Ayiti Cherie... Haiti dear

I am sure all you are seeing and reading of Haiti this week is rioting, protests, violence, anger and frustration.  Yes those things are happening but they are not the only thing that is happening in Haiti right now. Let me show you a different side to Haiti.

 Life here in the north was resuming to somewhat normal with more public transport than we have seen in a couple of weeks, friends going to the market in Cap Haitian and reports that protests were on hold for the weekend to give people a chance to get out and stock up on food and other supplies.

The boys and Bill had not left the Emmaus campus for almost two weeks so with things a little calmer it was time to get them out somewhere...anywhere!

We drove two miles down the road with our neighbours and took a water taxi to Amiga island....a deserted island with a beautiful beach and it was exactly what we all needed.  The boys spent all day in the ocean and playing in the sand, we explored the island and brought a picnic lunch.  I must admit it felt like a really strange thing to do in the middle of everything that is going on but it was good.

And just look....how beautiful is Haiti.  Haiti has so much potential, it has beautiful beaches, places to snorkel, mountains for hiking, forts, colonial cities, vibrant culture and beautiful people.  So much potential and so little opportunity.

Today we walked down the road to church where Bill was preaching and it was both encouraging and refreshing.  After all the negative we have heard for the past ten day days, the photos we have seen of riots and road blocks, the videos of people making petrol bombs, setting cars on fire and more.  It was so refreshing to go to church and see the people of  God coming together to worship.  And worship they did!

It was also encouraging to see our brothers and sisters in Christ throwing their arms in the air and worshiping God for who he is and what he has done for them.  How easy it would be to sit in a church service in Haiti this morning and question God.  But that is not what we saw today.  We saw a people grateful for an opportunity to come together and praise their Lord despite the daily suffering they experience.

The problems are all still there, there is still no fuel here in the North, food is still way to expensive, schools and businesses are still closed and life is still way way too hard for everyone.  But a chance to step back, take some rest and worship with our Haitian brothers and sisters helps us remember the other side of Haiti and gives us hope for Haiti.

These past ten days of riots are a result of years and years and years of suffering that the Haitian people have endured.  The president addressed the nation on Thursday, last night the prime minister spoke and we are praying these changes that will be implemented will spark a change that will make Haiti different for the next generation.

We don't know what this next week holds so we continue to pray for Haiti and her people.  Praying for the protests to stop, praying for wisdom for government,  for fuel, food and water supplies to get to those who need them, for schools and businesses to open and for the voice of the church to be loud proclaiming love and peace and joy in the middle of chaos. 

At a standstill

Its been almost a week since I last updated and unfortunately there is not much change. I went to Bethesda on Monday for a couple of hours, where we had around 30 patients for general consultation which is a lot less than our usual 120 - 150 on a Monday morning.  Today Dr Rodney told me not to come, there were very few patients there and we do not know when a road block might go up.

Emmaus was having classes up until this morning but now classes are cancelled until further notice.

We are waiting and waiting for this these protests to stop, for the president to say something or do something.  People are calling this 'payi lock' which literally means a locked country. 

Haiti truly needs your prayers at this time.

This is the Emmaus update from yesterday...

President Jovenel Moise's announcement last week that Haiti is in a state of true economic emergency was no surprise to anyone.  For the last several months, food prices have been rising almost daily, fuel has been becoming more and more scarce and more and more expensive when found, and the value of the Haitian currency has been decreasing at an alarming speed.  For over a week now, all elementary schools, most businesses, banks and gas stations have been closed. Protests, barricades and general desperation and frustration abound, making travel difficult and often dangerous.    The day is dark and uncertain indeed. The country is at a stand-still, seemingly locked in a bad place.  What does all this mean for Emmaus? We are still having classes this week.  Those who are on campus or who can come are coming, those who cannot are not.  What we can do we are doing. What fuel we have we are using, what food we have we are cooking, what classes we can we are holding.  We do not know what the future holds.  THANK YOU for your support of Emmaus, which has enabled us to have these things that are suddenly of great value, food and fuel and help for our staff and students and community. We are waiting on the Lord. Any or all of this without the Lord would be entirely hopeless, completely discouraging and render despair.  But NONE of this is without the Lord, and there is nothing He cannot do.  What a joy to see our staff and students continue to wait upon the Lord with heavy hearts, trusting Him. We are fervently asking for your prayers. In a situation that seems to have no solutions, we are depending upon The Answer to answer the mighty prayers of many.  We need prayers for peace, prayers for help, prayers for the leaders, prayers for the people, prayers for solutions, prayers for movement, prayers for Haiti.  We are lights in great darkness. As Emmaus--a group of His children far more than a place--continues to come and go and live throughout Haiti, the need for courageous Christian community leaders abounds.  The need for a shining light in oppressive darkness is great. And that is exactly what Emmaus it.  Pray for each person who is boldly living out His Light in a dark land, in a dark time.   The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:5 Amen. May it be.   Thank you for being a praying, giving, going part of developing Christ-like leaders for Haiti, for such a time as this. Stacey Ayars, for the Emmaus family

Prayers for Haiti

Its been a while.... life has been busy and updating you has taken a backseat! Sorry.  But today I am supposed to be at work and the boys are supposed to be at school but we are at home because of protests which started yesterday.

Last week we heard rumours of demonstrations that would take place on 7th but we never know what is actually going to happen until it happens.  So I got up and drove to Bethesda and  the roads were empty, I passed one tap tap (normally I would pass upwards of 30 maybe more!!) along the way.  When I got to Bethesda there were 4 staff members there including myself and no patients for general consultation, our emergency department was open and we maybe had 10 patients there.

There are a few big issues right now fueling these protests,  one of them being the gas shortage which has been going on for about a month.  I don't know all the ins and outs but something to do with Haiti owing money and not being able to pay.  When there is gas there are hundreds of motorbikes at every station with people waiting all day to get some.  This then means the price of public transport, tap taps and moto's has gone up.

Another issue being the rate of the Haitian gourde against the US dollar.  With Haiti importing a LOT (maybe more than 75%) of its goods from the US the exchange rate is very important.  When  I was in Haiti in 2010 the rate was 40 gourdes to $1 US, this last September it was 65.  Over the past few months the rate just keeps going up and up and now it is sitting at 80 gourdes to $1 US meaning that the price of everything is increasing.  But what seems to be mostly affecting people is the price of food and we know, we buy it here and food is expensive.  Yverose told me today in September a cup of rice was 20 or 25 gourdes....today it is 40.  That is almost double in less than 6 months.

To add these extra issues onto an already difficult living situation and seeing things just get worse and worse the people of Haiti are tired.  Tired of being hungry, of not being able to afford to send their kids to school, of waiting for hours at the petrol station to pay for a little gas and the only way they know how to get any change is by protesting against it.  So yesterday and today schools and businesses are closed, there is no public transport on the road and everything is at a stand still.

On Tuesday the president declared Haiti to be in a state of economic emergency but whether the government is able to do anything or not I don't know.

So Haiti needs our prayers,it is even hard to know what to pray for but here are a few requests..

Pray for the exchange rate to stabilize.  Over the past month the rate has been going up almost weekly.

Pray for Haiti's president, Jovenel Moise for wisdom and leadership and for his government. 

Pray for the protests to stop, most people live by buying the food they need for that day.  As long as the protests continue, the market will be shut and finding food will become more difficult.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to move in people's lives and that Haiti would turn from its voodoo beliefs and culture and put their faith in Jesus.

Establishing Sustainability

I'm a little (a lot) behind on updates here but I do want to rewind a bit to the week before Christmas when our PT team from the south west baptist university came to work with Altidor and I at Bethesda.

This is the same university who sent the team in January and brought all of our supplies and equipment for the new building.  It was so great to have them come back and to continue to support the therapy work at Bethesda.

Our team including translators 

Two of the team members arrived the week before and treated patients with Altidor and I, at the same time provided some great on the job training.  They were also able to bring down 3 paediatric wheelchairs which are almost impossible to find in Haiti. We spent most of Friday fitting two of the chairs as best as we could.  Once Yvelinda's was fitted and her mum pushed her around she could not keep the smile off her wee face.  This is a huge blessing for these families, not only to be able to take their kids for a walk but to have somewhere safe where they can sit at home.  And the chairs have lots of room in them for growing space so they will last a long time.

The rest of the team arrived on Sunday and were straight into work on Monday. Each morning in staff devotions the team educated our staff on various subjects and also shared a devotional everyday.

Over the next 4 days we treated over 100 patients, many of whom were also prayed with and one young girl gave her life to Jesus.  In the afternoons we invited local Haitian PT techs to come and complete a course in the management of low back pain.  I love this team coming because of the training aspect they bring.  My working life hasn't exactly been career orientated given that most of my therapy work has been in Haiti so for us to have a stroke specialist, an orthopaedic specialist and students who are just about to graduate with so much fresh knowledge and up to date research is really great as they pour that knowledge into Altidor and I so we can treat our patients better.

