New info on Jerica

I was able to receive an update on our tiny baby. She started swelling a couple days ago. Her fontanelle was getting full. They took her for an ultrasound of her brain and have found the ventricles to be dialated. She will have some brain damage due to this. They have begun to give her some medications to help with the excess fluid. The pediatrician there is giving her a 50/50 shot at surviving at this point. She is a fighter and we can pray for God's will to be done and healing for her. Her life has already brought salvation and touched many. Quite an impact for a tiny being. God does not make mistakes!
Steph

Jean

Jean is one of the workers for Nehemiah Vision Ministries in Haiti. He has been with Pastor Pierre for a while now. I first learned about Jeans seizure disorder last year. It has taken a long time but I am happy to report that I have found a super nice Neurologist to help me treat him. We were able to get a CT scan when I was there last week and the doctor has recommended a medication for him. I have ordered it and will get it to Haiti as soon as I can. Jean's family is very poor and the money he makes goes to support them. Having a chance to be seizure free will be an amazing blessing for him. I am so happy God has shown me the resources to help him. He is a very quiet sweet person.
We havent gotten the results of the CT yet but are hoping it doesnt show anything major wrong and he can only be treated by medications.
Steph

Flamanda's Appointment

Flamanda had her first doctor appointment today. The doctor says from the CT done in Haiti he does not think she has much of a temporal lobe. They are going to be getting an MRI on the 5th. She had her pre-op lab work done and is doing great with her family. She is eating well and loves rocking with Papa Terry in the rocking chair. I think she is getting spoiled! They are doing a great job and their kids are loving having her with them. They say she seems very aware of what is going on around her.
The doctor is going to do the procedure where a hole is drilled in the brain first to drain fluid. If in 2 days that isnt working he will place a shunt. If it seems to be working and draining fluid they will send her home to be watched for a while to make sure it continues to work. This also is dependent on what the MRI shows but that is the current plan for her.
What a blessing for her to be able to receive this care.
God is good!
Stephanie

Sendy

A friend of mine was in Haiti recently and is adopting from His Home where Sendy is. She took this pick of her and watched her doing her therapy. Standing, feeding herself and all smiles now!
I havent gotten another update on her about her next surgery.
Just praying for her,
Steph

Update on Jerica

We got an update on our piti piti baby today. She was admitted to the hospital the day after arriving at Children of the Promise. They gave her blood and IV antibiotics and are continuing the NG tube feedings. She is perking up they say!
What a praise that her mom accepted Christ and she is doing better!
God is good,
Steph

Amazing news from Chambrun

A letter from Pastor Pierre,


In the gospel of John12:32 Jesus said something that has caught my attention from the first time I read it: 32But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." NIV
You may remember last week, we helped little Jerica born at 7 months and weighs 3 1/2 lbs to find a place that can save her life. As a result of our ministry to her, her mother have decided to give her life to Christ. She came to church yesterday to ask us to lead her into the prayer of salvation.
I then, started thinking why such a sudden move? It hit me later that helping her baby must have lifted Christ who in turn have drawn her to him.
Natacha is now a believer and pledge to keep coming to our church. Please pray for her growth and now for her partner who is not yet married to her to come to Christ.
Sometimes we pray and fast for love ones to come to the Lord, but may have forgotten to keep lifting Christ up who can and will draw every one to Him.
Peter said in 2 Peter 3:8-9
8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Please friends would you continue to pray and help us to keep lifting Jesus up in Chambrun and in all Haiti as He faithfully draw men and women to him?

What an awesome thing to happen from us just showing compassion and love and help to a child!
Pray for even more stories like this,
Steph

Photos of Sendy

These were taken today when she got home from the hospital.

Update on Sendy

I got another email from the orphanage about Sendy. She is doing better and is going to be released from the hospital today! She needs her shunt replaced soon. That is the next prayer request as well as financial means to do it.
Steph

Sendy

Sendy was the little baby with Hydrocephaly that I met on my first day ever in Haiti Sept. 11, 2007. Her mother had brought her to His Home For Children Orphanage and has given her up for adoption. For quiet a long time I searched for care for her before I even knew what I was doing with Hands That Heal. We had been told that the neurosurgeon in Indy would do her case and Tom and I were going to keep her for 6 months. I thought it was a done deal, we would most likely fall in love with her and adopt her possibly. Well as often happens that was not Gods plan. The surgery fell through and we did not get her. Later she went to Ohio and had a shunt placed. She returned to Haiti and still does not have an adoptive family. She had been doing very well until this week. I received word that she was ill and then got an email from Hal Nunguester that runs the orphange as follows:

Hi Stephanie, Sendy was doing well, then, about 3 weeks ago she started running a fever. She responded well to rocephin, but as soon as we took her off she started the fever again. She also started leaking puss out of her belly button. One day, after several days of rocephin she just leaked yellowish spinal fluid out of her belly button and Chris immediately took her to the neuro doc. He did some xrays and deternined that the tube to her shunt was infected. On Wednesday the removed the shunt and tube. She started vomiting that night and had continued to have vomiting problems since the surgery. The doc initially thought that it was a reaction to the anesthetic (sp?) but now they are not sure. She is to remain in the hospital over the weekend and they hope to release her on Monday. She will need shunt replacement in about 3 weeks when the infection is all cleared up. We have a team coming in from Children's Medical in Miami and hopefully they will do the shunt surgery. If not, the neuro doc said he could do it for $2,000, but he does not have the shunt or tubing in country and would need to procure that also. The current charges are $500 plus we are accumulating around $15 per day for private nursing coverage, which is required. Medications and all included we are looking at around $1,000 right now and probably around $3,000 in three weeks unless the Miami team does the surgery and then we only need to pay the private nursing for about 5 days plus medications which shouldn't be over $500 total. She is a pretty sick little girl right now and really needs all of your prayers. Blessings!!!Hal Nungester Port Au Prince, Haiti

I still dont know why things happened the way they did in her case. I pray for her and think of her often, especially when we had Shnaider and Sabrina living with us. I still have a closet full of clothes for her too. I know God's plan is always right but I cant help think we missed the boat on her and what God was asking us to do. Many people were praying that we would adopt her.
Since I have been back from this trip my mind has been swimming with all the issues related to Claudine and Sendy and the countless children starving and suffering there, unable to get help they need.
If anyone feels lead to donate to Sendys care you can go to www.hishomeforchildren.com

Praying,
Steph

Please Pray

Please pray for this community, these children, and Nehemiah Vision Ministries. I pray and know God will be faithful to transform more of the children there like the little girl in the first photo, to a child like the smiling face in the second photo. Pray we are financially able to meet our needs and that God shows us how to do that.

Pray for me too, it is very difficult at times for me to be away from there. One of the workers said it perfectly to me this time. He had asked me about Tom and the boys and said he could tell I loved them very much as I showed them some photos of Jeremy and Nick they had never seen them before but had met Tom on the last trip. He said he thought I had 2 families. One here and one there. It is truly how I feel. I would love to go and serve more than twice a year but with finances and work and the kids in school it would be difficult. God knows I am willing and if He wants it to happen it will. Tom has been great and supportive. The boys did fine while I was gone. They didnt even cry when I came home. I think they are used to it now. God has truly blessed me to have everything I have in my life here and what I get to do there.

Thanks,

Steph

Pics of the beautiful children!

Photos of the clinic

Note the giant abcess on the top picture comming out of the right side of the mans chin. He was our last patient and boy was it a doosey!! They pulled 3 teeth that were totally infected, drained the mass and we started an IV and gave him antibiotics. More antibiotics and pain meds for home too. He was very ill and didnt even realize it. He thought it was a boil! He had been working there all week and never came in until the last minute. Good thing he did or he would most likely have died from overwhelming sepsis.

The clinc went great and we accomplished a lot in the name of Jesus!

Break my heart wide open

Every time I am in Haiti I see a child like her in the village. Filthy, covered in snot and crying, wandering around. She is so small with no parents in sight. I wonder which house is hers. Another small child seems to be dragging her around, I assume they are siblings. I do have hope that when she turns 3 that her parents will send her to our school and she can become another smiling face like the ones we see there. But for now this is her life, her misery, the hand she is dealt to live. I want to bath her and hold and console her but I can't this day.

Random photos from the trip

Claudine

Claudine is the girl that Tom and I have sponsored for 2 years. Her life has been such a struggle. Her mother didnt want her and she went to her God Mother. She left her after a while with another mother of a student at the school where she lived with their uncle. The uncle was very meant to Claudine and threw her out on the street every night with all her belongings. This went on for a while then we were able to move them out of that house into another house on their own. Some unfortunate things happend then (long story) and she was sent to live with another family. I found out on this trip that this family though they are getting financial assistance to care for Claudine have not had much food. Claudine has had to go days and almost a week with only her one meal of rice at school. She is very dear to Pastor Pierre and his wife too. Pastor is working on the current problems with this family as they do watch her closely. Her best friend is a bad influence on her. Claudine is very sweet and backward. She is very intelligent but has never had any family or structure to help her along. It kills me to know how she is currently doing. So I cried again in Haiti. I pray for her and just wonder how many families and bad situations you can go through before you totally shut down. It is amazing that she is still a very sweet and sensitive girl.

Piti Piti Baby

This is Jerica. Everyone called her our piti piti (small small in Creole) baby. Her mom brought her to the clinic not really knowing how sick she was. She was born we think about 7 months along and weighed at 2 months old now 4 lbs with a towel around her. She did not suck at all and barely moved. She was awake but just stared. The first day we were unable to take her to any clinics for help which I sobbed about of course. The second day she made it back to clinic and I put a feeding tube in her and began to give her some pedialyte and sent some home with mom as the local places we were hoping to take her were full. She made it throught the next night and mom brought her first thing in the morning so I spent the day every hour going in and giving her more pedialyte about a tsp at a time. Her little stomach could only handle very small amounts at a time. We sent her back home again and made several phone calls that night and were able to find a place on the other side of Haiti to take her in. We rounded up $160.00 for a plane ticket to get her over there and were blessed to have a nurse that Pastor Pierre knows fly her there for us. She was admitted to a hospital and the nannies from the organization will stay with her there too to help take care of her. We pray that she will get stronger and be able to start eating and put on some weight so she can eventually return to her family. She made a huge impact on everyone on the team and the translators too. She is truly a fighter to have still made it that long.

Steph

Photos of Flamanda

Flamanda and her mom after getting the visa

In her car seat on her way to MI

With her new host mom and one brother from Haiti also. Most all their children are from Haiti.

Back home again

Well we made it home without any problems at all. Flamanda was a great traveler and I was so blessed to have a great team with me to help carry her. Her head is very very heavy and my arms are killing me. She only cried a little on each plane. She is missing her mom and breastfeeding very much. She does take a bottle and we have found out loves baby food! Yesterday I was so tired. I drove her 4 hours up to Michigan and she decided that our saftey laws and car seats really stink. She literally cried and screamed the entire way. It was a very long drive but we made it and met up with her host family. They are very experienced and have had several children like her before. I felt so comfortable leaving her with them. They have many older children that can help too. She has her doctor appointment next wedneday for all her pre op stuff and hopefully her MRI also that day. Please continue to pray for her to adjust and her mom to adjust in Haiti to not having her there. It was very obvious how much she loves her and was emotional and hard but happy to take her from her at the airport.
We are very happy to have the Swarthout family taking care of her. They will be updating us often. She called me this morning and said Flamanda slept in her crib all night and is chowing down on baby food and drinking a little better from her bottle. What a praise and blessing.

