Finding Blessings...

Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.  Psalm 103:22

As the southern peninsula of Haiti recovers from Hurricane Matthew and the heavy rains that followed 2.5 weeks later, we look for blessings amid the destruction and loss.  So many of the Haitian people have told us that they are thankful to God that they have their lives.  The hurricane did lots of damage to homes, businesses, trees, landscape; but the loss of life and injuries in our area was very minimal.   We also have not seen a cholera outbreak in our area.  For these things, we give praise and thanks to our almighty God.   We are finding many other blessings as well.  The above photo is the new view from our rooftop.  The broken and stripped branch in the photo was longer and full of leaves and smaller branches in the past.  Because of these and other trees, we could not see the ocean from our house.  Now, we have a view of the mountains, the ocean and the small island of Ile a Vache in the background, a beautiful blessing each day!

This photo is a "fouch pou chabon"  or a smoking charcoal pit.  The local people gather up the smaller twigs and branches to stack into pits.  The wood is lit with fire and then covered with soil.  The wood then smolders for about 3 days to make charcoal.  The charcoal is sold in the local market and used for cooking fires.  Most Haitians have a small cook shack beside their house where they cook over an open charcoal fire.  While this is providing income for many people, the air in Bonne Fin has been thick with smoke for many days. Unfortunately, the location of our home seems to be in the path of most of the smoke. We've had sore throats and coughs as well as a sinus infection from all the smoke. Thankfully, the branches will be used up some day and the amount of smoke will decrease.

In addition to the charcoal pits, there have been many piles of leaves and debris burning all over campus.  I took the below picture on the lane just below our house.  The haze is smoke from several small fires.  Everything in my house smells like a bon fire.   I have to admit that it has been difficult for me to find the "blessing" in the amount of smoke that infiltrates my home each day.  Maybe the blessing is a lesson in longsuffering?

As clean-up has continued, we have seen many people working together.  Below are two sets of men working together.  The first photo is two men using axes to chop a large tree into smaller pieces.  I was amazed at their strength and rhythm as they worked together. The lower picture is two men sawing a tree trunk into planes of wood that will be used by a local carpenter to make furniture.  Again, their strength, rhythm and precision is amazing.  God blesses each of us with special gifts and talents!

Construction Team from Rockville, CT

At the end of October and first part of November, a team came from Rockville, CT.  The original plan was for this team to be a Dental Clinic team with some extra men to do some construction work on our campus.  With the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew, it was decided to change the focus of the team to be roof repair.  The team became a group of 14 men who came and repaired about 18 tin roofs on the hospital campus.  Most of these were small jobs such as the roof over the gallery or porch on the guest house. (pic below)

The original project for construction portion of the team was to put roofs on two new cook shack buildings that were built adjacent to the family housing rooms.  In Haiti, it is normal for the family of hospital patients to stay nearby and provide food and care.  The medical staff takes care of any medical treatment, but the families help patients with personal hygiene and provide their meals.  Most Haitians cook over an open fire with a small charcoal stove and a pot.  The new buildings have a cement sink with running water, a cement counter and space to set up their charcoal stoves.  

The team was able to put the roofs on the cook shacks and we took a team photo in front of and on top of one of the buildings.  

About one week after the team completed the cook shacks, I visited them and talked with some of the ladies working in them.

These ladies are doing some food prep at the sink inside one of the new cook shacks.

This lady is keeping an eye on the six pots that are simmering on top of the charcoal stoves.  Below each pot, a charcoal fire is burning.  I asked what was cooking; her reply included Vyann Kochon (Pork), Diri Kole (Rice and Beans) Mayi Moulen (Corn Meal Mush) Sos Pwa (Bean Sauce) and Poul (Chicken)  I believe she was watching the pots for several families that will share the food.  Those of you that know me and my love for cooking understand how fun it was for me to observe and talk with these women as they are cooking.  My heart is full and I am blessed to be able to learn from them.

Hospital Lumiere Auction

The annual HL Auction was held in Morton, IL on November 11th.  Rick traveled back to attend the auction as well as a board meeting that was held the following day.  Since the kids and I stayed in Haiti, I don't have pictures of the auction this year.   The auction was a success with the total collected increasing slightly over last year.  

Rick did come back with some fun toys that he purchased at the auction.  One was a drone; we are all having fun watching it fly around campus and we've gotten some great pictures .

We had an audience on our roof for the maiden flight of the new drone.

Hello!

An aerial shot of the hospital and clinic nestled in the mountain of Haiti.

Missionary Retreat

Each year the HarvestCall missionaries that are serving in Haiti gather together for a retreat the weekend before Thanksgiving.  We returned to Coby Beach Resort again this year and enjoyed a weekend of fun, fellowship, renewal and relaxation.  A huge thank you to John Huber, Kirk & Keri Plattner, Amber Miller and Eric & Jami Hartzler for coming and leading our sessions.  We were blessed!  Below are a few pictures from the weekend.

Thanksgiving

Since our move to Haiti, it has become a tradition for us to be with our extended missionary family for Thanksgiving.  This is large gathering of missionaries that are serving in southern Haiti and we have come to love the event.  Mara commented to me this year that Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday in Haiti.  We are THANKFUL for the blessing of having some many wonderful people serving with us in Haiti.  

I will close this post with a photo of my new friend.  I'm not quite sure yet how this friend is blessing me, but I do love this photo of the tree frog that frequently "hangs out" on our back gate.  

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Psalm 103:1

The Bridge

Yesterday I wrote about the area at Pradin (where the lady sits by the tree).  The actual bridge is intact, but the earth beside the bridge washed away, leaving a huge gap in the road and creating a new river.  

Early in the week, the palm tree trunks were placed across the gap and those wanting to cross had to pay a fee.  Today, the bridge was reinforced with with some 2x4s and plywood.  

We drove down to today with the purpose of getting Linda Sprouffske to Cayes so she can catch a bus to PAP in the AM.  She is the RN that returned with us on the 9th and she plans to return to Oregon on Thursday.  So, we drove her to this bridge and Sheila Moser drove up from Cayes to meet us and take her the rest of the way down.  

We also had a large medical supplies order waiting for us on the other side of the bridge. We didn't have to pay to cross today, but we did pay several Haitian men to carry the medical supplies over the bridge.

The bridge is strong enough for motos to drive over it too.  We are praying and hoping this spot will be fixed before the weekend when we have a large work team arrive.

Just another adventure in a day in the life...

Salt in a Wound

Just 17 days after Hurricane Matthew destroyed much of the southern peninsula of Haiti, the area received a drenching rain.  It felt like salt in the wound that was left in aftermath of the hurricane.   

The week after the hurricane had several sunny days with short rain showers that are typical for any tropical island.  Then, just people were starting to dry out and make plans to repair homes, a heavy rain started.  

In Bonne Fin, the rain started about 9 PM on Thursday, 20 October 2016 and heavy rains continued through the night and most of the next day.  The rain finally stopped at about 5 PM on Friday.  Our rain gauge was still knocked down from the hurricane, so we didn't get an accurate measure, but rough estimates are between 15-20 inches of rain during those 20 hours.  With the ground already saturated, the creeks and roads became rushing rivers and more damage was inflicted on the area.  

It was a cool rain and for those with homes that are still missing a roof or damaged, it was a very difficult time.  Once again, they were cold and wet.  Some sustained flooding in their homes even though they had a roof and some watched belongings wash away in the rushing water.  

During the rain on Friday, Bob Beebe took this photo of the road in front of the hospital. It was a small river in some parts.

On Saturday morning, the sun came out and we ventured out assess any new damage.  

There was still lots of water running, but minor road repairs on campus and unclogging a few canals and waterways made a significant difference in the immediate area.  

The same area as the above picture, but about 24 hours later.  The water was still running over the road.  The tube under the roadway was clogged with debris from the hurricane.

This canal beside our ball court was clogged and running slowly.  Rick and the kids worked to clean debris from the canal and make the water way more efficient.   

This picture shows how water was spilling onto the ball court before they unclogged the canal.

This shows how water was coming off the corner of the ball court.

Water cut a deep gully in the small road leading to the Zimmerman home.  This is typical of most of our roads after the heavy rain.

These men are working to clear a large tree that is blocking the flow of water and causing some flooding behind the hospital.

Water rushing in a normally docile creek.

A few of us loaded up in a truck and attempted to drive down to see the Gros Marin River.  This is the normally dry river bed that is home to a local market.  We heard reports that it was a raging river on Friday.  Because of deep gullies in the road, we were not able to make it down.  

This woman was walking in water on the road.

