Patience is a Virtue

My loves!,

     Haiti is filled with new experiences everyday, but one thing has held fairly constant throughout my trip here; my patience is pushed on a daily basis. There are many moments when I am stuck waiting much longer than I would in the United States. The other day we drove passed a truck that was on it's side. The accident looked pretty bad and so we decided to stop and see if we could help. There was four men in the truck and fortunately no one had any life threatening injuries. However, one of the gentlemen had a gash in his knee at least the size of a dime and it was deep! His tissue was clearly seen; I was extremely impressed he wasn't screaming in pain. He wasn't even complaining; he was actually walking around. I have learned that many people from Haiti are very thick skinned and are very strong. But back to the story, the man clearly needed stitches and therefore we brought him and two of the other men from the car to the nearest clinic so that they could be treated. To our dismay when we got to the clinic there wasn't a doctor there! That was definitely a first for me! As we waited the men's pain seemed to increase. The adrenaline may have been pumping at first, but was slowly wearing off and the man with the injured knee was almost in tears (but still didn't make a sound, no complaints or anything). After fifteen minutes or so a nurse came and treated the men's injuries and all ended well. However, the fact still stands that there wasn't a doctor at the clinic! And one didn't show up! That is one story of many how I have had to control my patience and I will freely admit I am no where near having a phenomenal patience in Haiti, but I am slowly improving and I am thankful God is helping me improve.

 On the drive to Miragoâne.

 The back of a Haitian taxi :D

 Still the drive to Miragoâne.

The beautiful sea!

 Notice the man at the top of the tree!..He was getting coconuts down!

Our colors load on the clothesline :D

     Haiti is still filled with beautiful days and the other day we were able to visit Ginette's home town (three hours away from Port Au Prince, a town called Miragoâne). We spent the day there and distributed shoes, adorable dresses, school supplies and rice.  The drive home had one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen, unfortunately it was raining so I couldn't take pictures (I was in the bed of the truck). But the rain made me enjoy it even more! I miss the rain and thunderstorms of Wisconsin. And when the rain was done the sky presented a rainbow with the sunsetting on the opposite end! It is phenomenal!
     Please continue to pray for Haiti and all the missionaries here.
     Love you all! And I hope you are sharing Jesus' amazing story and God's love everyday :D
     Crystal Joy

Experiences to Remember!

My friends!

     I know I haven't blogged in a while and I am sorry about that, but it is for good reason. I spend the last four days in clinics and a cholera house. (I will tell you more about cholera in a bit.) I spent the first three days (of the four) in the mountains by Arcahaie. I went up there with the medical team that was here. Mahaya (not sure how to spell her name) owns the property and has provided enormous amounts of help for the people of Haiti. She has a true love for the country and talked a lot about what the country used to be like and how gorgeous it was, which she wants to bring back. She is working very hard to touch the lives of the Haitian people and provide as much as she can. Life in the mountains is a lot harder than life in the city because access to water and food is more difficult to find, so a clinic is more vital there. For the three days we were up there we saw 200 patients each day. We didn't open the clinic until at least nine everyday and by six in the morning there were about fifty people outside the clinic. People came from miles and waited several hours to see a doctor. I am very thankful for the team that came down here. I am overjoyed they were willing to use their knowledge and supplies to help others; it was such a blessing to have them here and I am so thankful I got to spend time with them and learn from them.
     On top of an amazing weekend in Haiti, I had my best day in Haiti (so far) yesterday. Yesterday I was able to go to the Real Hope for Haiti facility. The Real Hope for Haiti facility is a clinic and cholera house that was set up by a family roughly ten years ago and has grown to become a phenomenal blessing to the Haitian people! Lori, Licia and their father have worked hard to maintain the medical needs necessary for the people in the area and from what I saw they are a true heaven sent! I worked with Lori a lot yesterday and so I know the most about her, but I don't have any doubt that Licia and Zach (their father) work just as hard. Lori has been working 7 days a week since the clinic was opened (roughly ten years ago) and has only had two weeks of vacation every year (which she uses to go back to the states). However, the last three years she hasn't had a single day of. I want you to take a second and think of that; she doesn't get weekends off and hasn't had a vacation in three years. I think she truly has the hand of God guiding her, because no human can do that on their own. She works extremely hard and every second I saw her yesterday she was busting her bum. She did everything from clean out waste buckets to remove toes (surgically). Lori got her nursing degree in the United States, but since she has been in Haiti she has had to take on a lot more tasks than a nurse in the states would have to. I will tell you more about cholera so you can understand a little more about what she does EveryDay. Cholera is a bacterial infection of the small intestine that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Go to www.realhopeforhaiti.org to see pictures (I didn't take any at the clinic because I didn't want to be rude; many people were throwing up and everyone had to use a bucket next to their bed as a bathroom [which is what I meant when I said 'Lori was emptying waste', she was emptying the bathroom buckets]. The majority of people at the clinic felt very vulnerable and embarrassed, which is another reason I didn't take pictures but I highly suggest you to check out the blog). Cholera kills people because they excrete all the nutrients their body has and if that happens their body goes into hypovolemic shock, which causes the heart to stop pumping because of the fluid loss. What I saw and experienced yesterday is beyond words and a lot of it I have no idea how I would explain. Lori and her family are true angels and God is the best doctor so please pray for them and support them in any way you see fit. Yesterday was heart wrenching and although it was beautiful to see Lori's love for the people it was (and is) tear jerking to know that if this epidemic was in America I doubt a single person would die from it, because an IV and some antibiotics for, on average, four days is the treatment. However, since clinics are far and few between here many people are unable to get the help they need and therefore they are unable to fight the sickness.
     Prayers are definitely needed for the clinic, the patients and the workers.
     I want to remind you to give your day up to the Lord and ask Him to lead your way, because He has the perfect plan for your  life and that you will experience more joy than ever before when you follow Him.

