Six Teachers Heading to Zorange for the First Time

Six teachers heading to Zorange for the first time. For three of them, this would be their first trip ever to Haiti. Although there was a good plan in place, I had a major concern: I was not going to be there with them at the airport. This team of teachers would arrive in Haiti four hours before I do. It would be unfair to have them wait. They would have to be picked up by Wilner and Aurele. The good news came on Saturday morning around noon when I received a text from my brother saying that the “pick-up” was done smoothly. This meant that the two groups of people (who had never met before) correctly identified each other at the chaotic Toussaint Louverture airport in Port au Prince. We overcame the first major hurdle.

I arrived on Saturday evening. Sunday morning, we loaded up, prayed and headed for the mountains. There was a very calm and peaceful spirit along the way.THE TEAM

1. Rae Greer
   Married, 3^rd year Teacher, Social Studies- Cedar Hill Collegiate High School.
   Primary assignment: Explore for future involvement.
   Secondary assignment/presentations: Bloom’s Taxonomy, Collaborative Learning through Literacy groups.
2. Lauren Hurd
   First year Teacher, Biology, Desoto Independent School District
   Primary assignment: Explore for future involvement
   Secondary assignment/presentation: Chunk and Chew / Productive/Effective homework
3. Merilee
   Married, 10+ years, 3^rd grade Teacher. Duncanville Indepedendent School District.
   Primary assignment: Explore for future involvement
   Secondary assignment/presentation: 5E lesson plans
4. Mike Taylor
   Married, Counselor, Teacher- Waxahachie Independent School District
   Primary assignment: Explore for future involvement.
   Secondary assignment/ presentation: Making Science Projects Simple
5. Coach Joe
   Married, Math Teacher- Desoto Independent School District
   Primary assignment: Explore for future involvement
   Secondary assignments: set up intercom system, coordinator, floater, group leader

As soon as we left the good paved road of the Jacmel mountains to the dirt road leading to Trouin, the ladies asked for a pit stop. I pulled over. Fifteen minutes later, as the three of us men stared at the majestic mountains, the ladies returned giggling like school girls. “Ladies, I love you all more now than I did an hour ago,” I said to them. I knew then that was a special bunch. But there was one oddity: Lauren is wearing boots, cowboys boots to Zorange. It was fitting, daring, and comical. Cowboys boots and nature, perfect match; “wear something comfortable”, did she not get the memo?

Several meetings prior to the trip, I believe, really prepared them for what was coming and they were full of excitement. Along the way, the laughter and fellowship never stopped. At times, I felt sorry for hitting some bumps but it’s not like they were not warned. The mountains, their excitement, and the love in their hearts were just the right cushion for the bumpy road. So we continued. Bumps, rocks, bumps, rocks, rivers. So they hang for dear life and laughed all the way to Zorange. I did wonder if their energy would last but they were still smiling when they entered Zorange. From Bainet to Zorange, I am thinking, “If anything, these guys would agree that we are genuine in our effort,”. All the way to Zorange, I was able to show them where I picked Elenie; where she met her friend; where she crossed the river; where they put on their shoes and went up the mountains… just like they saw on the documentary.

We arrived in Zorange at our expected time. After settling down, I took the team to the school and the preparation began. The team took 12 suitcases of school supplies to Zorange. One particular box was of interest to me. Lauren is still in boots. A few loose ends were tied up; teacher bags made, final plans discussed and aligned. Still no signs of retreat from this group. Everybody had their game-face on. I can’t quite feel Rae. I think she’s concerned about presenting tomorrow. It may be a combination of excitement and an unknown audience. Rae makes me feel at ease although I fell short on some of my assignments (copies, translating etc…). She reassured me that we could pull it off. Mike finds a new home. Being raised in the country, he appreciates space, country manners. Zorange is his kind of Haiti. During this preparation period, Mike makes a suggestion that will change the way we do things in Zorange for a long time. Merilee is also full of excitement. I think she’s anxious to see the children. Still in her boots, Lauren is enjoying the moment. She has always wanted to visit Haiti. But she looks tired. Coach Joe suggests we take a break for diner. Coach Joe does not have a presentation. He is the overall leader. He would moderate the workshop, designate the breaks, fill-in, keep us on schedule, keep us charged up etc… I’d simply make sure he has as much info as possible.

Sunday night: The preparations continued until the sky was filled with plenty of bright stars. Lauren was selected to accompany me to the radio station. She and I greeted the listening audience and launched a final invitation to all principals in the region.

The sleeping arrangements were not the Hilton but this team was prepared. I promised them good, clean water and flushable toilets. Nasson and Wilner had taken care of both of these things for me.

We were ready. In the morning, Mike and Lauren were to stay at our school for classroom observation as the rest of the team visits the neighboring schools. I would accompany the second team.

Monday morning, we started with our farthest school (College Etzer Villaire de Tony). The team enjoyed visiting Etzer Villaire school. Each classroom they visit received a bag of supply from them. At the end of each visits the team layed hands and prayed with the Principal.

Monday morning (around 11:30), ‘more people are calling, wanting to attend the workshop, what do we do?” These were the questions I was having to answer. On one hand, I wanted to stick to the protocol, but on the other hand, we were there for them. “let them come, I’ll just have to take my spanking from Vierge later because we prepared food for the 90 who signed up.” I answered.

Monday afternoon, about 115 teachers and 14 principals were seated in our small cafeteria. Rae was at bat and she delivered on Bloom’s taxonomy. We didn’t have enough supplies for the craft section but it worked out okay. Teachers were engaged and excited. The presenters interjected at will, supporting, backing up the concepts being shared.

Lunch. Vierge is right on time. Having the food ready on time was a high priority task and she delivered. Normally everybody would get a plate of food, find a comfortable spot and eat. Not today. Mike had asked if it was okay to serve the teachers. “I’ll make it happen for you, Mike.” I answered. So the room was quickly turned into a cafeteria. Everyone seated while the visiting team served the local teachers. What a sight! What an idea! This is how we will serve food during these workshops from now on.

It was professional, smooth, right, enjoyable, rewarding, unfathomable from the local teachers view.

After lunch, Merilee presented on 5E lesson plans. Like Rae, she also hit it out of the park. Throughout the workshop, we maintained their interests with our consistent raffle drawings, giving them chances to win items. The team made two special bags for two principals who need some immediate help (Seth Etienne, Gusto Brugnol). They were pleased to receive them. We finished the afternoon exhausted but on a high note.

After day one, we critiqued the work and made some changes for tomorrow. There were several reasons why Day 2 would be special. First, it will highlight / acknowledge / validate the hard work of one our local teachers. Our long term goal has always been to produce solid leaders from the region. Language Arts teacher, Ferne Pierre would be is our first step. Secondly, basic, hands-on science concepts will be presented to our teachers.

Unlike day 1, day 2 would a full day. It would begin at 8 am. But it will not be sufficient unless we modify our approach. “There’s wisdom in the counsel of many” (somewhere in proverbs). So the idea came that we should spilt the group. We would have simultaneous workshops running. Teachers would be divided into 3 small groups. What another great idea! Let it be so. Literacy groups in room 2, science projects in cafeteria, Language arts strategies in computer lab.

Tuesday morning, Coach Joe and Merilee handled the logistics and the day began. “Wow, this is actually working great,’ I thought to myself. The small groups made possible that one-on-one approach. We made sure everyone’s suggestions or input was acknowledged. We modified the pace as needed. From here forward, courses will be offered in a menu style approach. Participants will choose which classes they want to take. This will be the new way of doing workshops in Zorange.

Once we got over the initial hurdles in the morning, things moved very smoothly and Coach Joe and Merilee kept us on track and moving.

Lunch was ready promptly at noon. Once again, the team went to work. The teachers sat and the team humbly served them.

Day 2 ended with a Q&A session and the passing out of certificates. The comments from the participants came like a flood, expressing their gratitude toward the effort. They could not understand why we showed so much care and love for them. Our own principal, Tony Semerzier, reached in his social studies repertoire and pulled out examples of the vast separations between blacks and whites. He could not understand why he was being served. Another stood up and stated that it is like we were paying them to teach them. Hearing these comments, I began thinking about what someone once shared with me. I do not recall if it is was my brother or a young Baptist missionary from North Carolina named Scott Bass in 2004. It is a quote from St Francis of Azizi that reads : “Love them until they ask why”.

So ends the workshop. How much of the info did the teachers really retain? How much will this workshop impact their teaching? Was it really worth it? Only time will tell. Alfred Noncent, a school principal from Doko who attended the workshop, decided to have a 3^rd day of workshop on his campus where they sat and considered how they would incorporate the knowledge they gained from the workshop. This is all that we could ever ask for.

As predicted, this was one of the best workshop ever held in Zorange.

FYI- our school now has an intercom system that reduces loss of instruction time in the morning. Students now enter class immediately in the morning and announcements are to be made using the intercom which has a speaker in each classroom Everything is set, we’re waiting on a component. Please help me express my gratitude to Coach Joe, Lauren Hurd, Kenny Lowman and Midlothian First Baptist Church family.

What’s next? I will send a plan by Christmas detailing the plan for Spring Break and Summer. Meanwhile, please share your thoughts and comments to this wonderful group of people from Texas.

P.S. to my defense of any incoherent thought or typos, I am still under a lot of medications.

By the way, Lauren left Zorange with her boots on. And a new nickname. She’s baptized ‘Toujou Grangou” meaning ‘always hungry’.

- Louis

Another Julie, Ashley, and Marjorie Update

We are all glad to report that we have observed, and hopefully retained, a cooking lesson from Vierge. We now know how to season and deep fry fish, how to make sos pwa, and deliciously sticky and buttery rice. We have yet to see how our individual attempts will turn out.

We spent Sunday in Bainet, visiting the site of the future teaching hospital. The land looks great and there is a beautiful view of the ocean! We also visited the hospital in Bainet which will be renovated and run by a collaboration of organizations. We tried to visit the makeshift cholera hospital, but the staff had run out to pick up a patient. The good news is, they have no other patients, so there is definite progress! Before dinner we took a stroll out to visit Tata, who took us on a nice walk around the town. Little did we know we'd end up in jail! Don't worry, we were there only as visitors; we ran into a nice policeman who offered to take us on a tour of the police station.

Early Monday morning we packed up and headed back to Zorange to finish up our surveys. We had a decent turnout at Bel Hotesse, but the road getting there was very tedious and it took us an HOUR and a half. Today, we finished completely! The turnout at Daniel was wonderful, we even had to turn people away because we ran out of survey forms. Now that we're done collecting surveys, we'll continue to go over the data so far and start getting a picture of the health situation in the area. Otherwise, Ashley and I are hoping to get ourselves some sweet braided hairstyles. Marjorie is of course, as always, already looking good.

We'll try and write before we leave for the States, but if not, we'll post pictures of our adventures when we get home!

Bonne nuit,

Julie, Ashley, and Marjorie

End Of The Week Update

Sak passe?!

