UPDATED my summer in Haiti (and how you can help)

with Alex and Guernise, May 2013

Update 6/19

Y'all, I am seriously overwhelmed and humbled by the generosity I've seen over the past few weeks in response to this post. Family, friends, coworkers, Starbucks customers, even people I barely know have given so generously. Thank you. A million trillion times, thank you. Your prayers and gifts encourage me more than I can say. The Lord has shown His faithfulness in providing time and time again as each one of you has approached me about getting involved in supporting the incredible work that Heartline is doing in Haiti and the time that I get to spend working with them. I am so grateful.

Since several people have asked this week about what else is still needed, I thought I should update this list, in case anyone else is still interested in donating. The items in bold are the ones that I have less/none of at this point, so for the most part, those are the higher priorities right now. However, if you have a burning desire to donate something else, there isn't anything on this list that won't eventually get used, even if we end up with 100 of them, so...any and all donations are still gratefully received :)  One request, though...if you are planning on purchasing specific items, would you please comment/send me a message and let me know what you're going to buy? Taylor and I are planning to go shopping this Friday afternoon (the 21st), and I'd prefer to prioritize items that we don't have yet (though again, everything will get used eventually)! Thanks so much!  Again, I am so thankful for the support each of you has shown. I am blessed.

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As I mentioned in a previous post, I have the privilege of getting to spend the majority of this summer in Haiti (which, of course, makes me happier than words can say). My first (quick!) trip ended on Sunday, after eight wonderful, fun, and busy days at Heartline; spending time at the maternity center and with Haiti friends always makes my heart so happy. Love that place and those people so much. 

Now, back on US soil for the next five weeks, my to-do list includes acquiring 3 more credit hours toward my nursing degree, working, gathering donations for Heartline, re-packing my suitcase, spending time with my youngest sister when she comes to visit in a few weeks, and hanging out as much as possible with my fabulous Texas friends (who I've sadly barely gotten to see in the past year due to an insane work/school schedule). It'll be a busy month, yet, at the same time, I think it'll still be lower-key than the previous nine...and for that, I am extremely grateful.


Donations for Heartline

I'm hoping to be able to fill a suitcase or two with items to bring back with me for the Maternity Center, and I'd love it if anyone would like to contribute either the items themselves or money for me to use to purchase what is needed. Dr. Jen keeps a comprehensive list of needs updated here. Additionally, she and Sarah D (organizers extraordinaire!) sent this list of items that the maternity center is running especially low on at the moment:

Maternity/Labor and Delivery
- Birth gowns (nightgowns that unzip/button/snap in the front to allow for breastfeeding access; sleeveless and knee-length are preferable)

- Labor gowns (There is an amazing seamstress who is going to be making several labor gowns for us at minimal cost; however, if anyone wants to donate money toward purchasing the material for the gowns, that's definitely an option.)
- Cloth diapers

- Plastic pants (that go over cloth diapers; sizes newborn to 12 months)
- Diaper pins

- Baby powder (travel size)

- maxi pads (extra-large, super, overnight)

- Washcloths (regular and baby)

- Body Lotion (medium sized, not travel size, not super size)

- Women’s underwear sizes 5, 6, 7, 8 
- Women's deodorant

- Receiving blankets

- These pregnancy tests

- Urine (UA) test strips that expire in 2014 or later

- Boxes of non-sterile gloves, sizes medium and large

- NG feeding tubes for premature infants (5 French and 6 French sizes); can be found inexpensively here and here

- Clothing for infant boys and girls, sizes newborn to 12 months (especially need boys clothing in 3-6 months sizes, and newborn onesies/tshirts)

- Chux pads

- Plastic shower caps

General supplies

- Durable plastic or metal water bottles with screw-on lids (such as Nalgene or Kleen Kanteen)

- Antibacterial wipes (for surfaces; such as Clorox or Lysol)

- Hand sanitizer (large bottles; pump-style preferred)

- XL ziploc bags (one size bigger than gallon)

