"Tents and More Tents"


March 16, 2010: As the people of Haiti strive to cope with the state of their country after January’s earthquake, Hope Force joins the international community in the herculean task of directing resources to the areas of most critical need. Eight weeks after the earthquake, two vital areas of concern are clear and must be addressed: housing and mobile medical clinics.
 
“Tents and more tents” is the constant cry we hear from government leaders, aid organizations and individuals. Our planning efforts are now directed at procuring the most appropriate tents that can be put to use in high-need areas. Our partners on the ground are working in collaboration with Hope Force as we seek to meet the needs that are present in Haiti to provide shelter and healthy communities.
 
Our efforts to provide medical services are being supported by the provision of a 350 kw Cummins diesel generator to supply reliable energy for one of Haiti’s mo st active hospitals. This 12,000-lb piece of equipment is en route to Haiti and includes additional medical equipment vital to the hospital’s ability to function. This is a significant opportunity that we are pleased to be part of, enabling us to better serve the needs of Haiti’s extraordinary people.
 
The recognition of severe mental trauma that accompanies a disaster such as we have seen in Haiti prompted an invitation to Hope Force to provide chaplains to serve in Miami University Hospital. The hospital sits directly adjacent to the runway at Haiti’s principal airport in Port-au-Prince. It is here that scores of Haiti’s earthquake victims find solace and healing under the care of medical staff from around the world. Due to the proximity of the hospital to the airport, healthcare professionals can come and go with relative ease, now that regular flights have resumed in and out of Port-au-Prince.
 
We are planning to send three individuals in the coming weeks to fulfill this vital need. As much as the need for physical healing is evident amongst the people with whom we come in contact, the deeper spiritual and emotional wounds are equally important to address. We are pleased to be part of this aspect of Haiti’s recovery. Following our initial involvement in this outreach, our hope is to continue providing HFI Reservists to work in this capacity.
 
The stories we continue to receive from Haiti serve to build up our faith immensely. We are so proud of each one who has served already or is currently serving. We are also grateful for the fact that God has allowed us to partner with such amazing people. Erin McRorie is an Emergency Room Nurse who joined our medical team in the Leogane region of Haiti. Her story shows the amazing possibilities that exist when a group of talented, committed people come together in a cohesive team, intent on one purpose and vision.
 
“As a medical team we flew to Haiti to heal wounds, but that quickly changed into healing hearts,” she says.” We wanted to show these people that it was God working through us to heal their wounds. Just like Jesus in the Parable of the Sower, we went out to not only provide medical care, but more importantly to "proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God" as the book of Luke relates.” Read the rest of Erin’s story here…
 
Carla Ives is a seasoned Hope Force veteran and found herself in Haiti recently doing what she does best – reaching out to the littlest me mbers of trauma-affected communities. When Hope Force was asked to send in counselors to the Houston Astrodome to meet the needs of children evacuated from Hurricane Katrina, Carla was there in full force bringing a message of hope and peace to children and adults alike. She holds the distinction of being our first non-medical Reservist deployed to Haiti and she is already making a dramatic impact.
 
"Lauren is about 12 years old and has had paralyzing fear since the quake,” recounts Carla. “His home is gone and he sleeps on the ground in a tent community. He's a sensitive soul and has not been able to sleep. He has been sick and unable to focus in school. He remembers too well the sounds of screaming and weeping and the sight of dead people and a shattered home. We spent precious moments together yesterday and again today. When he left school today, he carried a small donated sleeping bag - a sign to him of care and hope. He hugged me tight and won my heart forever.” Read the rest of Carla’s account here…


Haiti: Hope Force Responds