The government is broken (the president’s assassination), the streets are broken (so many insecurities), the food supply chain is broken (no fuel for delivery trucks), the drinking water distribution system is broken (no fuel for delivery trucks), hospitals are broken (no fuel for generators), security is broken (gangs do whatever they want), families are broken (so many people are suffering), and hearts are broken (so many people are dying)…  Haiti is by far in the worse condition it has ever been in (there is little cause for hope among the people).

So many of the issues are due to the lack of available fuel. The lack of fuel effects almost every part of life. There are 11 million gallons of fuel in Haiti that the gangs control — and refuse to have it delivered gas stations. The only fuel in Haiti right now is purchased on the black market — at extremely high prices.

This frustration brings people to the streets hopeful for change and some relief. But the daily struggles to survive for everyone in Haiti is getting to be too much.

I think of my patients and my Mammas trying to navigate the roadblocks, burning tires, gang wars, and crime trying to get to clinic for a little help and a little hope.

The lack of fuel to deliver water has created a huge crisis. 

With a new outbreak of Cholera, clean water is more important than ever.

The desperation in the photo is overwhelming!

This truck is not even carrying drinking water, this is the water for cisterns that are used for laundry, showering, cleaning, and flushing toilets. This water would make me sick. This water should be filtered or treated before drinking, but people will be drinking it out of necessity for survival.

In Citie Soleil, now one of the most dangerous places in the world, Marie was setting on the floor playing inside her little shack when a stray round from the gang wars came through the wall and into her chest.  Just one more of the thousands of victims of the gang violence. 

Marie was only 9 months old and one of the patients in the malnutrition clinic. As it turns out, trying to escape malnutrition was not the biggest challenge she faced.  Things are difficult, dangerous, and overwhelming for so many.

Valencia came back to maternity clinic for another checkup for her baby recently. Valencia was only 15 when she first came to the maternity clinic. I do education at every clinic. Valencia not only paid attention to that, but understanding that formula is not the best choice and is very expensive in Haiti. She asked for a breast pump so that she could provide milk for her baby while she was in school!

Doriles Valentina is not only doing well but is thriving with proper care from Valencia. At only 3 months old she weighed 6.0 kg or 13.2 lbs. She was a chunky little girl with a few little rolls, which are fairly rare in my clinic. I actually took her out and showed her to all the other mamma’s to show them that with proper feeding it is possible to have a healthy baby!  It’s these things that make all the work worthwhile!

The same week a little guy came into the malnutrition clinic and it was very noticeable that he was significantly underweight. He is 18 months old and only weighs 4.8 kg or 10.5 lbs.

He has most likely been under weight his entire life, probably starting with poor feeding habits at birth. 

Malnutrition in the first 1,000 days of life has a significant impact on brain function for the rest of a child’s life. The malnutrition chart goes from overweight to normal to underweight. There are 3 brackets on the underweight side.  -1 to -3 standard deviations below the world health organization’s normal. If you calculated it out, he was actually -5 standard deviations, 2 brackets off the end of the chart. 

As things continue to get increasingly desperate in Haiti the malnutrition will only continue to get worse and many children will die.

I am happy to report that Chinaida has done very well with her head injury she had from her bus rollover accident a few months ago and has been cleared without any further problems!

When I told her that she was fine and didn’t need to come back to the clinic for any further checks, I also told her that she was very fortunate and that I felt that God truly has a plan for her life!  That’s when her dad told me that he was a pastor and he believed that as well. He also said that he believed that God provided the clinic to be able to care for the needs of his daughter and that he was very thankful for finding us. 

He said it brought him a lot of comfort to know that if anything happened, he knew that God would provide for her through the clinic!  This clinic is only possible because of the faithful and sacrificial part you play in the ministry of Kelby’s Kids, through your prayers and financial support!

When I came back from Haiti, it was to go to the Kansas City Mo. area for a Missionary Security Class through an organization called Concilium. It was a combination of 2 classes they provide.  CAST Comprehensive Awareness Security Training as well as RACE-FSC Restricted Access Complex Engagement – Field Security Course.  It was an intensive 3.5 days of training for missionaries to be as safe as possible while still serving in other countries. 

They covered multiple areas of security, how to avoid potential situations, best practices with robberies, active shooters, carjackings, and kidnappings. It focuses on safety while counting the costs and moving forward in sharing the gospel all around the world. The final scenario lasted for several hours into the night and involved being kidnapped by Al-Qaeda. They work hard to make it as realistic as possible including a lot of gun fire with automatic weapons. The class was very valuable and taught me a very different mindset and attitude that would be necessary for those situations. 

Hopefully it will be the best training that I will never need to use!

Before I left Haiti ,it was becoming clear that I would probably not be able to return until there were some improvements in the situation in the country. In my last 2 weeks I was only able to get to clinic half of the time that it was supposed to be open. 

With it continuing to get worse, I would mostly be stuck in my house, with increased security issues, difficulty getting food and water, while not being able to serve at clinic. 

Sadly, I don’t know when I will be able to go back but am hoping that it will be soon.

My heart aches for the innocent children and the many victims of the desperate situation currently unfolding in Haiti.  People are suffering and dying.  It’s difficult knowing that the need is so great but I am not able to be there Helping. Please be in prayer for Haiti!  Please also be praying during this time of uncertainty as I prayerfully consider my next steps.

Thank-You again for all you do to help the ministry or Kelby’s Kids go forward, to bring help and hope to so many! You are a blessing to me and to so many in Haiti!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby