Fighting the Scabies!

Bill and the Just Mercy team returned to the states on Feb. 4th after an 18 day mission in Haiti.  However, Bill returned to Haiti only 9 days after coming home. Our “scout” had finally found a vehicle that might work for us and that was in our price range!! Our old 1997 pickup that we’ve driven since 2010 was literally falling apart. It was no longer reliable or safe to transport Bill and the teams helping in Haiti. 

The prospective vehicle was brought to the Port au Prince airport in order for Bill to inspect it when he returned to Haiti. The 2010 Toyota Troopy was in good shape and is built really rugged in order to withstand the rough 4-wheel drive roads we so often travel. The Troopy met all the criteria and upon inspection Bill decided to purchase it.  The challenge was to get the truck out of Port au Prince beyond the gang activity and kidnappings and to the town of  Les Cayes.   

Our “scout” had made some arrangements that we didn’t find out about until the next day. He paid a gang member for safe passage in order to get the vehicle to the wharf in Port au Prince. It was loaded on a ferry, sailed down the coast of Haiti past where the gangs control the roads, put back on land, and driven to Les Cayes where Bill met them the next day after his plane landed. We are so grateful for those of you who gave specifically for this vehicle and all those who give in general so we can continue to work in Haiti!

Bill came back home after 10 days but immediately began preparing to return. There was a terrible scabies outbreak in a village not far from our base and he got them, also!  Once Bill was home, he sought medical care for himself and began the attempt to procure treatment options for those in Haiti with no medical care.  

He writes, “This is a bad deal. People are not able to sleep from the intense itching. They’re breaking out with bumps on their skin from the burrowing mites. I felt so bad for them that I knew I needed to source the treatment for scabies and return asap.  

A problem I ran into was all the medicine I needed, Ivermectin and 5% permethrin cream, was by prescription only. Hardly gettable. I finally found a source and headed back to Haiti with it in my suitcase, post haste. I began treatment as soon as I arrived.

I was surprised at how quickly the medication began working! People are so happy and so grateful! I can’t tell you how blessed I am to have been part of relieving so much suffering and you are a part of that, too. 

Our gratitude goes out to all who make it possible, to those who give so we can serve and those who cannot see and feel the great good that comes of it. I wish I could share it with you for I know, and see, and feel what you have given and what it has wrought. 

Mesi, mesi, mesi, (thank you, thank you, thank you) from me and our friends and neighbors here in Haiti.” – Bill

The well the pump goes in

Just after Bill returned to Haiti this time, someone stole the solar pump out of the well that supplies water for our village of Kaykok. We couldn’t believe it. People are now lined up 24/7 at one little hand pump that barely puts any water out.

This week, much time was spent finding a replacement here in the states and arranging to get it to Agape Flights in Florida so it can be flown into Haiti.  Thank you, Aaron, for taking on the task of finding it! It arrived there today and will be flown in next Tuesday so hopefully Bill can get it hooked up and working again.

Purchasing the vehicle greatly depleted our funds and there is still work to do. In addition to completing the church/school building in Janou, we need to build a small house in that village for a teacher to live in.  This is a requirement if we are expecting to hire such a person. 

Please consider a special gift to help us with that dwelling. We are so grateful for all of you who pray for Just Mercy, for those who give, and those who have faithfully given monthly for so many years. May God bless you all!

This is the young lady in the previous 2 pictures, now free of scabies! She is so thankful and happy!

2010 Toyota Troopy

The site of the church/school in Janou and where the teacher’s home/depot will be built to the left of it in the picture