Haiti GO Team 2010

Well it has been exactly one week since my return to Haiti. No lie, I am very excited to be back. It doesn´t feel like I left for five weeks. Well, except for the 20 degree increase of temperature. It is so hot down here, probably an average 102  during the afternoons. The Snows moved me into an apartment with two other administration guys I work with (David and Ben) and permission to drive base vehicles (you don´t need a clean record to drive here!). It is more peaceful than living in the dorms. The guys dorm holds like thirty guys, plus the Haitian staff and DTS students. So it gets pretty crowded up there. Anyway, the situation here has calmed down a lot, concerning the earthquake and emergency efforts. Terry has decided to purchase land in Guaviay (a large mountain just behind the YWAM campus here in St. Marc) to plant large amounts of coffee for the community. The purpose is to form a micro-business which, if managed correctly, will bring in more income for the community. This is one of the larger projects going on at the moment as well as the Homes of Hope project. Here in St. Marc at the current moment 22 nations are represented, which puts our volunteer presence at over 180 and at YWAM Port Au Prince more than 150; by the way is the largest number of YWAMers this country has ever seen at one time...EVER!

I have certainly resumed my position as Administrator in the kitchen. Soon, I will have my own generator to run the kitchen, which means constant refrigeration, which means freezing temperatures, which leads to...ICE!! In case you are unaware, it is hard to come by good clean ice here in St. Marc. In fact, with the constant power outages it has been taking us more than three days to make ice! Which hardly happens because people keep taking it before it is frozen. So, it is safe to say we hardly ever have ice. I am feeding more than 240 people a day, three meals a day. The challenge is...well, taking care of 240 people.

Prayer Points:

-My health. A lot of people here have been getting sick. I do not want that.
-Peace of mind. Listening to everyones opinions can get a bit annoying. Honestly.
-Discernment in the Holy Spirit. As I encounter and engage with people on the streets I want to be able to speak directly to their spiritual need.

For the Nation of Haiti,
Joshua Miller
YWAM Orlando

Today I was able to break loose from the kitchen and help a small group of medical personnel set up a mobile clinic. I had the responsibility of driving the small group of doctors and nurses out to a location here in Haiti called the 5th Section. The 5th Section has a similar resemblance to that of the Bush (the wild outback) in Africa. Just being in the 5th Section feels like a different country. Anyway, I was given the keys to our ambulance and told to go have fun (meaning have fun being away from the kitchen and enjoy my time out). Unfortunately, when I arrived to the clinic to load up supplies and grab the medical staff I noticed that the airbags in the rear suspension were not fully inflated. Come to find out the air compressor used to fill the airbags wasn’t working properly. So, we had to swap vehicles and take the flatbed.

Once we arrived to the property where the mobile clinic was to be posted people began to gather, and fast. I parked the truck and immediately, with the help of some volunteers from YWAM Kona, began to organize the crowd into a waiting line. We had only about three hours to see fifty patients. So we had to walk down the line of at least two hundred hopeful hearts and weed out the more severe victims and treat them.

Now, a mother brought her five year old boy forward. With only a T-shirt and his pants missing he stood there crying, a sound of terrible pain. One of the nurses quickly rushed him to the doctor, and with a sudden gasp and sure response he diagnosed the problem. The boy was suffering from a rare flesh eating bacteria eating away his flesh in his private area. Doc was only able to administer temporary pain relief, but since the disease is so rare he was not able to give long term treatment. As many were still waiting to be seen by Doc a woman in old age caught my attention. I asked one of the personnel what her condition was, only later to find out during prayer that she was suffering from a cancer in the stomach. Karen (a nurse), Jasen (YWAM Kona) and I prayed and prayed for this woman. I could, but only imagine the pain she was going through (not to mention the little boy’s as well). Doc checked her out and said it was severe and still growing that all we could really do now is pray for a miracle to happen. She left the clinic with only a few pain meds and told there wasn’t anything more that could be done for her.

It was tough, very tough, knowing that many were suffering and had been waiting, hoping to receive treatment and healing. In three hours we were able to diagnose and treat fifty patients. But, God is sovereign and He will see to it that those who need healing will receive it according to His purpose.

