It’s Messier This Way: Building Relationships through Scabies, Stitches, Sonograms, Surgeries and Salvations

*Warning: This is a long story that just kept getting longer. There are a few graphic images included in the chapters below. If you get queazy easy or don’t like to read, this might not be good one for you.

This is a post about building relationships and the nitty-gritty gross and great stuff that happens in the process. It is about connecting stories and connecting lives. These kids in these stories–you may only get to see their faces on a television screen or a World Vision or National Geographic magazine. We get to see them everyday in the flesh. We see their chronic stress and struggles but also their smiles. Sometimes we feel like changing the channel or picking up a Better Homes and Gardens magazine instead, because it’s hard to see. But we can’t now. Because we know their names and we are learning their stories. Because they are our neighbors and we are supposed to love them as ourselves. Time and again I hear a still small voice whisper, “It’s why you are here.” It’s messier this way. But it’s worth it. Taking out stitches and treating scabies, setting up surgeries and sonogram appointments isn’t really the messy part. It isn’t what makes me cry for them. It is the injustice of it all. That I can find medical care for my son while their mamas can’t. That I can keep all my children together and they can’t. That water flows from our faucet while their children walk for miles to collect the same amount of water I used to wash a few dishes.

Medical-Girls with water bottles on heads
Laika, Edith-Ludline and Saint Aline are the beautiful names of these cousins. These strong little girls collect and carry water on their heads up steep, slippery hills to provide for their large families water needs each day. There is no water for bathing, washing, or drinking available where they live in our village. They are six, seven and eight years old. We first met them last year on a walk around our neighborhood with my kids. We watched as they struggled up the last hill towards their house with their leaking water bottles and offered to help them. That was the beginning of our friendship with these girls and their families.

I suppose it all really started with Aleando. We moved to St. Marc in January 2013 and our kids began attending El Shaddai Learning center the same month. We didn’t live where we do now back then. We lived over by the school on the other side of town. Aleando attended the school and was in the first grade class with our Evan. They became best buds that spring semester. We moved to our current neighborhood at the end of the school year. Almost all Evan talked about over summer break was getting to see Aleando again once school resumed in September. Sadly, Aleando did not return to school in the fall. We asked about his whereabouts but there was no answer when we called the number listed in his school file. We waited to see if he would come back but he didn’t. Evan did not forget his friend. He prayed often over the course of that year that we would find Aleando somehow. It broke my heart to see him missing his friend.

One day the next spring I was washing dishes in the upstairs kitchen when I heard Evan’s voice from the backyard say, “Aleando!” I ran out onto the balcony to see what was happening. I saw a little brown head poke up over the backyard wall. Then I heard, “Is that you Evan?” Then a series of “Aleando!” “Evan!” “Aleando!” “Evan!” “What are you doing down there Evan?” “I live here!” “What are you doing up there?” “I live just over there!” Before I could count to three Aleando was at our front door which Evan ran to open. They hugged and giggled and hugged some more. I couldn’t believe it! God had answered Evan’s prayers! And Aleando was our neighbor! A series of questions poured forth. “Why did he not return to school?” “Where was he going to school now?” The relative that had sponsored him for school had passed away. His single mother could not afford the school fees and had been forced to take him out. He was attempting to attend a Haitian school using a French system but was failing after only previously being in an English, American school system. Over the next few months I would get to know his mother. Evan and Aleando picked up where they left off. We got Aleando on the sponsorship list and a sponsor was found before the next school year. He rides to school with our kids every day. Evan began to pray for his friends salvation. Just like God answered Evan’s faithful prayers to find his friend, God answered Evan’s prayers to keep his friend for eternity. A few months ago Aleando accepted Christ as his Savior after many conversations with Evan. Aleando had been asking Evan for an English Bible. Evan told him that he would get a Bible once he trusted in Christ for his salvation. We parents did not advise or condone this negotiation and reminded Evan that Aleando would need to know the truths of Scripture and that many people come to Christ by reading the Bible. But Evan stood firm and said that he had shared the Scriptures with Aleando and was waiting for Aleando to make up his own mind. One Thursday he did. That Sunday he came to communion service at the beach with our family. I talked to him about taking the Lord’s Supper and that only those who had trusted Christ for their salvation should take it. He said, “Oh I did that already.” I asked him when and he said, “Ask Evan. I was with him.” So ask Evan I did.

Aleando and Evan at beach church communion service last month.
Aleando and Evan at beach church communion service the same week Aleando accepted Jesus sacrifice for him.
Aleando showing me his new English Bible he received that morning. He was so excited!
Aleando showing off his new English Bible he received from Evan.  He was so excited! Please pray he will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord!

Aleando’s life is not easy. His father is absent from his life. He lives in a one room block house with his mother, sixteen year old aunt, and his mother’s boyfriend who works occasionally. There is no regular electricity or running water. His little sister lived with them but has recently gone to live with her father in another part of town after being bullied by neighbor boys. His mother had lined up a job with our family but has been too sick to work. We waited a few months but eventually had to give the job to someone else. I was sad as I really wanted Aleando’s mom to have the job so we could help her more. Aleando’s mom cannot read or write so he does not have anyone to help him with his schoolwork when he goes home. He gets lunch at school four days per week and eats all our mangos and peanut butter on bread when he comes to our house.  Aleando is two years older than Evan. Evan is small for his age. Aleando is smaller. This is the norm around here. These are my children’s friends.

Sometimes we struggle too. Not just with the heat and bugs, cultural differences, and frustrating third world problems. Because we are first world people we have resources and access that most of our neighbors do not. But when emergencies happen, when our child gets hit by a motorcyclist outside his school, we are still stuck with third world resources. Haitian hospitals suck. We went to the one nearest us, filled out paperwork, paid, waited and watched. I think we watched too much. So did Ethan who said, “I think we should try another hospital.” even though he was in pain. Eric and I felt the same way and decided to leave just as Ethan was being called. We went to a smaller but a tad bit cleaner hospital 20 minutes away. It was late in the day and there were no doctors. There was also no paperwork and no pay (until after) and they got us in right away. Our friend Annie who frequents that hospital with all her special needs kids came to meet us and flagged down a guy she knew was a doctor who happened to be crossing the street. He agreed to help. Ethan kicked him a few times and he threatened to leave. I begged him to stay. Annie helped Eric hold Ethan down. Nothing I said or did was helping and I thought I was going to pass out having to watch my son go through this pain. We have had sick kids in Haiti before. We have had almost emergencies. This was our first real one.

Ethan's accident
Useless as I was at this moment, I distracted my shaking hands by taking this pic. My fingers were shaking so bad I couldn’t keep them out of the shot, but am thankful I have this sweet and sad pic of father and son.
This is the wound before it was stitched up by an off duty Cuban gynecologist wearing a t-shirt and jeans we saw crossing the street and flagged down begging his help.
Eric told me to take this picture. It was the only time I looked at it. I can barely look at it now. This is the wound before it was stitched up by an off duty Cuban gynecologist wearing a t-shirt and jeans we saw crossing the street and flagged down begging his help.
This is Ethan's wound a few days later all stitched up inside and out.
This is Ethan’s wound a few days later all stitched up inside and out. The doctors were pretty concerned about the redness around it and potential infection and nerve damage.
Medical-Ethan's healed leg
Ethan’s leg is all healed! We thank you everyone who prayed for him and us during this time!

Before this happened to Ethan I had already had my fill of unexpected medical cases. I expected this to be the climax at least for the time being. I expected wrong. The past weeks prior to Ethan’s injury I had daily chores of attempting to treat head fungus, scabies, fevers, infections, swollen ankles, stitches needing removal, and trying to find help for our neighbor’s baby that we know will die without medical attention. I keep telling my neighbors I’m not a doctor or a nurse. Taking stitches out isn’t a big deal but the past few months have served me much more medical than I feel prepared to deal with. I’m thinking maybe I should get some formal training eventually. I’m very thankful for the two real M.D.’s who answered my questions over the phone to walk me through several issues and prescribe the proper meds they had left in my care after serving in Haiti. Thank you Dr. Trish and Dr. Staci!

Here’s some of the run down. We would appreciate your prayers for these families and all these medical situations that building these relationships have brought us.

