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Archive for September, 2009

Day 5 – Our last day

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Today was probably our best day yet. When we arrived at Arniquet, which is a smaller home, the kids were at school. Brad and Candace went to the school to provide medical care. This gave the rest of us time to get started cleaning the beds and mattresses and hanging the nets. What a great surprise for the kids when they got home!

I got a surprise of my own when I was trying to communicate with one of the mamas and she knew how to speak English! All of the mamas were thrilled to be helping. Even the cooks wanted to make us a special meal, which unfortunately we did not have time for.

We also got to distribute the 12 blankets we brought. I wish I could convey the mama’s feeling of joy when she received them.

From Arniquet we went to Cayes to leave the remaining nets and other supplies. Candace and Brad treated 20-30 kids during our brief stop, then off to Cavillon where they quickly treated another group of kids before we had to leave for Port au Prince.

Tomorrow morning we head home, but tonight I pause to think about the past week and all the hard work put in by Candace, Cynthia, Emily, Gerardo, Brian and Brad. I feel so thankful for the opportunity to work with them.

Posted in Haiti Efforts | No Comments »

Day 4

Monday, September 28th, 2009

ILF’s MaryBeth Jackson continues her account of the Foundation’s latest trip to Haiti:

Another change of plans but still another great day! Our first stop was the Cayes campus where we saw our clinic building!

Thanks to Meghan for being available by phone so we could communicate a few minor changes to the structure. The building is great. The interior still needs to be finished, but it’s time to start gathering the equipment.

Our next stop was Cambry where we first enjoyed the beautiful view. We then went to work cleaning beds, hanging mosquito nets and treating kids. At the end of the day we stopped work to enjoy a short game of soccer with the kids.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped by Darivage to check out some land for a potential agricultural project. The land there looks so fertile; it’s exciting to think of the possibilities.

Tomorrow our plan is to go to Arniquet in the morning and then back to Porte au Prince in the afternoon.

I can’t believe the trip is almost over.

Posted in Haiti Efforts | No Comments »

ILF Sponsors Health Care Trip to Haiti

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

A group sponsored by Integral Life Foundation is currently in Haiti (Sept. 20-26) to treat more than 800 children living in six different orphanages. Currently, many children living in the orphanages have scabies, which can easily be prevented and eliminated with treatment. That involves treating all the beds with a disinfectant, covering all mattresses with plastic covers, washing all clothing and linens, and treating all of the kids.

The ILF group also will be putting up more than 800 mosquito nets for children and mamas to prevent malaria, which is one of the biggest contributors to child mortality in Haiti. This will be hard work but volunteers will be doing it side by side with the kids and mothers from the orphanages.

Participants include: Emily Guerrero and her son Gerardo, Dr. Candice Smith, Cynthia Rudy, Anthony Walton, Brian Wallace, Brad Gautney and MaryBeth Jackson, who provided these daily updates:

Prior to departure

On Friday, Sept. 18, a volunteer group in Kansas City helped prepare medications for dispensing. They included Kathleen Shelton, Tracee Palen and her husband, Kyle, Joseph Idalbert, Altema Mackley and Jean Baptiste – three members of Glory House Services – a Haitian non-profit in Kansas City, along with Sasha Ehlers – a South African grad student at UMKC. It was a very interesting international evening as we learned about both cultures. Betty Goolsbee, Linda Neville, Barbara Bollier and Stephen Platt – ILF supporters – also helped prepare meds.

Day 1

Last night’s unplanned overnight in Miami turned out to be quite nice. The Miami International Airport hotel couldn’t be more convenient and the AA ticket counter was just a few steps away.

We arrived at the hotel in Port au Prince about 9:30 a.m. Brad and Brian spent the next three to four hours dealing with customs. The good news – WE HAVE THE MOSQUITO NETS! Candice, Cynthia, Emily, Gerardo and I made good use of the time waiting by counting and packaging pills to be used later.

We headed to the orphanage around 2 p.m. It was my first experience driving through Port au Prince more than just one airport to the next. There are potholes that could easily swallow our vehicle whole!! We were in two vehicles – I was in the “chase car.” If you’ve ever been in a car trying to follow DouDou – you know what I mean!

It started raining on our way to the orphanage – so a change of plans. We couldn’t do any of the planned cleaning because of the weather. So while Brad and Candice saw the kids — treating about 40 out of the 100 – the rest of us got to hug the kids. We also (finally) got to give out the one box of shoes we brought!

Tomorrow we are headed to Cherette. We are feeling so blessed to be here doing this work, and we are so thankful for all the donors who make it possible for us to do it.

Day 2 – Cherette

The weather cooperated today so we were able to get all of the work we planned for Cherette accomplished. While Candice and Brad checked out all the kids and treated those that needed it, Emily, Cynthia and I, with the help of several kids and adults, washed down the beds (kabann) and sprayed the mattresses (matla) with disinfectant. Then we covered the mattresses with plastic. Brian and Gerardo then installed mosquito nets.

When the girls were done with the mattresses we had several rousing sessions of follow the leader and played hand-clap games, with Cynthia as our tireless and creative leader.

While there is still a lot of work to be done to help these kids, we think we made a good start today.

