Just a quick report on the last three days – I arrived in Haiti on Wednesday, and Wednesday night I got sick and stayed in bed for 36 hours. I don’t know what I had, but I’m glad it is gone. It was Friday before I was able to get up and eat some crackers and drink some fluids. Praise God I was able to pick up Bill, Joe, John and Pat at the airport on Friday evening. Their flight was three hours late, so by the time I got back up to the mission house I was ready for bed again.

Today was a much better day; I’m not feeling 100% yet, but I’m getting there. It was one of those days you are really glad you’re here to see God helping His people through us.  John and Bill started the Dental Clinic – their report follows. Pat and Joe worked on making a much needed luggage rack for the Ford (Haitian style). It was a wonderful thing to see people here getting dental care; John is the first dentist to come to Z’Orange. Today I saw people being treated in the dental clinic, kids playing on newly installed swings, and hungry children being fed all in the name of Jesus. It just doesn’t get any better than this.

This afternoon I drove down to Port au Prince and picked up Karl and Skip from St. Louis. Their flight was only two hours late, so it wasn’t quite as bad as yesterday. We made it safely back to the mission house where Ginete had our dinner prepared for us.

Thank you for your prayers.

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Report by Bill C.

THE FIRST DENTAL CLINIC IN Z’ORANGE, HAITI

Dr. John Buettner, from Montgomery, AL saw 34 patients today in a makeshift dental clinic set up behind the pulpit in Jerusalem Baptist Church. Most required extractions (73) to relieve pain or preclude possible problems later on. Assistant Bill Chambless survived a crash course in mission dentistry instrument processing and flashlight holding. Simon and Ginette helped organize the patients into groups and translate their aches, pains and concerns. Dr. John diagnosed problems for  six patients in a group, Bill then wrote up a name tag with the needed treatment and attached it to their clothing.  When a group of six made it to the front pew, they were brought up behind the pulpit / tarp that separated the surgery “suite” from the rest of the waiting room pews for injections of needed anesthesia. Then back to the front pew for numbing to occur. Then came the cleaning or extraction procedures for each patient while they sat behind the tarp in a metal folding chair in front of an open window while roosters crowed, donkeys brayed, the generator hummed, and children sang in the church yard. Bill thought he saw tears running down the cheeks of one or two patients, but Dr. John later explained that it was just sweat drops from under his face shield. We did not get a temperature reading in the surgery suite. For Dr John and some of the patients it was pretty intense. All the people who came and waited patiently were seen and treated with compassion and professionalism. They were apprehensive, but seemed to have complete confidence in us to help them. We were humbled by their trust.

Haiti September 16, 2012
Haiti September 4, 2012