We have had so many of our friends and family who keep telling us to keep on planning to go to Haiti and get started, that we feel to take their advice and press onward.
Kimmie the Idaho nurse is ready to go too. And she’s just waiting on me to buy our tickets so she can buy hers. So… the Lord willing… I will try to buy the plane tickets tomorrow to leave from Detroit on Oct 28th, and we’ll get started! I can hardly wait. We heard of several of our church ladies there who have lost children in the last 6 months due to unknown cause or disease. If we can keep going, and together with some of you reader’s compassionate contributions, make a positive difference in this little person’s life, in that one, and in another, then our efforts will be a huge success!
We are finding more and more info that medical supplies and basically everything we need can be purchased in the Dominican Republic now, so we will be able to find and rebuy the items we need that were lost with the ship. Vehicle costs in Haiti are high and I was told that good used ones are almost non-existent. So …. we are shopping for another vehicle in the USA that we can ship to Haiti (try again ). Untill we can buy and ship another SUV into Haiti, we have been offered the temporary use of one of the Mission Mennonite vehicles. Thanks! That is so awesome to have people we know and trust there for backup like this.
Keith's Blog
October 8, 2010
Submitted by Keith on Fri, 10/08/2010 – 05:00
Photo of sinking ship: http://www.tradewinds.no/casualties/568324/mystic-cries-mayday
We had so many interesting and “God moments” when it seemed like God was almost miraculously making things happen to be able to get this vehicle, and get it loaded with supplies, and actually across into the USA, that we were disappointed that after all that… it was delayed for almost 2 months leaving Miami docks to go to Haiti. But, the other day we heard it had left! and the ship was on it’s way! We were so happy, and repeatedly thanked God in our family prayers that the timing was good that we would have it in Haiti by the time we move there in a couple weeks. (I haven’t bought the tickets yet). Today… We are stunned and in disbelief.
We hear this afternoon that the ship and all the cargo, is peacefully resting on the bottom of the ocean. This included a couple other vehicles that were being bought by some of our poor Haitian brethren. Which makes me very sad for them too.
Words fail to describe our disappointment and we have already cried our tears of frustration. The weeks and weeks of effort into rounding up the clinic and household supplies, equipment, extra parts, tools, propane freezer, schoolbooks, and all the effort involved in buying and equipping the Suburban for Haiti…. all finished.
Where do we go from here? We can only say the very common Haitian phrase “BonDye konnen” (God knows). I know I am not feeling too chipper today, but I don’t feel we have the energy or the time to start buying and replacing it all here before we go. We have quit our jobs, and we are have our Canadian house rented out. So maybe we’ll have to just go, and figure out how to do without some of it, or buy what we can in the Dominican over the next year (generally high priced). Finding a suitable vehicle is the challenge right now.
Forgive me for writing a blue letter, but we thank you our friends for listening and praying.
Keith and Candace