Sorrow and Laughter

While I was in Michigan in April, I shared with you that one of our kids, Samuel.

He was involved in an accident where his mom was killed when struck by a vehicle. She was holding Samuel, and managed to toss him out of harm’s way just before she got hit.  Samuel escaped without serious physical injury — but Samuel was understandably very sad and wasn’t eating. His aunt was very worried about him. 

When I got back to Haiti, and was able to hold Samuel, and get him to laugh and simply love on him, it made my heart happy! 

I am happy to report that Samuel is doing better and eating well! He has graduated the malnutrition program and is doing much better now.  Please remember to pray for Samuel and his aunt, as she has taken all of her sisters’ kids as well as her own and is now raising nine kids all by herself.

Who knows, maybe those 2 fingers are better than a thumb…  they are popular here in Haiti!!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

Not Always a Hero...

I still occasionally go out with HERO ambulance when they are extra busy or have little babies that need help. 

Not too long ago I got a call asking if I would go help with a neonate that was not doing very well and needed to come to Port-au-Prince (PAP). I was picked up and we headed out of town. 

They were coming from a small hospital along the coast. The hospital put them in their ambulance and started toward us and we started toward them — hoping to meet at a predestined spot. 

It was not all that far by U.S. standards but traffic makes it seem like a loooong way. 

We kept getting updates and each one just brought more questions and concerns. The complaint was about a less-than-2-day-old baby who was good on the first day, but started to develop breathing issues, with low oxygen levels. 

It was determined that the problem was the baby was “in the water too long.” 

They don’t do water births in Haiti, so we were puzzled about what it could mean. 

We were updated that they had trouble finding an oxygen tank for the transport. Turns out some missionaries (who went to the hospital to check on Mom) paid for one — and so they loaded up the ambulance with the biggest tank of O2 they hat they had.

Next, we were told the hospital was going to send the gate attendant for the hospital in the ambulance with the Neonatal patient. So, the missionaries paid a nurse to go with him instead.  When we reached the meeting place, they hadn’t arrived (given all the issues trying to leave) so we continued further toward them. 

We finally met at a gas station for the patient exchange. When they pulled up, they did, indeed, have a very large oxygen tank — one that was sticking out the window of the ambulance with the valve exposed to passing vehicles!  When I got the baby, he was barely breathing and required some quick and aggressive care to get him back to his normal oxygen level of 80%.

Had we waited at the planned spot, baby would have died before reaching us.

The transport back to the hospital in PAP was frustrating.  It was less than 20 miles back to the hospital but took over 90 minutes — even while we had our lights and sirens on in traffic. 

In our haste, we hit a propane truck just outside or PAP! Yikes!

Identities of the patients and family with HERO ambulance are always protected. Patients in our clinics give us permission to use their pictures and names.

Baby did well for a while, and then started to go down hill again.  We were assisting his breathing for the last 20 minutes of the transport but couldn’t intubate him — and no appropriate hospitals had any room for him. 

We finally arrived at one hospital. Baby was still breathing spontaneously, and was still awake at times. We stayed at the hospital and assisted when we could. But, unfortunately, we would soon learn baby’s fate — he had died. 

Some days we feel like we’ve lost. But for this little baby, there is no better place for him to be than in the arms of Jesus!

——-

And although we lose sometimes, we continue the fight, and many kids are better because of it!!

A healthy baby, rolls and all!!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

We Love Them Healthy and Cute!

Children are a blessing from the Lord!!  And we are blessed with a lot of them in the clinics!

Some of the kids are scared of us.  

They say that a truly malnourished kid will not smile — and it’s true. But some of the kids really blossom after being in the malnutrition program and get healthy! 

This is Joseph (dad must have really wanted a boy…) and she is almost 3 years old.  She has been in the malnutrition program and is about ready to graduate.  She came in at 7.93 Kg and is now up to 10.37 kg. 

The last couple weeks as soon as I get out of the car she starts yelling “how are you!” over and over.  She waits patiently for her turn in the clinic. She loves to come in and be seen. She loves my stethoscope and helps me move it around when I listen to her lungs, heart, and tummy. Then it’s my turn after she is done. I think she might be a doctor when she grows up. 

I pray that Joseph can help to change Haiti!

Please pray for all the kids in the malnutrition program.  I wish you could experience clinic for just one week. It is such a blessing to be a part of their little lives!

A little extra cuteness for today!

Unfortunately, the red bracelet the baby is wearing indicates a voodoo ritual. We work frequently with parents to help them understand the voodoo won’t protect their child — and what the Bible say about these things health and healing and protection.

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

It Could Break Your Heart, But Good Things DO Happen!

Back in December, Momma W. came into the clinic. She wasn’t even 18. 

She was pregnant and looking for some help, because she wasn’t sure if her baby was well. She was about 20 weeks (about half-way through her pregnancy). She was worried about her baby, and when she learned about the maternity clinic, she came to see if we could help her. 

You see, life in Haiti is very hard and it’s not uncommon for complications resulting in the loss of the baby or mom or both. And that scenario is, unfortunately, accepted as “the way it is” in this country.

But this mom had an additional concern in the back of her mind.

In September, when she first learned she was pregnant, she also learned her boyfriend didn’t want the baby. So, he and his friends held her down and forced her to drink alcohol, and force-fed her several “abortion pills.”

Despite the boyfriend’s plans, God had other plans. 

Because, when we gave her a checkup, the baby was doing just fine!

We accepted her as a patient and took care of her throughout the rest of her pregnancy … and in April she delivered a healthy little boy!

The “Miracle” of Life!!

We are thankful for a healthy baby and a healthy mom and the opportunity to share with her and show her the love of Jesus!

On a related note: I have talked a couple times about the “cone of drugs.”  I finally got a picture of one the other day.

The cone of drugs — a mobile drug store

This is the walking drug store. In this picture you can easily see Amoxicillin, Keflex, Cipro, Ampicillin, Doxycycline, and more — and he isn’t even well-stocked! 

This is the guy you walk up to and tell him you need to have an abortion, and he gives you a hand full of pills. Sadly, it’s that simple.

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby     

Stories by the Day!

I have to apologize, again, for how long it’s been since I posted a blog update. Time has gotten away from me with everything else that needs to be done and how busy the clinics have been. 

I know that you don’t like long posts as you don’t have time to read all of it.  So, to catch up, I decided to post a “story of the day” every day for the next 10 days! I hope that way you will be able to catch up with what’s going on with Kelby’s Kids!

The first thing I need to let you know and say a HUGE THANK-YOU for is providing a vehicle for the work of Kelby’s Kids in Haiti!!!  After almost a year it has finally happened!!  A vehicle fund campaign was started back in July of 2018 to raise funds for a vehicle.  You generously stepped up to the cause and provided the needed funds. BUT, it would take almost 8 months and almost $1,500.00 just to complete my residency permit, drivers license, and other government documents which allows you the ability to buy a vehicle in Haiti. (This hoops you have to jump through are a great source of frustration here for many who serve in Haiti.)

