Caleb Lapp Arrives to Lead Construction Efforts
Caleb Lapp from West Virginia arrived to begin working on the reconstruction in August. He arrived with new plans in hand and an enthusiastic spirit. The workers have been anxious to start work again. The block making factory is up and making blocks not only for our use but for the new school buildings Christianville is building. We received a good report on the strength of the blocks and will continue to strive for even better results by curing the block better. We are ready to dig the footings for the first building. After we perfect our building techniques we will begin working on the main clinic.
After Caleb got a handle on making the concrete blocks and finishing the security walls, one of his first projects was Jenn’s transitional house. Jenn had been homeless and living in the guesthouse for 8 months; it became necessary for her to move out. The last team of July framed a little house for her but no more teams were available to work on it. Caleb took over the work. He salvaged windows and cabinets from the ruined apartment complex and here is what it looks like.
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| Jenn's kitchen |
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| Caleb's house |
Caleb then began work on his own little cottage. It is the same size as Jenn's, but somewhat different in design. Philip and James Stevens came down to help him get it done faster. A team from Florida got it painted inside and out. Thanks Guys!!! All that remains is plumbing and finishing work.
Medical Clinic Passes Another Hurdle
The first term of school finished mid August and the new year begins the first of October. We were asked to vacate the long tin roofed school building so the students could move back into their regular classrooms. We moved all of our salvaged items into the destroyed apartment complex for storage till the clinic is finished. We are moving what we currently need and use into the building that HHM and FAME built for Christianville. We have 4 doctors, a dispensing as well as storage pharmacy, an X-ray, sonography, OR, central supply, administration, patient records, and laboratory all crammed into one small building. We move 110-120 patients through it a day. Our registration desk and lab blood drawing for glucoses moves out onto the covered porch every morning; weighing the patients takes place in a tent. The waiting room is in the shade of the trees unless a rain storm comes up when they move into the tent that Caleb erected given to us by the St. Croix field hospital in Leogane. God was so good to provide that when we were having rain daily!
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| Registration desk on front porch |
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| Doctors examination in Central Supply |
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| Waiting in line for lab |
The move on September 30 went well after seeing a half day of patients. As the Haitians say, we are like sardines in a box, but we are managing to still spread the Good News of the Gospel and care for the sick and infirm even in these difficulties.  |
| Rainy day forces people inside |
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| Waiting room under the trees |
We have daily emergencies and take people to be admitted almost daily to Doctor's Without Borders hospital in Leogane. We are so thankful for them. St. Croix Hospital has now opened as well and it is just in time with the new cholera crisis looming.
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| Weighing in the tent |
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| Jim and Jenn in X-ray also do IV's |
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| Tent for rainy days |
Cholera Epidemic Hits the Artibonite
Cholera was feared early on after the January 11 earthquake hit Haiti. With the displaced persons living in large tent cities and camps it is an ideal situation for infectious disease to take hold. We have been spared any large epidemics until this last week. On October 16 the first case was diagnosed at Hospital Albert Schweitzer. It quickly escalated from there. The initial reports were a 10% mortality rate. The new cases have slowed in recent days and the death rate is improving as the news spreads on what to do and where to go for treatment. We appreciate so much your prayers for Haiti during this crisis. Haiti Health Ministries' clinic will participate in the preparation for cholera in their area and will be administering treatments, transporting to hospitalization sites as needed.
Prayer Requests
1. Wisdom for the Haiti Health Ministries Board as they seek God's will for the future of the ministry.
2. Strength, protection, and good health for the Wilkins, Jenn, Caleb, and Teresa as they continue to minister where God has planted them.
3. A safe delivery for baby boy Price as Teresa and Ryan patiently await his arrival in the US.
4. Praise for 95 salvation decisions thus far this year!
5. Prayer for containment of the cholera and healing for those affected.
I Corinthians 15:58
So then my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not without fruit in the Lord.
Jim and Sandy