An aerial view of the epicenter

God smiled on me today. I was invited to tag along on a helicopter ride to transport two people from the Samaritan's Purse main base in TiTanyen to the sub-base in Grand Goave. Knowing I had lived in Leogane, the epicenter of the earthquake, immediately after the revolution on 1986, the pilot made a point to fly over the area with the most devastation.
It is hard to grasp the extent of damage and human suffering even when I see the structural effects of the quake. What really speaks to me is when I see the people adjusting to their meager shelters and limited resources. 
Another thing that moves me is the empathy the Haitians have expressed about the Chileans who are looking for loved ones and have lost their homes as a result of yesterday's massive earthquake. Even though the number of deaths so far is much less than in Haiti, the people here are concerned for the people of Chile.
Several of us fly out today for Florida and I will continue home to Oregon tomorrow. 
Si Bon Die vle, map tounin anko. If  God who is good so wills, I will be back.

Salomon

Salomon. The wise. This man was brought into the clinic today, doubled over in pain, in shock, and convinced that he was dying. With an acute abdomen, he was likely suffering appendicitis. Once stabilized with intravenous solution, he waited for transportation to the hospital.
I was aware of the emergency, but not directly involved. Instead I plugged away at seeing women with various complaints and concerns, some amusing ~ it feels like something is walking around in my ear. Some extremely sad ~ in the earthquake my brother and my favorite auntie died, I was injured and hospitalized, my small business was destroyed, and I haven't eaten for 9 days.
When I had a chance, I helped move some IV solutions from the treatment room where Salomon was resting to the cooler pharmacy. I greeted him and told him I was glad he was feeling better. His response? "Jesus saved me!" This demanded more than "Glad to hear it!" I agreed that it was God who healed him, that if we were of any help it was because our hearts were filled with the compassion God gives us for the Haitian people. That it was God doing the healing here, not us.
He went on to say that Jesus saved him when He died on the cross, and then again today when he brought him back from death. He asked me if he could pray for us! I mutely nodded. His generous prayer moved me to tears which fell on our joined hands. He asked the God who saved him to grant us more knowledge, wisdom, strength and hope to relieve the suffering of the Haitian people. I was so humbled and moved that I apologized for my tears. He said I nothing to apologize for and simply asked God to bless me more.
Wow. What a day! Praise our Heavenly Father and Risen Lord whom we serve.

Patients and patience

Today was day three at the medical clinic in Cite Soleil. The team is made up of two physicians, three nurses and myself, a nurse practitioner. So far this week we have seen 192 patients. Our team has a depth of international experience, professional excellence and passion for our work. We all love the Lord and he is truly knitting us together as a cohesive team. It must be God, because except for two of us, we have never met, let alone worked together before Haiti.

This morning we believe we saw a miracle. A little girl, around 3 years old, was carried into the clinic, as limp and unresponsive as a rag-doll. While two nurses and a doctor were trying without success to start an IV, they  began to pray. We found out later that two chaplains from Billy Graham Evangelistic Association were outside also praying for her. Just before the doctor was about to initiate more aggressive measures, the little girl reacted to the sharp IV needle, opened her eyes, lifted her head and started crying. She was able to start taking sips of oral rehydration solution and in a matter of hours turned into a responsive little girl who could eat lunch and smile. She will come back tomorrow and someone will share with her and her mama that we believe that she was healed not by our efforts, but by God Himself.

Yesterday, I met Marlene. She came to the clinic by herself to find out if it was time to go to the hospital to have her baby.The safest place for her to deliver was at the local catholic hospital, but with a history of a two hour labor, I was quite reluctant to send her off alone. She was so brave and quiet and patient with the situation; she borrowed someone's cell phone to track down her husband. Two and a half hours later he arrived to take her to the hospital. I believe she was holding off until she could get to the hospital. I had everything ready to "catch" the baby, but was relieved for her that she would be able to deliver where she had been followed for prenatal care.


God is so good and loves these people. It is heart wrenching to tell someone we don't have exactly what she might need, but so amazing to see God reach into a situation in a personal way in his perfect timing.