After a lot of research and talking with other people in Haiti, watching the missionary pages on Facebook, as well as encouragement from many of the donors, the board and myself felt a new vehicle was the best stewardship of the money that was entrusted to us for a long-term plan. 

The Haiti environment is very hard on vehicles, and yet the cost of used vehicles remains very high (despite the low-quality of a used cars).  Just yesterday, on a Haiti Facebook page, I saw a 1996 Geo Tracker posted for sale at $2,800.00!

I am excited to share with you the Nissan Patrol that you have provided to this ministry!

Kelby’s Kids Nissan Patrol

This vehicle has no frills, no power anything, but is built for the roads of Haiti and designed to last a long time in difficult conditions.  It is my prayer that this vehicle provides a lot of years of services to Kelby’s Kids and saves many lives.

It was always difficult when people would call me and ask for help and often times, I had to tell them that if you can get to me, I can help you but I don’t have a way to come to you right now.  That will no longer be an issue!  It actually transported its first patient within 24 hours of pulling into the driveway!

Stay tuned tomorrow (and for the rest of the week) for some exciting stories from the clinics — and, of course, cute pictures of babies!

THANK YOU AGAIN for your continued support of the work of Kelby’s Kids. Together we’re changing lives and bringing hope and healing to the kids and people of Haiti.

Until No Child Dies

Kelby  

Can You Help Me?

Some people only come once… 

Some people come every week…

Some people can be helped…

Some people cannot be helped…

Some people use one of the clinics we offer…

Some people use all the clinics we offer......

 Last week a lady came to medical clinic with her little baby.  She was in desperate need of help.

This is Emira, she is 18 days old and weighs 5.2 pounds

Emira’s Mom came to medical clinic but was looking for the maternity clinic. She’d heard that the maternity clinic does follow-up with new babies and helps with breast-feeding education.  When she left, she was a part of the malnutrition clinic and her mom was part of the wound care clinic.

Even though Emira is the 6th child in her family, her mom started to have problems nursing a few days after delivering — and stopped breast feeding her.  She was only getting sugar water and pudding (water and flour, or crushed crackers and water) for the last two weeks.  Emira’s mom now has bad Mastitis. Because she wasn’t breast feeding, she had an open wound in her breast about the size of a golf ball.

Emira is now in the formula program so that she can get the nutrition that she needs to grow up big and healthy and her mom is in the wound clinic so we can get her healed up — so she doesn’t lose her breast (or worse) from the infection she has. 

Please pray for both of them as they work to become healthy! And a big “thank-you” to those that support Kelby’s Kids! Through you, Emira and her mom can find hope and happiness through help and healing!

———

Some patients are followed for a long time through the maternity clinic, wound clinic, malnutrition clinic or even Medical clinic.  Judith is one of those patients. 

She came to the Maternity clinic early in her pregnancy.  She made it to all of her appointments, so I was able to monitor her closely.  It made it much easier to know if she was getting sick and was in trouble.

Judith developed Preeclampsia in her last several weeks of pregnancy.  I worked with her for a short time but was obvious that she was not going to improve.  I sent Judith for a C-Section to save her life as well as the life of her 37-week baby.

Judith with her “Graduation present” from the maternity program!!

This surgery for the C-section was out of reach for her and her family.  But because of your generosity, Kelby’s Kids was able to cover the $15,000.00 HTG surgery! 

While that is only $200.00 USD it might as well have been $20,000.00 to them because they could have never done it on their own.

———

There are a lot of cute healthy babies that come though the clinics each week!

We also get a lot who are really sick and need a lot of help. 

We often have to refer kids and families to other resources as their needs are far beyond the capabilities of the clinic.  The sad part is knowing that they will either never go to those resources. Or, that those resources will turn them away because they’re overwhelmed. Or, they won’t try if they don’t think they can save the sick person. Or simply because a patient is disabled.

One day I went to clinic for an appointment with a wound-care patient.  A few minutes after I arrived, a mom came in with her baby.  Even though she had him wrapped in a blanket, trying to hide him, it was obvious what the problem was — and that there was not a lot of hope.

At 9 months, he weighs 34 pounds, an extreme opposite to most of the kids I see.

Karen, who runs Coram Deo, the compound where all the clinics are held, has helped a lot of special needs kids over her 23+ years in Haiti.  The mom knew this, and came holding out hope for her baby. 

The baby had been turned away at the Hydrocephalus clinic — which is one of only two in the country. They labeled the boy as “beyond hope.” 

Karen knows the director of the program and made a phone call and got him admitted.  Even though his prognosis is very poor, he and his mom deserve a chance and a little bit of hope.

I have seen a lot of Hydrocephaly in Haiti.  He was one of the worst.  At 9 months and 34 pounds he has a head circumference of 32 inches.  Please pray for his mamma as she goes through what is ahead of her.

 ———

It’s break time!!  As you read this, I am back into Michigan for a couple weeks of R&R. 

Things have been going well but it has been a very busy year so far. I think I have had 3 or 4 days so far this year that I haven’t seen at least one patient. 

It is also been rather stressful always watching for unrest, not knowing the next time you may get to go out to get water, food, or fuel or even just to go out and do life.  It’s not good feeling when you know exactly how many times in the last month you have been able to leave the neighborhood. 

I appreciate all your prayers and messages of concern during and since the major protests which started in February.  Haiti still needs a lot of prayers and help.  The unrest are now more-isolated, but are also getting more violent.  A lot of our patients are still having a hard time getting to clinic. They’ll say they heard gun fire as they leaving their homes.

As much as rest and time away is essential to continue working in Haiti it’s also difficult to be away.  Tuesday morning, I got a call from the malnutrition clinic that Samuel’s mom, Ariel, had been killed.  Samuel has been in the program since 2017 and you have seen him in my blog before. 

He was admitted because he was both malnourished but also needed to reach a specific weight before he would be eligible for heart surgery he needed.   

It was such a blessing to not only watch him become healthy but to also out-grow the VSD (ventricular Septal Defect) in his heart, — simply by getting the nutrition that he needed. 

The hardest part for me is that Ariel was taking Samuel to a doctor’s appointment — one I recommended! 

She was on her way to the appointment when she was hit by a car.  Ariel was a good mom and cared very much about Samuel. The very last thing she did was for Samuel was throw him out of harm’s way — saving his life — just before she was hit and killed. 

Samuel and his other 4 siblings are being raised and cared for by his Grandmother now.  Please pray for this family as they grieve Ariel’s death and adjust to life without her.

Samuel on 10/2017 and again on 03/2019 with his mom Ariel.

Thank-you for your continued support of Kelby’s Kids!  Without you I would not be able to be in Haiti serving the needs I share about in this blog — and the countless more I’m not able to tell you about. 

You are making a difference in the lives of so many people through your sacrificial giving and for that I am grateful. Make no mistake, through you, the people of Haiti are blessed!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

Trouble on the streets of Haiti

I think that the trouble on the streets of Haiti have finally made its way to the American news after 9 days.  My phone has been busy all day with messages from people asking if I am safe, how things are going, and am I home or coming home?

I want to assure you that I am safe and doing well right now!!

Probably protesting only out of desperation for food and water with little understanding of the current government situation.

You may have seen some of these images on the news.

I have not personally seen any of this though…

A hope that there is strength in numbers

While the people are upset and have taken to the street, I live in a fairly quiet part of town. I have only seen a little bit of activity around the clinic and where I live (0.4 miles apart). But even so, caution must be taken on the streets even in our neighborhood.

While I would certainly not go out and travel around Port-au-Prince right now, as it’s not safe, but without social media I would know little of what was going on or be aware of a lot the dangers.

For safety reasons, many Americans have evacuated Haiti and more are leaving every day. Those of us left in our area, while not seeing fires everywhere, are very aware of the desperation of much of the country. Food is scarce, water is scarce, and fuel is scarce. And as Haitians get more desperate things will become more dangerous everywhere.

We are still having clinic each day but some days we get only a few or even no patients.  We have lost some of our patients to the situation and it’s sad that they can’t get to the clinic because of the condition of their neighborhoods. One of the dad’s came to malnutrition clinic dripping in sweat.  He said he dodged a lot of rocks on the way to clinic to get food for his son. 

Please pray for our patients that are unable to get to clinic for wound care, medications, food for the malnourished children, and medical care.

One of my patients told me today that “my country is so broken.” 

It broke my heart that he is so disappointed in his government (the main cause for the demonstrations) and in his people for the way they are responding to the crisis.

Please keep Haiti in your prayers. Pray peace would come to this nation, and people would be able to have their basic needs met. Pray that Kelby’s Kids will be able to remain and provide help for those who are unable to find enough water and could never have medical care if it were not free.

The need to evacuate is and will continue to be reevaluated frequently every day.  I will try to keep you updated on things as they happen.

Thank-You again for your concern, prayers, and support of the work of Kelby’s Kids!!  It is greatly appreciated!

——

On a lighter note, this girl turned 2 today!!  Happy Birthday Faeka!! 

Such a blessing to help you come into this world and watch you grow. 

Praying you can grow up in a Haiti that is not so broken!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

Kelby’s Kids Has Been Blessed in 2018!

I have to apologize for the delay in getting a blog post to you. I have been very busy, and time has gotten away from me. 

The Prices left to go to the States the day after the last post. So, I’ve been by myself to keep all the clinics going these last four weeks. 

I returned to Michigan for 10 days at Christmastime. It’s the one week a year we close all the clinics.  During those 10 days in Michigan, I had 21 appointments to meet with family, friends, and supporters — it kept me on my toes! I returned to Haiti on a Sunday afternoon and clinics resumed on Monday. 

The clinics have been very busy and we have had four teams help us during these last three weeks. I also spent 3 days in the hospital with a patient (more on this, later in this post).  I have also made a few house calls … AND I have helped five Americans in the last 20 days. Whew!  With the help of a visiting doctor and my ultrasound machine, we were able to save one missionary from an expensive, unplanned trip back to the United States.

So please excuse my delay.

Things have been going well in the clinic and there have been no shortage of people to be able to bless through you and your faithfulness to the ministry of Kelby’s Kids! 

There was a tremendous outpouring of support with giving Tuesday, year-end giving, and the vehicle fund! I am truly blessed and humbled by your love and support! 

I am pleased to announce that we have received the money needed for a vehicle for Kelby’s Kids!  Now we simply continue to wait for the government paperwork required to be able to purchase it.

In addition to the large funding for the vehicle, you’re continuing to support the day-to-day operations of this ministry. And, on a daily basis we are changing lives and bringing hope to so many.

One of the littlest wound-care patients in a while was this little man.

Sporting a cool hat and a clean bandage!

He put his hand into a pot of boiling bean sauce and burned it to the point where he “degloved” it. (Degloving basically means that most of the skin on his whole hand peeled off in one piece — like a rubber glove).

He had some trouble the first time or two, but, after he figured out the system, he was a very good patient — anticipating how he needed to hold his hand so we could care for it. 

His hand has healed very well and he should have little trouble with it as he gets older!

Weak, fragile babies continue to be one of the things that strums my heart strings the hardest. We frequently have babies in the medical, malnutrition, and maternity clinics that need some extra help. So, holding them, feeding them, and loving them is always a precious time for me.

Working on getting bigger and stronger!

The little guy above needs a little extra help, simply to eat. 

He’s so tiny that he can only eat for few minutes before he gets tired. So, to increase his milk intake, mom is pumping to give him additional milk (other than the formula) during the time he’s awake and able to eat. 

Hopefully in a few weeks he will be able to go back to breastfeeding.

We have been graduating many kids from the malnutrition program in the last three weeks! 

It’s exciting to see these kids go from malnourished to healthy with a stop into our clinic each week.  The price of the formula and Medika Mumba is well worth it when you see the kids become health and the joy it brings to the family.

One of the most recent graduates from the malnutrition program!

This little girl graduated last week when she made it to her goal weight!

One of the moms in my maternity clinic was only 15 when she had her baby. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do. She was torn between keeping the baby and giving it to the orphanage.

After working with her for, Mom decided an orphanage was NOT the best place for her baby — and she wants to keep him!

So blessed to be able to grow up with the love of a mother! This tiny guy will grow up with the care of his mom and won’t have to live in an orphanage!

We have also had a lot of graduates from the Maternity clinic in the last couple weeks.

One mom recently contacted me through my translator. The mom said she was bleeding. I told her she needed to go to the hospital. (At the Kelby’s Kids clinic, I’m currently unable to help Moms with her particular kind of emergency.)

The next day she walked to the clinic from the hospital carrying her IV bottle. She had been discharged because her bleeding had slowed down. I advised her that she needed to go to another hospital.

We could still hear the baby’s heartbeat. But, the mom’s placenta was becoming detached, and without proper treatment, the baby could soon die — and she could as well. 

She said she had already been to the hospital and she would just go home for now and rest. 

Unfortunately, a few days later, she started bleeding again. And, this time, as she was being driven to the hospital, she died from blood loss. 

It’s sad that she was unable to get the help she needed. The medical system is very broken here for those who can’t afford private care. The maternity clinic is making a big difference for many, but unfortunately, we can only do so much, and we won’t be able to save them all. 

That’s why we always share the love of Jesus with our patients. So they can always have His gift, which is better than any level of medical care.

Meanwhile …

Not too long after I got back to Haiti, I was setting in my room one evening when I was told one of the kids from the REV Home (a nearby orphanage) fell and dislocated his elbow. I always hope was my hope that it was dislocated and not fractured.  When I got to him it was pretty evident that it was a bad fracture. We took him to the ER for an X-Ray. You guessed it, a significant fracture. 