     Love you all so very much!,
     Crystal Joy

Doctors And Haitians!

My dear ones,

     The last three days I have been able to work with a medical team; it has been a constant learning experience and I have loved it all! The team has been able to help so many people. The daily max has been 200 patients. There are tons of stories I would love to share, but due to time I will only share some of my favorites.
     First of the team has a portable ultrasound, which enables mothers are able to see their developing babies. The mothers have all been very excited about it. :) One ultrasound even confirmed a mother with twins!

 The lovely pharmacy!

 The view from the clinic today!

Camera shot of a beautiful green lizard.

     I'll share some other stories that are rather neat, not necessarily in a miraculous baby way, but miraculous in the fact that thirteen people have came to give their time and knowledge to voluntarily help others. Today a man suspected to have tuberculosis came in; his ribs were poking out and by a simple glance it was noticeable that he was in very bad health. He was addressed with great care and left after being treating for hours, which included an IV, food, water, and medication. There was also two babies that had fevers of 104 degrees! :( One of those poor infants was ten days old! The doctors did as much as they could with what they had; Bre gave the young girl a shot of Ceftriaxone, which is an antibiotic that takes care of many illnesses that could have been the cause of the poor child's fever.

     Among many other eventful hours those are the most memorable stories I want to share with you. After tonight we are headed to Arcahaie for a weekend away at another clinic. I will write once we get back.

Love you all greatly,
Crystal Joy

I Am Rich

My loved ones who are learning with me,

     Two days ago I realized that I came here to help Haiti and Haiti has given me more than I could have ever dreamt!! The World Wide Village interns noticed a man who sits in a wheelchair by the Tree of Life children's home everyday. He is missing both his legs and after several passages by this man Bre suggested we interview him sometime. Our curiosity grew and two days ago turned into the day to ask him his story.
     His name is Blanc (pronounced Blah) Thezean and has one of the most amazing stories I have ever heard. Blanc took us to his home and shared with us much more than simply his story. Blanc gave me a new heart and outlook. Haiti seems to be reminding me daily that I am much more wealthy than I believe and in more than simply a money sense; having God on my side makes me more than a millionaire! And Blanc reminded me of that. Blanc lost right leg when he was 29 from an unknown disease. Within a few years he was required to have his left leg amputated as well. Now 60 years old, he has used a wheel chair to get everywhere for the last thirty years. When asked if he would change anything about his life he said he wouldn't change a thing, because God directed his path. Blanc is without a job but told us he is not worried about food or water because he knows God will provide everything he needs. People around the community help him out a lot and give him money and food when they can afford it. He mentioned that sometimes he has hundreds of dollars and the most amazing lesson I learned was when he accumulated hundreds of dollars he gave some of it away to the less fortunate. He continually told us how blessed he was to have his eyes and hands. Blanc is a man that truly knows how to count his blessings; he thanks God for the things he has and although many people wouldn't say he has much he considers himself to have thousands. His attitude touched my heart and showed me another aspect of how big God is! I hope his story reminds you what faith can look like.