Well, we've made it to the end of our first week. Looking back, it has gone by faster than anticipated. But, time flies when you're having fun :)
In addition to the surveys we completed at the beginning of the week we were able to have an informational session with the nurses, a Q&A type of session. Julie does research on Alzheimer's and Parkinson's so those were two of the topics covered. We reviewed the surveys yesterday and have about 200 surveys completed. By next week I am sure we will make our goal of 400. I am excited to get back to the states and continue to work with Marjorie and Julie to assess our information in greater depth.

Although we've been working, we've definitely found time to spend some time to soak up the full experience of Haiti. Yesterday, we took our clothes to the river and washed them...I'm not that great at it but it made for a good laugh :) We also took a trip to the market where Julie and I bought some awesome hats. They're like your own personal umbrella, which is nice for this beautiful, sunny, HOT, weather. This weekend Vierge is teaching us how to cook...that will make for a blog in itself! We'll let you know how that goes...

-Ashley

Some down time...

Bonjour!
We finally were able to get the internet up and running. We got to Zorange Sunday afternoon and after settling in had our first meeting with Myrlande, Wilner and Nasson. Over the course of our two weeks we are hoping to interview about 400 people for our health assessment for the upcoming clinic in Gandou. So far, we have had a great turnout. Monday we went to the market in Belamy where the people were very willing to give us their time in answering our questions, and we got the same reaction in Gorie. It was very exciting to see their enthusiasm for the new clinic and all that they are willing to do to make it happen.

Today and tomorrow we are able to relax! So far, we've eaten a great breakfast, had the best (and strongest) coffee you could ever imagine, and were given a tour of the school and clinic. It looks amazing! The school colors are so vibrant and lively and as I sit here in the computer lab I'm serenaded by the kids singing their school anthem :) The clinic staff are so proud of all that they have accomplished and gave us a full tour of all their hard work.

Tomorrow, Nasson is taking us to the market! I know this will be an awesome experience and Julie and I are hoping to buy some cool stuff. So, while we are working hard, we are finding some time to soak up the beauty of Zorange. We wish you all could be here with us!!

Au revoir,
Ashley, Julie, and Marjorie :)

Finally in Zorange!

Hello all you blog followers. Marjorie, Julie and myself made it to Zorange Saturday afternoon and we were able to relax a bit after the long, bumpy, drive in. We started our work week today in Belamy where we conducted surveys with the people in that community to gain a better understanding of the health needs in that area. The people gathered in the market place and stood in line. We had a great turn out and obtained a lot of useful information. The people were very cooperative and grateful that we had come to them to hear their voice and we were welcomed with open arms.While we have been working hard there has been plenty of time to lounge around, learn Kreyol, and of course, eat Vierge's amazing food!We hope to update again soon and that you could see beautiful Zorange with us! :)

Bon nwit!Ashley, Julie, and Marjorie

Reflections from Gandou

The trip was intense. Intensely joyful, intensely hard, intensely challenging, intensely rewarding.

We went to the same village that I went to last year but the people who live there have done so much work that I hardly recognized it. It was a joy to say I didn’t know my way around this tiny village that I love. The school that was half built before the earthquake was now rebuilt and functioning and they have power. Last year every time I wanted to do a EKG in the clinic, all construction had to stop because we only had 1 generator. Now they have solar power that runs the clinic and school. They even have intermittent internet access. The day I received a email from Zorange I sat at my desk and cried. It is difficult to describe how remote this village is.

This year we brought a mobile clinic to Gandou. This village is cut off in the rainy season when the river is too treacherous to cross. The ride in is an hour from Zorange up steep mountain trails. Some of the hardest 4 wheeling I have ever seen and you know how I like to ride my ATV! We saw many people with incredibly high blood pressure. (its hereditary there, not due to lifestyle obesity and smoking is almost non existent in Haiti) One lady we saw was 50 yrs old and had already had a stroke at home, no medical care, and was having mini strokes currently. How her husband will continue to care for her is a mystery and miracle.

We have a midwife Kim traveling with us. She saw many pregnant women who have not received prenatal care. 3 of them were in a critical condition, preeclampsia. Kim was able to treat them there and likely saved the lives of the moms and babies. Thank goodness that we will have a clinic there in the near future. We saw many, many people that day. We were not able to see all of them.

Back at the clinic in Zorange I saw a woman that had the worst case of shingles I had EVER seen. These are incredibly painful. She came wrapped in a towel because she could not stand to put a shirt on. In the US she would have been hospitalized. I gave her what I had: Tylenol. She never complained. By the coconut grape vine (amazing Haitian hard work/connections) medicine would be brought to her the following day from Port au Prince 5 hours away. She tested positive for HIV. Yes, we have limited lab capabilities. I referred her to the nearest HIV clinic but the only transportation is walk or motorcycle ride. It is unlikely that she will be able to get there and the clinic that I referred her to needs a lot of improvement. She will likely die. Those are the sad stories.

The joyful stories have to do with the Haitian people that are running this mission. What a joy to be with people who work hard and care about their work. With so little, they do so much. As before they welcomed us into their homes and their lives. For this I am incredibly grateful. Every night there was a prayer service and they would sing in strong beautiful voices in the mountains these voice travel straight up! We had so much fun playing games and sharing music.

- Marlene Rickert

Seeing Haiti for the first time

There are 3 of us on this trip experience Haiti for the first time and we wanted to share some of our thoughts. Port-au-Prince was hot, congested, and taking in the sights was overwhelming. The truck we took from the airport, lovingly known as "The Beast" brought us safely to Jacmel through the amazing mountains which are lush and green with palms trees scattered throughout the countryside. It was a relief to be at our first stop. The hotel there was beautiful and the sights breath-taking. None of were expecting the next leg of the trip and what that entailed. We knew we were going to cross the river, we didn't know it actually meant IN THE RIVER. We crossed 14 times and the Jeep got stuck twice. We made it though and each of us is stronger for it :) Meeting the people of Zorange was like seeing old family again. They were so welcoming with big smiles, kisses and hugs. Relief set in again. Arriving on the second day at the mobile clinic in Gandou brought several hundred people and a little bit of anxiety to us. How would we see all these people? How would we know who to see first? What if they needed further medical care? The anxiety was quickly washed away by our fearless leader and the others who supply such amazing leadership to this group. We did it. We saw the patients and left with our hearts filled with love for these amazing people that do and give so much with so little.

