Leaving on a Humanitarian Mission to Haiti with Children’s Hope

Dear friends,

As many of you know, I am headed to Haiti with my friends and colleagues, Leisa and Paul and six other volunteers. We are part of an organization called Children’s Hope, a local organization, based in Cameron Park, CA (Leisa is the founder and Executive Director). We were due to leave Thursday, Jan 28th, but our trip has been delayed until next Thursday, February 4th. This will give us more time to purchase medical supplies, medicines and tarps (the rainy season begins in 9 days). Many of you have asked me “what is Children’s Hope, who are Leisa and Paul and how can Ihelp?” I’ve attached a few links and info for you below.

For those of you who have been so kind to donate money, thank you from the bottom of my heart. 100% of the money will go towards medicine or much needed supplies. All of us are volunteers. We are paying for our own plane tickets and all of our own expenses. There is no overhead in anything Children’s Hope does.

If you would like to donate money to help Children’s Hope purchase desperately needed medicine and supplies to take to Haiti for the next trip on March 29th, you can send a check to Children’s Hope, 3025 Cambridge Road #A, Cameron Park, CA 95682.

Any amount you would be able to contribute would be greatly appreciated.

I feel privileged to be able to go on this humanitarian mission and I’m honored to be able to go with such a good group of people.

With much gratitude and love,

Cathlyn
President, Capitol Area Progressives

Watch this recent Channel 10 news interview video of Leisa and Paul in the top right hand corner:
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=73262

http://www.2childrenshope.org/
http://www.dateline.ucdavis.edu/dl_detail.lasso?id=10884

Below are snipits of Leisa’s recent Haiti Journal posted in California’s National Organization for Women
http://www.canow.org/

This series of guest posts is written by Leisa Faulkner, founder of Children’s Hope.

Haiti Journal #4: Carrying Babies Out of Haiti
The following post was written on January 20th.

There is so much to tell...latest news first:

We aren’t sure we are coming home yet.

Not five minutes off the small plane last night from the Dominican Republic (story next time), we were asked to go back into Haiti to hand-carry out babies that need transport. Paul turned to me ans said, “I guess you want to go do that”.

I nodded. He said he couldn’t let me go back alone. We are waiting for details now. 

We are emotionally on over-load. As Doctor Jim Morgan confided in me yesterday in Cite Soleil, the transition between depression and manic doesn’t seem to happen in these conditions, they just exist together. He had seen between 45-50 amputations in two days at the bigger hospitals where he pulls two and three shifts. Dr Joey said that yesterday was the first 24 hour period without “after-shocks”. Everything is a shock in Haiti, even for those of us who have been going in for years.
Continue reading “Haiti Journal #4: Carrying Babies Out of Haiti” »

Haiti Journal #3: Arrival
The following post was written on January 17th.

We got in! 
What a relief! And the miracles keep happening. Neil Kopple, (yes, a relation) donated his time, his jet and his bagels to the cause. After “Clean The World“‘s Shawn Seiple connected us with Neil, a humanitarian/benefactor who generously flew us into the U.S. Air Force controlled Port au Prince airport, then handed us bag after bag of fresh bagels and cream cheese. 

The tower was down, the terminal in shambles and coated with a layer of water, and yet things ran with amazing success and a chaotic sort of precision.  Though there was a moment just before landing that our co-pilot (Paul Burke) later reported to us that we lost audio connection with ground control. Our hats are off to Neil for volunteering to fly us in his amazing little jet with just a 20 minute window each way, for meeting the challenge of getting us there safely, and as the volunteers at Matthew 25 House would say was his shinning moment, got the bagels here intact.

Such a trivial thing seems almost frivolous, but for the team of 20 who have been working without sleep treating the earthquake victims, it made for just a moment of relief from the non-stop emotions that come with staving off death against all odds.
Continue reading “Haiti Journal #3: Arrival” »
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Haiti Journal #2: Miracles
The following post was written on January 16th.
Saturday. 11:30 p.m. In route to Boca Raton, Florida.

A day of miracles. 
Miracle #1
When we tumbled into bed this morning around 2am it was the first time since Wednesday that we had been in a bed. We hardly embraced a 7:30 a.m. wake up call. But Anthony Bone was on the job, so off we went. We met him the night before as he “pulled a double” by working the bell hop station. He normally supervises in housekeeping. He convinced his boss to have us speak to the staff this morning. After Paul gave a little explanation of how Children’s Hope regularly goes into Haiti with medical and school supplies, I spoke for a minute. Since most of the staff are from Haiti originally, I used my very limited Creole which made them laugh, I told them the phone service in Haiti is picking back up, which made them smile, but when we spoke of the tragedy and mentioned the Hatian saying that through solidarity many hands make the burden lighter...they cried. Then, one by one this staff of 100 of the most underpaid, undervalued in our society came up and kissed my check while they each pressed a few dollars into my hand...some with more, some with less...after I had cred, hugged and kissed more than I ever had we floated up to our room.We didn’t expect one dollar, and we ended up with a total of $1,359.85. I think the 85 cents were my favorite.
Continue reading “Haiti Journal #2: Miracles” »

Haiti Journal #1: Preparation
The following post was written on January 15th.

It took ten volunteers two days to plead for, pray for, and pack our bags for Haiti...and we are finally closing in...two hours
To finish up...these are the hours that the last vital decisions are made. Which is worth more: flashlights that wind-up, or extra scissors and forceps? 

In the last 48 hours more than $8,300 in pledges were called in, emailed in, sent by text, or simply-gently handed over in a little banded roll wrapped in a note that reminds us to, “Be careful!!”. Thank you.

Within that same 48 hours following the worst disaster in 200 years hearts were touched, doors opened and more than 200 lbs. of medicines and medical supplies were also promised, delivered and packed. 

In Haiti, our friends waiting on the ground say that folks are holding cloths over their faces now to stave off the stench of death, yet stories of children pulled from the rubble inspire us. The “Lamp for Haiti” Clinic refuses to close it’s doors. Medicines sent through Children’s Hope will replenish desperately needed supplies. Folks have really come through.

Today, when our tickets into Haiti were cancelled, “Clean the World” offered us seats on their plane. Volunteers are still milling about even after 3 a.m. to make sure we have all the help we need to get out in two hours. Thank you...lives will be saved, parents comforted...children held and healed...I have every faith.

Peace, all ways and always,
Leisa