Keith Toews is coming to Winton/Ballico CA this week Thursday for talks on Haiti--jlt
Keith Toews
Its 5pm Fri. The sunbeams are streaking pink and blue across the sky because they are reflecting off the ocean unseen yet 5000 ft below us. The clinic is silent and empty except for me sitting in the office at a “desk” made of a half sheet plywood and 4 wobbly cardboard boxes to hold it all up. Another week, come and gone. In reflection I see things that were good and some things that need improvement. We dealt successfully with a trust issue with one of the employees, and I think there was a lesson learned and another step gained in his conscience development. I try to impress upon all here that trust and accountability are imperative. But try to imagine never developing much of a conscience until adulthood. Growing up with the attitude that anything goes unless you get caught. I guess King David had that problem too, and I see a similar follow-up of repentance in our employee’s life too. We need to strengthen the clinic principles and regulations on starting time and a few other minor points, but we will mark that down to address in our next employee meeting on Monday. We also are surviving without Heather our former nurse. She went home Nov 21. We are trusting in God to supply the clinic with its nursing needs now. We hired a Haitian nurse for a month to fill in, but it is not ideal. We would like an American volunteer RN or LPN if possible.
One day last week I made two trips to Port au prince in one day. The second trip was at night and to take two people to hospitals. The one young man had a brother who got mad at him and decided to use a dagger to perforate and vent his brother’s lung. The other one was a child terribly burned in the face who also had parasitical prolapse of the derriere. Not a pretty sight no matter what end you looked at. Praise God both people survived and are doing ok. I would love to take anyone of you to Hospital General (at night!). It is an experience to remember. HG is being rebuilt, and the service they give is getting better all the time, but I think there was 50 suffering people lying on the floor, in the hallways, outside, by the counters, and everywhere imaginable. We had to step over handcuffed and chained prisoners who were moaning and laying on the floor. Guards with guns out were watching them. Bloody people who had been in accidents and now felt obligated to make the most awful sounding groans, gurgles and noises, just to try to get someone to pay them attention… etc etc. I again realise why we try to do EVERYTHING possible in the mountain so we don’t need to use these hospitals, but we still do need them for surgeries etc.
We assisted in a “mobile clinic” recently. It was setup and arranged by another American mission group. They invited us to join them which we were happy to do so. Our clinic had talked of doing this kind of thing for a long time, but never had the guts to just shut down our clinic for a day and go do this. Finally we just did it. We loaded up all the staff in the back of the 6 wheel drive ambulance and went back into a far area on a mountain edge. We borrowed a church building that overlooked a valley and lake 5000 ft below, and therein we had 4 consultation stations and a triage setup. A lot of minor coughs and colds, and yet some very needy situations too. That day we saw and treated over 200 patients.
The baby bundles, the hygiene kits, and birthing kits that have been donated to the clinic have been put to good use and we thank you for them. It’s so cool to be able to see a newborn child wrapped up in a clean new sleeper and diaper and given back to an exhausted but happy new mother.
Winter season is here and it is becoming very beautiful, and yet drier and cold. We don’t have frost yet but it has happened twice in that last 3 yrs that some isolated fields have been froze off. I have a crops of potatoes, red beans, and carrots. I am learning how very expensive it is to grow crops here. The chemicals needed to ward off mold and insects, and all the chemical fertilizer we pour on is making me think farming is a rich man’s occupation. I have wanted to use local animal manure etc but they all tell me that it contains and attracts beetles and worms which eat the crops and that it actually does more harm than good. I still want to try a few things like composting manure first etc. But I already struggle with enough time for my family, so when do I have time to do all the neat little experiments and projects I want to do??
Personally we feel invigorated and alive here. We don’t have any sickness or anything that is pulling us down. We see enough sickness and problems all around us, so we are very glad for the protection that God has given our family. Candace and I are working on getting Haitian citizenship. After that we will begin adoption proceedings for Ketli. She is such a little charmer we can’t imagine life without her anymore. Our teacher’s family Doug Minnigers are coming for a visit next week. Pat Kaufman a missionary from another mission closeby was killed recently when his vehicle went off the road and plunged 70 ft into a river. Pray for his wife Cheryl. A neighbour of ours was murdered in Port au Prince recently. The funeral was so beyond description with the wailing and flailing and seizures that I can’t begin to tell you about it here. One of those “gotta be there to believe it” experiences again.
Recently some of us missionaries had a time of fellowship and prayer together that strengthened and brought us closer together. We each cited our needs and took turns praying especially for each other. I felt blessed and felt the nearness of God among us. If you think of us and need to know what to pray for specifically….
Pray for Francios. A girl who is mentally troubled and possibly is demon possessed. She used to be a Christian sister in our church but went back to her old ways and it seems like it is destroying her.
Pray for Mafi. A very similar girl who maybe isn’t quite as bad off, yet. Pray that she can return to her heavenly father who abundantly pardons and that she can walk in newness of life.
Pray for the clinic in general and also each worker here that we can be strong and can follow God’s leading in all things and show light in a dark world, lifting up the Great Physician to all.
Pray that the coming late-winter-hungry-season won’t be too hard on these dear people.
Pray that the Gospel will spread to more young people around here, and that children who are now growing up in new Christian homes can give their hearts to God.
Thanks for everything, the prayers, the gifts, the clinic donations…. Everything!! I wish you all courage and zeal to work in the place God has put you too.
God bless,
