Steve’s Experience part II

Click here for part I.

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There was a massive pile of empty coffins in the courtyard of the hospital. Every now and again, 2 guys would go pick one up and bring it in.

Sidenote: Kerry was officially a driver assigned to relay injured people en route to the capital. He did tons of short runs from the Hospital to Good Samaritan, and when we had no immediate tasks, he shuttled surgeons and Doctors back and forth. But one of his first assignments came at 5am early Tuesday morning. He was to go with this young, single Dominican special pioneer, who by the way is one our new best friends, on an errand. Kerry’s spanish is mas-o-menos, but not amazing yet. So he understood it was a 3 hour trip to go get food, assuming it was for our home base. They were to leave at 5am. So kerry and his wife slept in the rented truck and I went and woke him up at 5am, since I was working a nightshift and was awake anyways. Bye Kerry, see ya in 3 or so hours……..He doesn’t return until 6 or 7pm that night.

Allegedly, it was 3 hours to get where they were going and he learned on the way that they were going to buy food stuffs, to load up and meet some brothers at the port and ship it by sea to Jackmanville, Haiti! They bought massive bags of rice, beans, sugar, coffee, chocolate etc. That truck you guys rented for us got food to our brothers in Haiti! It doesn’t get any better than that. I wish we had a picture of the loaded truck. The 3 of them got back safely but not before crashing the rental into the cement barrier in the middle of the highway. Fortunately we went with full coverage and 0 deductible.

They didn’tbat an eye when we returned it.

He put on 2,100km (1,304 miles) on one rented truck in 4 days use. Did we get our moneys worth Brookswood?DAY 3 – Calls were coming in every few minutes from both Bethels with lists of victims coming in and missing persons. Apart from Jimani hospital there was also a 2 story building called “Buen Samaritano” (im sure you can figure it out) which was turned into a hospital and triage unit. Easily 300 patients there as well.

So we had a note pad with lots of Pierre’s and Jean-Guy’s to find. I wish the names had all been that easy. Logistical nightmare. Finally after like 2 days of only finding students we found our first witness. Maybe not the first, but first since I got there.My first experience at Buen Samaritano was one of my lowest points. Amid the insanity of going room to room and seeing everyones injuries, I tried to as quickly as possible determine if they were ours or not. It was hard to show warmth and feeling when you have an agenda and you are on a major time crunch. Keep in mind that the sooner we could find our brothers and bible students the sooner we could get them into waiting beds in air conditioned hospitals with JW doctors and nurses waiting to give 1 to 1 personal care. So time was against us since these beds in the best private clinics and hospitals were getting snatched up withevery passing hour. And we wanted them for our brothers.

So my low point was when an american Doctor yelled out for a translator. So I responded. He told me to tell this patient that the infection was getting worse and climbing up her leg and that he was going to try one more thing but if not. They were going to have to amputate. I interpreted and she started to cry and begged them not to cut off her leg. That leveled me. I stepped aside and had a moment.

A Haitian man, unrelated to the patient saw it all unfold and walked over to me andsaid: “Cry if you have to, but thats not what we need from you right now.” The same doctor I had just translated for, a young guy, walked over to me and put his arm around me and told me to pray. I said: “That’s what I’m doing”. He asked me if he could pray with me and for me. I said “thanks, but no.” And I regrouped.

Within 20 minutes the female patient was about 20 meters away in a mobile surgical set-up getting her leg cut off. That was the first of about 12 people that I had to tell they were getting a limb amputated over a span of about 60 minutes. Some welcomed the news because of the horrific infection and some had gangrene setting in. Those were easier to tell.

One of the most discouraging things, aside from seeing people crushed literally by this earthquake and seeing broken bones of all types and bones dislodged from bodies, open wounds, aside from all of that, seeing the helplessness in the faces of these doctors when they were trying to patch people up because they didn’t always have the proper medical supplies to do a proper job. They had to bandage them up and do what they can to make them comfortable by giving them morphine and pain medication. Within 24-48 hours, realizing that if they didn’t receive the proper medical care, infection would set in. They were left with, ‘Do I save the life or do I save the limb? Over at Buen Samaritano Triage center, I was hanging string from a tree branch to hang up an IV bag.

It was like the Civil War, the 1800s. One 12 year old kid had his privates amputated because of severe trauma. Broken bones were being set into place out in the open with no privacy…there was none to be found. The screams were deafening. And we just had to just stay focused and findour brothers. There at ‘Good Sam’ I was going room to room trying o find JW’s or bible students.

I saw 2 hispanic DR’s sat on their bums on the floor with a patients head resting in their laps. The one Doctor was slowly and methodically removing skin from this mans head with tweezers. His entire head and shoulders were burnt. It was all white and pink. I could tell he was awake but not flinching one bit. I asked the doc how they were controlling his pain. As I say this, the man cranes his neck to look at me and see who is talking. I felt bad cuz I made him move. But he didn’t feel a thing. The skin was 100% dead.