Finally we are able to post

The week has been flying by. We had a great day of clinic in Zorange on Monday. Dr. Kim trained Nurse Magdoline on how to conduct eye exams. Pamela and Kim S. saw several pregnant women with Nurse Luska using the portable ultrasound machine. The permanent ultrasound machine arrived safely, but the probes are missing, making training next to impossible! Ultrasound tech Pamela will have to come to Zorange again. Sara saw a lot of kids, and everyone was grateful to have a pediatric NP on the trip. After clinic, Marlene did a classroom training with the nurses on removing objects from the ears, with one of the translators serving as the patient. The nurses had lots of questions on all subject matters, mostly having to do with difficult cases that they don't have the ability to treat in Zorange. What should be done for these people? Marlene was great at giving them tips for first aid and stabilizing the patients to send them on the long journey to Bainet, Jacmel or beyond.

Yesterday and today (Tuesday and Wednesday) we headed to Gandou and set up a mobile clinic at the future site of HFHF's second clinic. The distance is only 5 miles from Zorange, but it is an hour trip over very rough turrain. As we got bumped and bruised as we were tossed about in the car, we could not imagine how sick patients manage to make their way to the Zorange clinic. We saw about 65 patients the first day, and had to send some people home to come back today. This morning when we arrived, there were hundreds of patients waiting to be seen. It was difficult to know that we could not see them all. The need for a clinic in the area is clear.

We saw so many people with high blood pressure...really high! This included many pregnant women with blood pressure so high they were in danger of have a seizure. We worked with the resources we had and Kim Sniffen even made a consult call to the US. We saw a woman whose husband said she was fine 5 months ago except that she had high blood pressure - well 5 months ago she "fell out" and has not been able to understand words or speak other than saying "oui' - but not purposefully. She had left side weakness and her pressure was still 170/110. We treated her but it was sad to tell her husband that we could not fix the damage that had been done. She was only 50.

Meanwhile in Zorange, Nurse Luska had several pregnant women and eye patients who arrived while we were in Gandou, and told them to come back tomorrow. So we will have another full day of clinic in Zorange tomorrow. We will also train with the nurses after clinic on seizures, bacteriology, and pediatric treatment questions.

The team is great, and everyone is up for one adventure after the next. Whether we are pushing vehicles through the river, riding like a cowboy in the back of a jeep, learning line dances, playing Yuker, dodging tarantulas, or wrestling with the difficulty of seeing severely ill patients, everyone has remained in high spirits and is enjoying themselves. The nursing team in Haiti continues to do an amazing job. It's hard to believe we just have one more full day here in beautiful Zorange before we make our way back to Port-au-Prince.

The dorm is amazing!!!

Hopefully some of the other girls will post next...they are off rapelling cliffs or something...GO GIRL POWER. First mobile clinic to Gandou - ALL GIRLS!!!

See ya,
Lydia and Kim S

Day 1

Good morning everyone! We arrived safely in Jacmel last night and will be heading up the mountain via the riverbed this morning. Getting a late start due to car trouble, but we are making great use of this time. Mirlande, the clinic director, met us here and we are going over many things with her. The web is such an awesome way to share information with the Haitian nurses. Thanks to all of you who made Internet in Zorange a reality! I can feel Gods Presence covering all of us this morning! The new travelers are anxious to get to Zorange and the rest of us old timers can't wait to get to our "home" in Haiti!! I am sure we will have some wonderful adventures to share in the next few days!

Kim Sniffen

Give Us Some Credit

We don't mean to "take all the credit" here, but we're pretty excited about our recent partnership with Visa, which now makes it easy to support HFHF with your everyday purchases! With the new Hope for Haiti Foundation Visa Platinum Rewards Card, you can show your support of HFHF's mission every time you shop. It couldn't be easier to give back, just by doing the things you already do everyday!

When you apply for and use your new Hope for Haiti Foundation card, the bank will donate $50 and a percentage of all your future purchases on the card to HFHF. Plus, you'll get all the benefits of a Visa Platinum Rewards card, such as bonus points for airline tickets, merchandise and a low introductory APR on purchases.

There is no annual fee, and you can pick from five different card designs. With gorgeous photos like these, it's easy to picture yourself somewhere warm and happy just by looking in your wallet!



You can learn more and apply for the card here: http://www.cardpartner.com/affinity/app/hfhf. Thanks for your continued support!

Rock your world!

Despite the serious work Hope for Haiti Foundation does, really, we ain't lookin' for nothin' but a good time...or at least that will be the case this Friday at our inaugural "Rock Your World! Tune in. Turn up. Reach out." benefit concert!

Band of Brothers, a party band covering songs from the 70s & 80s, will rock & roll all night at the The Pour House in downtown Raleigh on October 7. In addition to great music & dancing, we'll have drinks, a silent auction, door prizes and raffles, with Gino Anacleto from CW 22 there as our trusty emcee all night long.

Doors open at 7 p.m., with music starting around 8 and lasting until midnight. Tickets are $7 in advance/$10 at the door, and VIP tickets, which include a private bar, full buffet & special table seating, are available for $100. Tickets can be purchased online at http://rockyourworldraleigh.com/. This is a 21+ event.

