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Bonjour! from Grand Fond, Haiti

Hello to each one of you from the lovely mountain area of Grand Fond, Haiti! We got another good rain last night, so everything is fresh and clean and the sun is brightly shining. The birds are happily chirping, the ravens are squawking, and there is a cool breeze coming in the window. It was very dry here for awhile, but it has started raining a few times a day for the past week and our garden is greatly appreciating that! The first tomatoes are ripening!!

It has been too long since we have sent out an update and we do apologize for that. There has been so much going over the past couple of months, there was a lot of stress for awhile just trying to get everything done and meet deadlines. To be very honest with you, when things are like that you just can’t simultaneously find time and words to write an “update”. Maybe we should just make a prayer request email next time things are that busy. Things are slowing down a little now, though our days are still very full and filled with unexpected surprises, but that’s okay.

So, where to begin? I’ll start with April. In short, the beginning of April was filled with preparation for our Haiti wedding reception, a medical team, getting our box truck unloaded and the things hauled up the mountain, many house projects, a lot of time in Port au Prince, LIFE Literature work, etc.

Our Haiti wedding reception was on Saturday, April 18, and it was quite a big ordeal! Before we were married, many Haitian friends asked us if we were going to have a wedding reception in Haiti since our wedding was taking place in the States and it was impossible for them to come. We realized that culturally it was a big deal that we have a “fèt” (party) here as well since this is where we live. We spent several hours consulting with some Haitian friends as to how to do culturally correct food, invitations, decorations, seating, etc. In the beginning we had this idea of doing things “simply”, but they said that it wouldn’t be a party unless we did decorating and a LOT of food. They said the success of any celebration in Haiti is completely defined by the food you provide. They said they would love to plan it for us and make the food, for which we were very relieved and thankful! Pastor Levi (from the local church in Allegre), his wife, and sister oversaw it all with help from ladies at church and we assisted where we could. They made 3-4 kinds of fried chicken, 3-4 kinds of pasta salad, various beet and cabbage salads, and many more things that I didn’t even have a place on my plate to try. A missionary friend, Jo Seibel made a beautiful wedding cake. At the party, before everyone ate, there was a short sermon, the church choir sang a couple of songs, Pastor Levi talked for a little bit, Michael spoke for several minutes, and then everyone feasted. Quite a few Haitian friends came up to Michael afterwards and said things like, “Because you gave us a party, you are part of our family now.” I will include some pictures below!

Our house is still coming together. A couple of weeks ago Michael did all the threading of copper pipe from the basement to the upstairs to hook up the stove in our apartment! So I am enjoying being able to cook in my own kitchen. There are so many things that go into making a house truly usable like it’s meant to be, so any “spare” minutes (we force Michael to have, ha!) are usually spent on him fixing something, putting something together, or one of the many projects brand new houses seem to require. So working on the house has been an ongoing thing around here that one of these days we hope we can at least mostly check off our list of things that need done. Michael has also been working a lot on the property here, cutting down some trees that needed cut down, driveway renovation, putting in a foundation for another storage container for medical supplies, and things like that.Another big project the beginning of May was Wilmane’s house. Wilmane is the Haitian gate guard and helper who lives here on the property, and has worked with Michael for about 5 years. He was living in a shack that was already on the property when AFH purchased it, but it was in poor condition and it needed rebuilt. So Michael poured concrete posts, purchased supplies and prepared the site for his dad, Philip and his brother, Timothy to come down and build Wilmane a new house. They came and built it in about a week, and now it is a nice little place. Wilmane is VERY happy with it! While Philip and Timothy were down, they also installed the cupboard doors and drawer fronts on Virginia’s and my kitchen cupboards, so WE are VERY happy! It was very nice to have them here, we enjoyed seeing and spending some time with them. Currently Michael’s friend Lyndon from Port au Prince is staying with us for several days to help Michael with some projects. Today, they are actually in Petit Goave getting a shipping container for Michael’s cousin Don who has a children’s home near us. Then on Thursday, Lord willing, they will get one for us to store Aid For Haiti’s medical supplies in. They plan to haul the containers up the mountain one at a time on the back of Don’s large truck. The truck needs fixed before it can do any hauling though, so they are working on that today as well. The container will be great to have on the property here. We are hoping to get all of the medicines and medical supplies out of La’Cule during the next couple of months and store a lot of it in the new container. That is a huge project coming up, but it needs to be done. The building in La’Cule where AFH has been storing the medical supplies is expensive to rent, and now that we will have a place to store it, we are going to be moving it up to the mountains and re-organizing everything. So that is what we’ve been up to the past 6 weeks. In brief, over the next month and a half or so, we will hopefully be able to finish up the house projects, build the patio/dining room on the main floor, move and organize La’Cule medical supplies, make security window bars for Wilmane’s house, change the engine on Michael’s truck, and prepare for the next surgery team coming in July.We recently received some questions as to how we get our mail, so I thought I’d provide some information on that. We get mail through a missionary mail service called Missionary Flights International (MFI). If anyone would like to send letters, etc. the address below is the place to send it to in Florida, and then MFI brings it to Haiti where we pick it up in Port au Prince. Any envelope under one pound is free, after that we pay $1 a pound and whatever customs charges. Here is the address:Michael and Breanna Rudolph3170 Airmans Dr # 2201-AFHFt. Pierce, FL 34946Some people have also asked where to send support or donations; that is better sent to our address in the States which is:1367 Old Manchester RoadMorrison, TN 37357Never doubt that we love hearing from you! 🙂In His Service,Michael and Breanna Rudolph

