Nourish Haiti

2010-04-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Caroline Brooks (7 years old) and the girls from the Crestwood Day School did a yard sale/bake sale/lemonade sale for Canaan and the Haiti Nutrition Project. These girls planned and organized it entirely. It was awesome.

This is what it is about.

The Rains

2010-04-11T14:37:00.001-07:00

documentary

2010-03-28T07:06:00.000-07:00

This looks to be extremely interesting. A must see...

Two New Patients - Oscilla and Ocilouis

2010-03-25T08:03:00.000-07:00

From Angela Jennings' blog:

Early afternoon today two twins came into the clinic at Canaan. The family had walked 4 hours to get here. They live up in the mountains and they had heard about the Medika Mamba program and saw it as their only hope.

Bobi said the little boy was the in the top three worse cases she has seen. He is the swollen one. He could barely see out his eyes. Luckily they made it to the clinic. Thankfully we were able to take care of them and praise the parents for doing all they humanly could to help their twins.

By the end of the day you could already tell the Medika Mamba was helping. It was unreal how much better they were doing in 12 short hours. They were regaining strength and had started to cry. This is actually a good sign!

Ocilouis (on the right) is "kwashikor." This is a state of severe malnutrition that results in tremendous swelling all over the body.

Thanks for supporting this effort.

2010-03-18T13:17:00.000-07:00

Meet Reginald. At first, he may look like a happy, healthy and normal 2 year-old Haitian boy.

Look closer...

You will see a boy who was at one time very malnourished. He was grumpy, irritable and unhealthy. His eyes were dull. He had bumps and rashes on his skin. Poor sanitary conditions at home had led to chronic diarrhea and worms. His health had been stolen from him at the age of two.

The work here is very hard. Sometimes mothers fail to return for their weekly appointments. Our malnutrition program isn't perfect. We don't have a flawless system down. We run in to all kinds of obstacles.

I think it's worth it.

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." - Mother Teresa

our work is cut out for us...

2010-03-06T13:09:00.001-08:00

Here's a great article outlining the long-term nutrition issues in light of the quake.

Please click here.

a few updates

2010-02-23T08:06:00.000-08:00

1. Benefit concert is Tuscaloosa was a success. Thanks to all those involved!

2. Working closely with Meds and Food for Kids (www.mfkhaiti.org)to discuss nutrition program expansion plans. Very excited about this. We can't tell you how much we love this organization.

3. Medical needs - specifically the stuff that Canaan has been involved - have continued to grow. Canaan is currently hosting many people in "post-op" in the boys dorms. Canaan kids are helping to care for them. Medical teams still hard at work.

4. Very excited about our partnership with EMEALZ (www.e-mealz.com).

5. Lots of pieces of the puzzle coming together. It's amazing to see.

6. Canaan is channeling their aid resources to contacts they have throughout the country. It's amazing to see their hearts for their people.

7. Your support - financial and otherwise - is helping make all of this happen.

8. Shout out to Drew Roberts for his wise advice this morning.

Event to benefit the Haiti Nutrition Project in Tuscaloosa, AL

2010-02-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

Who: The event is a collaboration of many different students led by Elizabeth Price and Katie Kallam who have a heart for earthquake relief in Haiti.

What: The event will feature performances by local Tuscaloosa artists including: Adam Naylor, Caitlyn Smith, Diana Bondurant, Sparrow + the Ghost, and Callooh! Callay!. In between artists, there will be videos and speakers giving more information about what the Haiti Nutrition Project is and how they are contributing to earthquake relief. Coffee and pastries from Heritage House coffee will be for sale at the concert. Tickets are $5 at the door but additional donations are welcomed. All proceeds will benefit the Haiti Nutrition Project and Canaan Orphanage.

Where: The concert will be at Pour Café located inside Capstone Church, 1907 University Boulevard, Tuscaloosa, AL. The church is generously allowing the use of their facility free of charge.

When: Thursday, February 18, 2010. 7-10 PM. People are welcome to come and go.

Thank you Katie and Elizabeth!

twitter

2010-02-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

We're on twitter. Click here to follow us!

a thank you for the truck and thinking long term...

2010-02-16T12:44:00.000-08:00

A quick note from Elsie on the truck:

In two weeks, I have put more than 1,100 km on it (the Truck). I do not know what I would have done without it. Thanks again to all who gave for it. I am not about to forget it!

You've probably heard about all of the tent cities/refugee camps set up around Haiti. Obviously, this is not a viable solution. Elsie's take on just come of the challenges it creates...

Please continue to pray for this country. As the initial emergencies have been dealt with, the country is trying to find a way to survive. It is not easy. The refugee camps are overflowing, 10-12 people in a 4-6 person tent sometimes. There are so many things happening that we do not think about at a glance. For example, what about prostitution? As hunger and needs increase, that too increases. Not having their own house/tents, in some places it becomes public, even around children. Or girls put in tents with strangers, including men.

Or cleanliness issues there are not enough toilets (sometimes people go close to where they sleep), or hygiene products and cleanliness, especially for women, etc.

These are issues that are being dealt with, and hopefully a resolution can be found soon.

What about the coming of the rainy season? Flooding, mudslides, the hurricanes later in the summer? Malaria?

Lots to be done.

update...wow

2010-02-06T08:25:00.001-08:00

When we've written that Canaan has really been turned into a hub for relief and aid. We weren't kidding. This is crazy, from Elsie's blog:

This day turned out nothing like I originally thought it would. I must admit, I cannot say my life is boring.

This morning, after checking in at the clinic, I decided it was time to organize my medicines again. Yes, I think I did that on one of my last blogs too, but a medical team left and I probably got at least 7 or 8 tubs of stuff. When I hear someone saying they need like 9 tables and 20 chairs at the clinic. WHY?

The Jamaican military showed up with 4 big UN trucks loaded with food and bottled water and medicine and doctors and soldiers (no idea how many); 5 doctors, plus some nurses. They were scrounging around, finding the best place to work out of and a method. I let them take over our patients, especially since I only had 1 nurse working today and almost 50 patients.

Then of course here it does not take long for news to travel and people to arrive. Within a very short time, I am sure we had close to a 1000 people there. The noise was tremendous, all the chattering and talking and bustling and everything. I just decided to tune it out and let the military control it. That was what they were there for. On a whole, it went very well, especially after hearing how in Port, at one distribution, the people actually turned over one of those big UN trucks.

Of course, they brought for Canaan too, so I went up and got my truck (what would we have done without it? All other vehicles were out) and I made two loaded trips with boxes of Mackerel in Tomato Sauce cans and one loaded with bottled water.

Oh, and another thing the Jamaican army did was build 2 latrines, I do not know if they are done. That will not be enough for the amount of patients we expect, so hopefully they will be back on Monday to make more. A security fence, and we are set to get started with our field convalescence center. Oops and I still need a nurse. Any takers?

The Jamaicans, together with the Canadian military have been great in helping us. Pray they will continue.

This is so crazy, and awesome.

samford students at convo

2010-02-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

Today at Samford's convocation, three students spoke who were at Canaan during January. They all are nutrition students and were assisting with the nutrition program. One of them, Katie Snider, spent all of last summer serving in the program alongside Bobi. Katie's become a legend around Canaan for her heart and passion for the Haitian people. When Mandy and I first met her at a Starbucks, we could tell she was going to be awesome.

The ladies did a wonderful job sharing their heart for Haiti.

I was so encouraged by a few things:

1) So many more folks were exposed to Canaan and the nutrition program. Who knows what God may bring from that?
2) It reminded me that this whole effort is such a team thing. It doesn't evolve around one person, or an organizational hierarchy. There are so many dedicated people getting after it, spreading the word in their own circles. Two Beeson friends (Patrick and Kennerly King) recently got to do the same and share with their youth group about Haiti. We want you to be empowered to do that too! Please share the story with your friends. Own it like its your thing too.

Amazing things are happening on the ground. I hope to update thoroughly soon.

report from canaan

2010-02-01T22:00:00.001-08:00

The following is a report that the leadership of Canaan has written to help all of us get a glimpse into all of things that have been happening since the quake:

Canaan Community

The earthquake has caused Canaan to be released into a more comprehensive ministry (more than just for kids) to people in Haiti. We have become a network center that is serving other ministries with materials and personnel such as translators and medical staff. Support staff here at Canaan have been able to take charge of Canaan basic ministry so that the senior staff are released to go out and help others. The youth of Canaan have been serving as translators and aides at local hospitals.

Money sent to Canaan is being used to give food and money to churches devastated by the earthquake and to other ministries. Our medical service has increased to include service to nearby hospitals as well as to tent cities and street people in Port-au-Prince. We have cleared out opened the older boys dorm to people who have had surgeries and need a place to stay while they heal. So far, three of the people staying here have come to know the Lord.

Thanks so much for being a part of this. Our heart is to come alongside Canaan and help them meet the overwhelming needs, as they see fit. Thanks...

update

2010-01-31T12:32:00.001-08:00

We've (by the way, when I use "we" I mean the team of folks who work together on all of this. This includes the folks on the ground (henri, gladys, bobi, elsie and the American development folks - joel and mandy busby, chris hlavacek, etc - ) spent most of our time working on some behind the scenes stuff. The amount of desperate long-term needs that will emerge from the earthquake is truly staggering. Here's two thoughts:

1) Prosthetic limbs. Amputations have been so common in the last few weeks. Haiti is already a very difficult country for the crippled. Now, more so. We're working on a connection. Any feedback/contacts would be appreciated and welcomed.
2) In the months to come, we expect to see waves of malnourished children as a result of the removal of some many of the structures that were in place for acquiring food. Therefore, the nutrition program will be inundated. We purchased a truck this week. This had been identified as the first critical step in the expansion of the program from months ago. This allows the nutrition team to be more mobile. To this point, the moms and babies were mostly coming to us - some walking many as 7 hours. Now we can go to them. This is huge. Read "your partnership/donations really at work."

A few other things:

Medical team number 3 hit the ground yesterday. Dr. Ric is back in the US getting some rest before jumping back in. I hope to post an update from him ASAP.

Fundraising has gone really well. God has really brought together quite a bit of people for this. We're going to need all of it.

Thanks for checking back with us.

new update

2010-01-26T11:59:00.000-08:00

Here's a few updates:

1) Things are still very difficult on the ground. Lots and lots of need. Canaan is working hard to find ways to help respond to the waves of refugees and suffering.

2) A team of doctors were on the ground for a week. A new team came to relieve them on Jan. 23rd. The plan is for a new medical team to basically be on the ground every successive Saturday for awhile. If we need more people to go, we'll be sure to put out the word.

3) Supplies (including lots of medicine) could be going down this Thursday (1/28). We're hoping to continue to make drives for additional supplies in the coming weeks.

One last thing. So many people have expressed interest to go and help on the ground. For now, that is not an option through our contacts. Only people with very specialized skills (specifically medical) are needed at the moment. We may be able organize teams soon, but now it's just not time.

Our contacts on the ground have recommended the following article to help understand the need to hold off on going to Haiti right now. It might be a little harsh, but we think it makes sense - for now.

Here's the link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34958965/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/

Do you want to help us gather stuff?

2010-01-22T13:20:00.001-08:00

We're still getting close to our shipping/supplies connection. Our plan is to partner with Med Mission to gather supplies. Med Mission is committed to work with us to get the stuff to Canaan. Birmingham area folks, you can help us immediately! Here's some info from the Med Mission blog:

Locations for donation points will be: Mountain Brook Community Church, Liberty Baptist (Chelsea), Mountain Top Community Church and the warehouse on Oxmoor Rd. The trailers will be manned by church members from 9am to 4pm on Saturday and 1pm to 5pm on Sunday. The warehouse will be open on Saturday but Sunday has not been decided. The trailers are donated by Armstrong Relocation and Total Asset Solutions. Thank you for all the help.

List of items we are collecting this weekend:
FOOD & WATER
Bottled Water Cases (12 oz), Dried Beans, Dried Rice, Canned Meats, Canned Foods

PERSONAL HYGIENE
Shampoo, Soap, Diapers & Wipes, Feminine Products, Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Q-tips, Cotton Balls

HEALTHCARE ITEMS
Children Vitamins and Disinfectant Wipes, Aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Antiseptic Sprays & Ointments, Band Aids - assorted sizes, Triple Antibiotic Ointment, White Table Vinegar (1 quart size), Hydrogen Peroxide, Antibacterial Soap-pump bottle & refills

Interesting Connections:
1. We met a doctor who is flying his single engine plane to Miami and ferrying supplies in to Haiti and bringing evacuees back. He stopped by the warehouse and we look forward to serving together.
2. We received a call from a young man who found a group flying from Ft. Lauderdale to Haiti ferrying supplies in and bringing injured persons out on a daily basis. He then found an executive who offered their corporate jet to get supplies from Birmingham to Ft. Lauderdale. We will be putting together a program to implement this service in the next few days!
3. We got word that a group is working on bringing a C-130 cargo plane to Birmingham and asked if we could help fill it with supplies for Haiti. We're waiting to see if this works out, but it could be another great opportunity.

God is providing! We're just trying to be faithful to follow His leading. Thank you for your partnership. Your prayers, support, and donations are much appreciated.

Thanks. Spread the word. Let's get stuff!

shipping supplies

2010-01-22T10:31:00.001-08:00

We're still working really hard to solidify a supply line into Haiti. We're getting close. If so, we'll be needing to spread the word fast about a list of supplies we can be gathering....

More to come...Thanks for not moving on. Hope to update more thoroughly later today...

I haven't tossed this out there in a while, but if you're interested in making a donation and receiving something to keep Haiti on the forefront of your mind check out Mandy's haiti photoblog.

www.mandybusbyphotography.blogspot.com

update from bobi and marcus

2010-01-20T16:42:00.000-08:00

Here's an update from Marcus and Bobi Throneburg (Marcus helps operate Canaan's school, Bobi the nutrition program). Anything from these two beats anything I could write. Let me just say that they are unbelievable. They are Godly, wise, compassionate and committed. We love them.

I will say this - please pray that we can solidfy a shipping connection. In many ways, our relief efforts are somewhat stuck until we can figure this out.

From Bobi (note: "medika mamba" - creole for peanut butter medicine; this is our nutrition program):

So I wanted to comment a bit on our trip to Port and Leogane on Monday. Lets just say that you all see the pictures at home - but to experience it and walk through the rubble yourself....is another story. To see the people and how it has effected them.....is another story. I truly am amazed at how strong the people appear and how even some of their faces have peace. I wonder how I would be reacting if I were in their shoes - to have lost so many family, to not know where my next meal would come from, to have lost nearly everything.

As Marcus mentioned the tented communities from our last blog, I wanted to go into a bit more detail. These tented villages seriously look like refugee camps. We walked through one in Leogane. I felt very intrusive, but we were following the Pastor of the area and he led us right through one. A huge group of people have settled on a soccer field and taken anything they can from their houses and the remains of construction material to make shelter and possibly an area of protection. Please see the picture below of an example of one of these communities.

I love Pastor Henri and Sister Gladys vision to reach these specific groups of people. I also like her idea of meeting their physical needs, while trying to meet their spiritual, mental, and emotional needs by setting up a P.A. system or using a megaphone to just read scripture or lead people in singing.

MEDIKA MAMBA:

So many of you know that we were ready to buy a truck for Medika Mamba and get going on the expansion work of setting up stations within a 2-4 hour radius of Canaan. I was pumped up to reach more malnourished kids. We had the money raised and ready. Well we still do, but now since the quake, that plan is a bit on hold.....

Please pray for wisdom and timing. It is inevitable that more kids will become malnourished within the next month or two, possibly after the relief work and aid are pulled out. We will be here....ready to go.... I am not sure how it is going to look, but I will keep you all posted as things change and we have a leading on direction.

Yesterday (Tuesday) we had our regular Canaan Clinic MM program. It was wonderful to be back to work with the kids! We had 25 regulars come, 3 graduated and 1 new one admitted. I am so thankful for the long and short term workers who helped with MM while I was in the States. It is great to have people like Leslie Rolling helping in there!! It is also good to see our Haitian nurse we hired for MM in September still smiling when we talk. I am so grateful for how God is sustaining this program. I have also posted a picture of a cute little guy named Luckson. He entered our program a couple months ago and is about ready to graduate.

God bless you all - thanks for your prayers and love and support. It means SO much!

Keep on keeping up. Help us spread the word....

2010-01-19T19:42:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. Thanks again for all the interest and support. I cannot keep up with all of the phone calls and emails. Just wanted to let you know about a few developments.

1) Doctors still on the ground, another team hoping to go down soon in relief.
2) Total dollars given - from all the different avenues - to support Canaan's efforts could be nearing the $100,000 range. Unbelievable.
3) Local guy here in Birmingham has offered to donate medicine.
4) Working really hard on a shipping connnection. We'll keep you posted. I met today with Med Mission. It's amazing what Jim Tucker can do. We've run into a few road blocks. He explains it best.

We have been working with our partners in the States and on the ground in Haiti to negotiate the logistical nightmare that exists in trying to get aid to the people of Haiti. Here is a snapshot of what we're working through: Find an open port in Haiti, organize an acceptable drop point with a trusted recipient, find a way to get materials off the boat, then onto a truck, to get to the partners who desperately need it. Then factor in that fuel is scarce and being sold on the black market for $150 a gallon. So once on shore, just getting it to our partners locations poses major problems. Not to mention corruption and other issues. Basically, this effort would have been difficult before the earthquake and since the quake, all the issues are expounded.

All of that to say we will need your physical help, but we don't have details for you quite yet. Please hang in there. We still plan to have volunteers at the warehouse this Saturday, but stay tuned for updates.

If you want to help right now, please make a financial donation. One thing is for sure, getting the needed supplies to our Haitian partners will require money. Thank you for joining us in this effort.

Pray for us, because this could be the key to everything moving forward as we try to support Canaan's relief efforts. Please keep following the efforts and spread the word. More to come tomorrow.

update...

2010-01-18T19:18:00.000-08:00

Not a ton new to report tonight. But here is a few updates:

1) Gladys (she runs Canaan) finally made it back in to the country. She had been in the Dominican Republic for an education conference. Gladys is starting to get a vision for how Canaan can be used to serve the waves of people coming to Canaan for help...more details to come.

2) Our doctors are working feverishly on the ground. The plan is for another team to relieve them in a few days. Please pray that we can arrange the proper travel for them.

3) I'm having a meeting with Med Mission tomorrow. This organization ships medical supplies all over the world and we're trying to solidify a shipping connection in Haiti so we can send down medical and other supplies in the coming weeks. There's still some work to be done on solidifying the shipping connection in Haiti and we're going to need it very bad. Please let me know if you know of any resources.

4) Over $20k has come in over the website. Two churches in Birmingham gathered nearly $28k yesterday and a church in Canada (Elsie's home church) collected $40k yesterday. Along with some other funding we've received, we could heading near the $100k mark. Wow - and we're going to need all of it.

Thanks so much for spreading the word, for following the story...we'll try to get more information to you ASAP.

new update from Haiti

2010-01-17T20:32:00.000-08:00

It looks like we could be nearing $40-50k in funding so far (about $20k thru website - others $$$ were gathered in churches today). The medical team was hard at work today. Here's a report from Elsie.

