I wanted to thank you again for your amazing support of the “Stock the Clinic” campaign that we just finished!
Our goal was to raise $5,000.00. And the grand total for campaign was $6,457.00!! You are all such a blessing to me — as well as to the people of Haiti!! If you did not get a chance to give and would like to, it’s not too late. The need in Haiti is never-ending and ever-increasing.
I have an airline ticket for August 12th and will be returning to Haiti then barring any unforeseen problems.
I have just about everything I need to take back with me. I have purchased almost $2,000.00 worth of medications and supplies here (ones not available in Haiti). This includes over 16,000 pills. And they sure weigh a lot!
I have several boxes ready to ship and will ship them this week. So, hopefully, they arrive in Haiti just after I do.
It will cost several hundred dollars, but is really the only option I have. Almost no teams traveled to Haiti last year (and they often bring supplies with them). Then there will be a lot of supplies and prescriptions medications that I’ll need to purchase once I’m in Haiti. This helps not only to educe shipping costs, but it helps support the Haitian economy.
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Things continue to be difficult for almost everyone in Haiti.
The Haitian dollar still continues to lose value. That makes food prices go up. Electricity has been very scarce lately. People are going 5, 10, or even 15 days at a time with no city power.
There is also a diesel shortage. So, there’s no fuel to run the generators.
Covid-19 continues and people continue to be very scared of it. So, very few people are being tested. But everyone knows it’s a big issue. The people continue to be upset with the government. So, protesting is still happening. And the list of difficulties goes on.
The other day when I was talking to people in Haiti, they said that every single day (and usually several times a day) people knock on the gate and say “is Kelby here” or “when is Kelby coming back?”
It’s sad for me to think of the need and to know that those people are getting no help with medical care.
I am looking forward to getting the maternity, malnutrition, and wound care back up and running. It will probably be some time though before the general medical clinic is able to be opened — due to the increased risk of people coming in with Covid-19 and exposing others. Especially since there is little we can do for them.
Just a little cuteness to draw you in to read the blog!!
While a break is always a good thing this time in Michigan has been rather difficult. When I leave on August 12th, I will have been in Michigan for 138 days. This is by far the longest I have been away from Haiti since moving there in November of 2016.
I also feel like this has been a very unproductive time. While I am thankful that I was able to sell my house and will be taking possession of my new little condo on August 3, there is so much more that didn’t happen.
This was the first year since 1996 that I have not worked with kids at summer camp.
I have long-enjoyed being the medical staff at summer camp and youth events. Many people couldn’t figure out why I liked taking vacation time from work to work but it wasn’t like working the street with EMS. It was a blessing to occasionally use the skills God has given me when necessary. But it was an even bigger blessing to daily be able to take a little scrape (which probably didn’t even need a Band-Aid), and for a few moments, pour into a kid and make them feel like they were important and valued.
It usually didn’t take long to recognize the broken kids. Because they required the most band-aids during the week. And, often times, for “scrapes” and “bumps” you couldn’t see (at least not on the outside anyway).
I am looking forward to the 2021 summer camping season to be able to put some more Band-Aids on hearts with boo boo’s!
This is without question the longest I have ever gone since starting my career in EMS in 1990 without helping a patient. That’s not easy when that is what you do and who you are. I am thankful for technology. Since returning to Michigan, I’ve been able to do some Tele-Medicine. It has been good to continue to help in Haiti through technology, although screen time is never the same as actually patient care.
A previous malnutrition patient came last week after burring his hand and arm. They waited a week to come in and put who-knows-what on it. It was good to be able to help with his care, even from 2,000 miles away.
Sometimes unique things are put on burns. Deodorant and tooth paste for this little guy, which is better than some.
All of this extra time would have been ideal for sharing the work of Kelby’s Kids with so many churches, groups, and people. But that isn’t able to happen with the current restrictions for gatherings. There was just so much that wasn’t able to be accomplished during this time.
I am looking forward to getting back to Haiti and being able to help people! I am also looking forward to the “old normal” when I return to Michigan. So, we all have a lot of work to do!!
Again, I am blessed by your partnership with Kelby’s Kids. And I look forward to being able to share with you the difference you make on a daily basis in Haiti when I return.
Until then I hope that you and your families are safe and healthy and we all look for ways to show His love to everyone around us!
Until No Child Dies,
Kelby