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Baby Christian (11 months) has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus. This picture was taken as we were transporting him with his mother to a hospital 2 hours away that performed his evaluation and possibly can help him with a surgery.
Baby Christian lives with his mother and three siblings in a small one room house made out of mud and rocks. They struggle. A LOT. Recently we were able to take Christian and his mom Elfina to a hospital in the capital that has a hydrocephalus program. He got a CT scan and we were able to get him on a waiting list for his shunt surgery he needs asap. Christian's head is still very soft of the top which is good because it is letting the pressure out. Right now he has a good chance of survival if he can get his surgery soon. We were unable to complete all the bloodwork the day we had taken him to the hospital in Port au Prince. His caseworker told me that we could complete the lab work they needed for his file at a hospital closer to where we live and bring the results on a subsequent trip. However, when we were ready to do this, Elfina and her 4 children went missing from our neighborhood and no one could tell us where they went. We searched in another town that Elfina had mentioned she had family near our church but no one had heard from her. Her oldest son is in school and we assumed she would return with him after the two week Easter break. Yet to our dismay two months passed without word and we became very concerned. I returned from a short trip stateside attending a conference and immediately asked if there was any word concerning Elfina and her kids. "No" was the answer on Tuesday. Wednesday morning I felt especially burdened about this and prayed that we would find them THAT day. Later that afternoon Elfina knocked on my door! She said she had been planting in the fields for the past few months. I begged her to please let us know the next time she needed to leave because the hospital could have called at any time when doctors become available for Christian's shunt surgery and if we can't find her, he would miss his chance. Last night she came over and asked for a little food for the baby which I was happy to help her with as she hasn't ever asked before.
Baby Christian lives with his mother and three siblings in a small one room house made out of mud and rocks. They struggle. A LOT. Recently we were able to take Christian and his mom Elfina to a hospital in the capital that has a hydrocephalus program. He got a CT scan and we were able to get him on a waiting list for his shunt surgery he needs asap. Christian’s head is still very soft of the top which is good because it is letting the pressure out. Right now he has a good chance of survival if he can get his surgery soon. We were unable to complete all the bloodwork the day we had taken him to the hospital in Port au Prince. His caseworker told me that we could complete the lab work they needed for his file at a hospital closer to where we live and bring the results on a subsequent trip. However, when we were ready to do this, Elfina and her 4 children went missing from our neighborhood and no one could tell us where they went. We searched in another town that Elfina had mentioned she had family near our church but no one had heard from her. Her oldest son is in school and we assumed she would return with him after the two week Easter break. Yet to our dismay two months passed without word and we became very concerned. A week ago I returned from a short trip stateside attending a conference and immediately asked if there was any word concerning Elfina and her kids. “No” was the answer on Tuesday. Wednesday morning I felt especially burdened about this and prayed that we would find them THAT day. Later that afternoon Elfina knocked on my door! She said she had been planting in the fields for the past few months. I begged her to please let us know the next time she needed to leave because the hospital could have called at any time when doctors become available for Christian’s shunt surgery and if we can’t find her, he would miss his chance. Last night she came over and asked for a little food for the baby which I was happy to help her with as she hasn’t ever asked before.

These kids. They come to walk alongside us. We are trying to walk alongside them and praying for wisdom in the best ways to do that.

They always want to walk with us. It doesn't matter how far we are going or if they have shoes.
They always want to walk with us. It doesn’t matter how far we are going or if they have shoes.
They come to play
They love to come play at our house and we love to let them.
When the playing gets too rowdy the coloring books come out.
When the playing gets too rowdy the coloring books come out.
Occasionally they come to listen to Bible stories and songs. I am always in awe of how many kids can fit on one couch!
Occasionally they come to listen to Bible stories and songs. I am always in awe of how many kids can fit on one couch!
It really takes a team effort. The Ream Team kids really do serve alongside us. Sometimes I think they serve more than us parents. They engage these kids more than we ever could. Our girls can relate to our neighbors struggles more than we ever can. Our boys are not the typical missionary kids that live their lives in a bubble while their parents do all the missionary work. Our friends that come to serve with us are part of our team too. Here our teacher (for the past 7 weeks) Mrs. Katherine is sharing a Bible Story while our daughter Elita translates for the children.
It really takes a team effort. The Ream Team kids really do serve alongside us. Sometimes I think they serve more than us parents. They engage these kids more than we ever could. Our girls can relate to our neighbors struggles more than we ever can. Our boys are not the typical missionary kids that live their lives in a bubble while their parents do all the missionary work. Our friends that come to serve with us are part of our team too. Here our teacher (for the past 7 weeks) Mrs. Katherine is sharing a Bible Story while our daughter Elita translates for the children.
They like to come to read. The older boys age 13 and up can read. The younger boys and girls cannot read yet so either I read or one of the older boys take turns reading. We read from the Jesus Storybook Bible in Creole and the kids love it. They beg to take it home with them every single time. The mother's of these children cannot read. I have promised them that when we have finished reading the entire picture Bible together they may take it home.
They like to come to read. The older boys age 13 and up can read. The younger boys and girls cannot read yet so either I read or one of the older boys take turns reading. We read from the Jesus Storybook Bible in Creole and the kids love it. They beg to take it home with them every single time. The mother’s of these children cannot read. I have promised them that when we have finished reading the entire picture Bible together they may take it home.
Sometimes they come for help with their schoolwork. Sometimes Eric has mercy on them and finds this an opportunity to work on his French.
Sometimes they come for help with their schoolwork. Sometimes Eric has mercy on them and finds this an opportunity to work on his French.