Good Samaritan was being run by foreign Doctors so it was a bit better run. Whereas Jimani hospital was being run by Dominican Docs and surgeons and my impression was it was amputate first, ask questions later. I cant judge since im no surgeon. Hence the urgency to get our brothers out of this inferno and into loving care. So back to home base in front of Jimani Hospital for a quick lunch. Good Samaritan and Jimani Hospital were only about a 20 minute walk away from each other. With every passing hour, our home base was getting more and more organized. Some volunteers didn’t have any nursing skills or interpreting skills, but they set up the base and in a matter of hours we had a fully operational kitchen. A team of sisters made up about 30 hot lunches that day.

So on this day, the international floodgates opened. Teams of nurses, doctors, surgeons, translators, psychologists and just normal unskilled volunteers poured in. Tons from USA, Canada, France, Japan, Guatemala, Mexico, Chile and Russiaetc. Unicef shirts were everywhere. World vision was there. Red Cross and Salvation Army were there. There were like 4 huge mobile units, World bank had tons of people. I met so many unbelievably selfless, genuine, caring, sincere people this week. I always see those unicef commercials with Sally Struthers, send a dollar yadda yadda. I’ll never mock them again. Those groups got stuff done. Tons of food everyday. Gatorade for everyone, volunteers and patients, bottled water, snacks, full meals and TONS and TONS of med supplies and mattresses and crutches which takes me down a very sad political road, which I’ll get to eventually.

I think it was this Tuesday, day 3 when I met this little boy called Jameson that I cant stop thinking about. So after lunch I’m back in the mix, nursing and stuff and I see this 9 yo boy getting his broken legs set into place. He’s being held by 3 men and 2 obstetricians are applying the wet material which dries into a cast. He’s screaming in agonizing pain. At this point it all kind of goes right thru you. The screams in the hospital almost fade into the back ground. I move on.(I need to clarify something. Im not a registered nurse, much less a Doctor or a surgeon. I am a Nurses Aid with 10 experience at Langley Memorial Hospital in Langley, BC, Canada. But this week I did a little of everything, which is frightening. I was shown how to change iv bags, dress wounds, I gave injections, Itook some vital signs and much more. I even acted as a mule for Doctors and ran to pharmacy and got loads of very potent drugs. Just walked up to the counter and made my order. “10mg of morphine and hurry! Make that 30mg! And give mesome Vicatin, the whole box will do!”. Not exactly standard operating procedure back at Langley Memorial. I did dozens of transfers that Cynthia (our physiotherapist back home) would not have approved of. I hope this email gets back to you Cynthia. Carrying patients anywhere from 25 to 150 lbs max in my arms like they were a baby. There were no arjo lifts or sara lifts or anything. Not even many wheelchairs. You just had to make quick judgement calls and just get it done.

Within about 24 hours I was Doctor Steven thru-ought the whole hospital, which had its pros and cons. It was great when you had to get tough with staff and fightfor better treatment and flat out refuse a transfer to the refugee camp – “Doctors orders.” But then it was heart wrenching when every 5 feet you’d be stopped by a haitian person asking for help for their loved one. Im sorry I don’t know, i’m not a doctor. That felt terrible.This same evening the Evangelicals arrive. Im surprised they took this long. They walk into the hospital at like 6pm or so each with a bible tucked under their arm as per usual and walk thru the halls singing hymns. How comforting. Some medical staff complained that they were getting in the way and not being of much consolation. At any rate, I walk into a common area to check on one of our bible students only to see her sat up with her eyes closed, head swaying side to side loving the evangelical songs to bits. Too late, we adopted her, she’s ours, no turning back. Whatever, move on.
Meanwhile I’m wondering where I’m going to sleep, because although ive been here 2 days now, i’ve not slept yet. And that chair was not calling my name. So myself, Kerry and Esther and another brother slept in the kingdom hall. (There is a group in Jimani. 2 single special pioneers. They are the only 2 baptized men in the group. Attendance of like 20 or so and they also do meetings in Creole. Ironically, Jimani group had its CO visit this week, but it was cancelled half way thru.) Day 4-6 is kind of fuzzy. Loads of international aide had arrived by now, so thingscalmed down considerably. At one point we had no Jehovah’s Witness patients in Jimani, which was GREAT news. We received word that we had 77 JW patients in5 different hospitals. Many of which had air condition and some other amenities. Each hospital had JW physicians, translators and nursing staff to give our patients personalized care. They also had at least 1 brother and/or sister sit at their side 24 hours around the clock and the patients loved one had their needs met as well. They were taken home with local brothers, given a proper bed to sleep in, fresh clothes and a laundry service was put into effect. You don’t see that in just any organization.