Amber, the director of the Rev Home, wasn’t in Haiti. She was in the states. 

I worked with him for his care while in frequent contact with Amber through Facebook. We moved him to another hospital for his surgery. 

His surgery took five hours and I spent a lot of time pacing in front of the entrance to the operating room. They kept coming out and telling me to “go sit down, the boy is fine.”

Ludjer’s arm before and after surgery.

After three days in the hospital, I was thankful when Amber arrived from the states! It’s such a struggle when you’re never really even sure about the quality of the private medical care in Haiti. 

I am happy to report that the surgery went well. He seems to be healing well.  I’m praying that he has no long-term issues with his arm or his elbow after this is all done!

2018 was a great year for Kelby’s Kids and I am looking forward to 2019! 

I try to be a good steward of your funds with my travel expenses. It is a delicate balance though. It’s very difficult to get any rest, relaxation, and recharge while in Haiti. So, time away is important, because you can’t pour from an empty cup. 

But it’s also very important to speak, raise funds, and stay connected with people while in the States.  I spent 305 days in Haiti last year helping as many as I could! I made three trips to Michigan in 2018 for an average of 20 days per trip. 

I will soon have my residency permit (which also allows me to get my vehicle!) so I will not have to be worried about the length of my stays in Haiti, but I would like to continue with a similar schedule like I had last year. I believe it will help stay emotionally and physically healthy.

As I said in the beginning, I am blessed beyond measure by your support which allows me to do what I am doing in Haiti! 

When I started Kelby’s Kids back in early 2016, I wasn’t sure if others would be drawn to my dream and the passion I had for Haiti.  But you HAVE! And I hope that by reading these blog posts, and seeing the faces of the kids and families, you can hear, see, and know the difference you have made!

It feels wholly inadequate, but all I can say is THANK YOU!

Until No Child Dies

Kelby

Can It Really Be Two Years Already!?!

Yes it has!

2 years… I’m not even 2 months old and I’m tired out!!

It is hard to believe that I have been living in Haiti for over two years already! 

November 9th was the two-year anniversary of my move to Haiti. It has gone so fast!  I just spent over an hour looking through my pictures from the last two years. It’s really only a snapshot of my time here. But it was really overwhelming what I have been able to be involved in during the last 24 months.

I don’t have time to cover it all, but, if you haven’t been following the work of Kelby’s Kids, scroll back through the past blogs — it’s been an adventure! (Start all the way back, before the beginning!)

Shortly after arriving in Haiti in 2016

When I moved to Haiti, I didn’t really know what all I would be involved in, besides helping kids. It didn’t take long to jump in with both feet:

I went down to southern Haiti with a medical team in response to Hurricane Matthew.

I have delivered two babies.

I have made great friends.

I work with HERO ambulance and been able to help infants, kids, and adults, and do medivacs both in Haiti and to the USA.

I have been able to travel around and see a lot of this beautiful country.

I have loved, saved, and lost babies.

I have been in a motorcycle crash.

I have held a two-pound preemie.

I was on a medical response team to a recent earthquake in northern Haiti.

I have done medical clinics, malnutrition, clinics, maternity clinics, wound clinics, mobile clinics, school clinics, and orphanage clinics.

I have made a difference in kids’ lives by bringing hope through healing.

Don’t you just want to kiss this cute little face!!

That’s a short list that represents a lot more things!  And many would say it’s plenty! 

It’s been a real blessing to do it all.  But the the truth is, “I” have not done most of this.

WE have.

WE delivered babies, WE rescued the suffering, WE provided clinics, WE have made a difference in many lives, and WE brought hope through healing!! 

I am truly thankful for each of you who have joined the team to support Kelby’s Kids with prayer support, financial support, and your encouragement on this journey!

I’m sure WE are also glad that only I got in a motorcycle crash!

It’s a blessing to show your love to these little ones!

The problem is that this is a broken world. Sickness and pain will come again and the medicine will run out. That is why the ultimate goal is a life change. God has been shown to the people that WE have worked with. Lives have been eternally changed, and that’s our ultimate goal!

Shortly after arriving in Haiti I met Rosedena. She was a cute little one that, at first glance, looked to be doing OK.

After questioning mom, I learned her baby was only eating cookies, and only drinking dirty water. And upon a second look, I recognized she was not simply a chunky little girl, but was actually very sick. She was swollen from a life-threatening protein deficiency called Kwashiorkor. She was very sick and was at risk of dying.

Rosedena on 02-09-17

Rosedena was immediately put in our malnutrition program — and she made big improvements. She came back to visit the other day. She is doing very well and her mamma is very happy to have a healthy little girl. The girl has much better of a chance of beating the statistics. 1 in 5 (20%) of children in Haiti won’t see their 5th birthday.

Rosedena on 10-08-18

This is just one example of what long term work can do when you are able to build relationships with people!

Maternity Clinic Update

The maternity clinic was officially started on 03-12-18 (although I have been helping pregnant moms since I arrived in 2016). 

As of 11-14-18, during the 27 clinics that we’ve held, 105 woman have been admitted into the program. This doesn’t count the 35-40 non-pregnant woman who showed up, received counseling, education, and resource referrals for problems like fibroid masses, STDs, menopause, or cancer. 

Of the 105 patients, 50 of them are current patients in the program. We are blessed to have had 28 moms graduate the program with live births, including one set of twins! We have had seven moms who have lost their babies, and we’ve been able to support them through the process.

We, unfortunately, have had 20 moms who’ve dropped out of the program (for any one of a hundred unknown reasons). I worry about them, and wish I had more answers as to why they left.

A young, new mom came to the clinic the other day.

I always ask new clients “why do you want to be in our program?” (I ask because some moms are just clinic-hopping — to see what free stuff they can get.)

This particular mom said “she would very much like our help.” I always ask where they live. I don’t want to make their appointments too close together, if it’s a burden to get to the clinic. (Many of our moms walk several hours — one way — to get to the clinic.) 

This new mom said it took her more than two hours to get to the clinic, but it wouldn’t take her as long to get back home. I asked her what she meant by that. I wondered if she’d walked to clinic, but would take a Tap Tap (taxi) home. 

She said she awoke one morning and knew she needed help, but didn’t have any money, and didn’t know where to turn. 

She continued to tell us how, earlier that day, she walked out of her house and kept walking and asking people where she could go for help. More than two hours later, she ended up at our gate. She had never heard of us, and didn’t even know we existed. Until that day. 

I am thankful that the Lord not only brought her to us, but, brought her to us on the very morning of maternity clinic! I am excited to see what God has in store for our relationship with this young mother!

Sometimes it’s just about loving people... 

A lady came to the maternity clinic last week. 

She had patiently waited over four hours for her turn. When she came in, she did not appear pregnant (I have learned to confirm a viable pregnancy before starting the paperwork. Because, sometimes looks or thoughts about pregnancy can be deceiving). 

