Please pray for Nelson

Hi everyone,

I received a few notes recently that Nelson (the boy from Pestel that we hosted in 2007 for aortic valve replacement surgery) has been feeling very poorly.  He is now in Port-au-Prince at a hospital where he is awaiting tests.  Please be in prayer for him at this time.  

Also, Water Missions International will be doing their site visit to Pestel starting September 25th.   Please pray for their assessments, interactions with villagers, health and safety.

The assessment from that trip will determine whether the well drilling rig can physically navigate the terrain or not.

Ben

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website

www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog
http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Cholera in Pestel....again

(sorry for those receiving this twice.  I sent it to the wrong distribution list!)

There is a new report coming from Pestel indicating another possible "wave" of cholera is starting up.   This would be the 5th such surge of cholera since it was introduced in late 2010.  

Cholera is an "ancient" disease, meaning that it goes far back to antiquity.  When you hear of widespread or epidemic cholera consider it a clear sign that significant disruption of infrastructure (as happened recently in Zimbabwe where the economic collapse resulted in the failure of sewage treatment systems) or lack of basic infrastructure (no sanitation & hygiene which allows for mixing of two things that should never mix:  drinking water and...well, human wastes).

Cholera is also very treatable.  IV fluids, clean water.  Not brain science or rocket science or even a marvel of science.  Just basic stuff.

We don't have cholera outbreaks in the US, and people who get cholera in the US usually get it when traveling to a place like Haiti or eating contaminated foods.  But they don't die from it because they can get basic medical care, access clean water to keep hydrated.  The reason people die is from rapid dehydration.  

In Haiti, however, the fatality rate is high.  Something like 1-2 out of every 100 people who have symptoms of cholera die in Haiti.   If you get cholera and you live in the mountain villages of Pestel, your chances of receiving any care are very low simply because of lack of resources in the area.  

However, for Pestel that just might be changing!   Through early reporting of about 10 cases in a village around the River Glaz, a group is mobilizing by providing oral rehydration packets, "Waterbricks", soap, and other basic and necessary items.  

http://haiti.mphise.net/   

I had opportunity to speak with several in this group yesterday.  They are very eager to use the GPS coordinates we've collected on the villages throughout Pestel, and I provided that list.  They are going to use the GPS devices that we brought down to map out possible sources of the recent cholera wave.  By working with Dr. Seneque (the regional health director with whom I work) they will be monitoring and responding to the situation.  They recognize the challenges in Pestel, including the difficulties with transportation, and they've stated good interest in helping to respond as well as improve the infrastructure.   They are in close contact with a couple of other organizations who are active in Pestel:  YoutHaiti and World Harvest Mission.   We are also considering training some of the APPAS workers (thanks again to Variety International for their ongoing generous funding!!!) in health education and oral rehydration therapy since APPAS workers know their areas well (they travel the sections regularly as part of the child health campaigns).  

Water Missions International will be going out to Pestel very soon for a site visit, and we are expecting that if well-drilling can go forward it may begin fairly soon.   The need for fresh, clean, safe water in Pestel has been made all that much more urgent since cholera first appeared.  Water Missions International will not only be helping with the construction of the wells, but perhaps as important if not more so, they will be working with the communities on how to keep their water safe, good hygienic practices, community ownership of their water sources, and learning about the Living Water that sustains us for eternity.  

It's incredibly saddening to hear that cholera is potentially re-appearing in Pestel (though it may never have left, frankly).  Storms and hurricanes tend to create a surge because the bacteria can be swept along the ground downhill easily.  

It is incredibly heartening, however, that so many capable individuals are joining in the effort, recognizing that tackling cholera at its roots is going to mean big efforts in water, hygiene and sanitation.

As you pray for the people of Pestel, and for those who are laboring on their behalf (like Dr. Seneque, Sisters Fidelis & Jo), please consider including the groups mentioned above.  God has brought forward some incredible things for the people of Pestel and we look with anticipation to the day when these areas of poverty and deprivation have been turned into thriving villages!!

Ben

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website

www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog
http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

St. Joseph's Home for Boys--performance in Lancaster, PA!!!

Hi all,

I just learned that the boys from St. Joseph's home (in Port-au-Prince) will be in Lancaster, PA on October 2 at 7pm to do a show!!!    

For those who may not know, I used to stay at St. Joseph's Home for Boys when I first went to Haiti.  This is an orphanage in PAP that takes in street boys, provides housing and schooling and skills.   It is a phenomenal organization, and Wings of Hope orphanage (of which I have spoken many times) is part of the same organization (known as Hearts With Haiti).  You may recall that after the earthquake of 2010 the entire structure of the Home for Boys was demolished.  One of the young men was on the top floor of the orphanage and had to jump out onto another building.  In the fall he broke his leg and was brought to the US for surgery.

I cannot speak highly enough about this organization.  They have been and remain a bright light and model of how to provide help in a context like Haiti.  

If you are available, I would ask that you seriously consider attending the Resurrection Theater of Haiti performance.  Jen and I have seen variations of it several times in PAP and it is amazing.  It's quite truly an artistic demonstration, put on by the boys themselves, of how God's love and compassion poured out into the lives of others can create a change from nothingness and hopelessness (street boys who are despised) to resurrected beings.

Also, they are in the process of raising more funds because of damage done to their new orphanage from the last tropical storm.  

http://www.heartswithhaiti.org/

See the attachment.  Please feel free to pass this along to others.  I'd love to see a big turnout to support this group.  

October 2, 2012

7:00pm

St. James Episcopal Church

119 N. Duke Street

Lancaster PA  17602

Ben

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website

www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog
http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Note from Sister Fidelis

I got this email from Sister Fidelis today:

We are grateful here for your prayers. We had three days of rain in our area and severe winds Saturday night, but no heavy damage other than the shallow-rooted plaintains and some other trees, some roof damage spread around.
Port-au-Prince, of course, was hit much harder, poor people. I understand from Sarah Allyn that the older St. Joseph Home building lost a good deal of its roof and there was extensive water damage. Please pray for them and all the others affected by the storm. 
 
We did have a tragic accident here that Saturday. A man was felling a tree in his yard. He was going to provide planks for the carpenter of our guest house. Tragically, a branch from the tree hit his young neighbor, 7 year old Safira, a member of our chapel, and a truly charming little girl. She always came out from her house or yard to shake the hands of the blans (whites) passing by. She died that afternoon at the hospital. She is survived by her parents and three young brothers. The chapel is in mourning and the carpenter has been out sick since shortly after this happened. The wife and children of the man cutting the tree are also active in our chapel. Please keep us all in your prayers.   
 
With much love, f 

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website

www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog
http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Update from Isaac...Haiti

Hi all,

I received a note from Evens that I wanted to pass along:

Hi Dr Ben,

 

    I'm sorry for the delay of my reply. I have spent the last couple days with no electricity. They have cut the city power because of the storm. Me and family are doing good.  I'm in Pestel right now. Everything seem to be fine here also. The river was upset but thanks to the Almighty they don't have any human lost here except for some plantations.  The rivr was flooting actually. I met a guy who had to wait 3 days to pass. Thanks to God as i arrived today, it was still in a bad mood this morning but this afternoon it was ok and i could pass. 

Regards,

Evens

An email from Vanessa Carpenter indicated that fuel prices (to run generators, since electricity in Port-au-Prince is still out) are sky high right now.

So far the govt of Haiti has reported 24 deaths.  3 deaths reported in Dominican Republic.   

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/tropical-storm-isaac-tests-resolve-of-a-haitian-man-providing-for-his-family/2012/08/27/1c53a678-f0bb-11e1-b74c-84ed55e0300b_story.html#

(mudslides continue to be a concern.   See the photos in the link above)

Ben

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website

www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog
http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Isaac Update

Hi all,

The latest I've seen/read about the damage done by tropical storm Isaac to Haiti includes some of the following:

A lot of electrical grids are down in Port-au-Prince (so I haven't heard back from Evens about PAP or Pestel yet).  Also, a great deal of flooding in some areas of the country.  So far 7 deaths, I believe, have been reported.   

Here's a photos of flooding in Port-au-Prince:

http://www.haiti.mphise.net/photos-tropical-storm-isaac-port-au-prince 

This too is a moving photo of a young boy 

http://www.haiti.mphise.net/photos-isaac-brings-misery-islands 

This is a video from Operation Blessing

http://vimeo.com/48211631

Isaac Aftermath - Horrific Conditions in Haiti Camps from David Darg on Vimeo.

Thanks to all who have been asking about this and have been praying for them.

Ben

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website

www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog
http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/

Tropical Storm Isaac

Hi all,

NOAA is predicting that Tropical Storm Isaac will hit Haiti Friday evening and Saturday morning, increasing in intensity to a hurricane status at that point.  

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?5-daynl#contents 

Please keep the people of Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Haiti in your prayers.   I've asked Evens to notify folks in Pestel about the possibility.  

Ben

--

President, Thriving Villages International

Thriving Villages website

www.thrivingvillages.org

Thriving Villages blog
http://thrivingvillages.blogspot.com/