In America, when we experience pain we have pain relievers and pain killers to turn to, to ease the pain, numb it and even sedate us. We literally pop a couple pills and the pain subsides or even goes away. We don’t know what it’s like to TRULY suffer; we don’t know what it’s like to be told that we can’t be treated or that nothing more can be done for us. We are not familiar with the lasting, bone piercing pain that we treat so quickly. Therefore, I believe we don’t know the true pain of being hurt of being helpless. Here in Haiti, pain is very real. It is probably one of the most realistic aspects of life. So, the next time we pop some pain relievers or hit up our prescriptions let’s remember those here in Haiti who are hurting and dealing with such pains. Let’s remember them in our prayers as we pray for our so-called pains.
 
From a nation of hope,
Joshua Miller
Staff
YWAM Orlando

Current activity on base: Food and clothing distribution

"All the nations of the world will stand amazed at what The Lord will do for you...´ Micah 7:16

It has been almost two months since the nation of Haiti was hit with a devastating earthquake that left millions homeless. Since the ´quake YWAM Saint-Marc has taken on the task of registering and issuing photo identification cards to thousands of people left homeless by the earthquake. Due to such a consistent and high demand for these I.D.´s registration has been put on hold until a more efficient system of operation can be developed. This new system should be up and running in a couple weeks.

Until then we have transformed the arena into a food and clothing distribution center. In the last two days we have received about five containers/trailers and distributed food and clothing to over 1,600 refugees. This number does not include the literal tons of food given to local Pastors for church wide distribution. Here is a story of how God has provided for today:

This morning before distribution we took time to pray together and ask God to supply for us with what we needed for the day. We began the distribution process at about 9 a.m. and as time went by and the afternoon approached the food supply began running low and we had run out of clothes. At about 1 o´clock volunteers began to worry about the current supply of food and were sure we were going to run out. We weren´t going to have enough to feed the remaining few hundred refugees. And then, out of nowhere, I mean nowhere, a couple of trucks loaded with Mexicans and food shows up! YWAM Mexico has been here in Haiti distributing food to Port Au Prince and apparently they were passing through town today on their way to Port Au Prince. As they drove by they saw the YWAM sign out front and decided to stop in and see what we were up to. Well, when they discovered we were running a distribution program and about out of food they unloaded everything they had, right on site! The food they gave was well more than enough to feed the remaining refugees. It was a sheer blessing from God. And, while volunteers were waiting with refugees, praying with them, a person in line claimed to have regained their sight! So, not only is God supplying food, He´s also healing people as well! And this isn´t even the clinic! Though numerous accounts of miracle healings at our clinic have been reported.

Feeding the masses and healing the afflicted...I would say God is very much alive and at work here in Haiti!

From a nation of Hope,
Joshua Miller

Hey!
Things here are coming along in Port-au-Prince.  We have two teams here right now and have one coming in next week from Switzerland.  Also, we have some medical individuals coming in.  Please be praying that we get a generator that works, not having a reliable one is preventing us from having water, reliable electricity, internet, etc.   I’m really enjoying getting to know Peterson´s full vision and talking with him about plans here.  There is such a need for people to come and take leadership positions here and to train the Haitians and raise them up to take responsibilities here.
Chelsea Evans

The President of Haiti called a National Holiday for prayer and fasting the weekend of Feb. 12th-14th. In St. Marc, you could hear the preaching and worshiping at the park here at the base (we are only about a 7 minute walk from the park). The churches were even praising and praying through the nights, it was an awesome experience. You could literally feel the forces of evil being battered to the ground. A sound of victory could be heard in their voices.

Also, my good friend Junior who I am working with told me a couple days before it all began that Feb.12th was going to be the day that Haiti was going to GIVE itself back to God! He believed that some of the leaders of the government were even involved with the dedication as well! But the prayer and fasting didn´t end on that Sunday, but continues here in the city of St. Marc to this day and has totally set the local church here on fire. I wish everyone could be here to experience this! The Haitian staff are excited and stricken with overwhelming joy as they have watched the fruits of their labor literally blossom in the streets. They are really taking advantage of what´s happening here in their homeland. Voodoo priests are repenting, nominal believers are being swept away by the move of the Holy Spirit, little children are dancing and singing, patients in the clinics here are being healed, literally, by the hand of God and the whole city has become a spiritual place of refuge for those who have been displaced by the ´quake.

