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Thank you everyone for your prayers, my flight to Phil actually arrived (almost) on time.  It was over a hundred degrees in Haiti, I have discovered it is somewhat less here but I am so glad to be home. What I found in Haiti was destruction and poverty on a scale hard to imagine unless you've seen it. The people there still clung to their faith, singing, and finding hope in our presence. They thanked us constantly, and through the translators they said that they knew because we were there to help, they could hope that things could get better. We held them, gave fluid to the desperately dehydrated, pain medicine to those with injuries too horrible to describe, and in the end our clothes, sleeping bags and left over food. Always they said thank you. The children played and laughed and tried to learn English.  I gave out our health kits! (wished I had a hundred more)  Thank you again for your prayers.  It was an amazing opportunity to serve God by serving these people.

Please continue to pray for the people of Haiti, there is so much more to be done.

Ruthann

February 8, 2010 10:09:18 PM EST Haiti update from Team Edward

Subject: Re: Haiti update from Team Edward: please forward to those who you think would like to read.  thanks

Well, this is the second time I have been near a computer so I am taking a chance to send an update.  Yesterday afternoon we went on a tour of the city, and oh my is all I can say. There are signs hanging everywhere saying please help, homeless people. There are tent cities everywhere, some are actual tents and others are just fabricated shelters with cardboard and debris.  It is all so sad.  When we went past the hospital, it seemed completely destroyed but our driver told us it was the open hospital. Then we went past the destroyed hospital and it was nothing left. The driver told us that there are still many people in there and he hopes they get out soon.

After the tour we went to the UN for a hot meal and bathrooms with running water.  By then I realized my cell phone had stopped working, I don't know if a tower is down but it used to read "digicel" and now it reads "claro" . So I was unable to send a text saying we had arrived safe and sound.  The superbowl was broadcast here last night, but I just went to bed to try to actually sleep. I did get better sleep, but not great. Still better than the Haitians sleeping on the ground.  So I have flipped back to days, so I was there when they brought in the man pulled from the rubble today, he was admitted to the ICU where I was working.  So many stories of horrors and miracles. These people have strength and resiliency and faith, when there has been a death the whole ward will sing.  And there are babies being born!  I have seen more things in this past week than I have seen in all my career,

Thank you to everyone for their support and encouragement. It can be difficult with all the things I must see down here. We were told to keep our sense of humor, a directive I have taken quite literally, so there has been some fun too. I found a row of street vendors and made Johnson our driver stop so we could shop. And I have handed out everything I brought to hand out, and before we go will part with my sleeping bag and other things I can do without at home. 

Well, I have exceeded my time, so I must go. thanks again, will be home Friday.

RA

Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010 Update - Love's Labor Found!

Ruthann has extremely limited computer access so is unable to send many updates. She is going to try to join us tomorrow morning online for worship! Hopefully, we'll get some more information then. I have spoken with her twice by phone and here is what I know:

Ruthann began working the night shift on Tuesday night as soon as she arrived in Haiti. She missed the orientation tour, but got right to work with 17 children. She tries to sleep during the day, but the heat and the planes taking off and landing distract her a bit. She has seen rats and a co-worker had a tarantula on her bag and the mosquitoes swarm constantly. Luckily, she then saw the bats swooping to eat the mosquitoes. (And to think, Ruthann's not really a "camping" type of woman!) Her shower water has already run out and she discovered that Deep Woods Off works great as hair gel. Who knew?

She took pita bread and peanut butter with her to eat, although she has had a few MRE's (Meals, Ready to Eat). One afternoon, she and a couple of her co-workers walked up to the UN tent and bought dinner. Unfortunately, her co-workers contracted some sort of food poisoning from it. Ruthann, however, did not. She's sticking to the MRE's and her pita bread now.

Two nights ago, someone came asking for a pediatric nurse because two mothers were in labor. She went, thinking she would care for the babies, but ending up delivering one of the babies! She said she hadn't done anything like that since nursing school, 25 years ago, but she managed just fine, taking care of both mother and baby. A translator told her the mother named the baby, "Victoria," and Ruthann asked if she could call her "Vicki." The mother replied in English, "Vicki--Yes--Vicki!" So, I have a namesake in Haiti. Later, little Vicki's aunt was singing "How Great Thou Art" to her in Creole. Ruthann joined in the singing in English. What a lucky little girl!

The other baby, Izio, had to be delivered by C-section and was premie. She has since been flown to Miami to a NICU. Her mother had pre-eclampsia, like I did with Eli. Ruthann said the baby tried to die three times the first night, mostly from being cold. They usually call premies "chicken nuggets," but they had to wrap this one in a solar blanket, so Ruthann said she looks more like a ham. That night, Ruthann had to go to the portapotty, which is a ways from the tent. As she rounded a curve, she came across an Army guard who asked if the babies had been born and how they were. Ruthann told him that one was fine but the other was not well. She told him they had run out of blankets and the baby was cold. The soldier told her he'd be right back and went in to get his wool Army blanket to give to the baby. They finally got Izio warmed up and stable enough to evacuate. Izio's mother thanked God and Ruthann for saving her baby. Very cool stuff.

Last night, Ruthann had duty in the adult trauma area. She had two people come in from motor vehicle accidents and one from a stabbing. They had to let two others go off of life support to try to keep these three new ones alive. There's just not enough equipment or bed space so they have to choose which ones to try to save. She said the Haitians seem very at peace about it. God takes them when they are ready, they say. Maybe they have just seen so much death that they are numb. But, it's hard to make the choices over who gets the use of the limited equipment. Yet, the people express so much gratitude.

Ruthann will work again tonight then have off Sunday night and switch to days on Monday. She'll work the rest of her time there on day shift. When we stopped texting last night, little Vicki had gone home, healthy and happy, and little Izio had gone to a NICU where she'll get the help she needs. I've attached pictures of little Vicki and Izio (the little ham) and Ruthann with an adult trauma victim. Also, she sent one of the sunrise over their tent. I know she appreciates your on-going love, prayers, and support!

Peace and love,
Vicki

February 4, 2010 3:27:16 AM EST

Hello to everyone from Haiti.

We finally got here about 1:00 am early Wed morning, and about 30 minutes after that I found myself in the Peds tent talking care of patients.  They were short on the overnight shift, and that is what I came here to do so I was glad to get started.  There are kids recovering from their trauma, not all of them with parents yet they will play and blow bubbles and make fun of my creole.  I am trying to teach them english, and we all giggle alot.  There are some kids sick with kid stuff, dehydration, asthma. The kids have army cots, and whatever family they have stay on cardboard on the floor (flattened boxes) Supplies are plentiful in some areas, short in others. Many of these people are taking what ever gets handed out because they need it to rebuild their life. I cannot even see the end of the tent city where all the displaced people are living here at the airport.  Sleeping during the day is tough, it is hot, loud (we are staying at the airport, helicopters and C5's are arriving and departing all the time) in a TENT on the GRASS. At least I have a cot too; still saw a furry creature scurry under the cots this morning. We drove to the UN building yesterday, past rubble and street vendors as people are beginning to put their lives back.  So, here it is and our group is doing OK so far.  our group prayed before our shift, which was really cool. Thank you for all your prayers for us, for the people, and for all efforts to build a future with hope. 

Will send a post as often as I can!

RA

ps have to go, borrowed a computer from one of the communications guys, and he needs it back.  feel free to forward! Don't have time to hit all the addresses.  thanks again

 My cot in the tent near the airport in Port-au-Prince