Life From Dust

The "primary color" of Port-au-Prince is chalk-creamy-white. That is the color of the sand used in making concrete blocks and cement. Crumbled buildings have released clouds of dust which now blanket EVERYTHING in the city! People wash their clothes, just to dry them over a broken down wall, a bush, or razor wire fence - just to be covered again by the dust. Eyes burn, throats are raspy, your skin gritty - just being here.

Out of this dust, life is breaking forth. Broken water pipes become comunal baths, were children splash, play and laugh. Grandmas bathe buck naked - much of the dignity is gone. Water is gathered for drinking and cooking.

Street vendors are everywhere! A few supermarkets and gasoline station ready marts are open, but very little else. So these entrepenureal individuals - desparate for meal tonight, sell anything and everything they can get their hands on. Piles of shoes, used clothes hanging neatly on hangars looped over a length of telephone wire nailed to a broken wall. Piles of tangerines neatly stacked in baskets on the curb. Life is returning.

Church services today.

Cool drinks?

Coleslaw?

Meat market.

Laundry.

Preparing Lunch.

Walking Pharmacy. What ails you?

Grocery Store?

Looking Sharp! Too bad it's with a Gillette!

Picking up the medical team last Sunday and their luggage on the tarmac - right under the wing. Bob and Andy Russell ride on back to protect supplies from possible thieves. (Photo by Tiffany Morgan)

Emergency Medical

Fourteen days after the devastating earthquake that destroyed huge sections of Port-au-Prince, Haiti one would not have expected to see what we saw today. Over a dozen broken bones - several had not had any treatment! Three traumatic amputations of toes or fingers. And many serious infections, abscesses, and wounds. We treated around 300 patients in the past couple days. Girl who lost a finger and may lose more when she has surgery tomorrow.

I shadowed Dr. Angus Graham an orthopedic surgeon and assisted with most, if not all splinting of broken bones.

Heather Rubin, a pediatric trauma ICU nurse doing wound care to a woman with a serious and infected gash to the head.

Tiffany Morgan, pediatric trauma ICU nurse, does wound care to a girl who had been trapped by a block wall.

Heather and Tiffany assisting patients at their station.

Even after being treated for a huge gash to the face and a broken arm, this young lady even manages to smile!

Other patients were a little more hesitant. But in the end, everyone was grateful that we would "bother" to go to their community and provide loving medical treatment in Jesus' Name. Few even notice they exist. A true sign of poverty - "invisible".

Because of this wonderful team, hundreds of beautiful people are on the road to recovery!

Downtown Port-au-Prince

God's Grace, Haiti's Hope - It's Children!

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."Luke 18:16-18

But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Luke 18:15-17 (Holy Bible)

Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest." Luke 9:47-49 (Holy Bible)





And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. Matthew 18:4-6 (Holy Bible)

The reseliance God built into children is a testimony to His Goodness! Children in Haiti dance, sing, laugh, play, fly kites, well - are children. There IS hope for Haiti! One day, one of these children will lead this beautiful nation and will be all the stronger because of God's Grace and January 12, 2010.

Decapacitation of a Nation!

Presidential Palace of Haiti (equivalent to the White House of USA) destroyed by massive earthquake.

Judicial Building (like Supreme Court in USA)

Military Barracks.

Ministries of Health and Finance.

Internal Revenue Service.

Catholic Church.

Haiti Earthquake in Pictures

Destroyed commerce. Satelite dish still looking for hope.

Home where one of our kids was killed.

Demolished house where 2 of our children died when it came crashing down the hill in a landslide.

Picking through the rubble for anything of value. Banks are not open. Businesses are just starting to open. There is no electricity. All means there is no work or money for the poor. They are forced to scavenge for survival.

Port-au-Prince University were hundreds of Haiti's brightest minds perished.