One of the things that I am learning here is that we (the American church) have allowed our actions to define how the Holy Spirit moves instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to define how we move. Faith here is solid and abides in nothing, but Christ himself. Not programs, not the worship band, not how many seats are accounted for, not coffee, not food, but Jesus. In a church service here none of that other STUFF matters. To be here and a part of such humility and honor is humbling.

Continue to pray for Chelsea, she is in Port Au Prince helping with the pioneering of the YWAM base there. Pray for Haiti´s food supply. Pray that the World Food Program, U.N., and other distributors will flood the markets with food. It´s huge a need right now. (Though we had over 8,000 Military Rations donated to us the other week to distribute to refugees).

From a city of Hope,
Joshua Miller
YWAM Orlando Staff

Ernso was assumed dead when a rescue team found him in the rubble of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Like so many other bodies, he was taken to a makeshift morgue. Hours later, a relief worker walked by and heard a faint knocking sound at the door of the morgue. The young boy, left among the dead, was alive...barely! Today, our YWAM Orlando team is helping him, and thousands like him, recover at YWAM´s property in Haiti. (See Photo) Our YWAM location in Orlando has become a staging ground for the teams and supplies that will aid the physical and spiritual needs of this devastated region.

Hey!
Things are going really well here in Port-au-Prince.  I´m doing a lot of admin work and setting up arrangements for teams to come.  We are working out of a house and sleeping in tents in the backyard.  It´s safe and gated in.  We got our first small team in yesterday and so far, so good.  I´m healthy and happy. :)  You could be praying for wisdom and discernment and clear understanding from God on what to do for the base.  Thanks!
Chelsea Evans

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday the nation of Haiti called 3 days of prayer, fasting, and repentance instead of celebrating Mardi Gras. It was so cool! We weren´t allowed out in the streets so that us foreigners wouldn´t be a distraction, but the Haitians told us many awesome stories about what’s going. They´ve never seen such a display of worship and prayer before, and some leaders here in St Marc came to Christ!

We finally received the containers that port officials have been withholding, we are processing the shipment of supplies and aid for many other organizations. The Wesleyans were here today and told me how appreciative they are of this service we are providing for other non-profits, they said that this is “grown-up” level management we are doing.  One thing we got in the shipment was an ambulance, filled with supplies.  It will be in Port-au-Prince four days a week, and be here in St. Marc the other 3 days a week.  A man named Roy who works with a YWAM ministry called Mercy Trucks brought medical supplies in the U.S. and picked up the donated ambulance in Pennsylvania, and drove it down to Florida with all the supplies, and got aboard the ship and rode here to St Marc.  It was a long process to get the containers, the officials wanted HALF of the supplies, and 65% tax on all vehicles.  But we finally got all the supplies without having to pay that, just the minimal processing fees.

I´m being asked to help with pretty much every design project on the base. I told them that I have experience with graphic design, so everyone thinks I´m an artist!  It’s okay though, I´m being stretched
and getting experience, and gaining wisdom from several people who have lots of cool experience.

The main thing that I have realized in all my work helping plan the tent cities, and registering victims, in food distribution, and in working with the government here is that we are literally discipling the nation of Haiti. Everyone here speaks of God shaking the foundation of Haiti, so that Haiti can have a new foundation. This is a crossroads, the 200 year pact with the spirits of voodoo ended in 2004 (I think) and at the time coincidentally there was a great civil war. The prophetic word at that time was "New Beginnings" and they erected the first Christian monument in the Town square of St Marc which a huge stone 10 Commandments, and a rock that says in Creole "Christ for St Marc, St Marc for Christ".

Now the prophetic word is "New Foundations" and I believe that many are claiming Christ for Haiti, Haiti for Christ. The foundations of the palace have been shaken; the very palace where many voodoo rituals
have been performed by Haitian leaders is now rubble. God is doing something new in Haiti, and the Haitians are actually responding in the biblical way! By calling a weekend of prayer and fasting and
repentance, and in the place of Mardi Gras celebration! It is super exciting to be here during this pivotal time in the history of this nation, and I am so ready to clean and work and sweat knowing that I am practically obeying Christ’s call to disciple the nations! Amen!