Here are some highlights and specific patients which our team members felt stood out to them during the week....

'For me personally, working with the patients in general was incredible and solidified why I want to be a physical therapist and that I choose the right profession to pursue! But to be honest the highlight of the trip was being the lab assistant to Tom during the classes and watching the PT techs start to teach themselves towards the end of the week and we just backed off and watched them. We talked about this as a group, but I felt as if that was a depiction of our entire trip. We weren’t there just to do something, but to try and teach so that the impact will last longer.'

'I worked with the woman who was carried in but walked out. That was also the patient that I challenged Altidor with, and she took over the treatment session and was very effective! Hopefully she continues to come to therapy and Altidor can see her make big improvements over the next few weeks.'

'The first is the man who told me that he is “not yet” a follower of Christ, because he owes a debt to the devil. I saw a tenderness in him as he told me, but I could see that he was paralyzed by fear. I had the chance to speak some truth to him about Christ paying all of our debts for us. I will continue to pray for truth to penetrate his fear.

My second favorite patient was one of the oldest people I saw that week. I think she was 88. I asked her if I could pray for her, and she got very excited. She said she has recently given her life to Christ, and asked me to pray for her spiritual growth. That really struck me. I saw how much the church is alive and well in Haiti and people’s lives are being transformed. As long as people are living on earth, they can still be transformed- even at age 88. That gave me hope for the other man. God is big enough to forever change hearts and lives, one at a time.'

'I've been to Haiti three times and I have only had one patient tell me they were not a Believer or hadn’t given their life to Christ. As I finished my session up with this 18 year old female, Tousson, I asked her if I could pray for her. She said yes and I asked if she went to church around where the clinic is located in Vaudreuil, Haiti. She said she attended church but hadn’t given her life to Christ. If I’m being really honest, I had a minor freak out moment. I had never had a patient tell me that before and I didn’t know what to say next. Thankfully, the Lord spoke to me and reminded me my job is not to convert or change this girl, but to just speak truth. While I was having this mini conversation in my head, my translator, Ruth Daniella, turned toward me saying that Tousson wanted to give her life to Christ. Some background on her story is that her mom is in the US and for unknown reasons is not able to get back to Haiti, and her father is deceased. She attends a Christian church but hadn’t ever submitted her life to Christ and accepted Him as her Saviour. Long story short, we cried, prayed and Tousson gave her life to Christ that day. One of the things I love about this story is that after this all happened, Ruth Daniella immediately got her phone number and told her she would check in with her and continue to encourage her in her faith. It was such a relief to know that the Lord was already lining people up to be able to mentor, disciple and encourage this girl. This experience was a highlight of my trip.'

Merry Christmas

In North America people send Christmas letters updating friends and family on the past year.  In the UK we send Christmas cards.  As missionaries our lives are always public so in a weird cultural mix of all of those things we have decided to do this...

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.  Thank you all for your 

prayers and support over this past crazy year. 

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Prayers for Haiti

Haiti is going through a time of political instability which began a couple of weeks ago.  There were planned manifestations (protests)  for the 18th November, which began on 17th and didn’t finish until 22nd. Unfortunately these protests consist of road blocks, burning tyres in the street, throwing rocks and bottles along with threatening messages making their way around the country through whatsapp, which results in almost everyone too scared to leave their homes.  Schools, hospitals, markets and businesses were closed and the whole city of Cap Haitian was on shut down.

I cannot begin to understand or even explain why people are protesting because I  have heard many different reasons.  Some people are saying it’s because the cost of living in Haiti is so expensive (which it is!), some say its the opposition party paying people to protest, who want the president to step down and some say its to do with the petrocaribe ( something to do with government corruption over subsidized fuel sent from Venezuela).  Honestly its difficult to know what to believe but for your average person its just another thing which makes an already difficult life even more difficult.

Whatever the reason is it’s not been good for Haiti. Protests mean no one can get into town to do business, buy food, bring fuel etc.  Schools were closed for just over a week and some parents are still scared to send their children to school.  Things seem to be getting back to normal this week but there are rumours of more protests coming, whether these will happen or not we don't know.

So once again we ask for your prayers for Haiti. Right now its for the political situation to settle down and for God to bring peace.

