Conditions in Haiti:

This is one update from a team we support, Dr. Pearson and his wife Cathy. Also an update from the Dirrims. It basically stated they were headed to the destruction area to assist.

"We have been back in Haiti for exactly 3 weeks and it has been busy!! As of the writing of this Mark has seen 63 patients. This includes about 10 house calls. These patients have included:

Harold at the orphanage who cut his leg.
Fonrose who is suffering from diabetes and high blood pressure.
An elderly women who is in the last stages of TB.
A child who took an overdose of antihistamine.
Almost all of the current preaching students.
Many missionaries.
A woman with cancer.
Malaria cases.
A followup on two people that were seen this summer by the group from Chattanooga.

A group of orthopedic surgeons are here this week from the states. They are seeing people at the hospital in Milot. One of the missionaries took their son there to have his club foot operated on. Mark was asked by the surgeons to come and assist. Because they know that Mark is going to be taking care of the little boy they chose to put pins in his foot which will help it heal better. Mark spent the day with them and has been asked to come out to Milot every time that there is a surgery group there so that he can assist. They commented on how wonderful it was to have an American doctor here that they can consult with. They said that they felt much better leaving post op patients now knowing that Mark was here.

We have given about $600 US dollars away in benevolence for food and medical tests. We have also paid for 3 people to go to school this year.

Mark has also been treating a woman with diabetes. She was treated for a dental abscess at the hospital while we were in the states this summer. The doctors here do not understand how to treat diabetes and infections. They tend just to treat the diabetes and not the infection. It has taken her 3 months to recover from something that should have taken a week!! This is so frustrating and why we desparately need a hospital here!!

Mark has been teaching 2 Corinthians this semester. The students tell me all the time what a great teacher Mark is and how blessed they are to have him. They have told me to tell the people in the states who support Mark, thank you for sending him.

The school has taken an unplanned break so that the students can go to Gonaives and try to help some of the church members there. The news that you have been hearing from Haiti all centers around this town. The death rate that you have been hearing is not exaggerated this time. Thousands have died including many many children who were swept away by the flooding. Most everyone in the town has lost everything that they own. The preaching students left this morning with a convoy of UN troops to go see what they can do. They will be back on Saturday. A longer trip will be planned for the near future after they find out what the situation is. Please pray for the people in Gonaives.

Here in Cap Haitian we are experiencing a fuel shortage. The gas stations have been closed for over a week and we are not sure when there will be fuel again. We can buy some "questionable grade" fuel off the street but it is now up to $10/gal US. So we are conserving fuel as best we can. This means that we have to be very selective about when we can use the car. That is probably one of the hardest things...having to stay in the house all the time!! Food prices are going up. So we are seeing more and more people at the door asking for food. A boy came to the door this morning asking for food. He was all beat up. He said that some other boys beat him up over a bag of rice that he had. Mark treated him and gave him some food. It always feels like so little.....

We would also like to thank the college group at the Dalrada Church in Montgomery, AL who donated some money to a young man that we know here. During the hurricane the entire roof of his house blew off. The college group sent the money to repair it. Erlan says thank you truly from the bottom of his heart.

On a lighter note: We were blessed to receive a shipment of cold food from the states thanks to friends in Florida. It was wonderful!!!! Even though they have been hit by 4 hurricanes they said they are always reminded of what it is like to live here in Haiti.

In order for Mark to keep his license current we are leaving tomorrow for a medical meeting in Washington DC. We want to thank the church in Baton Rouge for making this possible. Mark will be in class from 7am to 6 pm so Kathleen and I have planned a side trip to New Hampshire. My brother lives there and is the one who recently had a heart attack. He has been told by the doctors that he will not be able to go back to work due to the severity of the attack. It has been difficult for him since he is only 47.

We want to thank all of you for keeping us and the people of Haiti in your prayers. This country and these people have become so dear to us. It is amazing at how you can affect lives here. So, we continue to try to move forward. We are also reminded by our friends in TN that it is all about doing God's work. We pray for your continued support."

Mark, Cathy and Kathleen
9-28-04