All proceeds go to HFHF's work in rural Haiti, and you won't want to miss this great event!This is the first year that we've put on a benefit concert, but we hope to have the opportunity to make Rock Your World! an event that Triangle music fans can look forward to for years to come.

So if you Wanna Dance With Somebody, grab two tickets (to paradise) and come on out! Hey, we know it's only rock & roll, but we like it.

(Speaking of our fearless emcee, check out Gino & Hope for Haiti Foundation's TV debut in this TV spot about the concert!)

Hope in Haiti

This past week, a an allstar team from from Hope Community Church, one of HFHF's first and largest partners, has been down in Haiti helping out & surveying the work that HCC has played such a crucial role in making a reality. Karl Moraski, Hope's worship leader, has been faithfully blogging from the computer lab & we highly recommend tuning in for updates from the field!

Some highlights include:

• An inside look at the Gandou community, home of our next medical clinic
• A tour of the freshly painted school (& updates on some of the cool new technology coming out of Zorange)
• And a potential Bob Segar "NightMoves" reference? (plus, a definite Bon Jovi shoutout)

And as an added bonus because we love ya, an amazing photographer, Josh Hancock, has been snapping pictures all trip! If these don't get you packing your bags & Pricelining flights to Port au Prince, we don't know what will!

Enjoy the updates, try not to drool & have your people call our people when you're ready to river suit up & join us!

Take our hand & we'll make it, we swear,

The HFHF Team

P.S. Fun fact: Karl is also in Band of Brothers, who will be rockin it out at the Rock Your World concert next weekend -- more to come on that soon!

Denise returns to Haiti with a healthy heart!

Two months ago, we told you the story of Denise, a young Haitian woman in rural Zorange, Haiti, whose life was at risk due to a heart valve condition. The situation was grim. Without heart surgery, Denise's life would be cut drastically short.

Denise with her parents, HFHF founder Elade, and Dr. G. at the

HFHF clinic in Zorange, Haiti. 2009.

Today, thanks to Hope for Haiti Foundation's supporters, volunteer medical professionals, Rochester General Hospital, and a partnering non-profit Intervol, Denise's story is now a success story with a happy ending!

Denise prepares for surgery at Rochester General Hospital.

photo courtesy of RGH.

Denise receives heart surgery. photo courtesy of RGH.

Denise receives a check-up after surgery and passes with flying colors.

photo courtesy of RGH.

Denise (center), her brother Denis, HFHF's former medical director,

Gerta, Dr. G from Rochester General, and members of Intervol.

Read all about this happy ending: Haitian heart patient Denise Imbry to return home happy, healthy.

After successful heart surgery, Denise and her brother Denis enjoy

a ride on "The Maid of the Mist" to see their first waterfall before

returning to Haiti.

Thank you for being part of the success! We know there are many others like Denise who are in need of life-saving surgery who do not have access to such care. Will you join with us as we work toward saving more lives by providing surgical capabilities in Bainet, Haiti? Find out how.

Additional News About Denise:

Video: YNN News - Humanitarian Effort Helps Haitian Woman

Video: 13WHAM - A Life Saving Journey from Haiti to Rochester

Article: Democrat & Chronicle - Haitian woman travels here for heart surgery

Article: Democrat & Chronicle - Haitian woman doing well after heart surgery

Article: Democrat & Chronicle - Recovery going well for Haitian heart patient Denise Imbry

Intern up(date)! - John

Bringing in the closer! John's update:

WOW! Everything is going great! This trip has already changed me in ways I had not even anticipated. The ride in from the airport was, as warned, very emotional. One of the first things I saw was the sea of tents of relocated families; it was truly shocking. It was hard to believe that so many families have been living like that. Once we got out of the city and onto the mountain roads, all the conversations in the car stopped. Peter, Emily and I stared speechlessly out the window overlooking the beautiful mountain ranges. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. We had quite the trip to Zorange--two road blocks and an episode of shark bone getting stuck in the mud. It was all very exciting nonetheless. We have all been adjusting very well here. I would say we are all used to the lack of AC and the river baths (which have turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the day). Working in the clinic has been an amazing experience. Miss Lusca is so funny! She is very keen on making sure we all understand what is going on and taking us along with her to watch everything she does.

Everyone here is very friendly. We have gladly adjusted to the slower pace. Who wouldn't like sitting and reading in a hammock over looking the Zorange mountains for hours on end?! It's incredible. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity and I am getting the feeling this will not be my only trip to Haiti.

-John

Intern Up(date)! - Peter

Part 2 of our updates from the HFHF interns spending the summer in Zorange. Peter's thoughts:

Zorange is an awesome place and I felt welcomed from the get go. Pierre, Nasson, Miss Luska, Pastor, and all the kids running around are an absolute blast and have made everything so much fun. The dorm, school and clinic feel out of place in this picturesque mountain scenery full of poverty, but we are truly blessed to be a part of it.

The clinic has been eye-opening for sure. It's obviously very different from U.S. clinics, and though it was a bit shocking at first how rudimentary it all is, after spending some time and hearing more about how people live, it amazes me how much they've been able to do out of nothing. Miss Luska has this contagious smile and laugh that keeps everyone's spirits up 24/7, and working with her has been great experience. She has shown us all how to put in IVs, take blood samples, run vitals, etc.

Daily life has been good as well. I really don't have any complaints. River baths are probably the most refreshing shower I've ever had, and the walk down the hill is always fun because a bunch of little kids always trail us and end up playing with us in the river. We've all been reading a lot in our down time (I'm almost done with all the books I brought; we're going to have to swap books amongst each other soon), playing frisbee, lounging in the hammock John brought, playing with Nancy and Chanika and some of the older guys, goofing off with Pierre, and of course napping here and there.

I know the next few weeks will fly by, but I'm going to do my best to savor each moment.

- Peter

Intern Up(date)! - Emily

The dog days of summer are officially here, and as they start turning up the heat and humidity here in the Southeast, we have no doubt that summer is even fuller swing for our interns and friends in the Southeast department of Haiti. It's been more than a month since we dropped our three brave adventurers off in Zorange, but don't worry, concerned parents of America -- we did not leave them stranded in Haiti with nothing but a blog post in their honor. Lydia, our Executive Director, has been checking in, and with the internet now all set up in the school in Zorange, they've been able to update us when they can. We thought we'd share some of their experiences and impressions of Zorange, with a post from each intern over the next few days. Here is some news from Emily:

We are all adjusting well. River baths are a lot more fun that I would have thought and the food is exceptional! The clinic is amazing and we are all enjoying our time there. Miss Luska is a great teacher. She always opens up the opportunity for us to share in her examinations and have a hand in it when possible. As healthcare hopefuls, we are getting to see a way of medicine up close and personal that we would never get to see anywhere else, and its a blessing to be a part of it. We are learning so much!

Last Monday we taught Computers and Photography to the older students at the school. We felt a little lost at first but once the students came in they were extremely receptive for us, and Nasson translated as we went along, making the experience a lot of fun. We are doing the same thing tomorrow and adding in and English lesson. The guys and I agree that this is a truly eye opening experience.

Haiti in reality is unlike any book, any story, or any description that I've come across. We went to Bainet and Jacmel for two nights last week, and the ocean scenery was breathtaking. What's also breathtaking are the buildings that are reduced to rubble from the earthquake. It seems a true testament to God that all the people here proceed with life as though the destruction isn't around them. I think my favorite activity thus far is COCONUT EATING! We've taken a few ventures to different houses to binge on their coconut, and each one that is chopped open is fun to watch...and delicious!

- Emily

Rochester General, Hope for Haiti Foundation partner to provide life-saving surgery

From L to R: Jean Eloi, HFHF Founder; Denise Embry's parents; Denise; Dr. Gerry Gacioch

It takes a village to raise a child, but what does it take to save that child’s life when they have a heart defect? Dedication.

It was on HFHF’s medical trip in January 2009 that we first met Denise. In a community where retrieving drinking water requires a one-mile uphill trek, her shortness of breath was of great concern. Denise was having to stop at least 6 times between the river and her house. Seventeen at the time, Denise received a cardiogram from Dr. Gerry Gacioch, HFHF’s volunteer cardiologist, using a battery powered EKG machine. Dr. G diagnosed Denise with severe mitral stenosis, a heart valve condition that, unless repaired, can be fatal. It is believed that the condition was caused by Rheumatic Fever she battled as a child. The mitral stenosis has caused the leaflets on her mitral valve to fuse together, preventing the flow of blood from the atrium to the ventricle. Any type of strain, such as running, or childbirth, could be too much for Denise's heart.

With no surgical capabilities available in Bainet, and with no financial means to afford the costly surgery, Denise's future looked bleak. But for a handful of Hope for Haiti Foundation volunteers, this was not the end of the story. The team rallied to find another way to save Denise’s life. Dr. G, head of cardiology at Rochester General Hospital in New York, presented Denise's case to his colleagues, and Rochester General Health System agreed to do the surgery at no charge, in collaboration with a local non-profit partner, Intervol. Then began the arduous process of completing all the necessary paperwork to bring Denise to the U.S. Over 10 months, the team waded through hiccup after hiccup, not the least of which was having to provide a street address for a woman who lives miles from any named street. Yet, the determination of each volunteer was not waived. Neither was the dedication of HFHF's Haitian medical staff, who closely monitored Denise's case with regular check-ups at HFHF's rural clinic in Zorange.

Now 20, Denise has completed the first leg of her journey. She arrived in Rochester yesterday, and is scheduled for bypass surgery on Thursday, July 7 at 5:00 am. All indications suggest her heart valve can be "repaired" as opposed to "replaced." This means that the valve can last as long as 20 years, rather than having to be replaced again in seven years time. After the surgery, she will be able to walk and breathe normally without difficulty.

Please keep Denise, her family, and the doctors in your prayers. She will stay in the US until July 22, when she will fly back to Haiti with a healthy heart. Pray for Denise’s family, who are undoubtedly experiencing a whirlwind of worry, anxiety, anticipation, and hope as their child travels to a foreign land. Also pray that Denise will transition well into the challenges of American food, hospitals, media attention, and a culture that speaks a different language.
It is only through the dedication of volunteers and supporters like you that this work is happening. And we are blown away by your dedication to make impossible things, like Denise's surgery, happen.

We are honored to work with outstanding people like Dr. G and Denise. Your courage and humility inspire us. Dr. G, thank you for being a part of HFHF, and facilitating this surgery. Many people in Rochester, NY have committed money, food, and housing -- we are grateful; Denise is grateful. HFHF -- and opportunities like this -- exist only because people like you choose to commit to this cause. Thank you.

How do you say "intern" in Creole?