The older boys also like to come for English lessons on our Rosetta Stone program. Our daughter Elita Marguerite has a huge heart to teach English to the kids in the neighborhood. She would teach all the time if she could but she has her own homework to do so we have to limit her to once or twice a week. The other night Elita and I walked through the neighborhood to these kids houses to check on one of the moms. Two sets of kids had come knocking on the gate begging me to come because Nahum, Rolanda, Saint Aline, and Davidson’s mother had been in a motorcycle accident. I asked a few questions and determined that it wasn’t urgent enough for me to come right away so we ventured out late which is always an interesting experience since not many white people are seen walking through Haitian alleyways at night with a dog on a leash. We arrived to find the mom with a foot that had been healing for 15 days. It was not infected but perhaps the kids were worried. More likely it was that we had put a few new boundaries on when they could come to the house (because otherwise they were knocking on our gate ALL DAY LONG) and the kids were not so happy about that. So they made up a reason for us to come visit them. I told them I thought as much and they giggled with an admission of “Wi!” While laughing with them we suddenly hear the words “Boy”, “Girl”, “Man”, “Woman,” in the exact same voice as the Rosetta Stone speaker lady. I thought, “Did someone steal the kids old laptop?” then realized it was the boys who come to our house trying to practice their English. They had not only memorized the words and meanings but felt it important to learn to mimic the exact tone of the spoken words! They are so funny!

The kids computer we had for this is no longer working well enough for them to use it. It just keeps shutting off a few minutes into the program. We are hoping to be able to purchase another computer or two for this purpose within the next few months. The Rosetta Stone program we have will only run on a PC and our only other working computer is a Mac. Sharing one computer with a large household is getting to be ridiculous. It’s one reason these post are so long when I finally get the chance to use the computer for any stretch of time. We really need a few more computers. Nahum asks on a daily basis if the computer is working yet.