Dr Ric and team arrived. We started seeing the patients that were admitted and worked till about 9:30. We stayed the night at their guesthouse and continued all day today. What tragic injuries for many of them. Basically all had fractures - some really bad ones. By now they're 4-5 days old and infections are starting. They were still gaping open. Deep ugly wounds; an ankle with infection that will probably get amputated soon; 2 whose house fell on their upper backs and bent them forward - injurying their spinal cord and now they're paraplegic; an arm that's got parts of a bone missing so won't be able to grow back together; kinds with head injuries; I could go on and on. We put 3 people's legs on traction, made with a pillowcase and sand, for about 6 weeks. After awhile we didn't even asked how it happened - it was all the same "the roof fell down". We did get two vehicle accidents too, that were awful. The first they brought in a woman that was already gone. In the second a man's face was all swollen - so many facial fractures and they couldn't help him. Don't know what they're gonna do with him. He needs a facial surgeon.

People are traveling north by the FULL busloads and truckloads. We are also looking at the possibility of a lot of people coming though, so looking at setting up tents and sheets and whatever possible to house them.

Thank you for your support. Please keep following the story and spreading the word.

more updates from our medical team on the ground

2010-01-17T14:15:00.000-08:00

update from Marcus (Bobi's husband):

We are coming to you live from the hospital in Pierre Payen. I believe this hospital is the first one located on the main road north of Port-au-Prince. It is currently treating patients from the earthquake so they are seeing a lot of fractures and head injuries. Bobi and I are here today helping a bit in the pharmacy. The medical team that came down on a donated corporate jet brought loads of supplies which Bobi has organized and now distributes as they are needed.

Everything in this area seems fairly normal. The search for fuel continues for everyone. Without fuel we cannot go get food or run the generators for power, so obviously it is something everyone here needs. One strange thing that I just noticed looking out the window is the sight of buses headed south without any people on them. Typically they are filled to capacity with people sitting on top. For now, and probably for the foreseeable future they will be full headed out of Port, but empty headed back.

update from our folks on the ground

2010-01-17T05:41:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. Lots is happening. Here's an update from our folks on the ground.

1) Dr. Ric arrived at Pierre Payen hospital (just a few minutes from Canaan) yesterday at 2pm to "lots of trauma." The plan is for another team of doctors who we work with to head down later in the week to relieve Ric. All of our travel connections to access the country are being used to get our folks medical (mostly from Dallas/Fort Worth area) there...

2) From Bobi (she's an American who runs the nutrition project on the ground):

"Elsie (she oversees the medical clinic at Canaan on the ground and trains Haitian medical staff for the clinic) and I are with Dr Ric helping. Pray hard, just had a lady die a couple minutes ago."

This is the kind of thing that your gifts are supporting....

Joel and Mandy, Can we go down with you?

2010-01-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

I can't tell you how many times we've been asked this in the last couple days. First, I want to say thanks so much for you heart and your passion to help. We love it. Second, things are a little more complicated than that. There may be some opportunities in the coming weeks/months, but for now, only experienced relief specialists are being let in to the country.

There are some private planes that we've been connected to that are being allowed in and out of the country. Our team has made the decision to only send down the members who do medical work. For now, we'll be primarily facilitating Dr. Ric (from Dallas/Ft. Worth - per previous posts) as he operates in Haiti. He'll be on the ground in Port Au Prince early this afternoon!

Also, we're still gathering funds. The needs are going to be insane in the coming months/years. We're going to need all the funding we can get. We also are making plans to start gathering medical/relief supplies/food supplies. We have a great shipping connection that we hope to maximize. Thanks.

Update from medical team ASAP.

YOUR GIFTS ARE HELPING MAKE ALL OF THIS HAPPEN!

2010-01-15T19:38:00.000-08:00

We're up to $15,000 now. Thanks so much. Katie Snider, a Samford University student, is at Canaan and here's a report from her:

"Took a premature 3-week-old that weighed only 2 lbs to a hospital today. We didn't think he would make it through the ride to the hospital, but he was a trooper and is still fighting. Please pray for Saphie Aristolde."

Lots of need. Thanks for your support.