THANK YOU Christian Aid Ministries (CAM)!!  Since the beginning of the cholera epidemic, they have provided so many supplies.  Starting early Thursday morning, dad started hauling items in.  Three large loads of IV fluids, buckets, bleach, soap, ORS, hand sanitizer, and more.

We all 3 squeezed in the front seat and took off up the mountain.  Us three are really tight in more ways than one.

There has been a lot of rain all over Haiti the last few days.  Cazale is no exception and everywhere is MUDDY!!!  The area near the cholera house has clay-like dirt.  When it rains, it reminds me of walking on ice – that’s how slick it is.  Even with 4×4, the truck couldn’t make it.  We unloaded some things, thinking the load might be too heavy.  It didn’t help.  Licia and I took off on foot and dad and the guys unloaded the boxes on the side of the road.

Now, I have to admit it wasn’t the best idea we’ve ever had, but had to get up there.

I couldn’t walk in my sandals anymore and just had to take them off.  I know, stupid considering all the cholera victims that pass on this very road.   I figured I’d have time to bleach down my toes in good time and I certainly wasn’t planning on putting them in my mouth and, well, gosh, there was a lot of work to do up there.

Licia had better sandals and got up there before me.  A bad pt had just arrived.  His family had carried him in this rain and mud about 6 hours up and down mountains….and yes, I do mean to put an “s” on the end of mountain because there were a few.  We are such losers!!!!  We were just having problems getting up this one hill.  There were about 30 people (that had traveled down with him, taking turns carrying him) waiting outside.  As I finally, got up the hill and closer to the house, I saw that high fives, hugs, and smiles.  Victory!  The nurses had gotten the IV in!!  They carried him all that way &  he hadn’t died, but everyone knew that they must get the fluids started soon.  Everyone always says – once you make it inside and they start the IV, you won’t die.  They had hope now….and joy, so much joy despite the long, difficult journey that they had just made.  They put 2 IV lines in before they even untied him from the bed.

As they were cleaning him up and admitting him, the family didn’t just leave.  They didn’t sit down and take a breather.  No.  They walked down that slick path, that we had just struggled so hard to climb, and carried boxes upon boxes of life-saving supplies and IV fluids up to those in need.

I will never think or say that I came to “save” the Haitian people.  We work shoulder to shoulder, muddy foot to muddy foot, and heart to heart with these people that we so deeply love and cherish.  Why God would allow us this privilege of even knowing these brave and lovely people, let alone serving them, is beyond me.   The nurses got the IV, the other workers prepared the bed, the wash ladies hand washed his clothes, and the family carried up needed supplies.  I stood there taking a photo or two, trying to clean my feet and sandals, and thanking God.  I walked in the door to see this:

People everywhere.  This area is used for triage and usually have 4-6 people.  Not today.  Standing, sitting on blocks, chairs, and bags – patients were receiving education on how to stop the spread of cholera, how to treat drinking water, hand washing, and preparing oral rehydration from common items in their kitchens.

There is no running water here.  It all has to be carried up the hill from the clinic.  Every drop is precious.  When it rains, we collect all the run-off that we can in buckets.

I was able to do some teaching with new staff, regroup the team, and cheer them on a bit.  Licia and I continued to organize, restock, and problem solve throughout the day.

One huge problem is that we don’t have enough room.  The Air Force gave us a couple of huge tents after the earthquake, so we decided to put one up in the back yard.  Enoch got men to cut down the weeds and trees, level the ground, carry in gravel, spread it out, carry in sand, and spread it out on Thursday – despite the rain and mud.

He assembled the tent today – Friday.  We have no beds, but we are putting it up in faith.  Even without cots, we began using it immediately.  We took most of our blankets, comforters, and even tablecloths and opened them up on the gravel.  We were unsure if people would sleep on the thin protection between them and the damp ground.  They were ecstatic!  Lifting their hands and praising God, they each found a spot to stretch out for the night.  This was a happy moment for so many.  Some have been sitting in plastic chairs, holding their sick child throughout the day and night, since Monday and Tuesday.  Think about that for a moment.  I know that I would be complaining after one night!  God provides.  He provides exactly what we need.  He knew that we would need this tent before we did.  He has that much attention to detail.  He is that organized.  These moms were just so happy for His provision.  I’m praying that they have a great night of rest.

