NOTE: This post is from November 2008 and was added to bridge the gap between the previous blogs.

You heard last from Karen mid September with a report of some of the devastation in Haiti due to the four hurricanes that had hit this country. (Thank you for your response. Photos below.)

Haiti is still, and will be for a long time, trying to recover from the damage. Temporary bridges are open in some areas, as the damaged ones continue to be repaired, so traffic is moving more normally. Road damage was severe and many areas are still almost impassable.

Mud and smashed houses are still being dug out in many areas. Bodies of people who have been missing are still being uncovered. Disease and sickness have risen dramatically due to the contamination of the water and soil.

The government delayed school opening by a month. Our school has been operating normally as of October 6th but schools in some areas are still not open due to mud and water damage.

For the first two weeks after our school opened a small helicopter would have been very useful there. Students and teachers had to walk through water and mud to reach the toilet. Students could not play at recess and they had to stand in water for the raising of the Haitian flag each morning. Too, in order to get around on this orphanage/administration compound employees and children had to also walk through water and mud. We, the directors, decided this could not continue and we used some funds to purchase 4 truck loads of rocks and gravel so paths could be made to enable movement on both compounds. On the days, however, that rain continues to fall the water levels rise again due to the earth being already saturated.

Both compounds are still much too wet. Lots more rocks and gravel are needed. Mosquitoes breed on still water and more mosquitoes is the last thing we need.

Our own children are pleased to be attending school again. Our little Alex started in our prescolaire class this year. He is thrilled every morning to put on his uniform and be taken to school. Alex learns things quickly and retains them well.

Alex ready for school

He loves being at school with the students, and his teachers. Too, of course, he gets to see his own ‘Papa Luckner’ there too. That is always a highlight for him. He is still unable to control the use of his hands but is doing better. When the other students have paper and pencil Alex quickly removes his shoes and socks and procedes to try writing with the pencil between his toes.

We are very thankful to the people from Nova Scotia who are presently fundraising and who plan to come down, as a group of 14, early January to work on three additional needed rooms for our school. We look forward to the fun and fellowship time with them as well as to getting the important work done.

We reported on a past update that, due to our fundraising trip to Canada, we would be giving our school students a meal five days a week this year, instead of two. We, however, are still waiting for the food shipment from the group “Feed My Starving Children” to arrive. The containers left the US Port for Haiti at the end of August. We were told we should have it in October, but are still waiting.

More about workteams/visitors – We are also looking forward to having five people from BC. under leader, Kathy Tait, with us Dec. 1st, 2nd and 3rd. They will be installing a swing set on our school grounds, that they will be bringing with them, and will do some other work on this compound. This, too, should be fun.

We say a huge thank you for the food funds that have been donated recently, for us to purchase food to distribute to hungry people who live around us. We purchased large quantities of rice, cornmeal, beans, and oil and have been distributing to many people throughout our area.

Measuring rice to be distributed

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All who have received food gifts from you have been very thankful and have asked that we say ‘thank you’ for their food. We, Luckner and Karen, say a very big thank you on behalf of all these families outside the mission who have been blessed with food gifts. Thank you very much, too, to those who have donated funds to purchase food for our children onsite.

There has been a plan in effect for some time, being arranged by John and Bev Chappelles in NS, for Karen to take Mirlande to the Children’s Hospital in Halifax where surgery would be done on her eye. Mirlande was to receive an artificial glass eye. The work was going to be done pro bono as doctors and others were willing to donate their time. It looked like this would happen this fall. Now, however, this is ‘On Hold’ as the hospital there is left with only one eye surgeon. We have been working on her passport and other things on this end.

Mirlande

We are wondering if there might be people willing to look into the possibility of this being done for Mirlande in another province. If so, please contact us.

Too, we have a passport in the works for Alexandre. There is work underfoot in Canada and here, to try and have Alex also seen by specialist in Canada. We would like a diagnosis for Alex and more information as to how best we can help him with everything in his life.

Speaking of Alex. He continues to try to do what others do naturally, and he always finds a way. Yesterday, he was playing outside the back door by himself, with a plastic tub of water and was washing clothes, with his feet of course. He had found another plastic container and proceeded with his feet to fill it with water from his tub. He then brought that container upwards with his feet and threw the water over his body and head, giggled and said he was bathing.

Our young soccer boys – Moise, Alex and JJ<

More good news about visitors. Karen has family arriving for 15 days over the Christmas period. Oh happy day!! Liette, Mariah, Josiah, Ariane, and Tevan will be joining us on December 15th. They are coming to help as well as enjoy family/friends time while celebrating the birth of Jesus.<

Liette is presently collecting donations toward building a small storage facility on our school site. When a meal is cooked for the students all the huge cooking pots, the food, utensils, etc have to be transported from this compound to the school compound, which takes several trips, by wheelbarrow. After the tummys are filled, and everything has been washed, everything has to be returned here again by wheelbarrow. It cannot be left on the school site until we get a building where these things can be safely locked up.

Too, they are trying to help in another way by filling their suitcases with clothing and shoes to be distributed to needy children in our school. We have a lot of school students who attend our church services Sunday mornings. Haitians love to dress nicely for church but many have nothing but their school uniforms, and so they do not come. Liette will be collecting sandals, and shoes, (new or in good condition), skirts and tops, or dresses for girls, pants or shorts, and shirts for boys, (also in good condition) for ages 3 -18, but the biggest needs are most likely ages 10 – 16. Short sleeves ideal for both girls and boys.

We want to join Liette in making people aware of these two workwhile projects at Christmas time for HATS-Haiti. Many of you are already giving to HATS, or to other groups and organizations, and many are unable to give right now. There is no pressure to be involved with Liette in this, but the opportunity is there if you feel so led.

Haiti still needs your prayers. Please remember to pray for the leaders, and for the people, of this country.