So we were back at Jimani base just waiting for more orders. Thankfully, but unfortunately at the same time, on like day 4 or so, lots of new brothers arrived with pick up trucks to help with patient transport, but now we had no one to transfer, which is good I guess. We even had a brother from my home town of SanFrancisco de Macoris who is a Gynecologist, as is his wife, he owns and runs a private clinic and teaches in University as well. We had him on staff now, but with no JW patients to tend to. And there were foreign doctors to spare in the hospital at this point. So most of the volunteers just hung out at the hub and visited and waited for more lists of patients from our Haiti head office. A small group of us just continued volunteering our interpreting services and nursing in the hospital. Around the clock for a handful. So after day 5 we had no more JW patients in Jimani and Haiti Bethel was under full control. They kept back some of the terminal patients and were keeping themcomfortable and also the minorly injured.

A group of 24 Jehovah’s Witness Doctors and surgeons flew into Haiti Bethel. 12 from Guadeloupe and 12 from France. Guadeloupe Creole is very similar to Haitian Creole. Right in the assembly hall, they set up an O.R. So we were waiting word on our end to shut down the Jimani operation. Finally Saturday afternoon I believe, we got word thatthe committee had decided to close down, we had accomplished what we set forthto do. And one of the overseeing brothers gave a very heartwarming impromptu talk, using some carefully selected bible verses as his outline. We were thanked and he said, in the state haiti is in now, our haitian brothers are going to need TONS of continued help. There will likely be a tremendous need to rebuild our brothers houses. He said raise your hand if you’d be will to go to Haiti to help. In a fraction of a second everyones arms shot straight up. It gave me shivers. So we started to take down our Hub and dismantle it and pack up. Julie Laviolette and Beatrice Marin are 2 of my heros. No offense to anyone else there, but few if poured out everything they had like these 2 sisters. One is from Ottawa and the other is from France. They are both single and have pioneered together for years. They both lived in Haiti for like 8 years or so but left 3 years ago when Beatrice was kidnapped and held for ransom for 58 hours. Now they continue to help Haitians learn about Jehovah, but from Puerto Plata, DR, where they serve in a Creole congregation.

These 2 sisters were so instrumental in locating our missing persons. The staff loved them for their effective and empathetic interpreting and general care for people. We were told over and over that the Jehovah’s Witness interpreters were easily the best. Tremendous witness. I worked side by side with them both and got to love them so much. You don’t meet people like them everyday. What a privilege. As we were wrapping up the operation, they were trying to sort out what to do with all the equipment they bought for this. They responded to the call for interpreters. They immediately went and bought 2 tents and air mattresses and some supplies that they needed to sleep on. None of these things were things they could afford since they are self-supported missionaries like myself and live on a tight budget. So word got back tome and I was able to buy off them from Langley donations whatever they had left,minus 1 tent they decided to keep. I didn’t mind the idea of having a tent for the next time something like this happens. I ran back into the hospital for some moreaction and 1 hour later someone tells me that the tent and the other stuff was gone. Loaded on a truck bound Haiti Bethel. Even better!!!!

Again, your donations did that!I forget what night but one of the nights at about 11pm or so Kerry had to take a truck load of injured patients and their loved ones. So he loads up his truck with 2 of our brothers with amputations in the bed of the pick up and a sister with a broken arm in the cab, along with 3 family escorts. So 6 Haitian JW’s and Kerry. None of the Haitians speak spanish or english and Kerry is learning spanish and has zero Creole. So communication was tough. He was meant to drop off 2 at a hospital along the way and take the rest to San Cristobal which is 5 hours away. None of us have been to the south before and its night time. There was no room for him to take a co pilot. So it was up to Jehovah to get them all there safely. And Jehovah delivered, I have no doubt in my mind. I rang Kerry at like 1 hour intervals. Im like: “How’s the conversation in the car?” “Hot potatoes” he says. “We tried for a bit but no one was in the mood.” They asked for the radio. People wincing in pain as he goes 110 km per hour on really bad roads. I was in bed back in Jimani, but obviously couldn’t sleep. Plus his mom was phoning my sister back in Canada for periodic updates. “Don’t worry, your son is just fine.” He finally reached San Cristobal at like 5am safe and sound. Got our brothers to the hospital into welcoming arms and slept a few hours at some brothers house. Remember he had been wearing the same clothes for 4 days by now since his back pack mistakenly went home. (Thanks to Ryan Dixon) But earlier this day I got his boxers included in my laundry that a nurse offered to do for me.

So Kerry is on this mission….commando. He was stressing a bit since how is he going to sleep in someone else’s bed either in his jeans which were now like skin, or naked. Without anyone telling her, the sister handed him a brand new pair of boxers and a t-shirt. There’s no way she could have known, how do you explain that? He slept for a quick 2 or 3 hours, came back to the hub in Jimani and got busy again. Random little experiences that I forget what day the occured” This Haitian man about 55 years old called Trastama Leraine was at Jimani Hospital with his wife who suffered an amputation. He helped me interpret on myfirst night shift since he speaks fluent spanish. Very educated man. Anyways, I hadn’t had lots of dealing with him, just exchanged smiles and minor comfort. Soafter about 2 days or so, he finds me outside and comes running up to me. He had observed how our group was getting things done in the hospital. Although at this point we were not openly revealing ourselves as witnesses for reasons I mentioned earlier. So he asks me for help and I asked him what I could do. Trastama asked me to come with him, not so much to interpret but for support totalk to the Doctor treating his wife to convince him not to use blood. WHAT? Im freaking out inside. This is how the conversation went:

Steven: Why don’t you want blood for your wife?

