Archive for the ‘Haiti’ Category

 
GLA (Haiti part two)

One of the sweetest surprises on our trip was being able to spend so much time with the orphans at God’s Littlest Angels.  We were initially told we would be sorting through containers and delivering supplies shipped from Colorado, but unfortunately, all the containers are still stuck in the Port.  So we learned how to be flexible!  While Jay and Nick did construction on the orphanage’s new property at the top of the mountain, the rest of us snuggled some pretty incredible kiddos!  I’m not authorized to identify each baby below by name but Jerrensia, Jude, Wislande, Michael, and Jerry definitely stole a few hearts within our group.  Some of the babies are in the orphanage to receive care until their families are stable {no longer living in tents}, others are there in intensive care for malnourishment.  Several came from another orphanage damaged in the earthquake, and of course, many are in limbo in the adoption process waiting for their forever families.

Every story is so incredibly unique…all involving a parent who made a heart wrenching decision.  Many parents still visit the babies on a regular basis, even the babies who are in the adoption process and will eventually be leaving the country.  Some parents stopped visiting after the earthquake… Can’t even imagine.  What is clear that there are certainly moments of joy with these kids and moments of sadness.  They have experienced the same trauma that has caused grown men to go running down the city street naked {kind of caught me off guard}; caused missionaries to return home and nurses to slit their wrists.  When we went through foster care training, they told us that even if the child came from an abusive and neglectful home he or she will be in a state of grief over the loss of their parents.  They know they’re not home…they’re in between.  And let’s be honest.  That can be a lonely place even when you’re surrounded by people with good intentions.

This little guy's dimpled smile made me melt EVERY time!

This little guy's dimpled smile made me melt EVERY time!

The little one on the left is a year old weighing in under 6lbs.  She received just enough for survival but not enough for growth.  I always thought they were one in the same.  The baby Candice is holding on the right is quite a bit larger at only a couple months old.

The little one on the left is 1 year old weighing in at just 8lbs. She received just enough for survival but not enough for growth. I always thought they were one in the same. The baby Candice is holding on the right is quite a bit larger at only a couple months old.

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Team member, Marshall, on the right was right at home surrounded by all the kids.  He's a proud daddy of four!

Marshall (right) was at home surrounded by all the kids. He's a proud daddy of four!

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Love Sandy.  She spent her first week in hospitals in PAP and her second week with the babies.

Love Sandy. She spent her first week in hospitals in PAP and her second week with the babies.

Another baby who is a year old (on left) who was severely malnourished.  The GLA nannies are doing a great job of starting to plump them up.  The little guy on the right was born premature and is around 4lbs at 3 weeks old.

Another baby who is a year old (left) who was severely malnourished. The GLA nannies are doing a great job of starting to plump them up. The little guy on the right was born premature and is around 4lbs at 3 weeks old.

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The US has stopped allowing medical visas.  As soon as they open the borders again, the hope is that GLA will be able to find a medical team that will fix her legs pro bono.  This sweet girl had an opinion about everything and quite possibly one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.

Sadly, the US has stopped allowing medical visas. As soon as they open the borders again, the hope is that GLA will be able to find a medical team that will fix her legs. This sweet girl had an opinion about everything and quite possibly one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard. Our not so secret plan is to get a team of doctor's from the DeVos Children's Hospital on board and be her foster parents for her while she's here. Her parents still visit her at the orphanage... how incredible would it be for her to be able to run and play and be able to go home with her real mom and dad?!

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Such a little caterpillar!  Check out the transformation below!  I'm pretty sure she wanted to keep Crystal (above and making her laugh below) and the feeling was clearly mutual.

Such a little caterpillar! Check out the transformation below! I'm pretty sure she wanted to keep Crystal (above and making her laugh below) and the feeling was clearly mutual.

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This gentlemen is from Australia and just happens to be traveling the world and he found GLA online and decided to stay a few weeks.  Yes, he's giving this little one a pedicure!