Nahum is 13
This is Ethan’s friend Nahum. Nahum has the prettiest little voice. He likes to sing hymns  as we walk along. Nahum is 14 years old. He wears a size 5/6 or 7/8 in little boys clothes. I know because he is usually wearing Evan’s hand me downs from two years ago. His mother tells me he was sick as a little boy. He is always hungry. He loves playing, reading, and learning English. Nahum is the oldest of his four siblings. Saint Aline, the youngest of the water carrying girls is his little sister. The small circle of houses that is the community of families he lives in have many health needs. I have shared about Nahum and his family before and he and his siblings have been sponsored for school this year. We are becoming more aware of their needs as we continue to build relationships with his family and the other families that live near him. Nahum’s grandmother is one of the most precious women I have ever met. She joyfully cares for her grand babies at age 72 after being widowed for the past 16 years.
This is Angelika proudly showing me the "koule woch" we happened upon on our walk. We help Angelika go to school. I am concerned about her health because her hair is so orange. This is a sign of lots of malnourishment.
This is Angelica proudly showing me the “koule woch” we happened upon on our walk. We help Angelica go to school. I am concerned about her health because her hair is so orange. This is a sign of lots of malnourishment in her eleven years of life. She is tough and is the only kid who isn’t afraid of our Dally dog. She likes to help me take Dally for walks and tells the fearful watchers that Dally is going to eat them all! We have recently been treating her for scabies. Angelica’s younger twin sisters were relinquished to an orphanage.
This is an icky case of scabies on sweet Archely. I started treatments of specific essential oils targeted to kill scabies parasites and eggs. Archely came to our house three times a day for treatments until I could tell it was working and entrusted a bottle with the mixture to her mother. It has been one month and I'm happy to see that her scabies are gone and we did not have to resort to toxic chemicals to get rid of it! I thought about it a few times as the 3 x per day thing was a bit rough. But I love Archely. I know her body is already struggling and I didn't want to treat her differently than I would my own kids.
This is an icky case of scabies on sweet Archely. The infestation covered her face, neck, shoulders, arms, back, chest, and stomach. I started treatments of specific Young Living essential oils targeted to kill scabies parasites and eggs. Archely came to our house three times a day for treatments until I could tell it was working and entrusted a bottle with the mixture to her mother. It has been one month and I’m happy to see that her scabies are gone and we did not have to resort to toxic chemicals to get rid of it! I thought about it a few times as the 3 x per day thing was a bit rough. But I love Archely. I know her body is already struggling and I didn’t want to treat her differently than I would my own kids.
Archely 3 weeks later!
And this is Archely 3 weeks after we began scabies treatments using only Young Living Essential Oils mixed with unrefined organic coconut oil! Her overall health seemed to improve from these treatments as well! But she is still just as petrified of Dally dog!
This is Markendale and his mother Madame Tima. Markendale's foot was cut with an axe. His mom took him to the hospital for stitches but had no means to clean and care for the wound afterward. By the time they came to me it was infected. We got him cleaned up and started him on antibiotics twice a day. Those had to be kept refrigerated which is not possible at their home so he came twice a day with Archely for me to change his dressings and give him his medicine.
This is Markendale and his mother Madame Tima. Five year old Markendale’s foot was cut with an axe. His mom took him to the hospital for stitches but had no means to clean and care for the wound afterward. By the time they came to me it was infected. We got him cleaned up and started him on antibiotics twice a day. Those had to be kept refrigerated which is not possible at their home so he came twice a day with Archely (who I was treating for scabies) for me to change his dressings and give him his medicine. Markendale has a younger brother named Emmanuel.
Medical-Emmanuel and Markendale
Three year old Emmanuel needs surgery on his abdomen for a herniated umbilical cord. His bowels are emptying into his grossly enlarged belly button which is not good.  There are so many needs in this family. Madame Tima tries so hard. She has birthed seven sons and one daughter. They have all survived. She is a good mother and has such a sweet spirit about her. I have loved getting to know her and watching her with her children. She has relinquished one of her son’s to an orphanage because she could not care for him. I have asked her about this a few times. She tells me he was sick and the white lady offered to take him. Then they kept him there. She says she guesses he will return to her when he is eighteen. She feels powerless to get him back because her son has sponsors that give him medical attention, schooling, and 3 meals a day that she cannot provide. The orphanage where her son lives is located on the same street we live on. Her son is being raised by nice foreigners among other children also from our neighborhood including Angelica’s twin sisters. Our friends who run the orphanage take care of him well, but will never replace his family or the time he has lost with them. There isn’t a day that goes by since I found this out that I wish something could have, would have been done differently to keep this family together. There isn’t a time that I see Madame Tima and her children that I don’t cry for them. I know their suffering makes them stronger. Their stories make me stronger. And once again I hear a whisper say, “This is why you are here. Now fight for them.” Please pray that I will be able to do that in helpful ways. These families need to be able to thrive and not just survive. 
Elisabeth Doctor
I am taking out my second set of stitches for that week.
Medical-Mom's and boys on way to hospital
Yanise is the mother of baby Chesnaldo (“Do-Do”) on the left. Madame Tima is the mother of Emmanuel on the right. We are on the way to the hospital to get long awaited answers for their sons. We have been waiting for an American medical team to come.
Medical-Emmanuel at hospital
Emmanuel’s abdominal surgery was set for Thursday. We were very excited to finally see this little boy get better. His severely herniated umbilical has plagued his little body with constant infections and fevers. Unfortunately (and I’m still crying over this) we accidentally gave him a banana the morning of the scheduled surgery which was the last day the medical team was here. Because he had eaten within eight hours of operating time, they were unable to operate. I was dolling out bananas to the other kids receiving Giardia treatments on my porch that morning before we left for the hospital. They are supposed to eat with the medicine. Sometimes the dolling out of bananas gets chaotic. Somehow in the chaos Emmanuel scarfed down a banana. I’m so sad he has to wait again for his surgery. But I’m thankful we figured out he had eaten before they tried to operate.
Medical-Madame Tima
While her son did not received his expected operation, Madame Tima got an unexpected operation! An ENT specialist spotted her waiting with Emmanuel in the hallway and asked me what she was there for. I told the doctor that we were there for her son. Then doc said, “Well I would sure like to take care of that nasal obstruction for her and I happen to have a few minutes.” Madame Tima has had a very large mole on the end of her nose for as long as she can remember. She went home with a new nose that day! I got to hold her hand during the procedure, translate, and take out that stitch too!
Medical-Jocelyn
Another day at the hospital. This is Jocelyn. She is Aleando’s sweet mom. She can find the best produce in the market for the best prices. I miss her shopping for me and getting to talk to her when she comes to my house. She has been so sick with this pregnancy. I was worried she had contracted Zika and for the complications this could cause for her baby. I scheduled a sonogram for her and we were relieved to see the baby has normal, healthy development. Aleando had hoped for a baby brother. He will get his wish!