OTC medications

- Children's liquid Tylenol

- TUMS

Prescription medications (*must be unexpired and in sealed bottle; personal prescriptions not accepted*)

- Azithromycin tablets (250 mg or 500 mg or 600 mg)

- Cephalexin capsules (500 mg)

- Ceftriaxone 250 mg, 500 mg, and 1000 mg vials (for IV/IM use)

- Erythromycin eye ointment

- Nifedipine SR 20 mg, 30 mg, or 60 mg tablets

- Odansetron ODT 4 mg or 8 mg sublingual tablets

Also, fellow Starbucks partners: want to help me stock the maternity center up on coffee? If any of you would like to donate a markout (or two!) in the next few weeks, I'd be happy to transport it to Haiti. Help keep the midwives awake for the middle-of-the-night births! :) Update: Starbucks at Texas & Holleman...you all are amazing. Seeing that big bag in the back room overflowing with pounds of coffee makes me so happy. Thank you. I'm going to miss you people while I'm gone!

Finally, one addition to the original list... Because it looks like we'll be getting to bring down so many things for Heartline, we could use at least one more large suitcase, if anyone happens to have an extra lying around or wants to pick up a cheap one at Goodwill or somewhere. (Thank you, Nancy and Kaila, for the two y'all already found for us!) Suitcases/duffel bags with wheels are preferable, if possible (just to make it easier on our backs and arms). I can't guarantee that the suitcase will make it back in decent shape, though (TSA has been pretty rough on my luggage recently), so just keep that in mind if you're wanting the suitcase back at the end of the summer.

Financial Support

I have a love/hate relationship with asking for money. I dread doing it because it just feels so weird to ask people to help me pay to do something, to go somewhere, that I love. It's not quite the equivalent of asking for someone to pay for me to go on vacation...but that's still kind of what it feels like. I also think, honestly, that a big reason why I hate asking is because in my pride, I like to be independent, to earn my own way (oh how many spiritual implications can be drawn from this!); it is incredibly humbling to ask for assistance from others.

On the other side of it, though, I love giving people an opportunity to be involved. God calls different people to different things -- some to go, some to give, all to pray.  We all have our parts to play in furthering God's kingdom here on earth, and just because I'm the one who gets to go doesn't mean that it's not equally important for others to give and to pray. When you think about it, missionaries could not do what they do in the places where they live and work without the support of those who faithfully pray and give. John McHoul wrote this in Heartline's May newsletter:

Your support, your help, your encouragement, your prayers, your efforts, your sacrifices in helping Heartline is humbling and simply amazing.  But I wonder as well, if it isn't you who are making the difference and Heartline that is helping.  I can see this; so THANK YOU for being the hands and feet and compassion and kindness and love and mercy and healing to the people of Haiti and THANK YOU for giving Heartline the privilege of helping.

The privilege of helping. Yes. Because it is so very much a privilege, and a blessing. I am grateful beyond words for the opportunities I've had (and, God-willing, will continue to have) to work alongside the full-time staff at Heartline and to be even a small part of the ministry that is happening and the lives that are being changed through the programs at the maternity center. So thank you, so very much, to all of you who have supported me thus far through your prayers, encouragement, and gifts; thank you for giving me the privilege of helping. I am blessed.

helping at a Heartline birth, December 2012

All that said, if anyone would like to contribute financially, either toward my travel expenses or toward supplies for Heartline, please leave a comment or check out this page that I've set up with more information on how to give.

Pray, Pray, Pray

I cannot possibly overemphasize how much I value your prayers, for myself, for the team at Heartline, and for the women and babies in the prenatal and child development programs. There are so many great needs everywhere in Haiti, needs that are often heart-breaking and overwhelming and are difficult to imagine as one who grew up in middle-class America. We desperately need God's grace to work through us, to guide us and to teach us to love as He loves, to show us how we can best serve, and to remind us that even as we work to meet physical needs, all that we do is for the ultimate purpose of sharing Christ and the great hope of His Gospel message. So please pray for us, pray with us; your prayers are so important to this ministry.

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 4:19-20