This is Blanc's house. 

We watched him go in once and he struggled a lot with it; 

we are hoping to be able to work on it one of these days. :D

     Yesterday we were supposed to head to the beach in the morning with the team, but plans were changed for the interns and we ended up spending the morning working on the survey. I know I was a little bummed when I heard that because I hadn't been in the water yet and swimming is close to the top of my 'things I miss' list. But the day turned out perfect. We went to the Luly to do some pre-survey counts and finished one section around one in the afternoon so decided to go down to the water. We couldn't resist the temptation to jump in, so with the children that followed us there we jumped in the water and splashed around for an hour or so. I loved every second of it!! The children here have such a laughter! I can't help but smile when we are around them.

Some pictures snapped during the survey.

     After we got picked up we traveled to Bon (which translates to Good) Samaritan; it is another children's home. We had several dresses donated from churches and organizations around the Minnesota area that were brought down with this group and we had a chance to distribute them to the young girls at Bon Samaritan; they were so adorable! The little girls were full of energy and smiles filled the home; it was a phenomenal ending to an already wonderful day!

Some pictures on the drive.

 These are some of the girls in their new dresses :) 

 Pig Pile! 

 She was frustrated :) And super cute!

 Piggy back with Greta (she was from the team)

 Resting on Alex..too much running around :D

     So that's the Haiti update thus far :) We have a medical time coming in today so I'm sure I'll have more to share soon :D But until then count your blessings and remember to thank God that we are rich in Him!

     With lots of love from your sister in Christ,
     Crystal Joy

TOMS or Nikes?

My dear friends,

     Yesterday was a fun filled day with a shoe distribution and Tree of Life (children's home) visit. World Wide Village has a warehouse here in Haiti with a wide range of TOMS shoes. To anyone who doesn't know, TOMS shoes is an organization that donates shoes to less fortunate children. For every pair of TOMS someone buys a child in need is given a pair of shoes! On Friday morning we ventured to a tent city where we were able to file children through a small rundown building and present them with a new pair of shoes. :) I think it was an amazing experience for the high schoolers to see the children and the living conditions of hundreds of thousands in Haiti. They were able to get hands on experience and measure the children's feet and make sure the TOMS shoes fit. The girls from the group even started singing Hosanna and many other songs while we were there! It was a beautiful time!
     After all the children from the tent city trickled through and got their shoes we headed to Tree of Life to finish some bedroom painting and began constructing a swing set. Both projects are expected to be finished today, giving the children a slight remodel to their home. :) We will visit again soon and see how the children enjoy the remodels.

     With lots of love from Haiti,
     Crystal Joy

Speaking Through Miracles

Loved Ones,

     July sixth I had a heart wrenching experience I want to share with you! Our day started off normal; we traveled to Williamson with a team of 21 people (12 of them being high schoolers) and did some painting. The day turned into a perfect day for the young adults to play tag around the area with some Haitian children. :)

