THANKSGIVING 2010

Giving THANKS this Holiday!

Although my recent newsletter talked about the need for Water Filters in Jeremi to prevent the spread of Cholera, good things are happening in Haiti too. THANKS TO YOU.

The Haitian Lutheran Mission Project is truly THANKFUL this holiday season for the many completed projects that Our Loving God has provided this past year in Jeremie, Haiti.



WE HAVE A LUTHERAN SCHOOL IN JEREMIE NOW.
This is a vision that Pastor Isaac shared with us six years ago. Never did we think that it would go this far in such a short time but The Lord moved many people to follow their hearts and help to make this happen.

Pastor Isaac’s dream began to materialize when an anonymous donor gave us the money to purchase a piece of land for the future campus site. Then came donations of all sizes from congregations, individuals and small groups to enable a foundation to be placed.
In 2008 we sent two teams to help with the construction of the building and last March we saw the LWML Grant put the roof on the building at last.



When the public schools started in Oct this year Pastor Isaac opened the doors to the first Lutheran School in Jeremie along with them. It is not quite finished.



There are no desks for the teachers, no blackboards, no plumbing but Pastor was able to borrow 40 benches for the children to sit on and 30 children came. Two weeks later he had 147 children enrolled.

This school gives the children of Jeremie an opportunity they have not had before. Children who have not been able to attend public school because they could not afford a uniform, shoes or supplies will now learn to read and write. Education gives the people of Haiti hope. Parents see education as the only way out of poverty for their children and will even give their children away to someone who promises this.

The Haitian Lutheran Mission Project has also been in partnership with Trinity Hope making possible feeding programs in eight village schools. Many of our newsletter readers are now sponsoring teachers in these schools. Without these sponsors the schools would close and Trinity Hope would no longer be able to feed school children one meal a day of beans and rice (for most children the only meals they get all week).

Another project completed this year was the Medical Clinic that Pastor was able to provide to four villages last March when our mission team arrived in Jeremie. This was a major event for the people of these small mountain villages. Many were fitted with eye glasses and given medicines that they would otherwise never be able to afford.

Yes, despite the earthquake, hurricanes and epidemics Haiti still survives and it’s people go on as best they can. BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT FOR THEY SHALL BE CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD. The Haitian Lutheran Mission Projects is Thankful for the opportunity to be part of God’s Plan for Haiti.


Thanking Him,
Sue Gross and The Haitian Lutheran Mission Team.
Suelynn144@aol.com

HAITIAN LUTHERAN MISSION PROJECT NEWSLETTER

We bring you greetings from Pastor Isaac and his children.

15 people returned to the States Early Sunday morning with stories, memories and hope for Haiti.

It is estimated that 30,000 refugees have poured into Jeremie either by boat, bus or on foot since the earthquake.


We found that news travels fast in Jeremie when a doctor from the Jeremie hospital came to our church service Sunday morning and asked us to come with him to see the hospital.

Dr Susan Busse and I left church and went with him to find the facility to be terribly understaffed and undersupplied.

Doctor Marks told us that there had been 18 doctors from Colorado there the month before helping to do surgeries and treating the earthquake refugees but now they had all gone home and left him alone to do the follow up care.

There were amputees and burn victims that had no pain medications.

The ER was being staffed by a dental student and the mother of a child being sutured. Patients depend on family to bring them food because no meals are served. Doctor Marks is the only doctor on staff and I saw only one nurse when I was there.

The rest of the week was spent traveling into the mountain villages surrounding Jeremie. Each day we loaded our supplies into a vehicle and caravanned up into the mountains either in the back of a pick up truck or in the back of Pastors car over bumpy, dusty roads until we heard the singing of the people that were waiting to greet us in each village.

Hundreds lined up for medical care, eye glasses and VBS.



We visited 6 villages in all, one of which was Dame Marie, where we are sponsoring the School and Feeding Program. I cannot tell you how impressed I was with the schools that we are sponsoring.

When the bowls of food were passed to each child they sat patiently waiting until everyone had food in front of them and the teacher said a prayer before they ate. These are starving children!

I even saw one child that did not attend school peeking into the classroom from around the corner at all the children that had food in front of them. One boy saw him and fed him out of his own bowl. I cried.

For those of you that are sponsoring the Orphans I would like to let you know that they are all well and happy. Although we did not spend as much time with them as we had in the past we did see that they are being well taken care of.


There are a few new children that Pastor has taken in, the latest is a 6 year old boy, Charles, who was buried for 5 days with his dead “Auntie” in the rubble of a building in Port au Prince. His parents were also killed. He seemed confused when we were concerned about him, never smiled but never cried. I know we will see a different Charles when we return in the future.