With the delay of translating and just being in my maternity routine, I had just started to assess her abdomen for signs of a growing uterus from an early pregnancy. 

So, I question, “why do you think you’re pregnant?” She answers with, “I’m not. I have seizures.”

We often have people come on the wrong clinic days. We are always saying Monday is medical, Tuesday is malnutrition, and Wednesday is maternity. And wound-care is on Mon, Wed and Friday.  It would have been easy to dismiss her as it’s always difficult to see all the maternity patients between 9 am and 3 pm when the wound care clinic starts. 

But my heart went out to her so I talked to her for a few minutes about seizures and where she needed to seek care. Just as she was getting ready to leave I thought about how her life must be. 

Anyone with a disability in Haiti is looked down upon and often cast aside by family and friends.  Seizures aren’t understood here, and are often thought to be evil or from being demon-possessed. Or, at the very least, due to a severe mental health issue. Seizures aren’t viewed similar to other diseases like diabetes or a cardiac issue. 

As she was leaving, I told her, “there’ss nothing wrong with you.”  She looked at me kind of confused. I said it again. But continued, “you didn’t do anything wrong. This is not your fault. You don’t ‘deserve’ this. It just happens, and you have nothing to be ashamed of.” 

She started to cry and my heart broke to think of what she may have had to endure. 

As she left, I felt bad that I couldn’t fix her medical issue. But I hoped that maybe what she really needed that day was to know that someone understood her, and that she wasn’t some kind of monster like — perhaps — she had been led to believe.

Bruna with her graduation present from the maternity program after her first pregnancy!

I know these posts get loooooong, but there is sooooooo much I want to share with you about what you have been involved in. 

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART for making the last two years a huge success and for helping to keep the ministry of Kelby’s Kids supported so we could pour into so many lives!

Be watching for ways to help us start 2019 off with a bang — so we can have an even bigger impact in the lives of the children and people of Haiti.

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

A Calm During The Storm

Things have been extremely busy here in Haiti the last several weeks. 

When it seems that I will have a little bit of free time, something always comes up.  For the last several months some Haitians have been planning a very large demonstration for October 17.  So, despite the unrest it has brought, it has also brought a little down time for me.  

Maternity clinic was cancelled for Wednesday the 17th. We stayed off the streets and it afforded me time to get some administrative work done. Thankfully, the demonstrations were much more peaceful than the ones in July.

Kelby’s Kids continues to see and care for many in Haiti. No two weeks have been the same. And I am thankful for the verity of work I get to do.

Just too cute!!

This little one was waiting her turn to be seen in the malnutrition clinic. It is such a blessing to see these children go from sad and underweight to happy and healthy!  Thank you for the part you play in this!

On Saturday October 6th at 8:11 pm Haiti experienced a significant 5.9 magnitude earthquake in Port-de-Paix. 

It was actually the 3rd in less than 2 hours for the region. 

By 10 pm, reports were coming in of significant damage, injuries, and loss of life.  We didn’t have an extensive amount of information but we knew that help was needed. So I volunteered to respond with HERO Ambulance to the area. 

They picked me up at 5:30 the next morning and we went to the airport to meet MAF (Missionary Aviation Fellowship). It was only a 40-minute flight from Port-au-Prince in their Cessna Caravan (it would have been a 6-7 hour drive). 

One Team One Mission! This is HERO’s motto

We responded with a 4-man team and would meet up with another HERO member in Port-de-Paix. We’d evaluate the over-all situation and get the necessary resources to respond.  There were several Haitian agencies, including the Ministry of Health, as well as the World Health Organization that were asking us to get them information on the overall situation.

When we arrived at the hospital in Port-de-Paix it was empty. 

After the earthquake, the staff all fled. There was no one was there to care for the injured. 

We responded to another hospital 30 minutes up in La Pointe (a regional hospital that people come to from all over). There was, surprisingly, very little damage seen on the drive. 

When we arrived, the hospital was full. It seems the damage was further away from the epicenter. There were many patients with injuries from falling cinder blocks, walls and houses. 

They treated and released a lot of patients already. But they still had a lot of patients with orthopedic injuries left waiting for surgery. Things were under control and every patient had a bed. 

They had opened their cholera center for overflow. One of our jobs was to find patients that needed to be transferred to Port-au-Prince for specialized care that couldn’t be provided in La Pointe. 

In the evening we had a 5.2 magnitude aftershock. I am thankful I was outside at the time as the entire hospital emptied in about 7 seconds. 

It was alarming to see people with severe injuries bolting for the door. And we saw kids left behind. We saw people dragging IV’s behind them. 

It was evident that the emotional trauma was as bad or worse than the physical injuries — and more wide spread. About five minutes later the patients started rolling into the ER. 

Several patients were just hyperventilated from the anxiety. One patient came in with an open fracture of his leg from jumping out of a window. And another with two broken hands and facial trauma caused from diving out a second-story window.

Caring for patients carried into the ER and left on the floor.

They brought several patients in and just laid them on the floor in the ER. This patient was only 13 years old and had nobody with her for a while.  We got her up off the floor and into a corner until a bed was open. She was going to get run over with all the people moving around the ER. 

Her mom eventually showed up but. But she kept hyperventilating on and off for about two hours after the aftershock. It’s hard to know what she’d seen from the initial earthquake. Or if she had been a part of the 2010 earthquake. My heart went out to her and I didn’t want to leave her behind that night.

One of the patients that we had found needing transport to Port-au-Prince for additional care was a very cute little 4-year-old girl who had been hit in the face with a cinder block. 

She had a displaced jaw fracture. She was doing pretty well considering her injuries and only receiving Tylenol.  MShe was very scared after the aftershock as well. Holdng her and comforting her was time well spent!  I wish I could share a picture of her but she was a HERO patient and policy doesn’t allow that.

By the next morning it was determined that no further care was needed outside of the local resources. So, we loaded our three patients, three family members, and four-man team in the plane and headed back to Port-au-Prince. 

Thank you to everyone that’d seen my posts on Facebook and were praying for me and for Haiti during that time!

Blowing some milk bubbles because were happy and healthy!!!

Who doesn’t love cute kids!!  I am so blessed to be able to work with these sweet little ones!

Some of the best moments here are when we have graduations!!  When kids graduate from the Malnutrition clinic it’s a good day!

A recent Maternity Graduate showing off her graduation present!

We are also starting to get quite a few graduations from the Maternity clinic! This is Marylove and she came in for her final visit with her brand-new baby.  They always laugh when I tell them they have finished the program and then as I hand them back their baby I tell them this is their graduation present!!

Cilvi is 13 months old and weighs 9.4 pounds.  Her mom brought her to the clinic, desperate for help. She told us that she had just been released from the hospital. She said she was in the children’s hospital for a month. Of which, 18 of those days were in the ER before she got a bed. She said that she has something wrong with her heart and she was not getting better.       

Cilvi… So frail, so week, so fragile.