This gentlemen is from Australia and just happens to be traveling the world. He found GLA online and decided to stay a few weeks to hold babies. Yes, he's giving this little one a pedicure!

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The view from the balcony where the playroom is set up is extraordinary!

The view from the balcony where the playroom is set up is extraordinary!

There were times we felt completely spoiled knowing the needs were so great outside the gates to the orphanage.

There were times we felt completely spoiled. :)

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The view... if you follow the valley all the way to the horizon, that is Port-au-Prince and the bay.  Only 15 miles away but it seemed hundreds of miles away at that moment.

The view... if you follow the valley all the way to the horizon, you'll find Port-au-Prince and the bay. Only 15 miles but it seemed hundreds of miles away at that moment.

To follow the stories of these babies, you can read the blog of one of the nurses in the NICU…

 
J/P HRO (Haiti part 1)

First of all, thank you to EVERYONE who helped raise the money for us (and many of our other team members!) to get to Haiti and provide so many needed supplies!!  I also cannot underestimate the power of the prayers that followed us there.  We were able to serve in many different capacities from loving on malnourished infants at the orphanage to building a new facility for them to caring for the caretakers and people in tent cities.  In all honesty, being back home has been a struggle as the needs are still so great there.  My heart is torn.  I’m pretty sure there will be another trip in the near future.

Kites flew over every tent camp and in every concrete mess of a neighborhood.  To me, the kite represents the hearts of the Haitians.  Battered, pieced together, hanging on by a thread, with an uncanny ability to soar.

Kites fly over every tent camp and in every concrete mess of a neighborhood. To me, the kite represents the hearts of the Haitians. Battered, pieced together, hanging on by a thread, with an uncanny ability to soar.

In honor of Anderson Cooper’s interview with Sean Penn this evening on CNN, the first batch of photos is from our time spent at his organization, J/P HRO, nestled within a tent camp of 60,000 residents.  Shortly after the earthquake, I began following Alison Thompson on twitter (@lightxxx).  She quickly became my hero.  Alison is the epitome of a girl who knows how to get her hands dirty serving others.  Following the tsunami in 2004, a two week medical mission turned into a year of serving the people of Sri Lanka independent of any aid organization.  Can’t wait to find a copy of the video.  Aside from the independent awards, it received a great review by Grand Rapid’s very own  Spout.  Alison is now on another long term mission serving the patients that come through the J/P HRO medical tents (not to mention living life in a tent herself).  She graciously welcomed us into their camp where we were able to talk with some of their patients and nurses at the women’s clinic that Sean briefly discussed in his interview with Anderson Cooper the night before we were there.

A very small portion of the camp. The tents on the side of the hills are in grave danger when the rains come.  The sand beneath their floors turns to a slimy mud and threatens to wash all the makeshift tents down the hill in a deadly snowball effect.  As of Thursday, they received permission to bus 6,000 people off from the side of the hills and into the country.

A very small portion of the camp. The tents on the side of the hills are in grave danger when the rains come. When wet, the sand turns to a slimy mud and threatens to wash all the makeshift tents down the hill in a deadly snowball effect. As of Thursday, they received permission to evacuate 6,000 people off from the side of the hills and into the country.

The photo on the left is of an elderly woman begging for food.  Food distribution has stopped leaving 60,000 people hungry.  Those who manage to find food through small NGOs do so at their own risk... the elderly and weak are at a severe disadvantage.  There is simply not enough to go around.  Even with hungry bellies, there is a joy that just baffles me as shown in the young family in the tent on the right.

The photo on the left is of an elderly woman begging from all who walked up the hill towards the medical clinic. Food distribution has stopped leaving 60,000 people hungry. Those who manage to find food through small NGOs do so at their own risk... the elderly and weak are at a severe disadvantage. There is simply not enough to go around. Even with hungry bellies, there is a joy that just astounds me that is obvious in the young family living in a tent on the right.

