Fresh new expression of God's love ...

Above, a new Baby Girl born last night at Heartline.
She is 8lbs and 1ounce. Jen was called in when she was 8 minutes old because it got scary at that point. She recovered quickly after some help breathing and a few chest compressions. For a few minutes everyone was pretty nervous. She is doing wonderful today, so is 29 year old mom, Jesula.

Little Baby Kenny(above and below) born to the young mama named Djenie (Jenny) below.
The Heartline team fought to save him last week and now he is at the MIA field hospital for a while. We hope to spring him from there soon.

Below, baby girl Rochelle, at MIA field hospital. Her parents are adorable and hopeful for her full recovery.They have four other children at home.

PICU/NICU at MIA field hospital - more preemies - they're doing great things with the little ones. I think I counted 8 or 9 on feeding tubes, in isolettes or under bilirubin lights. These babies, post earthquake are alive BECAUSE of the earthquake ... kind of strange to think that they have a place to grow bigger and get stronger, whereas prior to the earthquake they would not have had this resource available, and therefore would have died. The complexity of that thought is too much for my head. Others died without good care, and the little babes get to live because it got here. Does that stir up unexplainable emotions for anyone else?

Dr. Jen and Dr. Abe are Minnesotans (Jen in yellow, Abe in scrubs). Lyndsey lives in Mexico full time as a missionary there (in brown). Peeking from behind Dr Abe is Barbie, a PA from Alaska. In addition to these four we have about 25 others from all over the USA and Canada. The team has continually gelled really well, an amazing thing for people from varying backgrounds and so many in and out of the hospital week to week. I agree with John McHoul that God has shown favor to our little gig.

Below is a beautiful woman (two actually) that got a tiny bit of care on the night of the earthquake but then waited three whole weeks before finding her way to Heartline through a friend of hers that knows John. Her femur was fixed at the Double Harvest Ortho surgery center and now she is recovering with us. Can you imagine having a broken femur with no pain meds for three weeks? Me either.
Most every team that has come and gone in the last several weeks has fallen for this guy. He is pictured above helping to do his own dressing change. He needs to feel a little bit more in control and Jen and Barbie allowed him that today. He lost BOTH his mother and father on Jan 12th. He has lost range of motion and use of one of his hands from a crush injury. His leg is still healing, as is his head. His maternal grandmother is his remaining family member. He is ten years old and a total charmer. Today Rosemon and I went on a little field trip to drop three nurses off to the airport and then came to meet Jeronne and Tipap. Rosemon thinks daily trips to hang out over at our house is a great recovery plan moving forward. :) I cannot say that I blame him. Later in the day Rony (the new little guy from the Comfort ship yesterday) came for a visit. He also had a Coke and enjoyed a break from the hospital scene.

To: Isaac and Noah, these little boys (Rony and Rosemon) are both ten and they both really like your light sabers, please pray for them - they are tough and strong just like you guys but they need prayers for healing. They are keeping Jeronne and Tipap company because this house misses you kids!
It was very interesting to me to watch Jeronne and Tipap's response to the boys. I think that if you have a way to insulate yourself from the reality "out there" - it becomes really easy to not know how bad your friends and neighbors are hurting. Both of them became incredibly somber when I brought the boys over. It was good to sort of talk through their stories and see the compassionate responses. I suggested that they might like to come cheer people up and make short visits to the hospital. I am hoping they decide to do that.

I have long thought it is super easy to stay fit and trim in Haiti. You work hard, you sweat non stop, you sometimes run out of time or energy to eat. But, I might be in trouble this week. Jeronne is so happy I am back she is making me massive amounts of her food. I am beyond touched by her love, but a person can only eat so much vegetable oil before their heart clogs up and chokes. A lot of Haitian food is fried and greasy. I told her tonight that she better not send me back to Troy with a giant butt. She just laughs at me.

I better get going to church. If I don't go I will never hear the end of it from one, John McHoul. John claims he is having an alter call just for my benefit tonight. I told him I would swear on the way down toward the front if he did that, he said, "That's fine, as long as you don't swear afterward."

Have a great Sunday night, I am so blessed to be here.
Thank you God.

Tara