Not only do we have great interns rockin' it at the HFHF mothership in Raleigh, but we also have three lucky interns spending their summer on a beautiful Caribbean island in the sun (or at least that's how we like to describe it in our recruiting materials. ;)). John, Peter and Emily are spending the summer down in Haiti and will be assisting with our medical projects in Zorange and the surrounding areas; we have no doubt their expertise will be invaluable to strengthening HFHF's work in this area. We know they're going to have the adventure of a lifetime, as they brave a summer full of river showers, constant sweat, sleeping in cots and extreme farmer tans, where Chaco tan lines are how you earn your stripes (literally). But we also know that despite the warnings about "don't fall in love at the Haitian shore" ;), they're going to come back with amazing memories, awesome relationships and with that bug that keeps people going back to Haiti over and over. Take a few minutes to get to know our brave jetsetters!

Name: John French

Internship Focus: Medical

University and status: University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, rising senior

Major: Biology

In His Own Words: I have been interested in pursuing a career in medicine since I first started college three years ago. As a volunteer in the hospital, I was invigorated by interacting with the medical staff and serving the needs of the patients. Various classes sparked my interest in international medicine. Several months ago I started looking for an opportunity to travel abroad and gain experience with international medicine. I came across HFHF's website and I was very impressed with what they were doing in Haiti, and I became eager to get in on the action! I am really looking forward to working with the Haitian medical team, conducting health-based research, and getting to know the local community. I am excited to have the opportunity to take part in this life changing experience and support the vision of HFHF!

Name: Peter Helvie

Focus: Medical

University/Status: graduated from UNC, class of 2011

Major: Biology, Italian

In His Own Words: I heard about HFHF through my friend John French and immediately jumped at the opportunity to make the trip to Zorange and work at the medical clinic. I am pursuing a career in medicine, so there was a natural interest on my part to work in a medical clinic under such extreme conditions (compared to what I'm used to in Chapel Hill). After learning more about HFHF, I became even more interested and excited to get involved. One of my favorite parts about HFHF's work and one of the things that most excites me is that everything is run by Haitians. It is wonderful to see a country in dire need of help taking steps towards bettering their situation from the inside. In a country with medical technology and expertise so far behind the United States, it is very encouraging to hear about a Haitian program which utilizes the medical knowledge of more fortunate and prosperous countries to create a clinic based on modern medicine. I am very excited to do my little part this summer, and I'm just as excited to learn about the incredible people I will meet and what they are doing to improve their situation.

Name: Emily Richey

Internship Focus: Medical

University/Status: graduated from East Carolina University

Major: Sports Medicine and Health Education

In Her Own Words: I'm a North Carolina Teaching Fellow but towards the end of my undergraduate career I knew that my calling was medicine; my true passion in life is healthcare. My plan was to immediately attack grad school and blow up with success, but I felt an unexplainable tug telling me it wasn't going to work out that way. It immediately became clear to me that my ‘perfect’ plans were peanuts compared to the amazing opportunities that God has for me. I had a friend do some medical work in Africa, and his testimony immediately made me fall in love with the idea of international medicine. I feel a strong calling to the exchange of information between countries when it comes to health care. The same friend recommended the AWESOME book "Mountains Beyond Mountains", and after reading it, my heart was completely captured by the selfless lifestyle of the Paul Farmer. It seemed like divine intervention when a girlfriend told me about her interest with the HFHF medical trips soon after I completed the book and recommended that I look into them for some experience before applying to P.A. school later this summer. Lots of prayers and chats with God have instilled a truly exuberant attitude about this summer!

Intern Up!

Now that HFHF has a full-time executive director and we are like sooo legit, we figured we might as well get ourselves some interns! After all, there was no way we were going to make Lydia tackle Elade's wonderful, big, crazy ideas all by herself. ;)We are very thankful to have two lovely ladies, Margaret Farley and Ashley Matkins (you might remember Ashley from our last guest post about her trip to Haiti) joining us at the HFHF HQ in Raleigh, as our development and public health interns. It seemed a little unfair to keep them all to ourselves, so we wanted to give you a chance to get to know them a little. We also have some Haitian-bound interns who will be spending the summer down in our little slice of Caribbean heaven -- more on them coming soon! We're already thankful to these ladies for their hard work and can't wait to see the impact they have on HFHF and Haiti over the rest of the summer.

Name: Margaret Farley
Internship Focus: Development
University and status: North Carolina State, rising junior
Major: Economics, with a minor in French
In Her Own Words: I have always been interested in helping out countries with struggling economies and pursuing opportunities to enhance the welfare of the individuals in third world countries. I have had the opportunity to study abroad in Guadeloupe as well volunteer in the community. The ability to meet the individuals of communities with basic needs we take for granted everyday has made me more committed to improving the lives of others in third world countries. I am very excited to join a new organization with such a great cause and amazing opportunities! While the experience I have had has been more business related, I have always had a passion for French that initially sparked my interested in joining an organization focused on the needs of the Haitian people. I have already been able to see that Haiti has a rich culture and hope one day I will be able to witness it firsthand!

Name: Ashley Matkins
Internship Focus: Public Health
University and status: University of North Carolina-Greensboro, rising senior
Major: Public Health, health studies concentration
In Her Own Words: I am very interested in international health and would love to be able to work overseas when I am finished with school. I have a passion for helping others and have been blessed to be able to travel to Africa and, most recently, Haiti. I have always had a genuine interest in the health and general well-being of others, and I love building relationships with people. I have worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant for the last three years, and I have loved caring for every patient I have come in contact with. While I have enjoyed being a part of the healing process for patients, I have grown more and more interested in the prevention of disease and how to aid in interventions that will better equip a community to succeed. I love the vision of the HFHF, and being able to see that vision implemented first hand was an amazing experience. I am truly looking forward to watching the hope of everyone involved with HFHF grow as more goals are accomplished.