An update from the Rudolphs…

It has been a long time since I have written an update for the Aid for Haiti blog! I am going to attempt to write at least a brief update concerning the past few months of our lives.

Mid December 2014, Michael came home to TN to help prepare for our wedding! We were very happily married January 17, 2015. 🙂

We had a wonderful honeymoon in FL following our wedding! We did quite a bit of traveling (TN, MO, IA) after our honeymoon, but we really enjoyed just being together. 🙂

Michael, Virginia and I arrived in Haiti on February 12. We spent almost a week at home in Grand Fond unpacking, planting garden, and various other projects. On February 18 we went to Port au Prince to do a variety of things that needed done since Michael’s long trip to the States. One of the things we did was put away a shipping container of books for LIFE Literature. We spent a full day moving many tons of literature and organizing the warehouse. We also did shopping, bookwork and were able to weld the window bars and security door for our apartment.

February 25 we headed back home to the mountains planning to install the window bars, move into our apartment, and prepare for the 2 week medical team coming on March 10. But God had other plans and we weren’t able to accomplish it all. On the way up the trail I began to have a fever and body aches. Over the next couple of days I battled a fever off and on, it seemed like I had a virus. Gradually it won over and I was in a bed not moving much. The sickness turned into a constant fever, nausea and vomiting. I hadn’t been eating and was getting dehydrated. Michael gave me an IV and was able to get the vomiting to discontinue with some meds. But for days after that I still wasn’t getting better, and when my eyes and skin started turning yellow and my whole body became severely itchy, we knew something was quite wrong. We had done malaria and typhoid tests, both were negative.

Late Sunday Morning (March 8) we left the mountains and headed to Port au Prince to make arrangements for the medical team that would arrive in 2 days. We also were thinking we’d get some lab work done for me while we were in town. After arriving in PAP, I was doing worse. Michael was in contact with his brother-in-law Dr. Philip Sutherland over the phone. As more symptoms became apparent, Michael decided we would skip doing testing in Haiti and go back to the States as they were narrowing the problem down it it probably being my gallbladder in which case surgery most likely would be required. Thankfully, Michael was able to find tickets for both of us to fly out the next day.

To make a long story short, in less than 24 hours after purchasing tickets, we arrived in Chattanooga, TN at the Erlanger Hospital where I was able to have an ERCP and gallbladder surgery done less than two days after arrival and I am now recovering quite well. We had a follow up visit with the gastroenterologist and surgeon a few days ago. The gastroenterologist said based on what the blood work showed, he believes I had Epstein Barr Virus, and the surgeon said my gallbladder was inflamed and definitely needed to be removed, so between the two that all made sense to us given the various symptoms.

The medical team came to Haiti as planned while Michael and I were in the States. We had so many friends pitch in and help make that work out. It would have been a big deal to cancel all of the plane tickets and leave the patients hanging in Potino! Virginia went along with the team and did a wonderful job helping them out as she knows the system; she was able to do a lot of translating and run the pharmacy. We are so grateful to the Lord for what we believe was a miracle in making that team possible despite so many changes in our plans.

We are back in Haiti as of yesterday! The medical team went home the day before we got here and Virginia was waiting for us at a mission here in Port au Prince. We are in PAP for a few days before heading home to Grand Fond. Over the next two weeks we have quite a bit of work to do on our house while we prepare for the medical team arriving April 17, Lord willing. Today Michael made a brief trip to the mountains to do exams on hernia patients in preparation for the surgical team coming in July.

