Attended church this morning – it is held on the mission grounds under a large tent roof. It was pleasant sitting there with a cool breeze flowing through the sides. The children’s choir sang this morning – what a treat to hear their beautiful voices. We were able to bring greetings to the people from you all in Australia, and assured them of our continued support, and our goal to encourage more Australians to join us in helping the people of Haiti. We will be coming home with more files of children in need of caring sponsors – please consider this for yourself and encourage your friends to participate in changing lives and giving hope for a better future.
Working today with the sponsored children at Mirebelais, and Steve is going to Thomasiqueto help do some work on the bathrooms in preparation for a team of 35 coming next week to do some building works there. Tfhe orphanage there has close to 2,000children – so many in need, and without this place for the children to go, many would be living on the streets or worse.
Steve saw a cow slaughtered today, Isaac thought it was cool to see the cow’s head on the concrete, I didn’t want to know about it!!
So many experiences here and so many great stories of how the mission is helping people. Will share more later. Love to you all, Deb, Steve and Isaac
Hi again from Haiti! We are at our mission orphanage at Mirebelais, where there are 80 children being cared for. Some of these children are sponsored by Australian families, and it is so great to see the children well cared for and happy in a nice clean environment. We’ve been busy and seen so many needs, as well as the great work being done by HCM and our partner organisation, GVCM. We would en…courage others to come and see for yourself all that is being done, and be a part of it too. All helping hands are much appreciated, and there is lots to be done. Thankyou to all our wonderful friends who have supported us over 27 years now with our work through HCM Australia. We have seen such wonderful results of that support, and the people of Haiti thankyou so much
This is my 4th attempt, so trust I don’t lose connection. Had a busy day meeting with all the sponsored children here at Fonds. Gave them all a small gift of toothpaste, toothbrush, notebook, pencils and lollypops, as well as gifts to some of the children from their sponsors. Will see the other sponsored children tomorrow and give out their gifts also, as well as take new photos for all the sponsors!
Visited a very poor village today with the medical team. So heart-wrenching, but makes us determined to keep on helping the people of Haiti.
Having some difficulties with internet etc, but Jonas and Ada are helping us out! So hope to have some photos to share soon.
Visited the village today where homes are being built for families. UN arrived to deliver fresh water to these grateful families. Large team of medics here also, and they’re busy with clinics and visiting remote villages. Will begin distributing supplies to some of the children …in our orphanages tomorrow, and buying rice for families also. Isaac having a ball playing with all the children – even soccer in the pouring rain! Please promote our sponsorship programme to your friends, as there are so many children here in need of your support, which makes a huge difference to their lives, and gives hope for a better future. We will be bringing home new files of children desperately needing a caring sponsor.
Will have lots more to share soon. Love to all, Debbie, Steve & Isaac
We leave for Haiti on 11th March (this Sun) and will return on 6th April. Our son, 10 year old Isaac will be travelling with us – his first visit to Haiti. We will be spending time with our building project as well as other projects run by HCM and will enjoy meeting with all the children sponsored by Australian families. We have had many generous people donate goods for us to fill our cases with.
These items will be distributed amongst the needy people of Haiti, including children in our mission’s orphanages. Items include toiletries such as toothbrushes, toothpaste donated by Aldi Supermarket Sebastopol, soap, deodorant, stationary items for the schoolchildren, socks, undies and other clothing items as well as toys, hair ties etc for the girls, balloons, bubble blowers, bandaids etc and also some cute teddies knitted by myself and my friend, Wendy Arnold.
We want to thank the many generous people who have supported us with donated goods, and also financial support to enable us to make this trip possible. We are humbled by your kindness, and encouraged by your wonderful support. – Debbie and Steve Rasmussen.
It’s getting exciting with everything coming together for our upcoming fundraising event, the Fun Run.
We do encourage you to come along and support this great event. You don’t have to be a super athlete – you can walk the lake with your family and know that you are helping those in Haiti devastated by the recent earthquake, as well as having a fun time with others in our local community joining together to help others.
We will have a marquee with a big screen power point presentation which will show many of the things we encountered while in Haiti. We will also have a display of various Haitian crafts as well files and photos of children in desperate need of a sponsor.
There will be food and drink available for purchase, as well as children’s activities including face painting, and giant slide.