This deep gully stopped our progress down the road.  It was only about a mile down the road and near the road to the reservoir  that feeds our hydro electric generator.   It is now Monday and our road is still not passable.  We sent one of our employees to Cayes today and he had quite a voyage.  

Geleme related that he was able to drive a truck to the river bed in Gros Marin.  At this point, he was concerned about getting stuck in deep mud and running water.  He took a moto (motorcycle taxi) across at a narrow spot that could not be used by a truck.  He continued on the moto until Pradin.  For those that know our mountain road, this is the spot where a large tree lays across a creek bed.  Also, there is a large tree next to the road and a lady is always sitting there.  We have a joke that she lives in the tree.  The bridge at this point is still intact; however, there is an 8 foot gully on one side of the bridge.  Some men put some large tree trunks across the gully and are charging 50 gourdes (about 75 cents US) to walk across the trunks.  So Geleme crossed the tree trunk bridge on foot and then had to hire another moto to take him the rest of the way down.  For an American, this seems like quite a story, yet it is a perfect example of life in Haiti and not so unusual.  

Along the roadside, a family was drying their clothes.  The clothes line is the Fiber Optic line that was broken during the Hurricane.  

This truck became stuck in deep mud near the soccer field.  The men are using rocks and wooden boards as levers to try and lift the truck.  Looks like dangerous work to me!!

Below are two waterfalls that were created by the heavy rains.  We don't normally see waterfalls in these places so we are enjoying their beauty.

This is another shot of Bonne Fin and the Hospital Campus from the road that curves around on the way to the hospital.  This shot is a bit clearer than the one in my earlier post.  Because this picture was taken shortly after a heavy rain, it's too wet for any fires and the smoke that makes photos hazy.  

The photo below was taken last week.  After crews spent all day cleaning leaves and debris, they started several fires along the road.  I took this photo from our roof and it has a neat effect.  It almost looks like a wildfire, even though it was contained and controlled.  

New Life...

This photo doesn't look too special at first glance, but I want to point out a few things that make it special to me.  This was taken from our roof.  Before the Hurricane, we could not see a sunset because of the trees and heavy foliage.  While there are lots of stripped trees poking up, we can still the beautiful colors of a tropical sunset.  The other point is the tuft of green at the top of the palm tree.  Just two weeks after this tree withstood a CAT 4 Hurricane, new leaves are spring forth.  We are starting see new growth on many of the trees, especially the banana trees that grow very quickly.  It is exciting to see New Life and it makes me wonder how God will use this natural disaster to breathe NEW LIFE into Haiti and it's people.  

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.   II Corinthians 5:17

In Awe of Matthew

When thou passest through the water, I will be with thee:  and the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:  when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; 

neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 

Isaiah 43:2

We returned to Bonne Fin on Oct 9th.  As we made our way from the airport in Port-Au-Prince to Hopital Lumiere and our home on the hospital campus, we saw a slow progression of the intensity of Hurricane Matthew.  We saw the most destruction as we made our way slowly up our mountain road.  As we rounded a corner near the Digicel phone tower, we were able to see the hillside where Bonne Fin is nestled.  Before the storm, we could see some buildings amid the trees and thick foliage.  The scene in the above picture literally took my breath away.  While the concrete structures are intact, many are missing a roof and the tree and greenery is gone.  It looks like Winter in a place that is tropical and usually 80 degrees.  I am in awe of the power of this storm and at the same time, praise God for the buildings that are still standing and provided some protection.  We are not hearing of much loss of life in our area and for that fact, we thank God for His protection.  

In an earlier post, we mentioned that a bridge was washed away in the Ti Gwav (Petit Goave).  Using some large excavators, the river bed was built up enough to allow traffic to pass in this spot.  Continued rains could cause problems in this spot again and block our route to Port-Au-Prince.  

These are banana tree stubs.  It may be some time before we have figs (bananas) and bannanns (plantains) again in our area.  As well, most other tree fruits and crops were blown or washed away.  As a typical supply and demand relationship, the prices of available food has gone up and the people of the area are struggling to feed their families.  

These pictures are typical of the homes in the area.  Most people tell us Tet Kay Mwen Ale (my roof is gone) or Kay Mwen Kraze Net (my house is broken and a total loss)

The fortunate few that had stronger structures that were not destroyed by the hurricane are giving shelter to their extended family and friends.  