Fifteen year old, Junior, was one of my personal favorites.  His home was destroyed, he lost many friends and an aunt and uncle, and yet, you couldn't wipe this smile off his face.  He speaks five languages: French, Creole, English, Hebrew, and Latin.  He wants to be a doctor.  This American soldier has become one of his best friends.  Junior's sunglasses were a gift from the soldier.  We also watched as the soldier taught Junior his best dance moves.  I love the US Army.

Fifteen year old, Junior, was one of my personal favorites. His home was destroyed, he lost many friends when his school collapsed, lost an aunt and uncle, and yet, you couldn't wipe this smile off his face. He speaks five languages: French, Creole, English, Hebrew, and Latin. He wants to become a doctor. Junior might be this American soldier's favorite too as he gave Junior the pair of sunglasses he's wearing. We also watched as the soldier taught Junior his best dance moves. I love the US Army.

A young mother waits in line to be seen at the women's clinic and another young girl begs on the side of the path.

A young mother waits in line to be seen at the women's clinic and another young girl begs on the side of the path. The adults with the younger girl were not her parents. Generally, not a good sign.

This young man has picked up some great English phrases... my favorite, "I love you."

This young man has picked up some great English phrases... my favorite, "I love you."

Fellow team members Crystal and Candice led a couple of group counseling sessions where they explained Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Many of the medical problems they complain about are direct symptoms of it.  They didn't even know there was such a thing.  The girls gave them practical techniques to deal with the symptoms and treat the causes.  Even though we were only able to be there for a few hours, I know these women went back to their tents and talked to other women.  Something this simple validated them and helped them to know that this is normal -- they're not going crazy.

Fellow team members Crystal (in the Cubs hat) and Candice (in the Cubs shirt) led a couple of group counseling sessions where they explained Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many of the medical problems they complain about are direct symptoms of it. This was new information for the women. Candace and Crystal gave them practical techniques to deal with the symptoms and treat the causes. Good time of Q&A too. Even though we were only able to be there for a few hours, I know these women went back to their tents and talked to the other women in their lives. It validated them and helped them to know that what they are experiencing is a normal response to a traumatic experience.

A quick snap of the women's clinic.  This small tent is a safe haven for hundreds of women every day.

A quick snap of the women's clinic. This small tent is a safe haven for hundreds of women every day. Please pray for strength for the nurses working here... the burden they carry is so heavy.

A team member we adopted from the orphanage who acted as our translator when the girls counseled this beautiful 18 year old nurse from J/P HRO.  She survived the earthquake and was in her first year of medical school, now she lives in the tent city with her aunt and uncle and is serving the women in the clinic.  I am so thankful she took the time to talk and take care of herself.

A team member we adopted from the orphanage, Vivienne, who acted as our translator when Candice and Crystal counseled this beautiful 18 year old nurse from J/P HRO. She survived the earthquake with her aunt and uncle and was in her first year of medical school, now she lives in the tent city and is serving her neighbors in the clinic. After counseling another woman who tried to kill her baby with bleach, the nurse began talking through her own nightmares as she tries to hold herself together. There is such a great need for counselors for the caretakers! If you know of any trained counselor who is interested -- we can put you in contact with an organization at this tent city who desperately needs the help. Please continue to pray for this sweet girl too.

Another young Haitian nurse that received counseling for her own horrific experience.  She's so broken, yet so strong... and continues to care for so many.  The most heart-wrenching thing was to encourage her and then have her ask, "You're coming back tomorrow, right?"

Another young Haitian nurse that received counseling for her own horrific experience which included the death of her father among so many other things. She's so broken, yet so strong... and continues to care for so many. The most heart-wrenching thing was after we were able to encourage her, she asked, "You're coming back tomorrow, right?" This 17 year old has a long, long road ahead. Pray that she'll remember that God's hands are big enough to hold her too. The gorgeous 42 year old woman on the right is a mother of 6 kids. She has not eaten in a while and was hoping we'd be able to give her food. There is apparently an organization that is distributing food to the women and children, but she has become too weak to withstand the pushing and shoving. When asked where she gets the food she does eat, she simply said, "I eat what God gives me." The sad reality is that like the elderly woman above, there is a large number of women who fall into this category.

