Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus laid down his life for us. By his resurrection he defeated death and gave us THE way to have eternal life (John 3:16). Join us in praising God for his immeasurable love and in celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
News update
Hooray for the US Navy. The Navy medical ship Comfort was in Port au Prince last week with an amazing number and variety of medical specialists. They will provided medical care and surgeries to hundreds of people. We praise God for this wonderful gift!
Friday Poutchino was privileged to see a pediatric lung specialist. She can't say whether he has had TB or not but she is certain that he has lung problems due to aspiration of food and liquids. He doesn't swallow properly, probably due to neurological damage caused by hydrocephalus. Poutchino needs a feeding tube inserted into his stomach to keep him from aspirating any more food for a while --- this is to give his lungs a chance to clear out the junk and recover. Given his neurological problems it is too risky to do on the ship. The surgeon who couldn't do the surgery on the ship wants to do it in the states when he gets back to his practice. We have started the process of getting Poutchino a passport and visa. Please pray that the hospital will agree to allow the free surgery and that all the things that need to happen to make this possible DO happen!
The clinic we visited was in Cite Soleil, one of the worst slum areas of Port au Prince and the former (we hope) stronghold of some of the worst gangs. Luckily Karen Bultje is familiar with Cite Soleil and drove us to the clinic. The clinic wasn't where it was supposed to be - we got to the hospital and no one knew where we should go. We ran into a Haitian carpenter Karen knew and he told us to try the wharf. We drove around a while, asked pedesterians for help, and finally found a compound surrounded by bare concrete block walls topped with razor wire. There were no signs but inside the partially open gate we saw lots of people. It was the clinic! We are still thanking God for guiding us that day and covering us with his protection.
About a hundred people were waiting outside an inner gate, clutching tickets which they had obtained locally the previous week. There were people bent over in pain, people limping on bent or broken bones, people with huge tumors, emaciated, sick, desperate people. It was heartbreaking to see them but heartening to know they would get help. Most impressive was the respect, gentleness and kindness shown to these suffering people by the Navy personnel. We didn't see any Navy people who were not actively working to guide and comfort confused, frightened patients. What a blessing!
Lovensky saw an opthamologist from the USNS Comfort. His right eye is too badly scarred to be helped but his left eye is in great shape. Thank you Lord!
Baby Rosetaina doesn't need a feeding tube anymore. She is doing as well as can be expected for a child with advanced AIDS. We pray she will get treatment that will improve the quality of her life in addition to prolonging it. In the meantime, my main concern is to assure her comfort as best I can. She often looks like she just feels miserable. We can get her to laugh sometimes, though. Pray for her comfort, please!
Madeline is another new child. We were told she is 2 yrs old but think she is more than 3, possibly even 4. She only weighs 14 lbs. and is pitiful to look at. She is lovely, though, with the longest eyelashes! She smiles easily and seems grateful to have enough milk to drink and food to eat. Another Haitian beauty! Praise God for bringing her here!
A mother and uncle brought a two month old baby boy to the gate. Ricardo Joseph weighed less than 5 lbs. and was very dehydrated. His mother said she couldn't breastfeed him anymore, that her milk had dried up. He was in bad shape. I gave him 10cc of half strength formula and gave them money to take him to our best children's hospital where he will be treated for free. Thank you, Lord, for a Christian hospital to treat poor children.
Haitian Senatorial elections will be held tomorrow. We are told to stay home. Private vehicles will not be allowed on the streets. We stocked up on generator fuel and food so we can stay in for a few days if necessary. Please pray for peace in this very young, fragile country.
Blessings to you all, and may the peace of God be upon you.
Dorothy Pearce
"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." I Cor. 13:13
