It’s so hard to be away when there is so much to be done and so many who need help (since I’m in Michigan and my heart is in Haiti).

Things are starting to change a little since the U.N. got into Haiti the beginning of July. However there is so much suffering and so much need, it’s going to take a while before things get better for the average Haitian.  Violent crime is still continuing in much of Port-au-Prince.  Food scarcity continues, which means that food very expensive. Medical care continues to not be an option for the majority.

One of the kids I am still able to take care of is Vanessa!  She came to me in mid February with some significant medical issues (See blog post from 02/22/24).  She quickly got a hold of my heart!

Vanessa was very sick when she came in.  I was able to get her feeling better but she still had a much more significant issue, which was why her mother brought her to the clinic originally.  Unfortunately, things in Haiti really fell apart after we got her feeling better.  Before I had to leave, I was able to determine that she has severe Scoliosis.  She has a large deformity to her spine in the middle of her back.  This outward curvature of her spine is causing her chest to be compressed on itself  which is starting to cause her to have difficulty breathing, if she isn’t in the correct position.  It is going to be very difficult, but I think her only hope is going to be getting out of Haiti for surgery and further care.  Please pray that I can get back to Haiti quickly to be able to start working on this for Vanessa.

If you read the first post about Vanessa, you will remember that she was living on the streets in a dangerous area because the gangs had driven them out of there home.  So, until I can get back and manage her situation, and because of your generosity, I was able to rent a small little house for Vanessa and her mom not to far from the clinic, to get them off the streets.  Because they had to flee in the middle of the night with only the clothes on there backs, I also got them some basic things for there house, things to cook with, and provide them food, water, and charcoal every month.

Vanessa’s mom has been being a little bit difficult since I left.  Please pray that she will remain there and make good choices until I will be able to get back so that her daughter can get the care she needs to save her life.

I also continued to take care of Donald by providing him bandages for his dressing changes.  Thankfully he is able to do his own dressings changes as he receives the supplies he needs each week.  I bagged up hundreds and hundreds of items to hopefully get him through until I return.  I will have a lot of bandaging items to get into Haiti once I return to get restocked.

Another one of my patients I’m still taking care of is also an employee.  Jackenson has been working for me for a while now.  He helps translate for clinic and helps run errands and has been helping take care of things while I am away.  He does a good job helping me out.  It’s hard to believe little Jackenson will be 22 this month!

Unfortunately, Jackenson has Sickle Cell Anemia.  He has been sick several times since I left and was recently in the hospital.  He was fortunate to be able to find help and his doctor even delayed her vacation to care for him until he was released.  But his care was very expensive.  Please pray for Jackenson to be able to stay healthy while I am gone.

Benson is another patient that I cared for in Haiti.  But he wasn’t just another patient though. He also lived at the compound where the clinic is.  He was one of the kids that Karen had taken in many years ago to help.  Benson had been seriously burned as a small child and required a lot of care.  One of the areas he had been burned badly was his foot.  He had continued to have issues with it intermittently over the last several years.  For the last several months he had been having some serious issues with it and I had been working on getting it to heal but it really needed a skin graph which isn’t available with the current situation.

I was very saddened to get a call and find out that Benson had suddenly died on April 28th after going to the countryside to visit family.  He was only 24 years old.  It’s a reminder that life in Haiti is very difficult and that things are never easy to get taken care of.

Many of you probably heard on the news about the American couple that were killed in Haiti on May 23rd.  As the gangs get bolder, the dangers continue to increase.  A gang came to rob them but another gang showed up and things got out of hand.  Davy and Natalie (Baker) Lloyd along with Jude, one of there long-time staff, were killed in the attack.  I never met them but I do know Davy’s Father, David.  Davy was 23 and Natalie was 21, and they hadn’t even had their second wedding anniversary yet.

Davy kept sharing the gospel with the gangs as they were being robbed.  They would hit him to try to get him to stop but he continued.  One of the last things Davy was heard saying before he was killed was “after this is over, you can still repent of this and turn to the Lord.”  Such a heart for Haiti and the work of the Lord.  May we all be so bold with sharing the gospel to those around us!  Please remember to continue to pray for the Lloyd and Baker families as they continue to process this huge loss in their lives.

It has been some time since I was robbed and lost Ziva.  I knew that I needed to get another dog for security at my house.  I found some more Rottweiler puppies that an American had.  I decided to get 2 of them this time in the hopes that they would entertain each other and less of my stuff would get chewed up.  They arrived about a week before Haiti took it’s turn for the worst, the beginning of March.  So that means that I haven’t been around to help train them and take care of them.

So, the timing was less than ideal and they have added to the expense of keeping things going while I am gone.  I thought about just giving them away and finding new dogs when I am able to return and things are more stable.  But, I got these puppies from my friend David.  Now, knowing that Davy and Natalie played with these puppies before I got them, means that I couldn’t do that.  Hopefully they will be good dogs and good protectors, as well as a reminder of these two sweet lives that were lost.

As I said, there has only been minimal change in Haiti so fare with the arrival of the U.N.  I am hoping that things will improve and I will be able to get back soon, maybe in September.  I also what to be a good steward of myself and my finances, being sure not to get back into the same situation that I was evacuated out of (See blog post from 04/11/24).  The need continues to be great and the kids are the ones who suffer the most in these conditions and it’s hard not being there to help them.

I continue to be grateful for your faithful financial support during this difficult time.  Last time I got stuck in the states for a while I did lose some support.  But the work in Haiti continues, as you just read.  Even while being gone, my current in-country expenses are at about $92.00 USD per day or almost $2,800.00 per month.  This work can only continue through your help!  The bills don’t stop when I’m gone for a few months.

Thank you also for your continued prayer support!  Please continue to pray for Haiti, for those just trying to survive this situation, for the ministry of Kelby’s Kids, and especially for the kids who are victims of this brokenness.

Together we can make a difference in this dark world!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby