WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LOCAL PARTNER

In the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, many non-profit organizations mobilized to help provide relief in the face of significant suffering of the Haitian people, especially those in the area where Friends for Health in Haiti is based.  Larger non-profits were able to acquire relief supplies more readily and get them through Haitian customs because they already had processes in place for this.  Smaller organizations like Friends for Health in Haiti did not have ready access to supplies in large quantities nor the logistical mechanisms for getting them into the country and out to Jérémie for distribution.  When we at Friends for Health in Haiti partnered with larger organizations, we were able to accomplish a lot for the communities around our clinic site.  Here are some of the relief supplies we have been able to distribute:

• 94 sacks of rice (37 large, 57 small)
• 5 sacks of beans for eating
• 64 half-gallon bottles of cooking oil
• 40 sacks of corn meal (30 small and 10 large)
• 110 boxes of rice meals, each box with 36 meal packages
• 23 boxes of potato meals, each box with 36 meal packages
• 148 tarps, small and large
• 3700 sheets of roofing tin and nails
• 25 sacks of corn and 50 sacks of beans for planting
• 60 hygiene kits
• Toothpaste, toothbrushes and small soaps
• Used clothing
• 5 boxes of plastic shoes
• 7 heavy blankets
• Thousands of chlorine tablets

Our Community Coordinator Gemi Baptiste (center) measures bean seeds for distribution.

Volunteers tie up sacks of corn and bean seeds for distribution to their communities high up in the mountains.

Measuring corn seeds for two of our Community Promoters to distribute in their communities.

Rice and potato food packs as well as chlorine tablets ready to be given to a patient in our clinic pharmacy.

  Guy-Johns explains to a patient how to cook the packages of food.

A happy patient who has just received food packs and chlorine tablets, as well as his medications in our pharmacy.

Cherlie takes vital signs on a patient after giving him toothpaste, toothbrushes and soap donated by Sarah Bennett and Mission for Haiti.

Patient is happy with clothing received from Cherlie during a clinic visit.

Little patient is warm and cozy in her new knitted cap and flannel blanket, donated by Presbyterian Women in the New Brunswick, NJ Presbytery.

This little girl is the proud owner of a new pillowcase dress.

The pain of this little boy’s burns was eased by a new toy car and Beanie baby, donated by children from Kingston Presbyterian Church, NJ.  Medical supplies for treating his burns were donated by FERHA.

 

We want to thank our wonderful individual and church donors who have given us money, toys, Beanie babies, infant caps, dresses, quilts and medical supplies over the course of many years.  Your gifts have brightened the faces of many, many of our patients.  In addition, we would like to thank the following organizations for their willingness to partner with us at this crucial time by donating hurricane relief supplies and allowing us to distribute them to people in our service area who are most in need of assistance:

Christian Aid Ministries – tarps, planting seeds, chlorine tablets, hygiene kits

Gary Heavin and FERHA – food packs, medical supplies, sacks of rice

Haiti One and Haiti Bible Mission – tarps, food packs, shoes, blankets, rice, corn meal, beans, hygiene kits

Project Aqua – chlorine tablets

Sarah Bennett with Mission for Haiti and Operation Renewed Hope – toiletries, tarps, food packs

Sigora Solar – tin and roofing nails

There are almost 8000 households and over 42,000 people living in the communities that are served by our clinic, Centre de Sante de Gatineau.  That’s a lot of people and a lot of needs.  We appreciate all who have donated to our Hurricane Relief Fund and want you to know that 100% of your donation is being used directly to help meet these incredible needs for food, shelter and agricultural support.  Our house rebuilding project is just beginning.  Stay tuned for further updates on this aspect of our community outreach and relief.  And, please continue to pray for our outpatient clinic, as we strive to help meet the medical needs of hundreds of Haitians each month and share with them the Good News of the Gospel.