JUST MERCY
Needs in the Midst of Work
Bill returned to Haiti on Aug. 15th along with our friend, Jim Hulstedt, who came to help for the third time in the last three years. After checking in at Fonds-Parisien with Clenold and Nono, we headed to Ile a Vache with several work projects in mind for the new base. We wanted to try to get the water catchment system in and a latrine/shower built to improve the sanitary conditions at the base.
Jim and Dafka
But while all this work was going on the next three weeks, “life” constantly stopped the work with people showing up with medical problems and other needs. Interspersed with it all are the opportunities to share God’s love with the people in different ways. As Bill recounts………..
Met a little girl named Kokoot on our return to Ile a Vache, her body covered with sores! We washed her with betadine, applied triple antibiotic ointment, and now she plays on our front porch with hardly a mark on her! This is a problem we often encounter and we are able to give so much healing with so little effort.
Showing the Jesus Film for Children on the deck at Ile a Vache
I recall the time a dozen or more children were playing on the front porch while I was resting so I asked them to sing to me. They sang some songs and then quoted the 23rd Psalm. I asked them about the first five words “The Lord is my Shepherd”. They have some sheep on the island so they know what a sheep are but sheep are staked out here so they had no picture in their minds of a shepherd.
I began to talk to them about the days of David and what a true Shepherd was, about love, dedication, protection, and care…. What a picture of the heart of God. And “The true Shepherd lays down his life for His sheep!” Just talking about it gives me chills and threatens to bring tears to my eyes.
Jim and Bill treating Diana’s heel.
Many people come to us with medical problems as there is very little medical help here on Ile a Vasch. One night they brought a young girl named Diana. She had a nasty gash above her heel. She had been carrying a bucket of water on her head and seriously cut her ankle on a rock. Jim and I cleaned the cut. It took some doing as the cut was full of gravel and dirt. We put Neosporin on the cut and dressed it. Though we haven’t seen her, we have heard it is healing.
People often must go to the mainland for medical care, nearly 7 miles away across the ocean. Usually it is difficult to find a boat or gas or oil. We need a boat for emergency transport. I’m going to be checking into the cost of one of the boats like they use for water tap-taps (taxi’s). We would like to raise the money for it so when medical emergencies happen, it is available to transport people to the mainland.
Hand hewing a log
There is timber on the island but hardly any tables or chairs. Ever try to make a board from a tree with a hand saw!? It’s all they have. We are hoping to bring a small portable band saw from Wood-Mizer to assist local carpenters and boat builders. Nothing commercial, just a small one that can be taken apart and moved. There are many downed trees but no way to harvest them for the people.
It was great to have Jim with us the last few weeks. We accomplished much in adverse conditions. The base camp is coming along. We should have a toilet soon and a way to cook. Eventually we will have a little off-grid power so we can have a fan. The only problem with Jim being here is that breaks are hard to come by! 🙂 We were so blessed with Jim and his hard work and dedication to getting projects done.
On our next update, we hope to talk about some of things we have learned and where we hope to go to help with the educational and spiritual needs of the people. Thank you to all who pray, support, donate medical and hygiene items, and all the other ways you enable JUST MERCY to continue working in Haiti.