Helping Children in Haiti Through International Childcare

Last weekend I visited with long time International Child Care board member Ellen Palmer when we were both attending a weekend retreat.  She gave a short presentation to the group about ICC, Grace Children’s Hospital and the aftermath of the earthquake.

Ellen was actually there with a mission team from Dallas and happened to be in the Dominican Republic on the day of the quake.  She was able to call out on her cell phone to let family members know who was ok just before cell phone coverage quit.  Later her son Burt called from a Houston TV station and interviewed her on the air.

Sadly one of the other volunteers on the Haiti trip, Clara “Jean” Arnwine, did not survive the event.  On an unrelated trip, Rev. Sam Dixon of the United Methodist Committee on Relief also passed away.  They are two of many who gave their lives in the service of others.

While much of the hospital survived the quake there was a lot of damage. Ellen showed us some photos from inside the buildings and it was very apparent that cleanup and repair would have to be done before they could be utilized again.  In addition to the damage, the aftershocks meant that the children and staff had to live outside in tents (like thousands of others in Haiti).  Here’s some info from the website about the damage:

ICC is committed to providing immediate medical emergency response and long-term aid. The grounds of the eye clinic are being used as a field hospital. A medical team from Germany arrived yesterday and are working alongside ICC medical staff to provide emergency medical treatment. ICC is committed to the immediate needs of the people of Haiti, but also to the long-term help that will be needed. As such, we will be rebuilding the hospital to continue to provide services to people as we have done for over 40 years. Click here to view pictures displaying the hospital’s damage (captured by Melanie Yates).

Here is another update from the ICC website just posted today:

Following is an update written Friday by ICC USA board member Dr. Jeannine Hatt, a pediatrician from Texas who traveled to Haiti with a team of doctors last week. She worked at Grace Children’s Hospital in conjunction with the Haitian staff to treat children affected by the earthquake.

We have been in Haiti this week working at Grace Children’s Hospital in the out-patient clinics. The in-patient unit is closed because the hospital was so damaged in the earthquake the children who have been abandoned are living under tarps on the lawn. Others have been discharged to their parents or transferred to other hospitals that were not so damaged and/or are functioning. GCH hopes to get a large tent set up soon with the help of the military and reopen their service there. They have restarted their reproductive health, adult and pediatric, HIV and TB services and have their lab and radiology up and running on a limited basis. The Haitian staff who work at GCH all have their ‘horror stories’. All have had great loss and suffered psychological, if not physical, trauma. But they still show up for work and put on their best faces.

Ellen encouraged everyone in attendance at our retreat to make a donation to help the work of ICC continue. If you are really brave, like she is, you can ride in the Hotter N Hell 100.  One of the largest cycling events in the country, HHH takes place in August in Wichita Falls TX.  Several years ago ICC became the first charity that was allowed to participate as a fundraising event.

This is a century ride with a 100 mile course, but there are shorter courses too.  Ellen rides in the 25 mile route.  Cycling is not really my thing (would rather walk) but maybe this year I can dust off my bike at at least do the 25 miles.  This will be the 7th summer we’ve spent in Wichita Falls so it’s about time we did the HHH, at least this would be for a good cause!