March – April
2011
Hello
everyone,
I will endeavour
to stop the world from turning for a few minutes in order to share with you the
latest news concerning us.
Everything is
working well here. During March, we have hosted three medical teams, the first
one being from Times Square Church in NYC. Two dentists and three nurses were
part of that team. They accomplished a remarkable job. Times Square Church
invested in order to purchase equipment worth $10 000 allowing dental work
repairs. Dentists will no longer have to pull teeth that can otherwise be
repaired. This piece of equipment can easily be placed inside a suitcase that
can easily be carried and recharged. It truly is wonderful. People here can
easily endure a toothache a long time. Having the free services of a dentist is
a great gift ! The first patient the dentist met told him something inside his
mouth stung. After examination, a tooth was found with a hole in it. Food was
able to penetrate inside this hole... and in it, live worms were moving around.
Yuk !
After that, a
team of three nurses from New Jersey arrived for an entire week. One of the
members of that team worked with a puppet and was thus able to communicate the
love of God at the same time. Once again, great work ! The nurses meet up to one
hundred patients a day, not necessarily in the same working conditions that are
prevalent back home. The work is performed in shelters covered with plastic or
sheet metal that also serve as a school or a church.
The last team to
visit us in March originated from our home church, Eglise Nouvelle Vie in
Longueuil, Quebec. A total of fourteen people made up this team, eight being
part of a medical staff and six in construction. The team working in
construction managed to erect a total of five houses within a week, thus
offering shelters for five additional families. So much work accomplished in so
short a time ! Hats off to these fourteen dedicated persons.
Now, April has
dawned upon us and already a lot of things have happened. A team of four men
from New Jersey also came to built houses. They were so qualified and quick that
they succeeded in building not five houses as expected, but six - in a five-day
week ! Really great !
Just a few days
ago, a group of eleven people, eight women and three men from Eglise Le Portail
in Laval, Quebec, were among us for an entire week. They were able to build four
houses. They had brought a lot of clothing with them which they were able to
distribute to the Haitian people during the rice distribution we accomplish
every Friday. They proved to be a very dynamic team and the women worked very
hard.
Doctor Smith and
his wife are presently in the Guest house for three weeks. They already have
accomplished a marvellous job – thanks to both of you !
We truly
appreciate every one of these teams who invest both their time and their money
to help the Haitian people with their tremendous needs. We pray that God may
bless everyone a hundredfold.
I cannot close
without giving you news concerning Jean-Eddy. He is doing very well. He was
feverish six days last week, but thanks to the antibiotics Dr. Smith gave him,
he is doing better and his fever has vanished. He has gained quite a lot of
weight -almost 10 kilos (approximately 30 pounds). His arms and head movements
are significantly not as rigid. He smiles a lot. No longer does he need baby
formula overnight. He sometimes awakens but André talks to him and he goes back
to sleep. André is the one who gets up at night to care for Jean-Eddy and he is
doing a good job – as long as it does not involve a diaper change. If you could
see our room – it's amazing how a child can change an adult's lifestyle. We have
three single beds and the little one occupied the middle bed, right smack
between André's and my bed. This idea came to us earlier on when he would wake
up at all hours. This child has had more than his share of suffering in his
young life; he needs to feel a lot of love and a sense of security.
Do not hesitate
to forward us your news. We miss you all !
Hugs and kisses
to all.
Sylvie, André and Angèle xxx