We do hope you can come and be a part of the day, and don’t forget to come and say hello to us!
February 25th, 2010 in
Uncategorized |
No Comments
We’re finally home after many experiences during our time away. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with Ps. Steve amd his wife Betty. They were so busy there with hundreds swarming into the mission grounds for treatment at the medical clinic and searching for food and water.
Betty was kept very busy caring for the 50 volunteer doctors, nurses and paramedics who arrived unexpectedly to work amongst the many needy people. There wasn’t a spare spot to lay a mattress, and the whole porch was taken up with small tents , and bodies everywhere!
We have 50 new sponsorship files of children whose families have lost their homes, and who are now living outside in the grounds of the mission. Sponsorship will make a huge impact on the lives of these children and their families. Please contct us for more details and/or photos of these children.
We met many families left homeless by the earthquake, and people who were pulled from the rubble, while their family members died. So many sad stories,and yet they remain positive and hopeful for the future.
We would encourage you to look up the info about the Ballarat Runs for Haiti Fun Run on 7th March, around Lake Wendouree. It should be a great event, with lots of people showing interest. Get a group of friends together and get involved. We have some big projects planned for the mission and this is a great way to raise some large amounts of money towards these. The tragedy of the earthquake is past, but the struggle of the Haitian people goes on. We need to make sure they’re not forgotten and do whatever we can to help them.
We’re happy to speak to any groups etc about Haiti and our involvement, just contact us if you’re interested in having us come to your group.
Best wishes to you all, Steve and Debbie
February 18th, 2010 in
Uncategorized |
No Comments
We are here at the Haitian Christian Mission at Fonds – Parisienne in the countryside of Haiti. The work will now be based here as there is so much chaos and destruction in Port – au – Prince.
There are three teams of doctors and nurses here working hard with all the patients who come here each day. The gates of the mission open each morning at 6am, and by 7am the grounds are full of patients and their families. The little boy suffering from malnutrition is responding to treatment, and is now eating on his own and asking for food. We need a sponsor for this little boy who is 18 months old.
As well as injuries from the earthquake, the doctors are also treating patients from disease related illnesses. There is much rubbish and decaying debris on the streets, and fires are it everywhere to burn the rubbish, including body parts . The stench and smoke fill the air with a thick haze, which makes it hard to breathe and stings the eyes.
At the mission many people have come to stay as their homes have been destroyed. They camp in the grounds, some in tents and others just in the open. They have even had to use some of the school classrooms to accomodate families. There are around 150 tent cities scattered throughout Haiti to try and provide shelter for the thousands of homeless people. They are crammed so close together, and sanitation is non existant, so the spread of disease is high. Food is being eaten and sold beside piles of rotting debris, covered with flies.
There are so many children in need of sponsorship – more than ever before. We have met many people who have come through the sponsorship programme, and they tell us what a great difference this help has made in their lives. We have met doctors, nurses and teachers who have all been sponsored. Dr. Maxene is working hard heading the mission hospital and is specialising in OB-GYN, where there is a great need. There is another young doctor apatrick who has also been sponsored, and these men are now working so hard and tirelessly helping other Haitians
Thankyou for your continued support and prayers for the work of HCM.
With love, and may God bless you, Debbie and Steve
February 9th, 2010 in
Uncategorized |
No Comments
We are finally in Haiti after a long 7 hour drive, we also did some filming today and we are all very tired.
I thought I was prepared for what we were going to see, but my goodness, nothing could take away the absolute horror of the scenes before us. It was such an emotional and exhausting time. The devastation is almost too much to comprehend, and to see all the tents and shelters set up everywhere – even on top of collapsed buildings, is just a terrible sight. How these poor people have suffered, and it’s going to take such a huge amount of work to improve the situation.
Tomorrow we will see Ps. Steve and Betty, we will be heading to an orphange of 100 children, hospitals and some other buildings.
We will also have the chance to catch up with Jonas and Timothee’s mother Marie- Lucie.
I will have to go now, we are having trouble with the internet and phone lines, but will try and stay in touch as much as possible.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our precious son Isaac who turns 8 today! Hope you had a great day at Dreamworld!
Love
Debbie and Stephen
February 4th, 2010 in
Uncategorized |
No Comments