Cilvi is very sick. She did not have any paperwork but I believe from her heart sound that she probably had a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, which is actually four heart defects together. 

We made arrangements to get her to an inpatient malnutrition/medical center to try to get her to gain some weight and then try to get her medical care, knowing that she could never have a surgery at her current weight. 

I got to spend a little time holding her and loving on her before she left for the inpatient center. I hoped she knew that she was loved and people cared about her. 

It wasn’t much of a surprise that only about 12 hours later she found healing — in the arms of Jesus. 

Her heart is perfect now and she is no longer sick or malnourished. While it is for sure a sad day for her mother and family, you can’t wish her back to this broken world.     

Some graduations are different and seem more bitter than sweet until we really think about it.

There are so many more stories that I wish I could share with you in this blog. Some sad but many happy stories. Please know that lives are being changed through you and your faithful support of the ministry of Kelby’s Kids here in Haiti, both for this life and eternity!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

The lows and the HIGHS

From August 30th to September 2nd I had the privilege of making my second trip to Port Salute. 

I was last there in November of 2016 after Hurricane Matthew devastated the southern peninsula of Haiti. This time it was to visit some friends, have a little time away from the big city, and to also do a medical clinic in a unique place. It is about a 6-hour trip from Port-au-Prince to Port Salute. 

We left at 5:30 in the morning but didn’t make it to far until we ran into some burning tires (a “demonstration” was brewing). 

We had to take some back roads to get around the issue. When we returned to the main road it was evident that something was still going on ahead. We asked the people who were hurrying away from the area and they stated that people were taking keys out of vehicles and running off with them. So, a few more side streets and we were back on the open road, and on our way to Port Salute.

We arrived safely at Emory and Mary’s home!  It was good to see them and be back in Port Salute. It is very different than it is in Port-au-Prince

The view from above Port Salute is beautiful

After we got settled in we decided to head out on a little adventure. We made our way to one of the local water falls. It was refreshing to take a little swim and have some fun.

It was fun to swim up under the falls and sit behind it while the kids jumped off the top!

After a swim we decided to go to a bull fight. 

I was not aware that they had bullfighting in Haiti. But, turns out, it was not the traditional bullfighting I was thinking about. There was about 100 people standing in a field. There were also 8 or 10 bulls and their owners (the bulls were each on a rope).  They would just walk them around to see if they would get mad enough to fight another bull.  I think the 8 white people who’d come to the bullfight may have been more of an attraction to the locals!  It was fairly slow paced and we got bored so we left to find dinner.

The next morning, we were up early for a 1-hour drive to Les Cayes to meet our boat.  Or medical clinic was out on the island of Ile-a-Vache.

Our ride to the island of Ile-a-Vache

It had been raining all morning but as we pulled into the parking it quit raining and the sun came out!  We loaded our supplies and 12-person team into the boat for our ride 7 miles out into the ocean.  Unfortunately, the sun was short lived.  It started getting dark, then the wind picked up and the temperature dropped.  Then it started raining and then it started pouring.  At one point we had lighting on both sides of us.  We were pretty wet by the time we arrived.

The team after a few hours to air dry

The clinic went well and we were able to see about 150 patients and help them with there needs.  We also do a lot of medical education with them. Their medications will only last a short time.  And we need them to change their lifestyle — for better health.

If you’re going to do a mobile medical clinic, what better place than this?!

While the main purpose of the trip was to bring the love of Jesus to the some of the people on the island through medical care, it was also a much-needed break for me. As you read in an earlier post this week (the LOWS of “The Lows and the Highs”), life is often stressful in Haiti. This trip was refreshing, and a good break for me to get away from the continual need, and to have a little time for myself.  I have not done enough of that while in Haiti since I started working here full time in November of 2016.

. . . You Can’t Pour From An Empty Cup . . .

Enjoying a fresh lobster dinner on the beach at sun set.

Thank you for faithful and continued support of Kelby’s Kids!  Together we are bringing hope and healing to many! 

Until No Child Dies

Kelby

The LOWS and the highs

She wasn’t having any complications when she came to the maternity clinic, but, the following week, when she returned before her scheduled appointment, things had changed dramatically. 

She was only 17, but she instinctively knew something was wrong. After assessing her, it was apparent that she was probably going to have a miscarriage. And nothing could be done about it. 

She was only 26 weeks along. The baby would never make it, if it was even born alive. I explained to her what was happening and what to expect. And she went home.

I was expecting to see her at the next maternity clinic for follow up after the delivery.

I wasn’t able to be at medical clinic the next Monday morning because I was busy with another patient off-site. I was shocked to get a message that she came to clinic ... with her baby!  She had delivered at home two days before (on Saturday night)! 

The Mom and I set up a system where she could call me if she needed to, but on Saturday night she didn't answer her phone when we called her (because Digicel, the largest of the two cell services in Haiti, was having a major system failure on Saturday).

Christopher, 930 grams (2.06 pounds)

The Mom said that she had taken Christopher to the hospital but they would not let him in because at only 930 grams he couldn’t be helped.  He was not quite 27 weeks when he was born but somehow after 36 hours of only being cared for by mom he was still alive.  Contact was made with an organization that cares for these little babies and transportation was arranged.  I arrived just as they were ready to get into the truck.  I got to hold him for just a minute.  He didn’t look real.  He was so tiny and frail looking.  He broke my heart.

Christopher received very good care at God’s Littlest Angels.  When he arrived, they said that by his size, weight, and physical characteristics, he was a 25-week gestation baby.  He started losing weight and was having more and more issues.  He dropped under 2 pounds.  Sadly, this just isn’t a survivable age here in Haiti…  After 7 days of fighting for this life Christopher went to be with Jesus.

We know this box only holds Christopher's earthly shell, and I look forward to the day when I will be able to talk to Christopher.

Christopher’s mom came back to clinic this week and we were able to love on her and help her out with some of her needs.  Please remember to pray for mom as she deals with the loss of Christopher.

Although not all of our stories are success stories, it is important to remember that sometimes the HOPE is the most important part.

Bringing Hope and Healing to the children and people of Haiti because of the continued and faithful support of people like you!

Watch for another post later this week to see the highs of these lows.

Until No Child Dies.

Kelby

Home Is Where The Heart Is

It’s so good to be back home in Haiti!! 

It’s a little hotter than Michigan (except what I brought back with me the end of June, you're welcome!) but I am readjusting quickly.  My time at the summer camps was a blessing and a needed break from Haiti but I missed my kids and the people I work. I was ready to come back.

It was a busy day on Monday for medical clinic. We had some additional help so we were able to see over 75 patients. 

We started the morning by seeing with a young lady who woke up to her sister cutting her up —  because her sister was high on drugs. She needed some stitches and antibiotics for her wounds.

Tuesday was a more relaxed day for me in the malnutrition clinic as the PA who was here assessed the kids as they came through. It was good to see the kids that have been in the program for a while, as well as new ones that started while I was gone.