I was happy to get home and to my own bed and my boys and Tom but very sad to leave Haiti as usual. There were so many very sick people this time and I am so blessed to be able to use my talents to help them. This was my 5th trip and my Creole is getting so much better. I was able to talk quite a bit with the workers and teachers. Several of them are like my second family now as well as Pastor Pierres family. I will start to post pictures today and some special stories.
Thanks for all your prayers!
Steph

Sunday in Chambrun

Today we went to church in Chambrun with the people of the community. This is one of my favorite things to do here but it also means the trip is almost over. The clinic was a great success and we helped many very ill people. We were able to send our little 4 lb baby to a clinic to stay until she is ready to come back home. It all worked out beautifully. We had an extremely sick man with a giant abcess comming out of his neck. The dentist pulled his abcessed tooth and we started an IV and gave him some antibiotics through it and then the dentist drained the abcess. It was extremely painful for the man and to watch but he would have probably died if he hadnt been there. Tomorrow a member of the team that has been here for 3 weeks and is staying on for a while longer to teach some english has volunteered to go to the embassy with one of pastors drivers to get the papers for the visa. She wanted me to be able to go to the beach with the team and went last week with the last team here. She is so sweet. Pray there is no problems. I have already paid for it and have a ticket for it to be picked up. Should be no issues. I saw Flamanda at church today. I held her for about 20 minutes and she did fine with me until she heard her moms voice. Then she started crying. Im excited to bring her back to start the next leg of her journey but sad to leave here. I miss the boys and Tom and am pretty tired. Pray the airplane ride goes smoothly with Flamanda! Well update as soon as I can.

Steph

We Have A VISA!!!!!!!

We were back at the Embassy this morning and got the visa! It went really smoothly. We pick it up on Monday. Flamanda looked really good! She was alert active, breastfeeding. She cried when I held her and when I gave her back to mom she was happy again. She definately sees well and knows her momma. It will be a hard transition and probably a long day comming home on Tuesday. I am so relieved though that she looks well and we got it.

Also today we found a place to take the 4 lb baby we have been working on in the clinic for the last several days. She is 2 months old and so frail. We are praying she makes it through the night tonight and we will get her there tomorrow. SO GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME! It has been a great day!

First day at clinic

Well today was very very busy with the dental and medical clinics. The patients have been very sick this time. Many really sick babies. We have a premature baby that is 2 months old and weighs only 4 lbs. How she is still alive I dont know. We are going to be trying to find a clinic to taker tomorrow. We found some pediatric feeding tubes and will feed her if she tolerates it until we can get her somewhere. We had to just send her home with her mom tonight not knowing if she will make it until we find her help.

Also we were unable to get Flamandas doctor letter. We are still keeping her appointment tomorrow to see what they say. We are praying for a miracle.

It was a very emotional day seeing so much need and knowing I can do so little or at least it feels that way. I know we are helping many and all of this is in Gods mighty hands.

Pray for us, the team is great and we are getting along wonderfully.

Steph

In Miami heading to Haiti. Flamanda has an appointment for visa thurs am. Need several papers done by then. Pray all falls in line.

Heading out tomorrow

I am heading out at 4am tomorrow for the airport. Nervous about this trip. Jeremy has been running a fever since Saturday and Nick woke up coughing this morning a lot.
We do have a host family for Flamand!! We need prayer that all her paperwork comes in line and that we get the visa appointment and the visa in hand by Tuesday.
This trip is all medical people going and I know we will see and help many patients. Pray I can relax and enjoy the time there that God has given me again to help.
Thanks,
Steph

Rapidly Approaching

Well I leave for Haiti on Tuesday but I am more worried about my return date this time than getting there. I am praying to bring Flamanda home with me for treatment in Detroit. That date is the 20th and rapidly approaching. We do not have a host family for her as of yet. If we dont get one very soon in the next few days we wont have time to do the paperwork for the visa.
I got a report from the team that is there now and a photo. Her head is getting bigger and bigger. She is not very responsive. She is still breastfeeding and looks weight wise to be pretty healthy.
I feel total responsibility for this child. I trust in God and his timing but when every day she gets sicker and has more brain damage it is hard. I am praying all the time for God to show us his plan and bring us the family.
If anyone that reads this knows of a family in or near Detroit that might be interested in hosting her let me know.
Praying,
Stephanie

Update on Flamanda

We are so thrilled that we have found a doctor and hospital in Michigan to treat Flamanda! It took some time, patience and prayer for sure. We are in the process of paperwork now and still will need her to be approved in Haiti for her visa. If all goes according to plan I will be bringing her back with me on the 20th.
Steph