Trastama: Because the bible says to take blood is wrong!

Steven: Where does it say that in the bible?

Trastama: (Frustrated) Where’s a bible!?! I can show you!

Steven: No! I know it says that, but where does it say that?

Trastama: Acts 15:28,29!

Steven: Who taught you this?

Trastama: (Frustrated) I’ll show you, where’s a bible?!

Steven: No No No, you’re not understanding me. Who taught you that the bible prohibits blood? What church do you belong to or who do you study the bible with?

Trastama: I’m Evangelical. I’ve read it in the bible and I don’t want them to give my wife a blood transfusion.

Steven: Hold on right here and wait for me for a second.

So I went and spoke to Marcial Jimenez, a Dominican Special pioneer who was overseeing transportation and explained to him the matter. All he told me was, we gotta help this man, he’s not ours, but he’s trying to obey the bibles commands. So I went with Trastama to speak to the Doctor. I told him that this man has made an informed decision and accepts the risks of refusing blood. The Doctor said: “Fine, it’s on him”. So I went to his wife who was on the floor on a mattress with her records taped to the wall above her.

I taped an additional note that said: “Jehovah’s Witness patient. No blood”.

You should have seen the look on Trastama’s face. Jehovah had answered his prayers evidently. He had run out of the solution drip they were giving her intravenously so we went to Pharmacy and grabbed like 8, put them in a box with her name on it by her bedside. Another happy customer. Next day our JW Doctor Menna arrived and like I said we had no JW patients to care for at this point. So I took Menna in to look at Trastamas wife. He did vitals, she was improving, pain was under control. He taught me a few things and Trastama was ecstatic. At down times I was able to witness to Trastama and explain what it is Jehovah’s Witnesses do and who we are and the nature of what we were doing there in Jimani. I gave him a bible teach book and a bible to replace the one he lost in the quake and we exchanged numbers. He called me a few times each day to tell me how his wife was doing and I’d nip in to see her. Such a beautiful man. Im not sure what his fate is. He was trying to get to Santo Domingo, DR but I think its a pipe dream. He has family there and he even has a dominican cell phone.

There’s no way he would have gotten past the 5 or so military check points in the neighboring towns. Again, man’s inhumanity is disgusting.

At any rate, his number is 1.829.437.7479. And he speaks spanish quite well. But if he got booted back to Haiti then the call wont go thru. But he has my number. He promised me he would study the bible with JW’s. I told him there are so many things that he has been taught that are untrue. You had to be blunt like that, there was no time for sugar-coating. He promised at any rate.

Reginald Francois is about 28 or so and worked in a bank. He was uninjured. He also speaks fluent spanish and maybe english. Lots of these Haitians speak 4 languages. He and one co-worker survived out of the entire bank. All dead. He escorted his sister who was injured in legs. I got talking with him and was asking him if he felt like God caused this quake. Thats what lots of Haitians were saying,that God caused it. He said he didn’t know, but he told me that he and his sister were the only survivors. So I shared James 1:13 and told them that God would never do that so indiscriminately. He allowed it but didn’t cause it. There’s tons more to the story, but thats the gist. So I ran to our hub and got him a bible teach book and a bible in french. He was so thankful.

Our relationship grew over the next 48 hours and I got to be friends with him. The local JW group in Jimani conducts meetings saturday nights in Creole. So I invited everyone room to room. Not the patients but rather the family members. 2of our volunteers were a married couple called Jared and Jael Kekos living in Higuey, DR but are originally from Kansas. (Legends both of them) So he was going to give the public talk in Creole. He only brought one outline which wasn’t so appropriate for the circumstance. It wasn’t the “Godly view of sex and marriage” outline but not far off either. So in about 3 hours he put together an outline about “Place Confidence in Jehovah and have courage”. I had hopes of packing out the little Kingdom Hall but it was unrealistic.

I invited lots from the hospital, but everyone was paranoid to leave their injured loved ones side since the director of the hospital was releasing patients and sending them to a refugee camp in Haiti. So most were uneasy about going to meeting and leaving their side. Trastama my “no blood” guy was one of those. On the other hand, Reginald said he’d meet me at emerge at 6pm and we’d walk together. I got there late at 6:10pm and he was nowhere to be seen. Went to ask his sister, and she hadn’t seen him in a while. Discouraged, I went to the meeting in hospital scrubs. The meeting started with only us 5 witnesses in attendance and no one else. (Hilarious experience by the way.) 5 minutes into it I stand up and see Reginald walking up the road. He asked for directions and found the KH. He sat down withthe bible I had given him. Found every scripture faster than me. Watchtower started and I commented in paragraph 2 and he in paragraph 3. Didn’t put his hand up though. It was his first time inside a Kingdom hall. He loved the meeting. We ended with an attendance of 20.