I was a little worried how Wednesday would go for the maternal health clinic with 28 patients scheduled. 

I hate to have the mamas setting on wooden benches for hours waiting to be seen. There were 8 patients that did not come for their appointments. I am worried about them and hope they will be able to come to the clinic this coming week. 

Please pray with me for these moms as some of them were not due for a while and some had some underlying medical issues. It’s hard to say what may have happened to them while I was gone. 

I gained five new patients, two of which made appointments with me before I left for Michigan. But the other three were walk ins. So, we continue to grow! 

We had five moms come in with their new babies this week!  It's always encouraging to have positive success stories because of the maternity clinic!

One of my moms got a little excited to graduate from the program while I was gone.

Daylon at 6 weeks old and 5.4 pounds

Daylon was born at 32 weeks on June 28th, the day after I left Haiti.  He was 3.96 pounds when he was born and is was up to 5.43 pounds on August 8.  I am very happy that Daylon is doing well and his mom is taking good care of him!

I want to give you an update on the vehicle fund drive that kicked off on July 16th.  I am so blessed and humbled to report that, after four weeks of fundraising, our fund total sits at $12,287.62! 

Hopefully we are about half way there! 

I just saw a post on one of the Missionary Facebook pages yesterday where someone asked the vehicle question. There was an overwhelming push in the comments on that post to buy new and buy in-country. Many people had bad luck with used vehicles in Haiti. As well as when they'd ship U.S. vehicles into the country. 

Many missionaries indicated our current amount of over $12,000 would not even cover shipping and customs fees on a good vehicle! (WOW!) Many stated how paperwork issues delayed the pick up by months from customs — and there's a customs charge of $20.00 USD per day for storing the vehicle! 

Continue to pray for discernment as I continue this process of finding a vehicle I can afford. 

Personally, buying a vehicle for the ministry isn't as rewarding as feeding a little baby. But I believe it's what's needed to help the ministry become more effective and grow.

If you haven't given yet, please consider a tax-deductible contribution to our Vehicle Fund.

It's all about the kids!

I am going to work at shortening the blog posts a little and making them a little more frequent in hopes that people will have the time to read them. 

Many people have said that they run out of time and get behind on the blog.

I'm so thankful for each person who has been a part of Kelby’s Kids through prayer, encouragement, and support!  The children of Haiti are blessed because of you!

Until No Child Dies.

Kelby

Blessings upon blessings!

We’re running another fundraising challenge this week! KEEP ON TRUCKIN’!

Following the thrill of our fundraising drive last week, ANOTHER anonymous donor has issued a challenge of their own! If we can raise $2,000 by the time I leave Michigan and land back in Haiti (on the afternoon of Aug. 4), THE DONOR WILL MATCH IT WITH $2,000 MORE! WOW! Your gift this week can be doubled for Kelby's Kids Vehicle Drive!

Help us raise $4,000 this week! Thank you!

(When making an online gift during this drive, or a gift by check, please put “Kelby's Kids Vehicle Fund” in the notes field. We want to make sure the gifts which may come in go toward their intended purpose. If you've already given to the Vehicle Fund, but don't know if you specified it during the donation process, can you drop us a simple email to let us know your intention. Thanks!)

Before midnight, help us get on down the road

Thanks to you, we resoundingly met our challenge grant I announced on Sunday's blogpost! 

I am blessed by your extravagant generosity!! 

As you may know, an anonymous donor challenged us to raise $500 by the close of the day Saturday (my birthday). And if we could raise $500, they would match it with another $500.

I'm thrilled to say we met the goal in the first 24 hours! Thank you, thank you! We zoomed past the original goal of $1,000 all the way to nearly $4,000!

So, during this stretch time, I'm wondering how much further we can get down the road toward a fully-funded vehicle!

What started as a little campaign to jumpstart fundraising, has turned into exciting evidence of what God can do through you! Thank you!
 

Kelby's Kids Vehicle Drive: Jumpstart

What kind of vehicle should Kelby Kid's drive around the bumpy roads of Port-Au-Prince? A VW Westy? 

On yesterday's blogpost, I was excited to announce a new fundraising drive for Kelby's Kids.

And as part of the campaign, an anonymous donor has challenged us to raise $500 by the close of the day on Saturday the 21st of July (my birthday).   

This email is meant to be an encouragement to help us raise $500 in new funds so the donor will match it and turn it into $1,000 — which will give us a jumpstart in raising funds this summer to buy a vehicle for the ministry in Haiti.

Please consider a donation today! Share this with your friends, your church, your social network!

Also, if you'd like to participate in the fund-drive through your own matching funds campaign, email me and we'll schedule it and announce it to the list. There are many ways you could make a tax-deductible challenge grant; anonymously, publicly, in the name of your business, in memoriam of a loved one, and more. Thank you for your consideration!

Beneath the donation button is a repeat of the portion of yesterday's blog where the fund drive is introduced. 

—Kelby

============

from the blog ...

My goal is to have a vehicle by my two-year anniversary. Today I'm starting a vehicle fund drive to help cover the cost. 

How big is my financial goal? I would love to give you a dollar amount, but I'm still looking into the options available. 

Everyone in Haiti has a story about the best way or place to get a vehicle. "Get it in Haiti." "Ship it from the US?"  "It needs to run on gas." "It needs to be a diesel?" "Get a new car." "Buy it used, for sure." "Manual!" "Automatic!" And on and on.

I am so blessed by the willingness of many of you to use your hard-earned money to support the work of Kelb’s Kids in Haiti. I want to be a good steward of the funds that are given, both now and in the long term. 

Gas engines are cheaper than diesel but diesel lasts longer.  Cheaper vehicles, while less expensive,  often start incurring maintenance costs soon after the purchase. Used vehicles in Haiti are  overpriced. It’s common to find a 10 to 12-year-old vehicle for $8,000.00 or more. And the conventional wisdom about wear-and-tear is that "a year in Haiti is like five years in the US." 

So, a 12-year-old vehicle has a comparable 60 years of wear-and-tear on it! If I buy a used car I need to be careful of the fact that many available vehicles were actually salvaged from being underwater in the recent hurricanes in the US. 

Decisions, decisions! There's still much left to consider, but one thing's clear — I need to start to raise funds now. 

I need to get a vehicle. And the funds available will also determine my options.  If you would like to make a donation to the Vehicle Drive please put a note in comments section on Paypal, or in the memo line of your check.  I know God is faithful and will provide what I need — even though I don't know how much I need! 

JUMPSTART

To give things a jumpstart, an anonymous donor has issued a challenge. If we can raise $500 between now and 11:59pm Saturday (my birthday), the donor will match it with another $500!Your gift this week can be doubled for Kelby's Kids Vehicle Drive.  

Help us raise $1,000 in one week! Make a donation today! Thank you! 

Maternity, My Health, and a Car

I wanted to start with a little cuteness because I have been told that there has been a cuteness shortage lately!  So here you go!

