Medical Challenges

August 25, 2011

This morning we meet for our usual morning breakfast. As you remember Raffelick (a 12 year old boy) is very sick, and is being treated in a clinic in the Dominican Republic. Danita’s Orphanage ensures that every child that requires medical treatment outside of the orphanage be accompanied by an American missionary at all times.

Kristin and I were blessed by being ask by Bill (Our guide) to relieve one of the orphanage’s staff while he slept and took a shower. We packed our breakfast and brought eggs, pancakes, bacon, and fruit so that we could eat with Raffelick. What a blessing! We were informed that we were to bring Raffelick back to the orphanage around noon for continued treatment, while two more children needed to be brought back to the clinic.

At the clinic in Dominican Republic they provide care but not like the United States. Here you need to know what medical care or plan you need, and provide the instructions to the doctor or Nurse. You also need to provide the meals and medications as they are not provided by the clinic.

There is a large hospital in the Dominican Republic next to the border (very close to the orphanage) however; they refuse to provide medical care to the children of Haiti because of their origin. There is conflict daily between the people of Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. Bill told us that we have to watch and protect the children who have certain illnesses, because they are afraid and don’t understand how certain diseases are contracted. One example is where the nurse would take the thermometer and turn it to the opposite side, and pretend to take the child’s temperature, they do this because the nurse is afraid of contracting the illness.

Danita’s children need God’s church to help provide, and ensure that as many children as possible have an opportunity to receive the same medical care as our own children. This really hit home for us today as Raffelick’s IV bag drip rate was set too fast, and he quickly ran out of solution. We tried to tell the nurse that he needed his IV bag replaced, and she informed us that it was not necessary. It was very difficult trying to communicate because of our language barriers.

We had to call two of Danita’s missionaries to help facilitate the conversation over the phone, and explain what he needed. Even after the assistance from Danita’s we still had to convince the nurse by using English, and hand suggestions for them to understand what we were requesting. Finally his fluids were replaced but then Kristen needed to adjust the drip rate because it was too slow. Every time she changed the rate after 30 seconds it would slow back down. This was due to poor, old, or possibly reused medical equipment. This is a device that cost about five U.S dollars.

The clinic floors were just as dirty as the sidewalks, doors open, no screens on the windows. Flies and bugs in the air, and dead on the floor. I never really paid much attention to the restroom until I helped Raffelick after he was finished. The toilet had no seat, and was as filthy. The floor and his IV pole had puddles of urine all over it. This was where God broke me, and changed my life, I had to walk outside.

What we witnessed today was not critical care it was basic fluid replacement, and antibiotics. In one aspect it was not rocket science, but on the other hand, a child that God loved so much, he gave his one and only son for.

Miss Danita needs desperately to finish building the hospital as quickly as possible, and we can clearly understand the needs here in Haiti. Danita’s hospital plan is a 17,000 square foot building with one Surgery room, X-ray, lab, pharmacy, and even an elevator for special needs children. I am not sure where God will lead our church from here, but Danita has already entrusted our group for a second opinion of the engineering reports for the surgery room ventilation system. This system is needed to supply a clean environment for the operating room during surgery cases.

What God doing through Danita here in Haiti is so huge. When your able to see all of the pictures we took it looks like she is building a city for God’s children, it is really that awesome. I pray we can come back we are missing Haiti already, and we haven’t even left this country. God loves Haiti there is no doubt.

Thank you to all who gave and prayed for this trip, I am convinced in my heart you will be blessed for what you have done.

P.S.

Around noon Bill picked us up, and we took Raffelick back to his home to be with his family at Danita’s Children. The hospital bill was $200 U.S. dollars, they charged us $25 to clean the restroom.

Mark James