In Christ,
Chad Kahana

I started out kind of helping out on the website, working with one of Terry´s sons, Christian.  I´ll be helping get footage until Christian gets back. I´ve never made films before but I can press record and hold the camera. That pretty much describes everything I´m doing here, they need help with something so I try to help however I can.

There are some ships in the harbor and the Haitian port officials at first wouldn´t let us get the containers on land until we gave them half of the supplies and pay 65% tax on the vehicles. But we are trying to get things worked out so we might get the stuff by tomorrow. I´ll be going with them to the port to get footage of the ships and containers.

I´ve also been helping with the registration process.  It’s always kind of crazy, you never know if someone is getting snuck in by one of the guards or cutting in line, and riots start and stuff.  So it’s always pretty interesting over there.

I´ve been recruited to help design a couple t-shirts, one as a YWAM volunteer identification t-shirt for YWAM relief workers on the streets here in St Marc and in Port au Prince, and another for the
gift shop here.

Sometimes I´ll get involved with manual labor, cleaning up or breaking things here and there, mostly at the clinic down the road.

We just opened the clinic.  We cleared out all the patients from the gym at the base and plan on using it for large meetings. The clinic is still getting working on but one half is already in use.

I think it’s pretty cool that Chelsea gets to go help start the base in Port au Prince!

In Christ,
Chad Kahana

Just wanted to check in with you and give you a brief update on myself.  Well, as you may know I have been given authority over the kitchen.  The responsibility that Ingvild has given me is quite large.  My mornings begin at 4:45 am.  I have been asked to develop a system of operation for the kitchen.  That involves implementing cleanup schedules, kitchen organization, budget calculations, composing a kitchen operations manual, health and safety manuals and training two YWAM staff to oversee and operate the kitchen before I leave.  The idea is that YWAM Haitian staff will be able to effectively oversee the kitchen administration.  So the task in training these two gentlemen is strenuous, constantly drilling correct food hygiene and kitchen care.  No doubt, I enjoy it!  I am super stoked to be here and a part of something so important and life changing.  I have already built several friendships with staff and refugees.

I have spent time in the refugee clinic hanging out with some new friends from Port-au-Prince.  The stories that have been told to me are tragic.  But the ability to carry this burden with them is a blessing.  I cannot tell you how much this past week has moved heart; my worldview is constantly rewiring itself.  GOD´s HAND IS DEFINATELY MOVING OVER AND THROUGH ST. MARC!  Haitians are coming to a revelation of Jesus Christ and crying out so loud. It´s phenomenal!

Anyway, this is a small piece of my testimony here in St. Marc.

Joshua Miller

Three are leaving from YWAM Orlando to offer ourselves as living sacrifices and serve in Haiti for two months, Josh, Chelsea and I (Chad).

-We all got our immunizations and malaria meds two days ago!
-We will fly to Santo Domingo [Wed. Jan 27] and take a taxi to the YWAM Base there, and spend the night
-At 3:00 AM Thursday we will begin a 5 hour ride to the border of Haiti, get our visas, get picked up by YWAMers from Haiti, and begin another 3 hour long ride.
-We don´t know exactly the work we will be doing yet, but I am sure that there will be no shortage of work to be done

Please pray for:
-protection, and travel mercies
-God´s daily provision
-and most of all the Power of God to heal and transform lives and hearts as we minister in Haiti
I will try to stay in touch, and keep updating here. As far as I know there is internet access right now.
In Christ,
Chad Kahana

We are all doing well here. The first day (monday) Jeff began his huge project of having to set up an accounting system for the relief coming in. Jeff is saying its tough to get quickbooks (the ideal system) done because he just doesn´t have the time to set up a huge system like that and train someone in it. He is setting up something more simple but will get the job done for the time being. -Ezra worked on some vehicles around the base yesterday. He was told he "may" get to drive a dump truck, needless to say, he is thrilled! haha. I (Ashley) worked in the medical clinic, just getting water for people and hearing what was wrong with each person, and helping out the RN and Dr. The clinic has about 23 patients in it, but some arrive later from the hospital occasionally.