Thank you to all who have been supporting Pastor Isaac and the Haitian Lutheran Mission Project over the last several years. We have seen the big difference your prayers and donations have made.

The school section of the construction we started should be done by September.

Pastor Isaac’s Church is overflowing with people on Sunday and during the week for worship. Overflowing out the door and into the street. God is blessing this ministry!

In closing I would like to say that we all mourn the passing of Pastor Louis who was the Father of Lutheranism in Haiti.


His murder was a tragic event that touched all of the Pastors last week. Our team left Part au Prince the day of his funeral and on the anniversary of Pastor Israel’s death. God took both of these brave and loving men home to be with Him just before Easter but their Ministries will continue for years to come.





Blessings,
Susan

TEAM Update

Sunday, March 14th - 125 children shoed up for VBS at the church we were expecting 40.

It was quite an ordeal getting there. Did a lot of prep work for medical and eyeglass clinic. Jeremie is filled with a lot of people. Pastor Isaac has a boy living with him that was 5 days buried in rubbled. Doctors did not want to treat him becuase he smelled of death. Parents deceased. He will live with them. Back was all scared but healed and well. JAN

Saturday, March 13th - Pastors arrived this morning safe, but very tired. We are separting getting ready for the week. VBS this afternoon with the orphans. Quite overwhelming. Still missing 4 medical tubs and 1 VBS tub. Lophane is checking airport today. JAN

Friday, March 12th - Got up around 4:30AM to get a quick breakfast and head to the airport to get our medical luggage and try and find the additional missing five tubs. They were not there but were told by American Airlines that they may have gone through to Port-au-Prince. Upon flight delays we arrived in Port-au-Prince around 12:30PM. What confusion at the airport as the main building is closed down. Our entire luggage made it EXCEPT the five tubs. American Airlines said they would get them to Jeremie where the medical clinics will be. The plan was to have a truck take the medical supplies by truck to Jeremie and the group would fly with their carry-ones. Well - that didn't work, not enough room on the small plane, so three of the guys are on a bus with ALL the luggage and medical supplies. They will be driving through the night and arriving in Jeremie sometime Saturday - God willing! TIM

Thursday, March 11th - After gathering at O'Hare Airport to leave, and loading the 38 medical containers, we went to the boarding area to fly to Miami. One group was to fly out at 2:30PM and the other at 3:30PM. We found out that the 2:30PM flight had mechanical problems so at the last minute American Airlines arranged for them to get on to another plane. Both groups arrived shortly after each other. American Airlines said that we were not able to check our luggage through to Port-au-Prince so we had to gather all of our baggage and arrange temporary storage. We noticed that five of our medical containers were missing - they did not get on to the new flight. After spending about three hours at the airport in Miami on this we decided to go to the hotel around 10PM and try to locate them early in the morning. TIM

Haiti Medical Mission 3-11 to Jeremie, Haiti

Haiti Mission Team Praying with
Congressman Peter J. Roskam


Tim Hetzner and members of the Haiti Medical Mission team met with Congressman Peter J. Roskam of Illinois to thank him for his support for our Relief Efforts for the people of Haiti.


Among those pictured are Sue Gross, Illinois Haiti Mission Director, Dr. Susan Busse - head of the Malaria Initiative, Tim Hetzner, President of Lutheran Church Charities, and Congressman Peter Roskam.


LCC

RONEST seeks Assistance

$2,500 Needed for Haitian Boy's Medical Treatment in Chicago.

The Haitian Lutheran Mission Project has been asked to assist an 18 yr-old Haitian boy named Ronest from Les Cayes, Haiti. He has been diagnosed with a condition called neurofibromatosis. These are small tumors that grow all over his body. They may return after being removed but we are considering bringing him to the States to have them removed because two of the largest tumors (one on his upper left arm and one on his upper left chest) have become very painful. He has a number of other lumps on his lip, torso, arms and legs.

He has contacted Nora (a full time missionary at our Lutheran Church in Les Cayes) for help and she contacted us. Nora has been a friend of ours for years and we often network to help the Lutheran Pastors in Haiti. Nora has already arranged for a hospital and surgeon (here in Illinois) to pick up the cost of his surgery and hospital stay. He also has a Host Family ready to care for him but other expenses (air fare, passport etc.) totaling $2,500 need to be met.

Ronest lives with his grandmother and 4-year-old sister. His father is a mechanic, his mother died in 2007. He lives in a 3 room house with rock walls, an iron roof and cement floor. There are two beds in the home and it does have electricity at times but no running water. He does NOT have food to eat every day.

Prayerfully consider helping us bring Ronest to Chicago for treatment.

Click here to donate


Question can be directed to Susan
at suelynn144@aol.com