Most of which were regular Haitian progressive bible students who live in Jimani. By the way Reginald whispered andmumbled during the prayer and didn’t bow his head makes me think he’s evangelical. On the walk back to the hospital he told me that he feels like his life has no meaning now. We talked more. Friends for life, I hope. He also promised to study with the Witnesses once this blows over.

Email reggy0810@yahoo.frHaiti number: 509.3777.39.28 (Not sure what to do with all those digits)Domincan number: 829.356.2206

The nice thing out here is that one the one who makes the call pays. Its free for him to receive calls.As I mentioned, I met some insanely dedicated volunteers from all over the world who were there for the same reason as I was. Most on their own dime. One of these was this guy named Jordy Alvarez. He is about 24 or so, from Columbia butlives in Santo Domingo, DR. I met Jordy over the phone.

I wrote my name, cell number and emil address on this 9 year old called Jameson Denis’ cast. (More onhim later) I wanted to be contacted if he was moved or transfered anywhere since he was all by himself and it was unclear as to whether his family survived. So I’mat our hub across the street and my mobile rings.

Dr. Steven? (haha) I got your number off this boys cast, I’m a volunteer with the World Bank. I said: “I’ll be right in!”So I go in and he was taking info to see about contacting his family. So I shared with him what we had gotten out of Jameson. He immediately was firing off emails from his blackberry and uploading pics into their database. I took him outside to our hub and showed him our operation. I said all those people are Jehovah’s Witnesses and explained exactly what we were doing. He said: “wow, you guys are really united”.

This was the start of a friendship and partnership between me and Jordy. We traded about 20 phone calls and emails over the next 4 days doing each other favors since we each had different connections. (I know you are reading this Jordy, and I know you have way more connections than me.)

So for a day or so I was helping this 30 y.o. lightly injured patient. I trusted him when he said he could walk and just needed a bit of help to the toilet. He fainted in my arms and messed himself. We got him cleaned up and into clean clothes. Once he recovered, he asked me to help him. He had an expired Haiti passport with him and has family he can go to in the Dominican Capital. But the problem is his uninjured cousin was traveling with him and had no documents. The hospital discharged him and he could go, but what about his cousin? So I took on this little side mission and went to the hospital director. (So frustrating for these poor people who couldn’t communicate with most people and just kept getting swept aside.) I explained everything to the director and he said that with his signature on a drawn up document, that would replace his passport for now. But there was nothing that could be done for his cousin. The director said to chance it with the military check points, but there’s no guarantees. He said come back to my office in 30 minutes and I’ll have the papers for you. So I told this guythis and he was so happy, but the cousin not so much. So I asked her what she planned to do if not. She said the has no one or nothing to go back to. So I go back this guys office in 30 mins and the doors locked.

Over the next 3 hours I couldn’t find him, and every time I walked by this man he got excited, but I had no news for him. (That same scenario could be said for dozens. There was such despair.)So I ring Jordy up to see what he suggests. He said he could talk to the Director himself but it might not be a good idea since a day or two ago he had big blowout with him. But that his mom had some pull. So he rings his mom up. He comes back to me and says that what we need to do is make up a fake document with a reason for the cousin to go to Santo Domingo, like to pick up a patient or something and make up some signatures. So he wanted us to draw it up and signit. I told him that as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses I couldn’t be a part of that.

It breaks my heart, but I cant do something dishonest and illegal. I said I’m officially leaving these 2 people with you, and I told him that in front of them. I cant do anymore, he can probably help you more than me. Like Pilate, I washed my hands. (I did the motion too) “Do what you gotta do Jordy.” I walked away.

About 6 or so hours later, we bump into each other again and he says: “Its all done. They’re on a bus to Santo Domingo.” I don’t approve, but your rock.

On like day 3 or so a really tall young Haitian guy in hospital scrubs runs up to me really happy. “Are you a JW?!?!” I said yes, how did you know? He pulls out ofmy breast scrubs pocket a “Who are JW’s tract”, which only had the top inch exposed. He’s like: “so am I!!!” And he grabbed his friend and said he is too. So I ask them, “are you bible students or baptized?” The look Alain gave me was hilarious. Like: “Get real”!!! Alain is a 4th year med student and has been baptized for just under 2 years and Bems Clearance is about 26 and has been baptized for 5. Both are from the outskirts of Port-au-Prince. Although Bems currently lives in Santo Domingo and studies tourism in University. He was in Haiti when the earthquake struck.

Haiti called for all interpreters to go to Jimani and any with medical skills. They ran into each other in the streets a few days after the quake and decided to go together on their own, not under direction from Bethel. Bems speaks French, Creole, Spanish and English. So I brought them over to home base and they were thrilled to see all the volunteer brothers. We took them in and from then on out they ate with us and did morning worship with us.Bems’ mom lost her house. And a cinder block fell on her head. Aside from dizziness and headaches, she is fine. It could easily be a concussion, but stuff like that is getting no attention at this point in Haiti. His family is not in the truth.

