Today has been extremely busy. Lots happening as usual.

I have been back and forth to the hospital to be with Serlande. I covet your continued prayer support please for my precious daughter. Serlande is quite ill. She is not talking or eating. She is conscious but very unresponsive. Speaking to a doctor has been impossible because of the number of patients at the hospital due to the quake. Today I decided I was not leaving until a doctor would talk with me. There is obviously something very wrong and I can’t let her fall through the cracks. I persisted while talking with nurses. I don’t think they cared about my attitude but the squeeky wheel gets the grease. I think because she is diabetic and her blood sugar was high they put it down to that and looked no further. But, I know there is something else wrong too.

I saw a doctor that I know walk in and I jumped on it. He took a good look at Serlande’s file for me and then came and examined her while I was with him. He decided she needs to leave the area she is in and be moved unto a ward. He told me he saw from her urine test that her white blood count is extremely high. He agreed to stay close to her from now on. Now I have someone I can look for help from. That pleases me a lot. He agreed to do x-rays of her stomach area. Yesterday two people who had been lying next to her died. At that time I was thankful that Serlande did not realize a lot of what was happening around her. It has not been easy having someone with her all the time. I now have Germaine staying with her at night, Antoinette and Cecile changing during the days. Cecile must be here at night.

How do you know you are getting almost no electricity? When your Epicure chocolate melts in its container in the fridge and your margarine turns to yellow soup. Living like this now, I am thankful that the team are in their own homes with electricity 24/7. How nice it would be!!!!

One of our security agents, Herve, is going through a rough time right now. His wife died on Monday. She was 30 years old. Their baby died this past year having lived only a few days.

Today the cement roof was done on the housing project that the team worked on. They are finishing it up now. I just prepared the days payroll for 41 workers. This morning was a copy of last January. The cement mixer arrived with the operator and no gas again. They are supposed to bring gas with them. Remember last January folks. No gas to be purchased and us running to Luckner’s to get a gallon of gas for the mixer. Then the accident happened when coming home. There is an extreme shortage of gas again due to the quake. Luckner had to drive some distance this morning before finding a gallon of gas to purchase.

There is a real shortage of a lot of things and it is going to get worse. There is a shortage of money as well as everything else. Today I went to St. Marc. and the streets were far more crazy than normal. I went into two supermarkets and in both the shelves were almost bare. I brought home what I could find we use regularly. I went to St. Marc so I could go to the bank and then purchase plywood and 2 x 4s. Well, let me tell you, nothing was important enough for me to get in the lineup. The bank itself was so full they had to close the doors until someone came out and let one more in. The gallery in front of the bank was full as well as a long line down the street. There was no way all those people would get served today. Will it be any better tomorrow? I hope to go early, get in the line and see. The radio is saying that the maximum anyone can withdraw at one time is $2500 US or $20,000 H. It might sound like a lot to some but is not when having to purchase supplies for repairs all around the compound.

Today, another aftershock happened and the workers saw the fence sway a little. We are keeping the children away from it until we can make repairs. We do not think we will have to redo the whole fence. We do, however, need to replace some sections and reinforce some others.

I have two people willing to come and help me. I need both. My problem is how to get them into the country. Carol is from the US and hopefully my brother, Don, from eastern Canada will come. If they come, I will do the hallelujah dance. I sure need their help. I am stretched, far too stretched. I have the place to run. Ti Luc to care for. Serlande not at all well – back and forth to hospital. Employees off with problems. Major repairs to organize and get done. Trips back and forth to St. Marc to do. And time to talk with people who come regularly now looking for help they need desperately. All this while continuing to sleep outside in a small tent with my boy. Not as condusive to a good night sleep as my bed. But God is good. And his grace is keeping me going.

The members of the Texas team that were to follow the Canadian team on Jan 29th are now looking at coming February 26th. Perhaps three of them, who were here last year, will come earlier and assess what might be best for the team to undertake late Feb.

I have had many people here looking for help. Two examples today – a man I have known for some time came to ask for help. His daughter was injured in PaP. She is now at home recovering from injuries. He cannot pay the hospital bill or feed his daughter. His wife died recently and he looks like he has not eaten in some time himself. Too, a lady came for help to go to PaP to bring her injured daughter back home. The daughter cried for her mother to come get her but she had no funds for the bus fare. This kind of need is far too common since the tragedy struck Haiti.

Thank you to all who have contacted me and continue to do so with encouragement. Thank you to all who continue to work diligently on fundraisinhg. Thank you to all who have donated. God will bless you as you bless those here.

Now I must run back to the hospital and see Serlande.

~Karen