A couple weeks ago we were just starting clinic when we heard shots fired in the distance. It was nearby … but it’s not much of a concern. Shots fired is common here.
After a short time, more shooting. Much closer, more shooting.
We later learned a police officer shot a motorcycle taxi driver. That was the first shooting we heard.
When the officer left the scene, he made the mistake of going home. Moto drivers “stick together” and since the cop shot a driver, other moto drivers followed the cop home and start a shootout at his house, trying to kill him. That was the second round of shooting we heard. And unfortunately, he lived around the corner from the clinic.
As all the shooting was happening at the house, the police showed up. And they retaliated using their automatic weapons. So, there was much more shooting.
We locked down the clinic so that no one tried to leave. But more importantly, so that no one came in.
We had a team from the U.S. with us. And we were concerned if we left the gate open, the wounded would come in. And it’s not that we didn’t want to help the wounded, it’s just we didn’t want the people doing the wounding to come in — and finish the job.
We did’t to put the people inside the compound in jeopardy.
On the corner about 30 yards from the compound where we have clinic.
After a short time, the shooting subsided. But then they started burning tires on the corner. The wind was blowing the smoke right into the clinic.
The police responded with tear gas (which also came into the clinic). We were passing out masks, but it takes very little tear gas to really be irritating. I was holding a little baby and tears from her eyes and drainage from her nose were dripping on the floor. She was crying and did not understanding what was going on.
After some time, we were able to get back to work and all of the patients were seen and we got everyone out the gate and on their way home.
I debated on whether or not to even share this story. While this is life in Haiti (and happens somewhere very frequently), it doesn’t occur in our neighborhood very often.
I feel like Haiti is too often known for the bad things, and rarely for the good things. But I didn’t feel like I could share Donald’s entire story without first sharing this story...
Many of you know Donald. He has been coming to the clinic for wound care since January of 2017. He had been injured in hurricane Matthew in 2016. He had an amputation of part of his foot on Christmas Eve 2016 and came to us for help post op in the first days of January 2017.
Donald and I before his last surgery
He has had several more surgeries and, understandably, has become very frustrated.
The other day he told us he needed to go to a doctor in Haiti that understands him.
We think it was going to be a witch doctor, using voodoo.
He said it wasn’t going to be a witch doctor. We traveled with him to his new doctor.
Sure enough … a witch doctor.
We told Donald we couldn’t be a part of it in any way. Donald told us that we “just didn’t understand Haiti.”
He continued by telling us — many times — that he believes in God (although, to us, this action did not make that very evident). We asked a local pastor to talk to Donald, so it couldn’t be blamed on a lack of understanding of the culture.
Pastor Savine came to clinic to talk to Donald on Monday morning. It just so happened that it was the same Monday as the shooting incident. Pastor Savine and Donald sat on this bench for about 2 hours. They talked, they prayed, and they sang worship songs.
Praying during the shooting
During all of the shooting, smoke, and tear gas they never looked up or got up to go to the back of the building with the other patients. There were more important things going on than the bullets in the street.
It was rather emotional to find out that during all this, Donald gave his life to Jesus Christ. And he no longer simply believes in God, but has a personal relationship!
Donald then confessed that he wasn’t actually injured in the hurricane but someone had put Voodoo powder in his boot which had caused the injury and that is why he felt a witch doctor was the only way to get it fixed.
He no longer wants to do that! He has been attending church every Sunday and reads his Bible while he sits in clinic getting his wound vac done. It’s been very exciting to see this change in his life!
Please pray for complete healing for Donald so that he can use his life as a witness to others in his neighborhood.
We are praying that God has used this to draw Donald closer to him but now we are praying for healing so that we can get him a prosthetic and he can return to work to support his family.
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Many of you know Jackenson. He is my buddy and does a lot to help me. I also help him when he gets sick from his Sickle Cell Anemia. I had asked him to help me get some supplies on my day off, and he said he would like to do that. But he got sick.
So, I gave him an IV, like usual, to help him through his crisis (we have broken the 30-gallon mark on IV fluids for him!). But he still wanted to follow through on his commitment.
The Nissan didn’t need an IV, just Jackenson
We hooked his IV up in the car and headed to the pharmacy. We were able to get what we needed for the clinic.
Please pray for Jackenson. He is almost 17 now but doesn’t always take care of himself like he should. But when he gets sick, he is very sick. He was getting sick just as I left to come back to Michigan. He told me that when I got back if I didn’t see him, he would be in Heaven waiting for me. It broke my heart.
He is doing better now but I know each crisis takes a toll on his body.
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I am in Michigan on furlough now, and am enjoying cool summer weather.
I am here for 4 weeks and will be doing 3 weeks of summer camps during that time. I will also be doing some speaking and fundraising for the ministry. And having a little R&R — some time to recover from life in Haiti.
I want to thank you all for your support of Kelby’s Kids! For your prayer support, that protects me from things I will never know about, as well as your faithful financial support, and your words of encouragement.
As I heard the other day, you are the wind beneath my wings! Without you, the ministry of Kelby’s Kids would not be able to do all it does in the lives of everyone that come to the clinics in Haiti. Thank-You seems so inadequate, but I hope it will do on this side of Heaven until you get to know the true power of your partnership with Kelby’s Kids!!
Thank-you for allowing me to serve on your behalf!
If you would like to become a financial partner with Kelby’s Kids please click the “Give” page on my web site for more information.
Until No Child Dies,
Kelby