Image courtesy of USAID
Haiti —
ABWE missionary, Dr. John Briggs recently returned from a trip to help survivors of the earthquake that struck Haiti in January. While in the capitol city of Port Au Prince, Dr. Briggs worked at an ad-hoc clinic across from the presidential palace, organized by two women with no medical training, from YWAM (Youth with a Mission). These women had embarked on a mission of faith, asking God to bring the right people to join them in bringing love and hope to the people of Port Au Prince. According to Dr. Briggs a steady stream of medical personnel showed up, and helped minister to nearly 500 patients a day, processing them through pediatric, general care, and surgical stations.
While most of the most horrific cases have already been addressed, there is ongoing need of a less critical, yet still important kind, as thousands of people are crowding together in makeshift tents with little food, water, medicine, or sanitation facilities. There is a problem, for instance, with malarial mosquitoes.
Dr. Briggs and his comrades helped to organize the formidable logistics of the clinic, and also took on other mercy projects around the capital, including transporting patients with special needs to the Haitian Baptist Clinic.
Looking a bit gnarly yet cheerful upon his return, Dr. Briggs smiled with some melancholy as he recounted his efforts to establish eye contact as possible with the patients, asking each one, in French, "How are you?" The typical response would be "Good," which prompted Dr. Briggs to ask the question again but with greater earnestness. It was then that people became more open and vulnerable, which then allowed John to care for them a little bit more thoroughly.
Dr. Briggs says he was moved by the resiliency of the Haitians, who are already beginning to move forward. Haiti celebrated two holidays during the team's visit, and the people's festivity was amazing. One night a crowd was parading in the street singing praise songs!
Dr. Briggs and his comrades slept in the open air on cots, in a courtyard only separated from the busy street by a wrought iron fence. He described the "cacophony" of noise surrounding them long into the night: people talking and laughing, horns blowing, dogs barking. The noise was great he tried to diversify their sleeping arrangements, moving up to a covered hallway on the second floor of a police building. This choice was passed over by some people due to the ongoing quake tremors. Dr. Briggs did endure one aftershock while in that hallway. He ended up sleeping on the roof...
Many times throughout his time in Haiti, Dr. Briggs had the joy of commending Jesus to people. At times he would take a break from treating patients and simply sit with them and talk about the gospel. One of his photo shows such a moment: a little boy quotes John 3:16 in French, while his mother looks on with joy.
Since the earthquake, ABWE been able to deliver funds to My Father’s House Orphanage, in Haiti, which were used for food, water purification equipment/supplies, analgesics, bandaging materials, first aid supplies, vitamins, and even a generator.
On February 11, a five member “Haiti Advance Team” will visit and assess the needs of four ministries and local churches, making contact with Baptist pastors in affected areas.
According to one missionary from Baptist Haiti Mission (BHM), sharing the hope of the Gospel is critical to the people: “Right now, in the middle of such terrible loss, people are desperate for hope. They hunger and thirst for the promises of the gospel, for the love of a Savior. We give thanks for the miracles God is working each and every day, not only saving lives, but changing hearts.” At least 40 people in the BHM hospital have made a new commitment to follow Christ as their Lord and Savior! Each day brings new people to Christ. With your help, we hope to continue to minister to both the physical and spiritual needs of the people in Haiti.
How You Can Help!
Medical: The International Healthcare Ministries (IHM) Department is working to assemble emergency healthcare teams over the coming months. We will need volunteer medical staff (i.e., doctors, PAs, nurse practitioners), and assistants (i.e., nurses or those without previous healthcare clinical experience) able to raise their own support. Trip dates and other information on these teams will be posted at http://www.healthcareministries.abwe.org as soon as it is available over the next weeks.
Construction: ABWE’s Project Office staff is also planning reconstruction teams for the rebuilding efforts, which will include volunteer engineers, builders and helpers. Our ability to assist will depend on the funds and volunteers available. Like the medical workers, participants will raise their own support, but we want to use the money we raise to help the poor and devastated churches purchase building materials. More information is available on the serve section of our website.
Financial: Donations should be marked “Haiti Relief” and sent to:
ABWE Donor Services
PO BOX 8585, Harrisburg, PA 17105
Or you can give online using the form at the top of this page.
Canadian Donors: To give online please visit the ABWE Canada website.
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