Crystal is a great hugger.  That smile makes me cry.

Crystal is a great hugger. :) Knowing what this girl has been through, this smile brings tears to my eyes. This is the definition of being the hands and feet of God.

Driving out of the tent city.  Sadly, the orphanage needed the car back so we had to leave at 2:30.  The three hours we spent there were way too short.  I am so thankful for every minute... these people rocked my world.

Driving out of the tent city. Sadly, the orphanage needed the car back so we had to leave at 2:30. The three hours we spent there were way too short. I am so thankful for every minute... these people rocked my world.

To make a world of difference to one family, you can provide a tent for a family living in a makeshift home of tarps, curtains, sheets, and corrugated metal.  The tents are obviously still needed.  Visit A Home In Haiti for more information.

 
Haitian Fundraiser Results!

We are humbled and proud to be part of a community that both supports each other and is not plagued by a small worldview.  We dared to dream large and think that we could make a difference.  So did you.  Thank you for that.

Before I proceed with photos and the results of the fundraiser, I have a bit of news to share.  We found out late Tuesday evening that World Vision was going to put the building project on hold.  We don’t know the specifics, but I can only imagine that they have their hands full managing other more important issues at the moment.  Food, water, shelter, and medical continue to be at emergency levels even though news coverage has all but disappeared. Backing up a couple weeks, our initial group of 60 ended up being a group of 9 people actually committed to building the school.  Before we knew it, the trip had been cancelled due to lack of interest.  We had already purchased our tickets.  I begged for a two day extension to try and recruit a few others to meet World Vision’s minimum group number.  We were able to find five incredibly passionate people who jumped on with only a day to make their decision.  A few others also joined bringing our number up and the trip was back on.  But in those two days of uncertainty, we started to develop a Plan B.

Early Wednesday morning, Plan B went from 0-60 in record time.  By lunch, our disappointment over a lack of focus and mission turned into sheer excitement over God’s orchestration of our new purpose.  You see, it was supposed to be Plan B all along.  Plan A was merely there to get the right people in place for Plan B.  So what is Plan B, you ask?  Well, let me tell you… :)

When I photographed the Haitian kiddos arriving at the airport a few weeks ago, I met a man who was on the board of the orphanage in Haiti and father to the budding news reporter.  He shared his heart with me over how desperately they needed help.  I wished I could do more.  This chance meeting was supposed to happen.  We never talked to him about Plan B before Wednesday out of fear it would get his hopes up unnecessarily.  Over lunch we dreamed about making a lasting difference.  They have received several containers shipped from their home office in the US, along with all the supplies they stuffed in a cargo plane.  All this aid is parked in an empty lot that they were going to use to build a new orphanage.  Slowly they are loading up trucks and driving to remote towns and villages that have not yet received any sort of aid.  While their orphanage was not damaged (located higher in the mountains above Port-au-Prince), 90% of the staff who care for the children either lost or have severely damaged homes.  The other five individuals who decided to go on the initial trip have made the decision to proceed on this new mission… delivering aid and rebuilding.  I have been assigned a side project of documenting the people and their hope in the face of despair and complete loss to ultimately compile a book.  This book already has a name and we’re working on collaborating with a certain Christian music artist to tie into his powerful lyrics detailing his own story of loss, grief, and the role of faith.  Our prayer is that the faces and voices of the people of Haiti will speak to us in our pain and point to the Giver of true peace.  If it can be found there, it certainly can be attained here.  We also hope that it will be a continual reminder to not let this country disappear into the wasteland of absolute corruption again.  As you all know, rebuilding is going to take a long time – we can’t forget that they can’t do it alone.

With our new purpose in mind, we still plan on hand delivering your donations of hygiene items and kids’ toys.  Through the fundraiser we were able to raise $4790!  In deciding how to use that money to the closest intent of it’s original purpose, we’ll be covering our travel expenses as well as paying for the additional flights required for the other five people on our team.