Jocelyn is pretty shy. I have been trying to build a relationship with her and hoped for an opportunity to ask her about her own salvation after the salvation of her son. Outside the hospital after her sonogram, she thanked me for paying for her to see the doctor and told me she was very happy to know the baby is ok. We sat and waited for Eric to pick us up for longer than I expected. Since we had just shared the intimate moments of seeing her son on the screen and she seemed open to conversation, I prayed silently for the right words in Creole and began to ask her about her walk with the Lord. She told me she had been attending the Baptist Church in our neighborhood for about a year but hasn’t been to church lately. I asked her, “Jocelyn, if a big truck hits us on the way home and we die and go to meet our Maker, what would you say if He asked you, ‘Why should I let you into heaven?’ “She believes (as most Haitian “Christians” do) that she must “mache dwat” in order to obtain and keep her salvation. I asked her if she thinks she has “walked straight” enough. She said she hopes so. I asked her what “walking straight” means to her. Then I asked her if she has walked straight according to God’s Word. We went round and round for a few minutes and then I told her, “Jocelyn, you are pregnant and you are not married. You have been pregnant three times by different men you are not married to. God’s Word says that is not walking straight”. She agreed with that. “But God’s Word also says that he still loves you.” Then I shared with her my own sin struggles. How sometimes I get mad at my husband and my kids and that is not “walking straight” either. But God still loves me. I shared the gospel with her and that if we could ever walk straight enough then Jesus wouldn’t have had to die to take the place of our sin. I felt the Holy Spirit helping me share in Creole. There were two others on the bench listening. We had taken both Jocelyn and the sixteen year old cousin of Yanise (the mother of baby Do-Do who had seen a doctor earlier in the week for his nerve issue) for sonograms that morning. Worried about her cousin, Yanise had ridden a motorcycle to come be with her later that morning and I offered her a ride home. Her cousin was having a sonogram for breast pain and was relieved to find there is nothing wrong. Yanise and her cousin sat on the bench listening to my conversation with Jocelyn. I didn’t know them really. But as they stopped talking to each other and started listening intently to our conversations about the gospel I asked Yanise to share her own experience with me. She couldn’t. She shared a lot of things but nothing resembling the gospel. Eric arrived to pick us up and I told him about the conversation we had been having while waiting for him. I asked Yanise if she would share with Eric what she had with me so that I could make sure I understood her correctly. Eric’s Creole is much better than mine. He said that I had the story straight but it didn’t have anything to do with Jesus and salvation. We shared a little more on the ride home and told the ladies we would never want them to just take our word for truth. We asked them if anyone had ever shown them from God’s Word how they can know how to have eternal life. They all said they had not. We asked them if they would like to come to our house so we could show them. We wanted this to be their choice and asked them when they would like to come. They said “tomorrow” because they needed to get home to their kids after being at the hospital all day. They set the time for 10:00 am the next day. The next day only one out of the three came. It was Yanise.