Thank you all SO MUCH for your continued prayers and support! We love hearing from you. We will try to keep this blog current with information and reports about the medical team, surgical team and pastors conferences coming up over the next few months.

We also recently started sending out personal updates by email. If you would like to receive them, please email us at rudolphsinhaiti@gmail.com so we can add you to our list.

Breanna for us both

December House Pictures

On November 26-December 4th, Philip, Rebekah and I went to help work on the apartment for Michael and I! A few of the things accomplished on this trip were:

Painting the inside of the apartment
Installing door frames and doors
Putting together the kitchen cabinets, installing them and the counter tops
Prep for plumbing the bathroom and kitchen
Concreting the shower floor
Making a closet and bed for our bedroom
Installing rails on the stairway that leads up to the apartment
Wiring
Etc.

Michael has been working hard on the security aspect of the house, welding window grates (which he is doing in the photo below), painting, and installing them. He is also doing what he can to get the house ready for our return in February before he comes home next week. Please pray for him as he has a lot to do right now!

Below are pictures!

Michael and Breanna's apartment is the second floor. — Michael and Breanna’s apartment is the second floor.

View from front door: Living room and kitchen in main room, bed room through door on right, and bathroom through door on left. — View from front door: Living room and kitchen in main room, bedroom through door on right, and bathroom through door on left.

Front door and part of living room shown — Front door and living room

A letter to our friends…(with pictures!)

Dear Supporters of Aid for Haiti, September 25, 2014

There are times in your life you anticipate an event for a long time. Sometimes the anticipation is not realized, sometimes it is. But when the anticipation is exceeded, the blessing is so special. It is a time that blesses, challenges, and changes you for the rest of your life.
I had an event from September 6 to September 13 that will forever be considered a great blessing of my life. For several years I prayed and wanted to go with a good friend, Caleb J. Trent, to Haiti. He goes to Haiti several times a year, mostly for medical clinics in the mountains of Haiti where there is a tremendous need.

First my work prevented me from going, second it was my wife, Chung’s, health. Last week I was blessed by being able to go to Haiti for eight days.

While I had seen on television and read of the conditions in Haiti, it was much different than I had anticipated. I had been in Asia in the 1960’s and had seen poverty. What I saw in Asia did not come close to the poverty I saw in Haiti. The average wage for a laborer or field hand is around $5.50 USD. The interpreters we had are paid about $15. We saw some boys, ages 12-15 working at the school for food to eat. Haitians spend about 70% of their income on food. I saw children begging on the streets. It was truly humbling to sit during our meetings with my iPad, realizing it was worth as much as some earn in a year.

I saw shanties like I could never have imagined. They were about 6 x 8 structures made from scraps of wood and corrugated metal. I saw families living in cloth tents that were given to them at the time of the earthquake in 2010. There is no sewage disposal system. All water has to be filtered.

Education is making headway. The pastor of the church we were at said that 10 years ago the children in his area could not read. Today most can read and speak a few words of English.

I had an opportunity to go to the mission base of Aid for Haiti, a non-profit organization. This is a small group that is primarily supported by its board members. There is no administrative overhead. All funds go directly to helping support medical clinics, pastor training, and the two Americans, Michael and Virginia Rudolph, a brother and sister, who live at the mission base which is under construction. They spend a good portion of their time helping the teams who travel to Haiti. They live 14 miles off the main road. It takes two hours to get from the main road to their mission station. The two Americans are living on faith in their God and have no guaranteed income.

Currently they do a variety of things. Michael has EMT training and was the director of a clinic for several years after the earthquake. He translates for teams that come. He has been blessed with the gift of learning Creole; he is able to speak Creole without an accent. Michael also spends much time going to the airport and driving the teams to where they are going to minister. Travel in Haiti is slow and difficult. Michael is also blessed by being able to solve problems that come up; he fixes and maintains all of their equipment. Michael is getting married in January.

Virginia has recently returned to Haiti. She had lived in Haiti in the past and then returned to the States for about a year before returning to Haiti to live indefinitely. She is a LPN. She will be spending the next few months learning Creole as she continues her ministry.
The team I went with was led by Phillip Rudolph, the father of Michael and Virginia, a very gifted teacher. Dr. Caleb Trent was the other team member who is also a gifted teacher. The purpose of the trip I went on was to conduct a seminar for pastors and elders. I think it was the tenth seminar they have held. Phillip and Caleb taught on a number of doctrinal issues. I spoke on my reflections of being an elder for thirty years and some promises of God that I was blessed with during the last four years.

