Stitches!

Oh my!  There was a knock on the door and Jess yells, "Kathy!  There's a medical emergency!".  I quickly went to see what was going on.  Little Mayck had blood dripping down his face.  I was so thankful that I keep a cabinet full of first aid supplies in our living room.  I quickly put on some gloves and applied pressure to the gaping cut above his eye.  Thankfully, our doctor was on site and we walked to the nurse's room.  Dr. Sem took a look and said, "He needs stitches.".  I wondered if we had the supplies.  We had never done stitches at Grace before.  After a little looking, we found everything we needed...including lidocaine.  He was a brave little boy.

He sat in a chair and held my hands as the doctor prepared him for stitches.  The worst part was the shot of lidocaine in the wound.  He squeezed my hands so tight as he cried.  I kept talking with him and telling him how brave he was and reminded him to close his eyes.  Dr. Sem covered his face with a special cloth and had cut a small hole out where he would be doing the stitches.  He only needed one stitch and Dr. Sem did a fine job of sewing up the wound.  The photo below shoes Mayck all done with stitches and ready for his bandage.
 

Mayck came over to my house to rest and relax while watching a movie on my computer.  He loved it and was back to himself in no time!

Helping with one head wound was a rush of adrenaline for all of us involved.  Well, there was another knock on the door and the man told me, "Dr. Sem needs you.  There is another head injury.".  I thought ...Oh my!  What a day!  Ok, I am on my way!  I arrived to the nurse's room and the doctor needed my help.  The nurse had already gone home, so it was up to me to assist.  Good thing God prepared me earlier this afternoon.

One of our construction workers was hit in the back of his head by a cement block.  His wound was quite a bit bigger and he needed a few more stitches.  Well, we found all of the needed materials and we were ready to stitch him up.  I was a true nurse.  I opened all of the sterile materials and handed the needed items to the doctor as he asked for them.  At the same time, I tried to distract the injured man's brother since his eyes were growing big and he looked a little woozy at the sight of the blood.  I brought him a bench to sit on and talked with him in Creole to distract him.  He was very concerned about his brother.  Dr Sem loves to teach and so he kept showing me what we was doing.  He wanted me to see where to give the shots of lidocaine, how to grab the skin with the special needle to sew, and how to tie the knots with the needle and clamp.  He showed me his every move.  After the stitches, I helped clean up the area and medical supplies.  I assisted with packaging the medications for pain and infection and explained how to take the medications in Creole.

What a day!  I am so thankful that we have trained professionals at Grace Village to help in medical emergencies.  I am extra thankful that Dr. Sem was still here at Grace Village when the construction worker got hurt.  The doctor was supposed to leave 10 minutes earlier, but he stayed a little late.  God had a plan.  I think God knew I would need help.    

Let's Fly a Kite

Last night, I was talking with one of the boys and he was telling me that he knows how to make a kite.  He told me he uses sticks, a plastic bag, and string.  I asked him if he could show me how to make one tomorrow.  He instantly lit up with a big smile and said "yes!".  This morning there was a knock at my door around 7:30 with a boy holding some skinny sticks and asking if I had yarn.  I went to get a ball of yarn and followed him to the patio of the boys dormitories.  We sat together and soon a dozen boys were gathered around wanting to make kites.  They ran off and found skinny sticks, old plastic garbage bags, and small pieces of string.  They ran back to the picnic table where I was sitting and laid all of their supplies on the table.  We helped each other by holding the sticks a certain way while someone else tied them together with string.




Soon, the "trash" turned into a kite!  They even trimmed the edges of the plastic bag to make it look fancy and added a tail using scraps of fabric.  They showed me how to tie the plastic to the little sticks.  So carefully and slowly they wrapped the thread so that the sticks wouldn't rip the plastic.


They also showed me how to wind the yarn around a small stick.  This yarn was tied to the middle of the kite and the person flying the kite would hold the stick of yarn as the kite flew to extend the kite higher into the sky.

The children are so resourceful.  It amazes me how they can take "garbage" and turn it into a treasure!  That reminds me of Jesus.  He sees all of the garbage in our lives, he loves us and accepts us just as we are.  When we choose to follow Him, He takes the sins in our life, and cleanses us.  He makes us a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).  He turns us into treasures.  He delights in us when we live a life that glorifies Him.  We are precious in His sight.  You are a prince or princess because you are the daughter of the King!       

I Can See!

I heard there was an eye doctor coming to Titanyen and knew it would be a great opportunity for our children and elders to get a check-up.  The doctor was going to be at the clinic next to our orphanage for 5 hours.  It was free to see the doctor and free to get glasses.

We had some children and elderly that had been complaining about their eyes, so I brought them to the eye doctor. We waited 1 ½ hours to be seen by the doctor.  In Haiti, you don't make an appointment.  You show up, wait, and when it is your turn you are seen.  Some people may wait literally all day to find out that the doctor's work is done for the day and they cannot be seen.

I was amazed at how their eyes were checked.  There was a special eye chart called an "E chart" that hung on the wall.  It had many E's turned to the left, to the right, and upside down.  The illiteracy rate in Haiti is so high.  Many people are not able to write their name or read.  I have seen many people write an "X" in place of a signature.  So, they are not able to use the kind of eye chart we use in America.  They would tell the eye doctor which direction the E was facing by pointing with their fingers up, down, left, or right.  Wow!  The E's got smaller as they progressed their way down the chart until they could not read them accurately.

If they had difficulty reading the chart, the eye doctor would use a special computerized machine that would give him more information.  In the photo below, one of our children is using the special machine and you can see the image of his eye.

One of our elderly needed bifocals.  When the doctor put them on his face he shouted, "Mwen ka we!" (which means, "I can see!").  He was so thankful to be able to see.  It was precious! I am so thankful that there are organizations that can help our children and elders.  What a blessing it is when people give of their time and expertise to help those in need.

High Fever

Last night, one of our new little girls had a very high fever!  At 6:00 pm it was at 104.1  Yikes!  I have never seen a child with such a high temperature.  She felt burning to the touch.  I knew we had to get her temperature down and racked my brain for ideas.  We bathed her, put a cold washcloth on her belly, put an icepack on her forehead, then on her back and in her armpit.  We gave her acetaminophen every 4 hours.  

Many Haitians use plants to cook soups that have healing properties.  I told Lynoue about her fever and asked if there was a special soup people made in Haiti for fevers.  Haitians know a lot of herbal remedies for ailments.  Lynoue said she knew what to do.  I went to check on Betline and Lynoue came in the room.  She brought her into the bathroom and held Betline in her lap.  She undressed Betline, put a clothes washing tub on the floor between her legs, and used a bar of lye soap to wash Betline’s hair.  She lathered it up, rinsed it out, and repeated this 3 times.  She rubbed the soap on her belly too.  Betline was saying she was scared that she was going to fall down and Lynoue kept reassuring her that she was holding her safely.  After the 3^rd lathering, Lynoue did not rinse out the soap.  She left it in her hair and Betline slept like that through the night.  This morning her fever was at 100.4.  Thank goodness it had gone down some.  Poor little girl.  She’s 3 years old and malnourished. 

I picked up her test results at Mission of Hope to discover she is negative for malaria and typhoid.  These are the most common ailments in Haiti when someone has a fever.  In America, one may just have a fever.  In Haiti, a fever is a sign of something worse.  Maybe her body is fighting an infection?  We will keep researching to try to find out what is causing her high fever.  This afternoon, she broke out in a rash all over her body.  We are pumping fluids and trying to get her fever down.  Please pray for this sweetie.

Morning with my Gran Papi

I saw Ofane sitting on the patio waiting for Noty to clean and change his foot dressings.  I sat with him and we talked together.  He was telling me he needed a few things for his house.  He needed a lock for his toilet because he went to use it and it was dirty.  (In Haiti, one’s toilet is not in the house.  It is outside and others may use it and not keep it as clean as you would like.  Many people cover their toilet and put a lock on it so others don’t use it.)  I gave him a padlock for his toilet and he was so thankful. He also said he needed some Fab (laundry detergent powder) and soap to wash his clothes by hand.  I told him that I had more macaroni (Ramen noodles) for him and he asked for more powdered juice packets.  I love Ofane.  I call him my Papi.  He is like a grandpa to me.  He brings a smile to my face every time I see him.  

I watched Noty re-bandaged his foot and saw how Ofane helped her.  He would open the packages of gauze, squirt the wound cleaner on the gauze, and squeeze the antibiotic cream tube.  What a little helper!  Every once in a while he would look at me and make a silly face!

After getting all bandaged up, Ofane needed to wait for Jonas to come back in the Kubota in order to get a ride home.  I asked if he wanted to come sit on my porch with me.  He was grinning ear to ear and loved that idea.  He was a little hungry, so I brought him a peanut butter sandwich and a freshly blended mango-banana smoothie.  Yummy!  We sat outside together in our hand-made chairs.  They are made out of banana tree leaves. 

I asked Ofane if he knew how to play Dominoes.  He said, “Mwen remen!”.  He loves to play Dominoes.  I brought out a tin of Double 6 Dominoes and we arranged our bench in front of us like a table.  We each took 7 dominoes and started playing.  Playing games with him reminded me of playing games with my grandparents.  Ofane is like a Gran Papi (Grandfather) to me.  We sing together, talk together, dance together, and make goofy faces together.  We are both looking forward to playing more games of Dominoes.

Ofane is the kind of man who brings joy to others.  People light up around him.  He is expressive, smiley, and full of energy!  In his presence, one feels special.  He loves people for who they are.  Ofane is one special man.  He has taught me so many lessons about what it means to live in each moment…to cherish those around me…to love.  

Blood Draws

Those of you who know me, know that I pass out when I have my blood drawn.  I can't watch the needle pierce my skin when I get a shot.  I even get light-headed when I visit those who are sick in the hospital.  Despite all of this, I love to care for those who are sick.  I enjoy tending to their needs.  But, never imagined myself overseeing the medical care of 59 orphans.

I have seen more than I could have ever imagined in Haiti.  I have witnessed children pooping worms, getting their teeth pulled due to deep concave holes from cavities, vomiting, heads covered in fungus, gaping wounds, infected eyes, cracked open heads, and all kinds of ailments from tonsillitis, scabies, skin infections, ear infections, typhoid, malaria, and the common cold.  I have seen past the ailments and have been able to care for the child who is sick.  I hug them, love them, talk to them, and tell them they will be ok.  I make silly faces, I hold them when they are scared, and I try to make them laugh.

Recently, I brought some of our new children to a nearby clinic to have some lab tests done.  The lab tests tell us more about the child's health.  Often we do not know the quality of life the child has had prior to coming to live at our orphanage, so we don't know what kind of health conditions they may have.

The lab technicians are my friends since I frequently go to the lab with our children.  I knock on the wooden door to the lab and open it.  I say, "Bonjou!" (hello) and Younelle and Geurda turn and look at me with a big smile on their face and say, "Bonjou Kati!" (Hello Kathy).  I talk with them briefly about what lab tests need to be done and I sit with the children on the old fashioned vinyl blue chairs that are lined up by the wall.  Last time, I held a little girl who didn't want to have her blood drawn.  A friend of mine showed me how to hold a child so they can't wiggle during a shot/blood draw.  I'm so glad I know how to help the little ones now.

It's amazing to me how God gives me the strength I need to help these children.  I still can't believe I hold them and calm them when they are getting pricked by a needle.  I can't believe I look in the toilet and when I see a worm, I can identify what kind of parasite it is and can give the child the proper medication.  I am not afraid to give a child a scabies treatment.  I can examine a child's throat with a tongue depressor and know if the child has tonsillitis or an infection.  I pierce clues (kind of like a huge puss-filled zits) and drain the puss before applying antibiotic cream and a band-aid.  I clean wounds and bandage kids up.  The children call me their nurse and sometimes call me a doctor.  

Some have come to me with an owie and have said they want to be the nurse, to clean it and bandage it all by themselves.  I sit with them, give them a pair of gloves, and ask them if they know how to clean their owie.  They tell me "Wi, ou te montre mwen" (Yes, you showed me).  It's so cute to watch them play nurse, as they clean their wound, put the antibiotic cream on the band-aid before putting it on their owie, and carefully remove their gloves the "nurse" way with one inside the other.  They watch me closely!  We smile and I tell them they are a good nurse.  I love helping them.  I can't imagine a better way that God has used me in Haiti.  He has shown me how to trust Him.  In everything...even the things that I didn't think I could do.  It is during the most challenging moments that God reminds me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phillipians 4:13).  

Sometimes all I hear is a whisper

Life is complex.  Full of choices.  How do I know that what I am choosing is the path that I should take?  How do I know if I am living a life in God's will?  When I feel a tug on my heart, is it God's voice?

The song Oceans Will Part by Hillsong has been a great reminder for me to trust God.  This song has carried me through some challenging times while I have lived in Haiti.  God has a plan in everything.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7Uj_B0KNgU

Sometimes it is difficult to discern God's voice.  Especially, in the midst of chaos and questions.  While I have been in Haiti, I have questioned so many times what to do in a specific situation:  when a family comes to the gate and wants to give us their child to care for, when a child is sick, or when I am thinking about my future.  So often, I wonder, Lord what should I do?  How should I help?  What is your will?  Why can't I hear your voice?

God has been teaching me that I need to trust Him in all circumstances (proverbs 3:5-6).  When a situation arises that is complex and new to me, I need to pray.  I need to open my heart to the work that the Lord will do.  I need to pray for wisdom and guidance.  I pray for a peace that only God can give (Philippians 4:7).  I have learned how to trust.  Sometimes that means being patient.  God has led me through so many challenges.

We have a God that is all knowing, omniscient (Psalm 147:5).  A God who works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).  Even if at times, we don't understand why certain things happen to us or others, God knows.  He is our healer (Psalm 103:1-3) and savior (John 3:16).  He pulls us through the storm.  Even if the storm seems impossible.  He gives us hope and faith in what is to come (Jeremiah 29:11).  He is victorious!  I am so thankful that he knows my every thought (Psalm 139).  He knows my heart and gives me the desires of my heart (Psalm 37:4).  My heart is to love.  I pray that the Lord continues to show me how to love and serve those around me.