The First of Many

If it seems like all of our blogs recently have been about luring new people to Haiti....well, you're onto us! It's all a part of our secret plan to get everyone we know to come out and drink the coconut milk. ;) Ashley, one of the interns rockin it at the HFHF HQ in Raleigh this summer, got to jump right into her internship with a trip to Zorange! She joined the team that traveled to Haiti last week and was nice enough to share her first impressions with us. We're really excited to have Ashley on board and will give you a chance to get to know all our lovely interns soon!

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I have never been more humbled, awe-struck, relaxed or as happy as I was in Haiti. While it is good to be back home with family, I can honestly say I would go back to Zorange today. It was absolutely amazing to see the passion and hope in every single person I met in Zorange. I am so thankful to be a part of a team that works together to continue building on the hope that everyone has in making Haiti the country it can be.

While there were many meaningful meetings and focus groups during this trip, there was also plenty of relaxation time to just sit back and enjoy a piece of paradise with friends. This was my first trip to Haiti and I have to say that I was blown away. I have never been surrounded by so many coconuts and mangos in my life! One of the best memories that I have and will cherish is from my visit to their church service. During the service, the pastor said this: “God will bless us for our hard work. We are not strangers, we are at home”. I was flooded with emotions when he said this because I felt at home. I felt so welcomed and blessed to be a part of this moment where God was so present and obviously working through the people of Zorange.



I am so excited to continue my journey with the HFHF as we are able to see the vision of the organization and of the Haitians grow, and to see their goals be accomplished. I’ve heard that when you go to Haiti, you’ll want to go back….it’s definitely true.

GUEST POST: John and Allen's Excellent Haitian Adventure

John Brown, HFHF's Operations Director, recently returned from a trip to Haiti, where he was able to partner with Allen Rainey of Sonlight Power to help get HFHF's solar power system up and running again. In addition to being a rockstar for HFHF, John Brown is also a B-list celebrity in Haiti (sorry, John, but I think Wyclef wins this one ;)). If any white person walks down the streets of Bainet, they will be called John Brown. Not kidding.

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Well, it’s good to be back. Kind of. Sometimes you’re ready to go home and sometimes you don’t want to -- this was one of the “don’t want to” times.

We were on a roll. I took Allen Rainey, Executive Director and Founder of Sonlight Power, to Zorange to help us get our solar electric system up and running again. I connected with Allen by way of the Internet as I was doing some research on solar systems and came across his site, www.sonlightpower.org. To make a long story short, I asked him if he would be interested in going to Haiti with me to help us. He did not hesitate to say "yes." From the time I met Allen in Miami to catch a flight to Port-au-Prince, until the time we parted in Miami to catch our respective flights home, I was blessed and inspired. His organization's motto is “Using Solar to share God’s love." It was quite evident that Allen desires to use the gifts God has blessed him with to share the Good news.

After traveling most of the day, we arrived in Bigot about an hour after dark. We settled in and got some rest. The next day was spent getting our system up and running. We had little Johnny and Jude assisting us. We moved the solar equipment from where it originally was, which was in the same room as the generator, to a small room a short distance away to separate the battery bank and the generator. After the solar array wires and the generator wire were run, the charge controllers and inverter were mounted and wired up. With a few adjustments and modifications to different things, we were making electricity. Allen really knows his stuff.

The next day Allen gave a class on maintenance and operations of the solar system to some of the key personnel who would be responsible for its operation. He did a great job with the translation assistance from Nasson and Jude. When that was done we ran some cable for the IT team that will be coming in a few weeks to install some wireless modems and then packed up and headed to Bainet to spend the night.

I never get tired of sleeping to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach there. I was also surprised to find out that we have two mango trees on our property there. I think everyone has been keeping that a secret. Oh well. I took advantage of the discovery and can honestly say I have never had a mango that was sweeter or juicier than the ones we ate there. Olivier was there with us and I think he ate ten of them in one sitting. I have to admit I ate entirely too much the whole trip. I have no willpower when it comes to watching my portions when Vierge is cooking. I can’t wait to go back.

Back in the Saddle

Anyone know how to say “Yeehaw!” in Creole?

We don't either, but you can bet we're dusting off our cowboy boots for Rodeo for Hope, a fun event hosted by Barry Driver and Capital Chrysler Jeep Dodge and benefitting HFHF! Back in the saddle for the second year in a row, Rodeo for Hope is a weekend-long extreme bull riding extravaganza for a cause, with a portion of the proceeds going directly to support HFHF's work in Haiti.

The rodeo, held Friday, April 15 and Saturday April 16, is in conjunction with Wicked Bull, one of the most up to date and versatile extreme rodeo and western-themed event production companies on the east coast. The Wicked Bull team is made up of talent that includes nationally recognized bull riders, top freestyle bull fighters, award winning livestock, and charismatic announcers, so it promises to be a good time!

Not only are we thankful to Barry for his continued support of HFHF and excited about the taste of the wild, wild west that Raleigh will get, but we also think this is a prime opportunity to scout out some new recruits for HFHF trips to Zorange! If these modern-day John Waynes can handle a raging bull, they just might stand a chance at hangin on during that bumpy and exciting ride across the wide open Haitian range of mountains, rivers and always-interesting terrain. After all, our Haiti trip motto IS “this isn't our first rodeo” ;)

The rodeo starts at 8 p.m. each night, and tickets are $10 (children under 6 get in free, so it's a great deal for some family fun). In addition to benefitting HFHF, Rodeo for Hope benefits House of Hope, a nondenominational center for troubled girls. For more info about the event, visit http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=122506624490732#!/event.php?eid=122506624490732

So round em up and bring all your friends out to support HFHF. And in case you still had doubts about whether or not to drag out the old Stetson, check out this video of all the fun had at last year's rodeo.

You don't wanna miss out, partner!