The gentleman in the photo above was very ill.  The family and staff were hopeful and praying for him to recover.  Look at his hands and feet.

The wrinkling almost looks like his hands and feet have been in water for awhile, right?  They haven’t.  We see this severe dehydration daily in the sickest patients coming in for treatment.

Despite 12 liters of IV fluids, he died Friday morning.  He did have cholera, but had additional health problems that made his body too weak to support it all.  After they dropped him off, they went back home to get clothes, food, and money.  There was no family there with him during the night.  I went up to prepare the body.  The night nurse stayed over.  He is the only nurse on nights.  He just got done with his 6th night of 12-hr shifts caring for 50-70 patients.  He wanted to help and talk to the family.  He knew that they were coming.  We prepared the body.  We each found many jobs to do as we waited.  When his two sons and daughter came, we brought them inside the yard to talk.  I didn’t even have a chair to sit them down in to tell them that their father had died.  They understood and listened as I did my best to go over everything in detail like my American brain works.  The family listened, but eventually jumped in.  They knew he was very sick.  The only chance that he had to live was to come to the cholera house.  They were happy about how we had quickly cared for him.  They were sure that he would die from the journey alone.  We talked and arranged details of the burial on our property with the other cholera victims.  Before we departed ways, his older son thanked me for trying to care for his dad.  He thanked us for saving so many.  He said, “God’s Will was done here.”  He was at peace with his father’s passing, despite the difficult emotions he was experiencing.  We had all pray different.  We prayed for life and recovery.  We want a low death rate.  Not for the sake of saying that it is low, but for the sake of the many that are able to recover and live with the treatment that they receive here.  This man’s death, like all, is tragic.  A wicked little bug like cholera shouldn’t be able to wipe out so many precious people, but it does.  To me, his death is my failure.  What did I miss?  What if I would have done this or that?  To the son, it was the Will of God.  He prayed and put his father in God’s Hands and God took him home.  It was that simple.

There is no way that my 2 hands could possibly take care of all of these sick people.  Even if I would go back to sleeping an hour a night and working 22 hr daily shifts like I did at the beginning of this outbreak, I could not physically or emotionally care for the 1758 pts that have passed through the cholera house.  No one is an island.  At least we shouldn’t be.  Shame on us.  Shame on our pride that thinks that we can do so much.  What are we without our God?  He is the Creator of the universe, Giver of Life, and Master Designer of all.  We must humble ourselves to depend on Him.  We must.  Faith and trust can be difficult at first.  Fear, worry, bitterness, and pride block our surrender.  We must daily strive to break down these barriers to give our whole lives back to the One who gave it to us in the first place.  It is one of the most humbling, beautiful, and rewarding feelings to just get our flesh, our dreams, and our opinions out of the way and just let God do His thing.  In attempting (still a daily struggle at times) to serve and surrender to Him, He has sent a wonderful and compassionate staff and has opened His storehouse to supply buckets, chairs, resources, contacts, medications, IV fluid, bleach, and even 24g angiocaths — at just the perfect time.  I couldn’t have planned it out any better even if I had unlimited money, contacts, and internet access.  His timing is the best – always.  That is so hard to understand in death and misery.  I don’t know why this father died.  I don’t know why God chose to take my mom home when he did.  He was a little early if you ask me, but that’s just the thing.  It’s not up to me.  I must surrender completely in the good and bad, in life and death, and in abundance and lack.  He is our provision.  In His Will, we have all that we need.

This might seem like a little thing right now, but I’m going to share it.  One item that we are lacking is cots.  I know that they are coming.  I don’t know from who or where or when or how many….but I know that I know that they are coming.  Enoch finished putting up a huge army tent up Friday afternoon.  We wouldn’t have had anywhere to set cots up before today anyway.  So, I’m praying in faith that God will open a door for some cots.  Will you pray in faith with me?  Will allow yourself to believe?  Will you thank and praise Him when you see how He provides?  Pray that His Will be done.