Arrival

I'm sitting in the "dorm" listening to the rain pelt down on the corrugated tin roof. At least we have a roof. This downpour won't last too long and it cools things off for us. But I have to be thankful for the two thousand tarps Samaritan's Purse distributed today alone. Each tarp covers a family's makeshift shelter.

I am encouraged today by Nehemiah 9:31.

Nevertheless in your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; for You are God, gracious and merciful.

Shifting gears,I am now the designated driver for the medical team. Having lived and driven in Haiti, it fell to me. With driving comes the radio linked to a UN relayer  so we can communicate with "home base". So far the plan is to leave at 6 am for Cite Soleil for church, Haitian style. After a couple of hours there, we will do some regrouping at the medical clinic next door so we can strategize and organize for the week ahead. We plan to be back at the compound for lunch at 12. We will likely find something useful to do but are also encouraged to rest.
And that's the first day.

Unwinding and gearing up at the same time

How do we unwind and gear up at the same time? Well, it has been an interesting couple of days at our home. David has been relaxing and resting, talking, speaking to reporters, catching up on emails, beginning to look through the thousands of photographs he came home with. I have been tying up a few loose ends before heading out tomorrow for Haiti. Thankfully, my bags have been packed for a while because I thought I might be joining David. 
We have talked, taken a couple of walks, slept in, talked, done errands, visited with friends, talked, called family, prayed, laughed and did I say talked? Pretty much done everything we can to savor these couple of days we are both in Sisters at the same time.
We enjoy the life God has given us and press into Him.

On a different note, here is an interview recorded yesterday:
Interview for Ephesians Vision Ministries

Heading out

As I write this, David is in the middle of his third interview of the day. It is good hearing him talk about his experiences in Haiti. It is good seeing him face to face. To see for myself that he is well. To be with him.
This morning as were preparing for the television crews, I received a formal invitation from Samaritan's Purse to go to Haiti. Soon. The day after tomorrow, on Friday the 19th. They needed an answer as soon as possible as they needed to fill the vacancy today.  
What to say? The timing is crazy. I long to go, but David just got home! My bags are packed, my passport and shots are current. I have already printed off a cheat sheet of medical Creole to review on the plane. The freezer and pantry are even well stocked. 
David's response? "There is no reason you should not go. I think you should go." My mom is in shock, but agrees; of course I should go. Our son Nate, a senior in high school, is excited for me. Our son Josh wants to come home from college to see me before I leave.
So, I now have my itinerary and leave at 6 am Friday morning. And what will I do? I will join two Family Practice physicians and two other nurses at the Samaritan's Purse clinic set up in Cite Soleil, Port-au-Prince's largest slum. They have been seeing on average, 100 people a day. 
I will stay at the mission compound that was David's home while he was there. I will greet the ladies in the dining room who doted on him. I will revisit the capitol city where David romanced me. I will sweat, put in long hours, probably shed some tears for the Haitian people, pray a lot and expect to see God work.
An opportunity I am excited and at peace about accepting. I value your prayers!
God is good. God is able.

Going forward

David is back in Sisters. So good to be reunited, see his smile, hear his stories. In the days ahead he will have many opportunities to talk about Haiti and what it means to him that he could be there when he was. We will talk and pray about some options for us to return to the land where we met. We will consider how soon, how long, in what capacity. 
We want to be wise as we proceed. Here is the closing paragraph from an article in Christianity Today. It really speaks to this desire to be wise as we go forward.

Thus, in this moment—stirred as we are by Haiti's pain, and freshly reminded of the hazards of poorly-directed zeal—the most significant reminder is that knowledge-guided love is always needful. The emotion we're feeling is one that can be acted upon for the rest of our lives. Amidst the current crisis, we must help as best we can: giving generously, praying seriously, and even working on the ground alongside trustworthy organizations and local churches. Meanwhile, it's never too early to begin readying ourselves for a longer journey, joining passion with preparedness, and compassion with commitment, to serve wisely and well for the distance. Strong on Zeal, Thin on Knowledge

