Through the generosity of a private donor, our third delegation since the earthquake, traveled to Port-au-Prince on a private plane. Carrying over 700 pounds of medical supplies, they arrived Tuesday, February 9 and headed immediately to our clinic in Grand Bois.
This group included Dr. Charmaine Lewis, US Medical Director (North Carolina), volunteer coordinator Liz McDermott and electrician Dave Schumacher (Iowa), pharmacist Roger Berens, (Michigan) and Peter Anderson, Treasurer (Atlanta). Their work goals included finishing the new Labor & Delivery room at the clinic, checking on the wells in neighboring Latwazon and the clinic and, as always, attending to the many patients who arrive at the clinic on a daily basis.
Because most of the people travel a great distance to reach the clinic, there is often little to be done for them once they arrive. But for each tragedy that occurs, there are also miracles. This trips’ miracle was the safe delivery of a boy whose mother tragically died on the way to the clinic. Named “Jesus” by the staff, he will need to be taken to a hospital for further care.
Dr. Leo and his staff at the clinic, continue to be most grateful for all that ServeHAITI is able to do for them. We could not do this work if not for the prayers and support from all of our friends, donors and volunteers.
Peter Anderson and Dr. Flavia Mercado returned to Atlanta on Monday evening after spending time at our clinic in Grand-Bois and in Port-au-Prince. Dr. Michael Grady, a member of this initial trip, has stayed in Port-au-Prince to help supervise medical activities at Hospice House, Matthew 25.
Matthew 25 is continuing to treat many residents of Port-au-Prince and still has a large number of people staying in the soccer field behind their building. Our delegates also went out into the surrounding community to assist other medical groups. Many patients were brought back to Matthew 25 for more extensive treatment.
Through your generous donations, our initial group was able to secure transportation from the Dominican Republic and to bring in 400 pounds of much needed medical supplies and prescription medicine.
Wendy Strassner, Assistant Treasurer (Atlanta), along with Liz McDermott, our Volunteer Coordinator (Iowa) and 2 volunteers from Iowa, left Monday morning, January 25th. They carried 400 pounds of supplies and medicine. Dr. Grady will return with this group on February 2, 2010.
We are pleased to report that all employees and friends of ServeHAITI, have been located.
Thank you for all your continued prayers and generous support of ServeHAITI.
Three volunteers from Atlanta, Peter Anderson, Dr. Michael Grady and Dr. Flavia Mercado, arrived in Santo Domingo, DR, late on Monday afternoon.
They were at our clinic in Grand-Bois by mid-afternoon on Tuesday, the 19th. The clinic was standing strong and supplies were dwindling but not gone. There has been a minor influx of people from Port-au-Prince seeking treatment.
This morning, January 20th, a decision was made to travel to Matthew 25 Hospice House in Port-au-Prince, taking some supplies, water and food. Our volunteers have stayed here numerous times. The soccer field behind their building has now has become a home to those seeking food, medicine and water. Dr. Leopold is traveling with them.
Word was just received (3:10 p.m.), of their safe arrival at Matthew 25. There seemed to have been no further damage to that building. Our volunteers will go where they are needed most at this time.
ServeHAITI is extremely grateful for your continued support and prayers. Without you, none of this would be possible.
Dear Friends & Supporters of ServeHAITI:
Your generous contributions to our organization have been overwhelming. Words cannot express our gratitude. As of last evening, January 14th, we have received word that Pere Reginald, our little girls at Fontamara Orphanage and most of the employees at Hospice St. Joseph are safe. We continue to await word on Dr. Jean Calvaire.
The clinic continues to experience tremors but there has been no structural damage. There are people who have left Port-au-Prince to seek help of any kind. Dr. Leo and his staff are starting to see an influx of these people at the clinic which will tax their dwindling supplies. (See comments from Dr. Charmaine Lewis, below, US Medical Director of ServeHAITI) A bright note is that ServeHAITI had used previous contributions to dig 2 wells, one at the clinic and one in the neighboring town of Latwazon. Clean water is the highest priority at all times but most especially now. The wells will go a long way in providing clean water to the community.