Now to the fun numbers… through your generosity, we will be delivering (as much as we’re humanly capable of):

1456 Happy Meal Toys (who knew they kept cases of old toys?!!)

1000 Plastic Cups

720 Tampons

369 Bars of Soap

331 Tubes of Toothpaste

275 Toothbrushes

240 Crayons

168 Tylenol Pills

163 Feminine Pads

100 Advil Pills

100+ Beanie Babies

80 Tee-Shirts

50+ Happy Meal Bags (gift bags…yay!)

19 Bottles of Shampoo

5 Lotions/Body Wash

2 Jump Ropes

2 Boxes of Hi-C Fruit Punch Syrup (not sure if they can use this yet – if not, we’ll find someone who can!)

Assorted Books and Small Games

*Not included in these numbers — 100s of hotel and sample sized hygiene products!*

Please remember to pray for safety and endurance for us as we fly out March 27th and return on April 3rd.  Can’t say it enough… THANK YOU!!  Also special thanks to all the vendors and donations that made the fundraiser so successful (see listing in the last post) and Ryan Prins for snapping the photos below!!

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Haitian School Fundraiser * Update

First of all, we want to thank you all for the outpouring of love and support regarding our decision to travel to Jimani, DR to build a school for the children of Haitian refugees (in coordination with World Vision)!  We have been simply overwhelmed and so honored to able to be YOUR conduit of generosity.

Our little Gala has caught the attention of Jordan Carson of WOTV’s F4CE of 4 who has been promoting and will be attending!  I’m looking forward to meeting her in person on Tuesday at Stella & Dot’s event, “Passport to Style” Trunk Show!  You can check it out too at JW Marriott’s Mixology at 7pm.  A portion of their proceeds will be donated towards our trip, so be sure to stock up on their incredible jewelry line!

For those of you planning on attending the Fundraising Gala, we’d like to express our appreciation for the people and businesses that are responsible for making the Gala truly extraordinary!

Jodi Bos with In Any Event, LLC; Jenn Ederer of Modern Day Floral; Mike Millenbach with Special Events Rental; Roger Haight of Martha’s Vineyard; Jessica with MI Photobooth; Barb Hoek Sweet Cakes DesignPeter Spickenagel; Lisa Perdue of Aura Skincare & Cosmetics; Ryan Slusarzyk with Amway Grand; The Team at Boxed Water; Marie Catrib’s

We’d also like to thank the incredible group who have donated their time, talent, and products to our silent auction! There truly is something for EVERYONE.  The list is still growing…

Obrien Schridde Designs; MI Photobooth; Peter Spickenagel; Modern Day Floral; Aura Skincare & Cosmetics; Design 1; Amway Grand Hotel; JW Marriott; Refresh Design; J Photography; Marti Denuyl (Quickbooks Training); Red Letter Words; K Bella Designs (Lil’ Sprouts Clothing Co); Chookhenge Farm & Art Studio; Rockstar Imaging; Top Quality Painting; My Sweet Gumdrop; Kelly Braman Photography; Sweet Cakes Design; Jason Aten Photography; Taylor Grey Photography; Gary Fong Inc; Color Incorporated; Lindsey R Smith – Makeup Artist; Stella & Dot by Julie Regan; Rick Hopkins; Gwyneth Paige; Mimosa Events

We look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones THIS THURSDAY at 7pm!  If you’re not able to attend, you can still help us get to Jimani by sending a monetary donation or by sending your supplies to: Jen Kroll Photography, 401 Hall Street Southwest, Suite 110, Grand Rapids, MI 49503.

Fun Fact:  Because of YOUR generosity, our suitcases currently contain 306 bars of soap, 620 tampons, 144 feminine pads, 80 tee-shirts, 44 toothbrushes, 18 tubes of toothpaste, 13 bottles of shampoo, and hundreds of French school & storybooks for every age group (thanks to an international school in Florida that went out of business – shipping separately!)

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