the ground. You can look at each member and see in their eyes that each of us is mentally preparing for catastrophic devastation. We lean on God heavily for this mission and realize that he is in our corner and guiding our every move. Still the anticipation builds!!!!
First delay of the day. The flight now leaves at 10:09
First Haiti team is in the way to the airport. Despite the lack of sleep and a flight delay in Atlanta we are very motivated. Everyone is ready to get on the ground and start helping in this relief effort.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

1st Team to Haiti

Helping Hands will be sending the first team to Haiti this Friday. This team will responsible for establishing a Base of Operations, Medical Relief, Rescue, Recovery, and above all...Spreading the Word about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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