One might ask why the need of teaching. The answer is, the church in Haiti has very little in the way of education. Many of the men in our group do not have a high school education. They also have very little in the way of literature to learn from. We have commentaries, books, etc. They have nothing. The Bible they have been using is very poor. They have just received a new translation of the New Testament which is good. The Old Testament is so poor that in places the chapters and verse numbers do not match the correct verse. It was not uncommon for men to come to each of us between meetings and ask questions as they look for answers from the Bible. They are eager to learn. They have not had the opportunity. It is an understatement to say the need of teaching is great.

It is easy to form an opinion of Haiti as being a very corrupt country, which it is. It has been pictured as people desperate to get on a rickety boat to try to make it to America for a better life much like my Irish ancestors did. Haitians are also stereotyped as being lazy and not willing to work hard. But that was not what I was blessed to see. I was blessed by not only being able to teach men who wanted to be taught, but also of meeting men of integrity. The only reason these men took a week from their normal activities was to learn the Word of God. I met men who want to serve God and are doing it in the best way they can. I met men who wanted to take up the command of God to serve and shepherd the flock of God. At previous seminars men walked three hours each way, daily, to attend the seminars.

While we were going up on the mountain on September 8th and I was looking out over the mountains enjoying the wonderful creation of God, I remembered that 50 years to the day was the day I met my wife Chung. It brought tears to my eyes. Two young people met, got married, had children, got saved and have tried serving the Lord. As I was thinking about Chung I thought about how pleased she would be for me to be serving the Lord in a new and exciting way.

I asked Michael what their greatest material need is. He answered that they have a need for a portable generator. It costs around $1,000 – $1,500. They need it because they travel to places that have no electricity. When I was there we had electricity at best eight hours a day. In rural areas there are places where there is no electricity. Electricity is critically needed for medical clinics and the teaching seminars. Currently, they have had to rely on borrowing a generator. Not only did the person who was supposed to bring it come late to the meetings, but it did not work. Michael worked through the evening to fix it so we could use it the next day. If you would like to know how to contribute to this, go to http://www.aidforhaiti.org or contact me directly.

Someone asked if I would go back and help again. It could very well happen, in the will of the Lord. There is a real need. In the near future there will be a medical team going. Perhaps in the fall there will be a marriage seminar. Next year there will be other pastor’s seminars.

Larry

Pictures from the pastor’s conference in Fond Doux, Sept. 2014

_DSC2602 (1024x683) — Fond Doux Pastor’s Conference 2014

Young women's health class — Young women’s health class

Left to Right: Larry Sherraden, Philip Rudolph, Dr. Caleb Trent, Michael Rudolph

May Surgery Team Update!

Each time I go to Haiti there are new experiences as well as some that are forever present. The challenge of effective and accurate communication with a non English speaking people is ever present. Ever so slowly I find myself adding a few new words or phrases to my very limited Creole vocabulary. It is always a delight to renew friendships with those we have grown to love, whether they are those we have worked with on our teams, or Haitians we have met there.

Night time noises always takes a little time to adjust to. Roosters crowing throughout the night, dogs barking, donkeys braying, and goats crying, interspersed by the “mango bombs” remind me that I’m not in my own bed. The velocity of mangoes dropping from the trees onto our metal roof create a sound reminiscent of a gunshot.

Doctors Wade and Tammy worked relentlessly, Michael continued to co-ordinate all activities, and the rest of us had our specific duties to fill. It always amazes me how well a team that hasn’t worked together and may not know each other can work so harmoniously. It is truly a blessing to get to know each one and to work so well together.

One example that shows the appreciation that we often see in the Haitian people is of a man that was having surgery. Since patients having a spinal anesthetic are awake during surgery, we can usually tell if they are experiencing any discomfort. This man flinched a little, but had a smile on his face. When asked, he did say he was having a lot of pain. When asked why he was smiling, he said he didn’t want to act ungrateful. Wow! This is different from what I’m used to.

One of my prayers each time I go to Haiti is that I can show each one that we care about them as a person and that they realize we are there for more than just to repair their bodies. I hope they don’t look on us as “rich Americans”, but get a glimpse of the love of Christ. Each time I come home, I’m reminded of how blessed I am having the opportunity to serve others in this way.

