Dear Loved Ones,

Greeting to each and every one of you.

One of the most difficult tasks as administrator of an eye clinic in a poor country is making decisions that will have long lasting impact on the life of people. Here is an example. Dr. Guerline Roney, the head of ophthalmology department at the general hospital in Cap-Haitian called me asking if I would be willing to help operate a 8 months infant with a congenital glaucoma. I asked how much that operation would cost. She said US $ 1500 and the operation has to be done in Port-au-Prince where they have the equipment. She added that if this boy is not operated on, he will be blind the rest of his life. I told Dr. Guerline that US $ 1500 mean 30 cataract operations at our eye clinic. Deep down I was asking myself if it was a wise administrative decision to sacrifice 30 persons for one infant. Then as I stood alone in my office, I prayed to God to tell me what to do. An image of my former assistant teacher who is in France working on his Master degree came to my mind. He used to tell my freshmen students to always ask themselves the question what would Jesus do.

I called back Dr. Guerline to tell her that our eye clinic will help pay the US $ 1500 for the boy's operation. Dr. Guerline told me that she has arranged with a pastor in Port-au-Prince to host the poor family while in treatment in the capital city. She was going to drive the family herself to Port-au-Prince.

Here is the boy clinical history. He was born with big blue eye and the mother was worried about the size of the eyes. At the hospital, eye doctors discovered that the boy had a congenital glaucoma. They try to give him some drops knowing that at the end, the boy will need an operation. But where to find the money? That when Dr. Guerline stepped in to help.

In Port-au-Prince where they took the boy, the anesthesiologist did some pre operation testing to find out that the boy had some weird noise in his heart. They did some more exams and X-raying to find that boy has a malfunctioning heart that needs an operation also. For now the boy has been placed on the waiting list of those who will be operated on when the French heart specialist doctors visit Haiti in December. The eye operation has been postponed until his heart gets corrected to stand anesthesia.

Please be praying for the boy whose name is Elvely, the third child of Mr. Paul and Mrs. Annette of northern part of Milot. We, at the eye clinic, need your prayers also.

Yours in Haiti

Nzunga & Kihomi

Dear Friends,

 

A week ago Joan and I had a very sad day.  A friend had their second child on Sunday and all seemed fine.  On Tuesday she had labored breathing and was rushed to the hospital but died on Wednesday.  When we visited the parents the sadness was overwhelming and there was nothing we could say or do.  It occurred to me as we were leaving that this happens every 5 seconds in the 3^rd world, over 30000 a day. 

 

Missionaries are asked many times a day for something.  Some are scammers, some may have the means they need but try to get something for nothing and some are legitimate problems but the missionary may not have any resources to help.  Even if they do have what is needed it is limited and what is the best for all has to be considered.  The above story is typical of the type of heart wrenching decisions they have to make.   Look into the face of this beautiful child.  Could you say no?  What would you do?  Please pray that the Lord will be close and give them answers.  Also pray that we are giving as much as we can so they can say yes more often.  Of course pray for little Elvely that he may get the medical attention he needs to live a long and full life.

 

Respectfully,

 

Dennis Shewell

Mission Partnership Team Communications Advocate and Convener

Nzunga and Kihomi Ministry

E-mail: deshewell@gmail.com

Phone: 812-569-1352

Charles Newman

 

 

Other team Members:

Les Roberson

Diana Peysha

Shawna Gorman

Terry Bivens-Fry

Charles Newman