In that regard, three volunteers, Peter Anderson, Michael Grady. D.O., and Dr. Flavia Mercado, all of Atlanta, will be flying to the Dominican Republic on Monday with supplies. They will assess the situation and arrange for more medical personnel and supplies to get to the clinic. They will be transported from the Dominican Republic directly to the clinic. Please pray for their safe travel and for all of those affected by this tragedy.
Joanne A. McGriff, MD, MPH
Executive Director
ServeHAITI, Inc
The following is a message from Dr. Charmaine Lewis, US Medical Director and Board Member of ServeHAITI
The tragedy in Haiti has struck us all as particularly cruel in light of the lives lost and high cost in a country that had barely anything to lose.
We at ServeHAITI feel fortunate for so many things: for years of hard work and dedication of an extremely talented staff of Haitians on the ground, led by Dr. Leopold Bourgouin; for years of tireless efforts from volunteers in the United States; and for the ability to achieve our goals on the foundation that nearly every penny of loyal donors’ dollars go directly to efforts in Grand-Bois.
In the aftermath of the earthquake that struck near to Port-au-Prince, we have new things for which to be eternally grateful. We have located all but one employee safe and sound. (Please continue to pray for Dr. Calvaire that he and his family have made it to safety.) We have a Health Center that looks to be largely undamaged. We have learned that the road to the Health Center seems to be operational.
These fortunes are not to be taken lightly. In the coming days and weeks, we will see a mass exodus of people leaving the city and returning to their province of birth. We have already begun to treat patients with injuries sustained in the earthquake who came to us based on our excellent reputation. Grand-Bois, situated not far from Port-au-Prince, may see a doubling of its population. These people will be refugees – they will have no shelter, no food, and no economic capacity. They will be thrust into our community with only the resources available to them there.
More than ever, ServeHAITI will need to be ready to combat our known foes: Poverty, Disease, and Lack of Education. We will need to house and feed more people, take care of more patients, and educate more children.
We will continue to need the special talents of a host of individuals, from doctors and nurses to engineers to social workers to lawyers to economists to teachers. And more than ever we will need the financial support to accomplish our goals, which remain to improve the quality of life for residents of Grand-Bois. There are now just more of them.
Thank you for your continued support.
Charmaine A. Lewis, MD, MPH
US Medical Director, ServeHAITI.org
Dear Friends & Supporters of ServeHAITI:
By now many of you have heard of the devastation that has struck Haiti in the form of a massive earthquake 10 miles west of Port-au-Prince.
We have been in touch with Dr. Leopold who reports that he has experienced several tremors at our clinic in Grand Bois. The clinic was built in accordance with U.S. standards and appears to have suffered no structural damage. As a precaution, he moved all patients out of the building into the front yard over night, but all now are back in the building. They are able to treat people in the region who were injured during the earthquake.
The Executive Committee met last night and has agreed to offer our volunteer assistance and support to local and international relief organizations who are planning missions to Haiti in the next few days to weeks. Our next scheduled trip to Gran Bois was slated for this Friday, Jan 15. This has been canceled and we do not plan to go to Haiti on our own but would like to partner with disaster relief efforts that will assist in any way.
We also ask for prayers for those whom we have not heard from: Dr. Jean Calvaire, Pere Reginald, Hospice St. Joseph staff, Lovely Lubin and Jules Colastin. Some of our prayers already have been answered: Dr. Leopold's family in Carrefour is well and accounted for. We are taking account of our SVDP and PEPFAR employees as we speak.
This is a tragic time for all of the people of Haiti. Please join us in our prayers for everyone affected by this devastating occurrence.
Joanne A. McGriff, MD, MPH
Executive Director
ServeHAITI, Inc
|