Doris Metzger

“The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesses him that gives and him that takes.”
-Shakespeare

I went to Haiti hoping to be a blessings to someone and, in return, found myself blessed and refreshed in so many ways. Once instance in particular stands out when I think of our trip. A young woman came in to have a large lipoma removed from her forehead. She had come last year and was too scared to have it done. She returned this year determined to go through with it, though she was terrified throughout the whole procedure. She was shaking and tears were sliding down her cheeks as she was gotten ready for surgery, but she was determined to have it done. I couldn’t speak to her as I don’t know Creole, but as I stood by her and held her hand and prayed for her as she slowly succumbed to the anesthetic, I was glad that I was there to do the little that I could to help change someone’s life, to show love and care through a smile and touch. When it was over, she was so happy; her broad smile so rewarding. That moment, along with many others, made a blessed and unforgettable week for us all.

Rebekah Rudolph

DSCN2214 — Leaving for Lacoline to set up clinic for surgeries!

DSCN2350 — Rebekah Rudolph preparing for instruments for sterilization.

DSCN2461 — Susan, Dr. Wade and Jamie Stinson

DSCN2464 — Tammy Euliano, Lori Cheronis, Doris Metzger

March Update

The roof is poured and curing!

Wednesday, March 19, Philip and Timothy Rudolph went to Haiti to help Michael finish the framing, pour concrete in the block walls, wire the house for electricity, and pour the roof.

On Thursday and Friday, they were able to complete all they needed to finish in order to pour the roof on Saturday. The Lord blessed their efforts, the weather was beautiful, and everything else went well!

Below are some pictures and details of Saturday, “Concrete Pouring Day”.

Approximately 60 Haitian men helped fill buckets and carry concrete up the ramp to the roof.

A lot of rebar in this roof for earthquake protection! Several friends from other missions in Haiti helped with this project.

A house on a hill in Haiti 🙂

A big thank you to everyone who gave so generously of their time, energy and funding. May the Lord bless you. Continue to pray for Aid for Haiti as we continue to do the work we have been called to do. There is still much more work to do. We are grateful for your continued support and interest.

Please pray specifically for Michael’s healing as he lost some skin on his arms due to working with so much concrete.

The Mountain Patmos

On the 22nd of October, Michael and I flew into Haiti and headed directly into the mountains after picking up the bags we left here. We drove for 5-6 hours till we came to the end of the vehicle road way up in the mountains behind Port Au Prince. We had traversed a paved road with 200+ curves, a riverbed that took around 4 hours and 20+ river crossings, and a dirt road along the mountain side so steep at places you wonder how you can drive on it. At the end of the road we unloaded the 36 buckets
Source: Virginia’s Blog

Cross Cultural Haitian Medicine

Cross Cultural Medicine

I’m gradually, creepingly learning some rules about being a good health care provider in Haiti.
Here are a few of the things I’ve learned:

1) If you want to awe your patients with your insight into their health problem simply observe which part of the body has a rolled-up piece of fabric tied around it. A cord tied tightly around the waist? Backache or in pregnant ladies round ligament pain. A handkerchief tied headband style around the head? Headache. Around the knees? You guessed it—knee pain.
2) Even if a scratch seems minor, never simply wash it and smear a little antibiotic ointment on it. Always cover it. This will prevent wind from entering into it. If wind would enter into it it could cause the patient to have gas; all kinds of pain in various parts of the body. Wind entering into a wound is what causes it to swell. It is also what causes umbilical hernias (protruding belly buttons) and inguinal hernias. Unfortunately I still haven’t figured out an impressive way to take wind out of a wound.
3) Always reassure a patient they may bathe the area in which they’ve received an injection whether this is for the purpose of injecting medicine or for withdrawing blood. I regularly forget this and was surprised the other day when a week after his first dose of benzathine penicillin as treatment for syphilis, an elderly gent returned for his second dose with the bandaid from his first injection still intact.
4) Here, as everywhere, a listening ear can soothe a multitude of problems.
5) Never underestimate the power of a stethoscope. I first realized the great importance attached to being really, thoroughly “stethoscoped” upon hearing an elderly woman relate with great gusto her experience of having a doctor “stethoscope” her upper arm. Now as far as I know there is absolutely no reason (other than checking blood pressure of course) to “stethoscope” a person’s arm, but just out of curiosity I have tried it a few times in patients complaining of arm pain. They are inevitably delighted. “Yes, ahhhhh, yes, right there!!!” If nothing else it makes the patient feel as though you are taking their complaints seriously. People seem to attach almost mystical power to a stethoscope, seeming to think it can somehow magically whisper a person’s diagnosis into your ear. There are plenty of times I wish it would.
6) There are (at least) three types of fever. Fever that makes your body hot, fever in the blood and fever in the bones (aching, as far as I can decipher). Therefore when a person complains of fever it is wise to find out which type of fever.
7) And then there are the ways of describing problems that keep a westerner such as myself somewhat mystified. “Anba kè-m vid” (Under my heart is empty). That’s a very common complaint, but I think I’ve come to finally understand it—that gnawing, nauseous feeling that accompanies low blood sugar. “M-gen yon van nan zorey’m” (I have a wind in my ears). My best guess is that this is what we would call fluid in the ears. The list goes on . . .
All newborns must come to the clinic for medicine for gas.
9) A baby’s back should not be broken (bent) until it is a month or two old and when you do “break” it you can expect the baby to have diarrhea or a fever similar to teething. Therefore the mothers lay their newborn infants across their laps and bend down to nurse them.
10) Twins are easily jealous of each other and may bring curses to other family members. Therefore if they are brought to the clinic care should be taken to give each twin similar medications otherwise the family may chose to give each twin the other’s medication just to keep things even.
11) Congratulate patients for gaining weight and commiserate with them if they’ve lost.
12) Vitamins have tremendous power (especially in liquid form) and are believed to be appetite stimulants. If someone is saying that don’t have an appetite and are becoming smaller, reassure them that you will prescribe vitamins for them.
13) My idea of what is causing an illness and my patient’s idea of what is causing an illness are often worlds apart. Recently a woman brought her infant son to the clinic. He appears to have an abdominal tumor. Treatment is not an option. Upon discussing her son’s condition with her I assured her there was nothing she could have done to prevent it. I don’t know if she believed me. Her neighbors had other theories. Her sister-in-law died from complications of AIDS earlier this year. Afterwards she took in her orphaned 18-month-old niece who, although testing negative for HIV, died several months later. Her neighbors say it was because of that baby’s spirit that her son was becoming sick. They had warned her not to take in her orphaned niece. They knew it would make her own baby ill. Others shook their heads and said it was because of her set of twins—they were a bad omen who had cursed this baby. I cannot convince them of my point of view; but I can present it as another option and I better be aware of what perspective they’re coming from.
14) Almost every death can be blamed on a curse—even if the person was aged and ill for a long time often someone is accused of cursing the person and thus causing the death.
15) IV fluids have supreme power and are to be desired above all else for giving strength.
16) If a baby is born at 7 months it has a chance of surviving, but if a baby is born at 8 months it is sure to die.
17) Although this has changed, long ago the placenta of a baby was buried in the dirt floor of the house, underneath the bed. A fire was then built over the place it was buried using wood from three different types of trees.
18) If a person has a seizure you should take the clothes the person was wearing when he/she had the seizure, burn them, then take some of the ashes and have the person who had the seizure drink them to prevent them from having more.
19) If a nursing lady experiences a great shock or surprise (ie witnessing an accident; experiencing a sudden death in the family, etc) she should be given special teas as a treatment ASAP. Otherwise her milk will go to her head causing all sorts of problems in the future such as mental illness. The infant should not be given its mother’s milk for a little while following the shocking event either.

It is fascinating to learn more about the health beliefs and practices of the area. It is also challenging and sometimes makes me wonder how surprised both me and my patients would be if we could get inside each other’s heads and see the rationales each one of us is operating under.

Pray that I can care for my patients in a way that makes them feel valued while also pointing them to the One who can provide freedom from fears of curses and has power to overthrow sickness and death.

Thanks!
Bethanie

AFH Documentary

By Elliott Tenpenny

…read more
Source: AFH blog

Work in Haiti

Just a quick post…

As you know I have been involved in medical missions and other ministry in Haiti for the last 7 years. Throughout this time the Lord has opened many doors to us for ministering to believers and nonbelievers in Haiti. Since the earthquake we have had opportunities to serve with medical care in some areas that do not currently have adequate access to health care. Right now it looks like we may be able to continue to provide this service for the next several months. For more information please visit www.aidforhaiti.org.

-til the next time, Philip

…read more
Source: Philip’s Blog