A week ago the dreaded Mr Cholera came into our town. We have 60 plus people in this Oriani area who are seriously sick with cholera now (and a lot more are mildly sick). About 10 percent of the seriously sick are dead or dying. At our clinic, we have been working with regular patients normally, but all suspected cholera victims are helped at the back gate. We have too many people coming here for other problems that we just cannot risk contaminating the clinic with cholera. We have been counselling cholera victims and families, giving lessons on ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution), giving Doxycyclin, etc. When it looks like the case is serious, we urge them to find a way down the mountain to a Cholera Treatment Center (closest isover an hour drive away). Some can go, some can’t, some we help with money to go, and some we take down. We have friends who have almost died, and one of the families who come to church had a child die.
I have 2 wonderful things to report on though. :-)
1. We have 5 Haitian congregations, Fond Michelle, Cazeau, Banchard, Gantier, and Fond Parisian who heard of the plight of the people in Oriani and decided to come to our rescue. They bought a truck load of treated drinking water in bags, went to the DR and bought a lot of Clorox, and called us and said they were on the way up here with it! WOW. Perfect timing! It is such a fast, and sympathetic response to our needs here! They truly do care for one another. Our congregation here is now distributing it to needy families. Families who do not have water filter systems, families who have sick people and need to disinfect things etc. I love to see a working church like this.
2. We have been frustrated that no local mayors etc have been around to bring assistance here. BUT....Last night the politicians came up from Port (body guards and all) and surveyed the town and promised us a CTC. They even came to our house, to personally tell me that it would happen. They said it wouldn’t be fast though, because they personally are officials who do not do things "illegally". He patted his big chest and told us all that he was a "legal" man and would get all the necessary permits etc, would do it properly, and build a big Cholera Treatment Center, and it would be not just a tarp tent, but a BIIIIG place with a tin roof. (that would be a long process)
I was sceptical and told them, "I love your ideas but...there is NO time for too much politics and permissions from different departments and other bureaucrats. Cholera doesn’t care about doing things the legal and illegal way. Cholera kills fast... and so we need to find a solution fast."
I thought I made him mad, but I tried to smooth it over by thanking them profusely for ALL their help for this area. (basically nothing till now)
Just then, a lady carrying a sick baby came to our house. They suddenly saw a Cholera victim! It was amazing!!! They started arguing, gesturing, and talking in very typical excited Haitian fashion. They suddenly ran back to the house and asked me for a hammer. They charged off down the hill to the new, yet unused, community building, and didn’t even wait for the local mayors to come or bring a key. They just smashed the lock off with my hammer, and announced that "THIS is the new CTC!!!" They ran around to people's houses and brought cots and called to another town an hour away and "ordered" them to send two nurses up asap. This is already 6 pm, and getting dark, but in an hour the nurses were there, and were working on a couple patients. The politicians stood around drinking rum, and feeling good. I even felt good for them! I give them alot of credit, they actually stayed till 10 pm ordering people to get this, get that etc. We offered them some lights and they got a little generator around, and soon there was lights going. All very amazing. They say now that they are sending money and supplies up on Monday to help advance it.
I think God sent that sick child to us/them at just the right time to break them out of their bureaucratic modes.
This morn we have 11 new cholera patients that are getting IV fluids in the CTC. It has been a stressful week to get to this point. Dallas, with his pickup, has been helping too by taking sick people down several times, but today we and the community are relaxing a little, even smiling.
The local casket maker is excited about new business, and he is working long days and into the evening building beautiful hand crafted coffins. They are smoothed and polished off with fibreglass, airbrushed, and have brass handles etc. just like Canada. These poor people here beg and borrow a year’s wages!! to buy a coffin like that to prove that they really do love and honor their deceased. I told my family yesterday, that if I die here, I want a simple pine board box, and to be buried in our back yard here.
Thanks to God, Candace's infection is fading away, and we are all in good health. The clinic is still going strong, and we thank you all for your support.
Love and prayers, Keith
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