Adjusting

I have been reading about the reality of nursing and midwifery in Haiti over the past month. It takes me back to some of the emergencies, trauma and complicated deliveries I attended while living there, more than 20 years ago. Working in these conditions means laying aside our American standard and sense of entitlement.When a delay in reaching medical care is coupled with limited resources, a challenging condition can quickly deteriorate. Add to that the overwhelming poverty and malnutrition of the population being served, and you can quickly become depleted, disillusioned and down-hearted. 
I read with compassion Desiree's blog as she tenderly expresses her broken heart for the countless women she served with what little supplies she had at hand. Some Time for Haiti
When I look back on my time in Haiti all those years ago, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I think I am better prepared now if I should return. Deeper is my faith in Jesus Christ to redeem any situation, to transform an apparently hopeless situation by the power of His loving Spirit, and the need to lay aside any of my own expectations and agenda and take up His.

"An Incredible Day in the History of Haiti"

An engineer for Radio Lumiere and is still active as a volunteer engineer, is in Haiti; he wrote the following report, dated yesterday, February 12, 2010.

Subject: An Incredible Day in the History of Haiti

I think that I will remember this day as one of the most significant in my life, not because of what I did,  but for it's meaning. In fact, what I did today was insignificant, and may have even distracted from me fully engaging in the day.

"Not sure I would go to Haiti"

Over the last few weeks, many people have said they totally understand why David left for Haiti as soon as he had the chance. Several others have not been surprised that if given the chance, I would also go in  a heartbeat. A few people have said that while they appreciate our desire to go to Haiti, they are not so sure they could themselves go. Understandable. We are all wired differently and have different gifts and talents.
This blog entry from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta expresses something of our desire to go to Haiti at this time in her history.
Returning to Haiti. Tipping the scales of faith.

Heading home

David in his element in Ethiopia, November, 2009

David is heading home. Well, at least he is heading back to Sisters. He flies out of Haiti on next Monday and arrives in Sisters some time on Tuesday.

As we regroup and evaluate how the Uttley family will continue to be involved in the story of Haiti, we have to thank  anyone who has been following our story within a story. 

If I have one request, it is this: don't forget Haiti. I will continue posting to this blog in an attempt to keep the interest in Haiti's recovery alive.

There is much yet to be done. But we serve an awesome God. A God who is able.

Another David

Out of the Rubble: In Memory of David Hames

We never met. I don't know his wife or kids. But as I followed the story of this man and the ones he loved, I've been reminded how precious our relationships are and how easy it is to take our loved ones for granted.

Full circle

David and I met while he was working in a print shop in Port-au-Prince. I walked in to have forms printed for the outlying hospital I worked at. It was exciting work in an exciting place during an exciting time. Did I mention it was an exciting romance?

Over the last 20 years as we have raised our boys,started and sold a business and built lasting relationships in Central Oregon, we have dreamed of someday working together again on the mission field. Even in Haiti.

I have been told for more than a week that it was possible that I would be joining him.  World Health Organization  with the approval of Haiti's Ministry Of Health has initiated a major immunization campaign for children under 7 at strategic sites. Samaritan's Purse will set up a site at a clinic in Cite Soleil. There was the thought that I might be a good fit for this task. This plan would enable David to extend his stay. He has proven to be a valuable help. Otherwise, he would be relieved to come home for some much needed R and R. 

My heart thrills at the prospect of getting to go! Obedience to the Lord in this would be sweet. Can't wait to serve the Haitian people again along side David. But, as it stands tonight, it does not look like it works for them to rearrange their medical teams just to get me there. It makes more sense for David to come home, regroup and plan with me to return.

There is irony here. When I first moved to Haiti in November of 1985, I was expecting to work primarily as a nurse-midwife. Much to my chagrin, that was expanded to include community health nursing. In that capacity I wore many hats, including hiring and training a team of six to run satellite immunization clinics. Now I am willing and equipped to do exactly that but the door is not opening.
So? I continue to wait on God who is able. We deeply appreciate your interest in, support and prayers for this one family's puny contribution to Haiti's full restoration. 

Bon Die kapab! God is able!

Super Bowl Sunday

For a taped interview of David Uttley, go to 
David Uttley Taped Interview
David called me this afternoon after taking a nap and before joining the 82nd Airborne Division at their Super Bowl gathering. It sounds a world away from what he has been doing the last three weeks; I think he needed the break. 
It is almost four weeks since the earthquake and his departure for Haiti. The decision will soon be made by Samaritan's Purse whether to bring him home or to send me down.
As we wait on God's perfect plan and timing, we both thank you for your prayers. I will keep you posted. 

What Haiti needs most

What does Haiti need most?

Food? Jobs? Safe Water? Adequate sanitation? Moral leadership? Re-forestation? More schools? 

The responsibilities of former President Bill Clinton, presently the UN Special Envoy to Haiti, now extend to the rebuilding phase:

"I want to build the capacity of the country to chart its own course, so they can trust me not to be a neocolonialist," Clinton, 53, said about the former slave colony's populace. "I'm not interested in doing that, and I'm too old. What I want them to do is be able to dream their own dreams and then make them real. That's my goal."

He noted that previous aid efforts have failed to improve life in the poorest nation in the hemisphere. 

"Too often, the aid that has flowed -- whether it was generous or stingy -- did not do anything to fundamentally increase the capacity of the country to stand on its own feet, to chart its own course, to run its own good schools, run its own good health system, run its own diverse economy." excerpt from http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/02/05/haiti.bill.clinton/index.html

Whether you are a Clinton fan or not, I for one appreciate his intentions for Haiti to have a chance to thrive. I wonder though what the Haitian people think about their future. I suspect they have been so misled, abandoned, abused and taken such advantage of that they need to put their faith in something more reliable than the promises of foreign diplomats or local politicians.
And although I think Clinton accurately observes the failure of previous attempts to aid Haiti, I don't think that international aid, no matter how well co-ordinated, is  the entire answer for Haiti's future.
What does Haiti need?
I think the Haitian people need to know where to place their hope.

Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:9-11 (New International Version)

In for the long haul

Whether David stays another week or another month, the work in Haiti is only just beginning. With a well-earned reputation for entrenched corruption, pervasive poverty being the norm and the Atlantic hurricane season coming right after the imminent rainy season, the hurdles which lie before Haiti's full recovery are daunting.


Add to this overwhelming task the apparent jockeying for position to help and challenge of co-ordination of international aid efforts, and I have to sigh as I pause to consider what shape the country of Haiti will take in the months and years to come.


That's when I am reminded that I follow a God who is able. 

Able:  having necessary power, skill, resources, or qualifications; having unusual or superior intelligence, skill, etc. 

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.

I remember the countless "hopeless" situations God has redeemed. Familiar Old Testament stories of deliverance heard since Sunday school days. Goliath felled by one stone hurled from a shepherd boy's slingshot. The Red Sea parting long enough, but only just long enough, for the Israelites to escape to safety. The widow's little jar of oil being refilled each morning. 


Are these just stories?


Yes, they would be if I didn't have the daily assurance that the ultimate redemption and act of deliverance was real. Daily, I am convinced that the horrific death of Jesus Christ on the cross did not end there. His resurrection, or return to full life, has been proven to me over and over. How? I experience a supernatural peace and hope and even joy in the midst of challenging and painful situations. An assurance that can only come from God, who cares. Who is able. Daily.


So, I cling to the Lord of all creation, look into His face and am assured that He is able to redeem, rebuild and restore Haiti. 


P.S. I fixed the link to Tuesday's taped interview. Also, I added some new links. See the sidebar on the right. Today's new photos posted to Samaritan's Purse website: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/In_Pictures/photos/haiti_relief_day_20/

A taped interview

Here's my interview yesterday with Dave Adams, NEWS Director at 1110 KBND NEWS Radio, in Bend, Oregon. He is also involved in a central Oregon ministry known as Ephesians Vision Ministries. Only the first half or so was aired on the radio, the entire interview can be found by going to


http://www.ephesiansvisionministries.org/1_13_Haiti-Relief-Effort.html


and clicking on "to listen to the interview click here" found in the body of the paragraph (NOT the side bar).


I still haven't heard anything certain about David extending his stay. So, I wait. Waiting is good. It keeps me looking up.