Mosquito Forts

By Cynthia Rudy

Thanks to a great team today we were able to treat all the kids at Cherette orphanage, spray all the mattresses with Clorox and wrap them in plastic so the bugs won’t bite. We put up mosquito nets on all the beds. The kids were thrilled and LOVE to help us. We are not sure they understand what we were doing. But as long as their meds kill the various parasites and they can sleep at night, mission accomplished.

Of course the forts would not take care of the issue if it was not for the diligent work of Brad and Dr. Candice, whom I believe saw every child today – around 100 total. God bless the medical team!

You would think that the way they drive here the ‘oops’ of the day would be hitting something on the road; but actually, as Brian was hanging the mosquito nets he and two kids fell through the bed. Fortunately, everyone was fine. They are lucky to have beds as many of the children down here are forced to sleep on the floor.

The backdrop of the orphanage is rich tropical foliage that continues up the mountainside. It’s truly a spectacular setting. I don’t think we will get to the beach but from the drives to and from the orphanages the view of the Caribbean is phenomenal.

I have been to many Third World countries but not to the orphanages, and it’s truly sad to see so many children that have been abandoned. As soon as I started a follow the leader game I had 100 kids following me clapping, marching and doing the twist. We then played patty cake games and realized just the simple things put a smile on their face. They have so much love in their hearts, and with God’s grace and the hard and diligent work of ILF and C3 Missions they will have a better life. There is much work to do here and the list is endless.

I know none of our lives will be the same after this trip and I will treasure the days we made mosquito forts.

Day 3 – Casa Majeur

We had a long day in Casa Majeur. We were unable to go to Arniquet or Port Salud as planned. Despite our unexpected arrival, the mamas, papas and kids all rallied to help us. Casa Majeur is a larger site. The medical team saw at least 175 kids. We installed 118 mosquito nets on beds, cleaned 144 mattresses and covered them with plastic. Great day!

Posted in Haiti Efforts, Health Care | 1 Comment »

Help Generate Support for ILF

Monday, September 21st, 2009

While Nueterra Healthcare facilities help advance health care in communities across the country, Nueterra’s Integral Life Foundation advances better health in the developing world. Nueterra employees support the Foundation in a variety of ways and help carry its message to our physician partners, vendors and other who work with the company.

Much of the support is financial, while some is in-kind. We continually encourage our facility boards of managers to learn more about the Foundation and how they can support our outreach efforts, both personally and professionally, so they can help us carry the message to Nueterra employees everywhere. Through payroll deductions and facility matching contributions we can provide critical health care services to even more children in need around the world.

In addition, medical staffs and other employees all have skills the Foundation can use to help fight poverty and disease. For example, at home they could participate directly in treatments via telemedicine. Also, they can contribute ideas in the development and design of specific facilities. And Nueterra employees are always welcome to participate in Foundation trips abroad, as we provide healthcare services, provide clean water and education. We take several such trips each year.

So, we encourage everyone – employees and non-employees alike who share our vision — to engage your communities by spreading the word about ILF and donating resources. Help us equip and supply the primary care clinics in Haiti and the Women and Children’s Hospital in Malawi. Help raise funds by

Hosting a fundraiser at your facility or in your home.
Encouraging your employees to give through payroll deduction (and then match it!)
Participating in ILF fundraising activities.
When you travel on American Airlines, use our Business ExtrAA number to earn frequent flyer miles to help offset travel expenses.

The Integral Life Foundation is making a difference for thousands of children. If every Nueterra employee and family became involved, we could accomplish even more.

Posted in Giving, Health Care | No Comments »

The Global Orphan Project — $1 Million Challenge

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

The Integral Life Foundation strongly supports the efforts of the Global Orphan Project of the C3 Missions. The project focuses on three critical components:

To build small, eco-friendly children’s homes in villages associated with a church, school or clinic.
Invest in all the elements needed to develop villages from empty buildings to self-sustaining homes.
Improve villages’ ability to sustain themselves by investing in economic development ventures.

ILF is partnering with C3 Missions International and has provided vital services to children residing in the orphanages that it supports in Haiti and in Malawi.

ILF is addressing the housing, health care, educational, economic and spiritual needs of Haiti’s abandoned and forgotten children. Through this partnership, we are building orphanages and medical clinics, and we are providing children with nutritious meals. They are going to school and growing up in a church family.
Through this partnership in Malawi, we are building a birthing center, medical clinic, and orphanages. We are providing programs for prenatal care, newborn care, and family planning; PMTCT, EID and ART; and to provide for food, clothing, housing, healthcare and education for the orphans and other vulnerable children.

The Global Orphan Project is currently trying to raise $1 million for orphaned and abandoned kids around the world. Currently, for every dollar that you donate, a private foundation will match it through Sept. 20, 2009. So if you donate $100, the orphans will benefit by $200. Here is a link to the Global Orphan Project so you can make your donation, http://theglobalorphanproject.org/donate/. Nearly $300,000 has already been pledged to the effort, please do what you can.

There are more than 140 million kids in the world who need your help. The Global Orphan Project has private investors who underwrite operating expenses, so every penny of your tax-deductible donation goes to orphan care.

Posted in Children, Giving | No Comments »