     The ride home is what I want to share with you though. As we were driving back there was a dog laying in the middle of our lane. Tipap didn't slow down because, as most situations, I assume he figured the dog would move. However, as the distance shortened the dog didn't move. When we were about twenty feet away the dog stood up and within seconds, like jello, his legs collapsed underneath him. "He was hit by a car", left our mouths. My heart dropped for the helpless animal and as the car slowed down I told Tipap I wanted to get out and help him. Along with Ginette and Alex, I picked up the dog and moved him to the side of the road. That's when I realized he was going to die if we left him there. He couldn't even stand up; there was no way the poor animal would be able to survive. I asked Ginette several times if there was anything I could do. After getting the same response from her I began to walk away knowing the dog was going to starve to death on the side of the road. Once I hopped in the truck I couldn't help but cry. As the tears rolled down my cheeks Ginette said in an excited tone, "Crystal, turn around. Look." I opened my door and peaked on the side of the road to see the small dog standing up; he was walking in circles. It kind of looked like he was dancing. :D
     That's when I thanked God for miracles, because I know only God has the power to heal so quickly. He is the best doctor in the world and I am so thankful for His love and grace.
     Remember to thank God everyday for all the blessings you have. In the United States, if I saw a dog that was hit by a car I could take it to a veterinarian. However, Haiti holds different priorities and a veterinarian is not someone easily found. I am not even sure if there are veterinarians here. The other day was a situation where we couldn't get help from any human and therefore God was who we had to depend on. If you think about it, how often do we (as Americans) depend on human help to fix our problems? How often do we turn to God? Haiti has taught me a whole new way to live life and a big part of that is turning to God more on a daily basis.
    
     Thank you for all the prayers,
      and continue to seek God in everything you do.
     Love you bunches,
     Crystal Joy

Friends from around the world, 

     The last couple of days have been relaxing; we have been working on projects mostly from the guest house and arranging our own schedule, according to what needs to get done and when we can get it down. We are organizing a census survey for the village of Luly. The purpose of the survey is so that we will know more about the village and this fall a garden can be built so the village can begin to make it's own profit and provide for itself. Since the earthquake many areas in Haiti are struggling to provide jobs and a way of life. 

     Yesterday we traveled through a tent city, which is a exactly what it sounds like. Since the earthquake hundreds of thousands of families are left homeless and live in makeshift homes. The majority of these homes are made of steel panes held up by thin logs. The roofs leak and the walls have holes in them. Alex (another intern) is working on a documentary and interviewed a family that lives in one of these homes and the story is tragic. There is a mother, father, daughter and son who all live in a one room 'tent'. They have one twin size bed that the children sleep on. When it rains the floor becomes flooded and so ma and pa have to sleep in plastic lawn chairs. The parents have looked earnestly for jobs, but have unfortunately have been unable to keep anything long term. Before the earthquake Rene Marie (mother) worked at the police department and Frantz Jerome (father) worked for the Red Cross, however, after the earthquake they were both laid off. This is only one story, that was randomly picked, among thousands. One amazing fact about this story is that Alex simply picked a boy from a clinic they worked at and this was his family's story. I think God brought us to this family and their story; please add them to your prayers and ask God to comfort and provide for them. We were blessed to be able to give them donations, such as showering supplies, clothes, shoes and other miscellaneous necessities, but those will run out. Please pray for this beautiful family. 

     We went to the mountains two days ago and I wish I could have caught more beautiful pictures, but we were driving and I prefer to ride in the bed of the truck, so taking pictures is limited. The view was indescribable! There are thousands of houses built on the side of the mountains, I will try to get more photos, if we go up there another time. Bre (another intern) got some fun pictures of us up in the mountains, I would suggest everyone take a look at her blog and browse through the photos, as well as her stories; they are amazing! :) http://www.aladyinhaiti.blogspot.com/

     As interns, last night we finished a study on the book of James and I think it was a perfect pick. James 5 talks about the value of worldly riches; James 5:1-3 says, "Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat you flesh like fire. " The Message Bible translates it by saying the only thing worldly wealth gains you is a fatter corpse. I love that message! I have been told many times that  I can not take money with me to heaven, that I can not leave with anything from Earth, but I think the picture of an obese man in a coffin has so much more meaning. Wealth is powerful and often restricts relationships with God. Love ones, I want you to learn with me and see that money has no heavenly value. Luke 20:20-26 talks about paying taxes to Caesar. Jesus was questioned if it was right to pay taxes to Caesar and Jesus asked for a form of currency and asked whose inscription was on it. The answer was, "Caesar's". And Jesus replied, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's". Whose picture is on the dollar bill? Not God's. The simple line 'Money can't but happiness' goes a long way in my eyes. So my loves, please remember what matters and what truly holds value on this Earth, because you never know what tomorrow is going to bring. 

With lots of love, 

Crystal Joy