Jameson Denis: So I saw earlier this little kid screaming in pain as his broken bones were set and his cast was applied. Broken pelvis, both Femurs and one whole broken leg. But fortunately no amputations.

But then I saw him a day laterall by himself. I asked him where his family was and it was hard to get a straight story. He just kept saying that someone was coming for him. Sadly, no one is coming. We interviewed him and asked him what happened a bunch of ways. Dadwas never in the picture. He lived with his mom and older brother on Delmas #33in Port-au-Prince. Was watching TV when it happened. Apparently was pinned under rubble for some time. Story varies, but sounds like 10 hours or so. Little bro seems like he died on impact. Mom’s where-abouts were unclear.

So I sat with him and tried to comfort him. I tried to distract him with granola bars and juice. Didn’t last long. He soon knew what was up and knew we were tricking him. He turned unconsolable. We decided to move him since where he was was awful. Tons of screaming. Fortunately where we took him, a man called Jean Simon Derelis recognized him. Lived up the street. Jameson recognized him too and said he works with wires. Electrician. This older man said that there is NOTHING left of the entire street.

Mom missing and possibly dead.

All of this conversation right in front of the kid. Next day I spent more time with him and we took good profile pictures for the websites who will try to connect victims with family. Moving him to the other room was a blessing cuz thats where I met Reginald the guy who came to the meeting. In that room I pulled up a chair at Jameson’s bedside with a pile of literature in Creole. It was like 8pm or so.

Its the picture where my feet are on the bed. I let him choose between the “God’s Friend” brochure and the “Enjoy life…” brochure. He chose the 2nd one. I started just with him, but within minutes 2 or 3 of the other 8 patients in the room started shouting out the answers to my questions. Before long all but 1 patient and loved one were participating. We did like the first20 points in the brochure. Nurses and Docs walked in and were loving it. One of the first few points in there is about man being a soul, as opposed to having a soul. I hammered that home and one patient asked me then how does it work then with a soul going to heaven or hell? So I rang Julie and Beatrice and told to them to get over here stat, with bibles.

They came in and smaller more individual bible discussions took place in Creole. And I continued with Jameson. I called Kerry on his mobile and told him to bring the camera quick. He got some amazingfootage, pics and vid clips of it all.Then Chrsitine (my sister) called for like the 26th time that day. So we decided to put Paris and Micah (my 11 and 9 year old niece and nephew on the line). They were able to practice their french with Jameson. A little coaching was needed on both ends, but it was cute to watch. I think Paris was like: “Do you have a computer? I like playing on the computer”. Hilarious.

Everyone kept a copy of the brochures. I left the remaining ones on Jameson’s bed and in the morning they were all gone. The bible too. Awesome. During my study with Jameson, Jordy walked in with a brand new transformer knockoff and a racing car for each kid. It momentarily derailed my study. Im not mad at you Jordy. Finally the kid was getting happy. I taught him how to pray and what to say and how to use Jehovah’s name. So cool.

So unfortunately they wanted to send Jameson away to a refugee camp about 20 minutes over the Haitian border. I wasn’t pleased but I could do anything about it. He didn’t need acute care. Just rest and monitoring. I thought this was it, so I was pretty bummed out. I packed up his stuff and carried him to the mini bus. I sat with him in the back row for a bit. Then the tell me that they are coming rightback for another bus load. So I’m off to the refugee camp! Its an orphanage run by Americans called Love a child. Its in a the first town called Fond Parisienne. http://www.loveachild.com/orphanage/ Its not bad. There is an ampi theater, sort of clean washrooms, and some soccer balls which likely wont get much use for now. The UN turned it into a refugee camp although they don’t want to admit that thats what it is. Its getting passed of as a spa.

There are dorms but none of the patients wanted to be in-doors. Still scared of aftershocks. Cant blame them. So basically, when I was there, it was about 150 Haitians on mattresses under a few trees on an open grassy field. Many still needing nursing care. There were volunteer Doctors and nurses, but it was no place for anyone still needing proper care, which in my opinion was the case for over 80%. DR authorities were trying to get rid of these people as quick as possible. So when I got back to the hospital, I told any patients’ family that I had gotten close too exactly what it was like over there. That it wasn’t bad, but that it also wasn’t where they would receive better care. So don’t get fooled. Some medical staff were tricking them into thinking that they would get better care and that it was more comfortable. Big Lie. It was a challenge to stay neutral. Plus we needed the medical staff to continue to cooperate and work with us.Its disgusting how greed take over at times like this.

Tons of the relief supplies were being hoarded at Jimani hospital and they were trying to keep them there asopposed to move them on into Haiti. And this once the administration achieved their goal of almost emptying the hospital. Hundreds of brand new crutches were somehow impossible to get thru the border and over to the refugee camp. Disgusting.

Tidbit: At some point, I forget when, I was in talking with my No blood patient. I mistakenly thought I was leaving that day so I was saying goodbye. I turned out saying goodbye like 3 more times. Anyways, I had to give him and the others in the room one last power-house sermon. No frills no gimmicks. I told them that they have seen horrific things and I read them this really obscure passage that I’m sure no ones ever heard of found at Rev 21:3,4. (Fruits of my deep personal study) I said that they have seen lots of good hearted volunteers all week, but that thats not all that God requires of us. He expects us to do his will and caring for others is only part of it.