Those of you that have visited Bonne Fin may remember the market area in the river bed within the community of Gwo Marin.  Most of the market was washed away and water is still running in the river bed.  We have continued to get some rain each day (October is the raining season) and the river continues to flow.  Fortunately, it is passable in our 4 wheel drive vehicles.  

This is a close-up of the MEBSH church and school in Bonne Fin.  The school is long lower building that lost all of it's roof.  The church lost a large section of it's roof. Despite a big hole in the roof and water still pooling on the floor, services continue in the church. 

This is one of the metal pole that supported power lines to our home.  It is bowed down to the force of Matthew.

Our yard man worked very hard to have our yard mostly cleaned up before our return, even though his own home no longer has a roof.  This large tree has been cut into pieces in this picture, but the top of it was originally on our roof.   Overall, our home received very little damage.  Two ceiling fans on our front gallery (porch) are rather mangled from the wind, but that is about the only damage that was sustained.  

These large trees came down to make a natural fence in front of the home where Bob and Sue Beebe are currently living.  

Most of the missionary homes had minimal damage with some having a few broken panes and some water to clean up.  The home that was occupied by the Klopfenstein family until the end of July sustained the most damage.  This home sits up on a hill and faces ocean.  It was exposed to the full force of the storm.  The picture window above lost all of it's panes and the frame came off the wall.  There was debris and water all over the home.  Fortunately, no one is living in this home currently.  

In addition to trees being broken off, many were uprooted.  This large tree sits in the courtyard of the hospital.


In the week since our return, power has been restored to all of campus and lots of the trees and debris has been cleaned up.  There is still much work to do, but we can see tremendous progress.  We are thankful to be able to give some of the men in the community work and a way to fund repair and rebuilding of their homes.

It is simply amazing what 15 Haitian men with machetes can do.  These men truly know the meaning of hard work.

This week, our children returned to Haiti and we are enjoying being a family again.  We want to thank all of those who helped support our family during the last two weeks with prayers, emails, phone calls, surprise visits during our short time in Kansas, play dates with the kids, providing fall clothing for Krae & Selah, financial help with our unexpected stay in PAP and plane tickets back to Kansas and the many other things that I am forgetting.  Your love and support has been overwhelming!

It is good to be back into our routine with kids going to school and our normal work continuing.  We celebrated Selah's 5th birthday with some chocolate cupcakes after church on Wednesday evening.  It wasn't a big party, but we all enjoyed celebrating something and seeing the smile of a 5 year old on her birthday.  

Even while our lives seem to be normalizing, so many of our Haitian brothers and sisters are in need.  Most have lost crops, animals and household belongings.  Most still don't have adequate shelter as their homes have missing or damaged roofs.  Since it is the rainy season, we are having rain almost every day.  This evening, a cool rain is falling and my heart breaks for those that don't have a roof.  

We have been working to find relief supplies such as tarps and food, but the needs are great and it is very difficult to help all of the people in our area.  By working with some of our Haitian staff, 7 communities that surround the hospital campus have been identified. A leader in each community has been asked to compile a list of the families in need.  A committee of Haitian people has been established to distribute any supplies that can be acquired from aid organizations already in country.  This group has compiled a list of about 700 families that make up about 2500 people that are within walking distance of the hospital.  Please join us in praying that this group can successfully distribute to their communities without problems or interference from thieves.  Please pray that we will be able to acquire needed supplies to help the communities provide for their families.  

Many of you have asked how you can help.  We have listed ways to help below.  Also, the HarvestCall website has updates and information on work teams that may be forming to aid in recovery and rebuilding.

Ways to Donate Financially to Hospital Lumiere – Bonne Fin, Haiti

1.        Online Donations of funds through our website (both addresses get you there),

a.       http://www.harvestcall.org/donate

b.       https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=acwr&id=2

You can select Haiti - Hospital Lumiere OR Disaster General Fund from the drop down.

2.       Send check by mail to Rich Bertschi payable to “Hospital Lumiere”.  Address is:

Hospital Lumiere

P.O. Box 227

Eureka, IL 61530

3.       Medical materials or other materials, need to contact Rick Wuethrich with HarvestCall Hurricane Matthew Disaster Response.  Rick is at (219) 863-4163  rick@wuethrichfarms.com 

As always your prayer support is valuable and needed.  

I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim, I water my couch with my tears.  Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.  Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity, for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.  The Lord hath heard my supplication; the Lord will receive my prayer. Psalm 6:6-9