Eric came to my bedside and told me Yanise had come. I had been up sick, sick, sick ALL NIGHT LONG and the sickness continued throughout that day. I didn't know if I had picked up something at the hospital that week or if it was food poisoning from the local restaurant we had eaten at the night before. I wanted to go downstairs and share with Yanise but I didn't want to risk getting her sick and was really too weak and tired to get up. Eric asked me if I wanted him to wait and I said, "No. If she showed up that means she is hungry. I know I clearly shared the gospel with her yesterday. Can you just show her the Scriptures and talk with her?" He said he would. About an hour later he came to tell me that I had a new sister in Christ named Yanise.
Eric came to my bedside and told me Yanise had come. I had been up sick, sick, sick ALL NIGHT LONG and the sickness continued throughout that day. I didn’t know if I had picked up something at the hospital that week or if it was food poisoning from the local restaurant we had eaten at the night before. I wanted to go downstairs and share with Yanise but I didn’t want to risk getting her sick and was really too weak and tired to get up. Eric asked me if I wanted him to wait and I said, “No. If she showed up that means she is hungry. I know I clearly shared the gospel with her yesterday. Can you just show her the Scriptures and talk with her?” He said he would. About an hour later he came to tell me that I had a new sister in Christ named Yanise.
Medical-Marie with Aunt
We had taken Yanise and her son “Do-Do” to the hospital on Monday. I had known “Do-Do” because of my relationship with his grandmother who is also Nahum’s grandmother I mentioned earlier. But I had only met her daughter in law, Do-Do’s mother Yanise once before we took her to the hospital with her son. Yanise decided that she should tell her neighbor to visit me because maybe I could help with her niece as well. So on Tuesday I get a knock at the gate from these strangers I had never seen before. I ask why they have come and they tell me that this little girl is sick. Once again I give the schpill that I am no doctor or nurse and that they should go visit the clinic. She said she had and that no one could help them. I see nothing apparently wrong with the child and was about to send them on their way (because of course we really cannot be expected to help every single person in our neighborhood with medical care), when I heard the little girl struggling to breathe. I asked if the sickness was in her throat and her aunt said, “yes”. I ran to get a flashlight and looked down the child’s throat.
Medical-Marie's Throat
And I could see why she was struggling to breathe. There was NO airway! Her tonsils were SO swollen I couldn’t see how she was breathing at all! I took these pictures to send to the doctor. You know, the ENT specialist who just happen to be in Haiti, who just happen to give me her phone number the day before so I could text her the picture of her operating on Madame Tima. And the same ENT specialist our friend had been waiting for a year to come to remove the tonsils causing havoc on both his little sons. I knew the doctors were really backed up but I knew that I had to get this little girl in while the ENT doctor was there! This was nothing short of a miracle y’all! So I call Eric at work for another medical errand begging him to take this little girl we don’t know to the hospital. I call our friend whose sons had just had their tonsils out to explain to the aunt what to expect and how much the surgery will cost. She runs off to try and collect the funds quickly. I tell her to be back in 30 minutes with the mother for Eric to pick them up. Of course we can’t find them 2 hours later. But eventually I did find them through the grapevine and off they went to the hospital.
Medical-Marie Tonsils
Little Marie Louis went in for surgery the following morning. The ENT specialist said they rate tonsils on a scale of 1-4 with 4 being severe. She said, “Marie was a 5.” It was a rough week for Marie after her surgery. She didn’t understand why she could only have liquids and her family was giving her things that burned her throat. She had a few fattening milkshakes from us. Eric was a tad annoyed that he had to take off from work AGAIN to make a hospital run. But now he says, “She’s my buddy!” and her aunt says she keeps asking to come see “Mesye Eric”! I’m just so in awe that God brought her to our door at just the right moment. There is never a dull moment here!

“It’s messier doing it that way. It’s harder to cry with a real person, a real heart, than it is to cry about a hypothetical situation a world away. It is messy, this business of knowing those we serve, of learning from those we once hoped to teach. It is the harder choice, investing in lives and not just stomachs or bandages, knowing people and not just stories, letting these stories become not just our projects but also our lives.” 

-Katie Davis

Medical-Me and girls

Their suffering makes them stronger. Their stories make us stronger. Their salvation means we will get to be neighbors for eternity. Thank you for letting us be part of their stories and letting us share in their sufferings. We don’t always know how or have the means to do that well. But we believe it is what Jesus wants us to do. We need His church to come alongside us in this mess more than ever.

 

 

3 Replies to “It’s Messier This Way: Building Relationships through Scabies, Stitches, Sonograms, Surgeries and Salvations”

  1. Oh, Elizabeth….I have no words, except that your words have touched my heart. Thank you for sharing your stories and speaking for those who have no voice. Love and prayers, Nancy Satterwhite

  2. Goodness. I cried three different times in this. Thanks for sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. I sure am thankful for your family and the work you do in Haiti!

  3. I love you all! Thank God for protecting you and giving you the endurance to tough it out and make real relationships with these people. They are so fortunate to have you serving near them.

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