I said that its only JW’s that are doing God’s will today, even though many other organizations may be well intentioned, they are not doing what Christ commanded us to do. To preach the good news. And I said that lotsof religious lies have been taught like the trinity and hellfire and that the only place they will find the truth is if they study with the Witnesses once they get settled. One guys face was sin dis-belief. He was understanding me but shocked at what I was saying. He’s like: “what, really?”

And so another listener chimed in and backed up my point and yelled out that Jehovah’s Witnesses were the only religious organization they saw all week desperately trying to care for their own and they are the only ones who preach everywhere on earth. He said it with such conviction, that the doubting guy cut him short and goes: “Are you a JW?” His face lost all expression, he paused for like 3 seconds and replied: “Yes”. Big fat lie, but you gotta love it. I just soaked it all in and laughed. I LOVE HAITIANS!

So we officially wrapped up our operations Saturday afternoon. The brothers thanked us immensely as I mentioned earlier. We were told that Bethel was officially shutting it down and that we were now on our own and could do as we wished, but that it was no longer a Bethel project. Almost everyone left that evening, and a hand full left the following morning. I hung around with Jared andJael Kekos. We couldn’t leave. Too many emotional ties. I had lots of unfinished business with some people I had witnessed to. But I knew we had to go. Plus we were spent in every way. So one of the coordinators rings me from his home a few hours away and relievedthat we were still there. There was a bible student that was discharged without our consent from Barahona and was put on a bus headed for the border along with her brother in Law. They had just a few pesos in their pocket. So he said it was off the books, but that he would feel comfortable if we could receive them and preferably escort them to Haiti Bethel, where they originally came to us from.You cant just put them by themselves on public transportation with injuries and travel bags. Plus we couldn’t risk them going missing.

Music to my ears cuz I was DYING to go to Haiti.

Bethel is about 1.5 hrs drive from Jimani. Its in a town called Santos, just before Port-au-Prince. Once I secured Bems Clareance as my escort/security, Jared and Jael left. So the 4 of us are off to Haiti. (Myself, Clearance, a bible student and her escort)We arrived at Bethel by 5pm Sunday evening and dropped off our people. Took a shower and briefly visited with some of the patients. They had no place for us to stay and it was too late to get back by public transportation, so we set off for Bem’s aunts house in Petionville, just outside Port-au-Prince. It was chaos. There’s nothing left of the capital city. UN militia everywhere. Insane traffic. Plus we were almost out of cash. Like 5$ worth of Haitian Gouds. People sleeping EVERYWHERE.

We got to his aunts by 8pm or so. At 2am I woke up and couldn’tsleep. As I lay there, there was another aftershock. It was the 4th one that week, but only the second one I felt. Weird thing is, I didn’t even flinch. Was too tired, too zoned out. The first one I felt a few days ago, I jumped up and ran out the house in a second. But not the second one, don’t know why. Morning time. My only agenda was, lets find a cash machine and get me out of Haiti. Bems wanted to check on his moms house. He knew it was crushed, but hehadn’t seen it for himself yet. We tried in vain to find an ATM on the way to his house, which added to my stress level. I had seen enough toppled buildings. We get to his house and I felt terrible. I had no empathy left in me. I can only imagine how hard it must be to see the house you grew up in, destroyed. He was trying to see if he could salvage dress shoes, and his brief case. Nothing. Im like: “I’m really sorry man, but we gotta go”.

We walked and walked and walked and couldn’t find an ATM. Most are crushed or boarded up. He took me to his old Kingdom Hall which was standing but condemned. He took me to an elders house from his old congregation.Brother Somerville is some man. Most of his house collapsed, the part standing you cant or shouldn’t walk into. He and his wife and mother in law live together. No one died from their congregation, but most lost their homes. They are currently sleeping in the patio under a blue tarp tied to trees. We spoke for a few minutes but I was still stressing out because we were out of cash. So we left our backpacks there and continued to search for an ATM. Western unions had 6-8 hour long lineups, since every Haitian with family abroad is having $ wired to them. Any mini marts still open have tripled their prices and have signs in the window that say “cash only”. So everyone knows that you have cash on your person. Lovely. We finally find a Scotia bank and it says transaction failed. (That was another really low point for me) Im stuck in Haiti with no $. Lots of prayer and supplication ensued.

We go into the bank and they tell me I can draw money as a cash advance on my credit card. Relief. Now to decide how much money. If its too much, then I’m a bigger target and what do I do butt boat loads of Haitian Gouds. If its too little and we run into trouble, then we’re back to square 1. I decided on an amount that I don’t want to disclose in an email.