Bill and I talk often of what will change Haiti, there are so so many problems and issues how would someone even know where to begin.  According to statistics it is estimated there are over 10,000, yes I did mean to write ten thousand, NGO/aid/mission organizations working in Haiti.  Even with all that help many people still live in extreme poverty and people tell me things are more difficult now than they were in the past.

So what is the answer?  It can only be the gospel.  Business is good, jobs are good, healthcare is good, education for kids is good and there is no doubt many of these organisations are doing good things but only with the gospel will Haiti truly change.

Imagine a community, a country where people tell the truth, where there is no jealousy, where children are born within the constraints of marriage, where people love their enemies and do good to those who persecute them, where there is no stealing, where people work together and there is unity, where there is faithfulness in marriage and where people love one another. It sounds impossible doesn't it?

But through the power of the gospel and the holy spirit it is possible.

Colossians 3 v 12-16

Put on then as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against one another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love which binds everything together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful. 

Looking for the good

Most of the time living in Haiti its so easy to complain.  There are so many things to complain about...the road, the constant sweating, mosquitoes, being stared at etc etc Anyway this post is supposed to be the opposite of that so I won't complain anymore!

Its been hard adjusting back to life in Haiti and I've had a hard time seeing the positives and where God is working but over this past week I've been looking and want to share a couple stories with you. 

Last Friday we had an old man come in for physio.  He had had a stroke in 2014 and a neighbour told him to come to Bethesda for physio.  We got talking and this man told us his story.  He is from Port au Prince but left come to Cap for a job in 2006 and has not heard from his children since then.  After his stroke he has been unable to work and now a friend gives him somewhere to sleep and other friends give him some food.  He suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure (on Friday his BP was 180/100!) and his feet were incredibly swollen.  He doesn't have the means to go to any doctor so both are uncontrolled.  Altidor and I quickly realised his main problem could not be helped by physio. I spoke to Dr Rodney about his care and he wrote a note that Bethesda would pay for his care.  The next day he returned for a consultation where he received the medicine he needs for both blood pressure and diabetes.  What is even better about this is he can come back every month and get the medicine free of charge.  This is only because of our indigent care fund which enables Bethesda to help those people who are really poor and cannot afford medical treatment.

Afterwards he came back to the physio room to say thank you and told me ' God sent you here just for me to get taken care of, I am really happy today.  God bless you,'

Next was a patient I treated in January.  She had been ill for about 8 months with extreme back pain and leg pain,  gradually loosing strength in her legs and now unable to walk with out a zimmer frame. She is only in her early 40's and had been to many doctors and was now going to a neurologist but was not improving at all.  I only treated her twice before she returned to Port au Prince to keep going to the neurologist.  She came back this week walking independently! I couldn't believe when she walked in.  We asked what happened.  She told us she had been to a neurologist, then a orthopaedic doctor, but neither made any difference. After that she said she 'did another thing' but wouldn't tell us what that was, which usually means she went to a witch doctor.

Later I was taking a full assessment and she repeated about the doctors then she told me she just prayed and prayed and every day she saw people around her getting up and walking.  One day she heard a voice inside saying she could get up and walk so she did.  And from that day she has not used her zimmer frame.

It truly sounded like a miracle but why not tell us what happened in between, what was the 'other thing'? I went home pretty confused.  She went to a witch doctor but then believed God healed her.  How can I sit with her and tell her its really a miracle that she is better but not know the whole story.  I was also quite discouraged.  How do I know if people are telling me the truth or not or are they just telling me what they think I want to hear?

She has been coming back for exercise every couple of days and one of the days it was just her and Altidor and Altidor got the full story.

This patients family had been paying for her medical care and they were fed up spending money when they didn't see her getting any better.  They kept telling her go to the witch doctor, go to the witch doctor, go to the witch doctor.  Finally just to keep them happy she went but she remembered her father always told her to never go.  But when she went she told him I don't believe in anything you do and I will never take anything you give me. I believe that only God has power and only he can heal me.  Needless to say the witch doctor was angry but her family were satisfied she went.  She continued to pray and one day she was listening to a christian radio station and that's when she heard the voice to get up and walk. So she sat on the edge of her bed, held onto the wall and stood and felt good so she took a few steps and felt good.  All the pain she had been experiencing had gone.  She had been healed.

Her legs are still very weak and a little unsteady but her pain is gone, she is able to walk on her own without the help of a zimmer or walking stick.  God has truly healed her.

I am so thankful to be able to work alongside Altidor who helps me so much with language difficulties, explaining exercises to patients and cultural understanding of many many things!