I spent four hours at the hospital this morning with my precious daughter, Serlande. She is doing a little better again today, so she is on the mend. Thank you, God. Today she recognized me and asked where she was. How sweet it was to see her eyes open and hear her voice.

While there today, again I saw a tremendous amount of suffering. To hear the moans, the screams, and the crying of intense pain was almost more than I could handle. I had to shut myself down inside and just call out to God to help the suffering of the people. Many people are lying around waiting to go to surgery. The nurses are doing what they can to help them while they wait. I saw bandages being changed this morning. No matter how gentle the nurses were the people would yell and cry in agony. I saw bones sticking straight out through skin, flesh that looked like it had gone through a grinder, limbs, heads, and bodies wrapped like mummies waiting to go to the operating room to be fixed. O dear God, the people need relief from their suffering. I am so very thankful for the doctors and nurses who are working more hours than they should to try and help the people. I am thankful, too, for those who are voluntering their time to do whatever is necessary, and to those who continue to bring food and water into the hospital to the injured and their caregivers.

Today I was blessed with phone calls from Gerry Rhyno and from Sandra and Dickie in Yarmouth. Oh how wonderful it was to speak to the three of them. Gerry and I had not finished our converstaion when we lost connection. We both tried to reconnect with each other to no avail. How wonderful it was to hear their voices. Oh how I hope the telephone service will last. Communication is so important but was cut by the earthquake. Many of you have written me with questions, suggestions, and offers of help. I am sorry about not getting back to you but it is almost impossible. If your e-mail requires a response you will most likely hear back from Gerry or Sandra and Dickie. Thank you for understanding.

Thank you for the financial support that has been going to the mission address in Yarmouth. Every dollar donated to HATS will come down to help Haiti. There will be nothing used for administration. All the administration work is done by volunteers. The funds will help get the mission buildings repaired so we can operate properly again, and into the hands of a lot of people who are desperate for help. Some of those people are our own employees. Some of them, too, have received damage to their homes, have loved ones lying injured in the hospital, or need to bury their dead. I will continue to use funds to help the people and class it under our ‘Mercy Ministry’ heading. The people need ‘mercy’ support right now.

I must get to the bank. I plan to ask my Chief Security, Odner, to go to the bank around 4:00 a.m. tomorrow and stand in line for me. Hopefully, tomorrow I can make it as far as a telller. One thing I know, I cannot stand in a line in the heat for 3 hours ever again. This weekend a store in St. Marc let me purchase plywood and 2 x 4s without paying. Now how about that!! He knew I had stood in line at the bank to no avail. He knew I needed the wood and he trusted me to come and pay him when I do manage to get into the bank. I hope I can take his money to him tomorrow.

Now I am off to the hospital again and taking Sabine up to see her sister. I believe that Serlande will know today that Sabine is there to see her,

Thanks for your continued prayers.

~Karen