We make it back to the brothers house and I asked him why after 12 or so days after the fact, he was still on the street. What has bethel told them? He said that there are just sooo many like him, that they are just being patient. So I asked him if he had a passport and could cross into DR, thinking I would just take him home with me, although I never suggested it. “Why don’t you cross over until thisblows over?” What he answered me I’ll never forget and it taught me a valuable lesson as an elder myself.“Im not leaving the brothers”. Wow. Of course you cant. They need shepherding now more than ever. That is an example worth imitating. I only wish.

So I put in his pocket a donation from the Brookswood, Congregation and he thanked me. I said thank Jehovah, its from him. I hugged him and we left.We made it back to the Refugee camp to check on Jameson. I was a wreck at this point. It had been 2 days since I had seen him and as soon as I walked up the man who knows him tells me, right in front of the kid: “Take him. No ones coming for him. She’s either dead or has left him to get a better home. Its now or never.” I explained that I cant take him. These cultures don’t really get that. They think you just take on someone else’s child like its borrowing a bike. I laid beside him for a bit and phoned Victor, the special pioneer from my home congregation. As soon as he answered I broke down. I asked him to ask around in our congregation who could take him. Thats when he quoted me Ps 68:5 about how Jehovah is the father of fatherless boys. He said you cant do anything and he strongly advised me to get out of there a.s.a.p. before I went crazy. 8 days was too much.

One UN volunteer saw my meltdown and gave me the best idea ever. Buy him a cell phone and keep contact that way. That way I can be informed as to where he ends up going. So with Brookswood Congregation funds, the next day I bought a used cell phone off the first Haitian person I saw standing in front of the hospital in Jimani. It had to be with a Haitian network. Once the deal was done she handsit over and then informs me that she lost the charger in the quake. Great.

In the mean time, one of my other heroes is a JW called Ryan Dixon from Columbus Ohio who is serving about 20 minutes from where I live He offered to come rescue me. He was here for 3 days at the start and went home. He knew I was fried and had no transportation out of Jimani. So he borrowed DR. Menna’s Explorer and drove 7 hours to pick me up. Thats what friends are for. I’ve known this guy for 1 week and not a day more. So he rolls into Jimani with his wife by noonish to pick me and Bem’s up. So good to see them. I had one last task. Buy a charger for this phone and say goodbye to Jameson. We had to drive to Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti to find a charger. This is where Wyclef Jean is from. As Bems negotiated with street sellers I started to feel like myself for the first time in days.

Me and Ryan decided to ask people where we could find Wyclef. So I roll my window down and would stop random Haitians and say: “ I wonder if you can help me, Im looking for Wyclef Jean. Can you take us to him?.” I got the puzzled looks I was after. Some didnt know, others said he isn’t here right now. We amused ourselves.Got the phone charger and back to Love at Child orphanage to deliver the mobile phone and say goodbye. When we arrived, Jameson’s shirt was wet with pee and he was super sweaty. Hadn’t had his teeth brushed yet either. So I gave him a bed bath, took like 600 more pics with him and said good-bye. I felt okay with it. He loved his new phone. Thank You Brookswood congregation!!!!!!!!!As we left I dumped off the rest of our literature. There was no time so I asked 2 young Haitian guys to deliver these brochures and about 500 tracts tent to tent and they jumped at the opportunity. I’ve got an awesome clip of them handing them out to each person.Good bye Fond Parisienne, Good Bye Jimani.

The cherry on the sundae was as we drove out of Jimani, we saw Trastama my “no blood guy” on a park bench justoutside the Jimani hospital reading the bible teach book. Said goodbye for the 4th time and set off. Arrived at home, at 1am. Exhausted? Just a bit. Most brothers keep saying what a service we did to our Haitian brothers and we did. But I don’t remember any names of theirs. I look at the pictures and they aresort of fuzzy memories. I guess its speaks volumes as to the amazing job the coordinating brothers did to get our dear brothers the heck out of Jimani as quick as possible. My biggest bonds were made with the non-witness patients that I got to know and witness to. And i’ve got a really good feeling about some of them. I know a seed was planted. And I hope to not lose contact.

To say that dozens invited myself and a few others to visit them in Haiti later on would not bean exaggeration. And I plan to.This was an emotional roller coaster. At one point you’d be talking to a victim and they’d be telling you how they were personally affected and who they lost etc.2 minutes later. You forgot what they said. There were just too many people with tragic stories. Sounds cold but its true. We are all looking forward to Jehovah doing what he promises in Isaiah 65:17: “I am creating a new earth…the former things will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart.”Oddly enough, I wrote this insane 8 day experience out as quick as I did so that I wouldn’t forget any details. But I’m not sure I could or would want to. It was sucha faith strengthening experience. We saw Jehovah’s had thru-ought this whole ordeal. He carried us through it.

Thanks again for all your kind and upbuilding comments and your generosity. With those who contributed so generously, we couldn’t have helped without you and you couldn’t have helped so directly with us.

In closing, please include the names of these specific people in your prayers. And on a personal note Jameson Denis.

Warm Christian Love,Steve Serrano

This entry was posted on Friday, January 29th, 2010 at 4:39 pm and is filed under Personal Reports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.