Not feeling so good. But still very cute.

I am back in Michigan for a little break for the summer. 

I'll be here for five weeks and have four weeks of summer camp that I am working at — providing medical care. It's nearly half the time I was in Michigan last summer. I was gone from Haiti for too long last time. 

There's just too much to do and too many people depending on me to be gone from Haiti for long stretches of time.

Maternal Health Clinic

Some of the people that will be missing me are my Mamma’s in the Maternal Health Clinic. 

Things have been going well and I want to give you an update on the progress of the new clinic.  I have had 34 moms enter the program since it’s official start the 7th of March 2018.  Of those 34, 25 of them are still current patients in the program. 

It’s been a rough start for the program with success stories.  Of the 9 that have left we have only seen one baby. He was a healthy boy born to a malnourished mom. Mom and baby are doing well — so that was exciting for us, given the short amount of time I had to work with them.

Unfortunately, seven of the moms have had a miscarriages.  So, it’s been a little frustrating as we start out. One of the moms stopped coming and we simply don’t know what may have happened to her. 

I'mm very excited to get back to the clinic and see what has happened while I was gone. 

I care for seven moms who will have births while I am in Michigan. And two more who are very close.  I saw 21 moms on June 20 before I left. And I stocked each one up with over 1,300 prenatal vitamins, to get them through until I see them again.  The next clinic day will be August 8th and I currently have 28 appointments. That will be a very very busy day.

This is Daphnie.  I have been caring for her since February 5th (before the maternity clinic officially started).  She is due July 13th

During their visits to the clinic, we educate moms on how to care for themselves, how to have a safer delivery with less complications, and how to care for their babies after they're born. We monitor them for gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and work with them on how to improve their anemia. 

Only one of the 34 moms we care for hasn’t been anemic. It's a very real struggle to get them to a place where they can have a delivery without risk of complications from even a normal amount of bleeding.

I went to the doctor  

For those of you that may have missed the posts on social media, I was involved in a motorcycle accident on June 10 while going up to a remote location in the mountains for a medical clinic. 

We hit another motorcycle head-on and my left leg was hit by the other motorcycle. 

I've had a lot of pain and it's finally almost resolved.  Many of you advised me to see a doctor.  So, I finally did. 

Based on the x-rays, we knew there wasn’t a fracture in the leg.  The final diagnosis was possible "compartment syndrome." It could have explained the cause of the intense pain. I also had some nerve damage. And the remaining pain is most likely due to the healing process and the bruising. 

But the good news is I should have little to no long-term issues!  Thank-you so much for all of your prayers, encouragement, and concerns for me.

Car for Kelby's Kids

I arrived in Haiti in November of 2016. I have been living and working in Haiti for 20 months now!

These shoes are only made for walking and I need to drive!

During that time, I've walked many many miles and have worn out two pairs of sandals.

It's time I start putting some miles on a new car! 

Twenty months without my own transportation is a long time.  It is more than past time I get a vehicle — so I can be more effective, independent, and better able to respond to emergencies. 

It is also safer than walking when there is trouble on the streets (like there's recently been). 

My goal is to have a vehicle by my two-year anniversary. Today I'm starting a vehicle fund drive to help cover the cost. 

How big is my financial goal? I would love to give you a dollar amount, but I'm still looking into the options available. 

Everyone in Haiti has a story about the best way or place to get a vehicle. "Get it in Haiti." "Ship it from the US?"  "It needs to run on gas." "It needs to be a diesel?" "Get a new car." "Buy it used, for sure." "Manual!" "Automatic!" And on and on.

I am so blessed by the willingness of many of you to use your hard-earned money to support the work of Kelby’s Kids in Haiti. I want to be a good steward of the funds that are given, both now and in the long term. 

Gas engines are cheaper than diesel but diesel lasts longer.  Cheaper vehicles, while less expensive,  often start incurring maintenance costs soon after the purchase. Used vehicles in Haiti are  overpriced. It’s common to find a 10 to 12-year-old vehicle for $8,000.00 or more. And the conventional wisdom about wear-and-tear is that "a year in Haiti is like five years in the US." 

So, a 12-year-old vehicle has a comparable 60 years of wear-and-tear on it! If I buy a used car I need to be careful of the fact that many available vehicles were actually salvaged from being underwater in the recent hurricanes in the US. 

Decisions, decisions! There's still much left to consider, but one thing's clear — I need to start to raise funds now. 

I need to get a vehicle. And the funds available will also determine my options.  If you would like to make a donation to the Vehicle Drive please put a note in comments section on Paypal, or in the memo line of your check.  I know God is faithful and will provide what I need — even though I don't know how much I need! 

Jumpstart

To give things a jumpstart, an anonymous donor has issued a challenge. If we can raise $500 between now and 11:59pm Saturday (my birthday), the donor will match it with another $500! Your gift this week can be doubled for Kelby's Kids Vehicle Drive.  

Help us raise $1,000 in one week! Make a donation today! Thank you! 

Sometimes when you're hungry, the fingers have to due!

I'll close by giving you a little more cuteness for good measure. 

I am thankful for my time in Michigan. And I greatly enjoy summer camp. I also know how important it is to take a break.  I'm already looking forward to being back in Haiti to see what this fall has in store. 

Thank you again for being a part of the team that makes Kelby's Kids possible!  Whether it's your words of encouragement, your prayers for the ministry, my patients and myself, or for your generous financial support. Also, if you want to make you own matching-gift challenge (like the donor in this week's Jumpstart initiative), please send me an email.

You're all blessings to me!

Until No Child Dies

Kelby

What I Didn’t See in Haiti (a guest post by Daniel Montgomery)

Sometimes it doesn’t take much for someone to influence us.

Years ago I asked a well-traveled friend about some of the countries she’d visited. For a few minutes she shared some simple heart-warming stories, anecdotes, and good memories from her worldwide travels. 

But when she said she’d visited Haiti, she didn’t have a touching memory to share. Instead, she described it using the word “despair.”

Fast-forward many years to when I met Kelby. I’d heard through a mutual friend what Kelby’s plans were for Haiti (retiring as an paramedic and moving full-time to Haiti to provide medical care to kids). I thought, “Good for him! Haiti’s got despair.”

One little word. It stuck around for years. I wouldn’t say it “defined” what I thought about Haiti, but, it was there — I was kind of seeing Haiti through the lens of possible despair.

So it’s with that lens that I got on a plane to see Kelby.

I flew from Detroit to Ft. Lauderdale. And spent the night in the airport. 

Early the next morning it was time to crawl out of the rocking chair I slept in and make my way onto the plane headed for Port-au-Prince. Haiti here I come. My first trip.

I was greeted at the airport by Kelby and his friend, Jackenson. And we were soon pulling out of the airport parking lot.

The airport’s right in town, so, within moments from the parking lot, we were driving past the city’s sights. Past broken, old buildings, tattered billboards, and dirty streets. Despair? Not yet. 

Kelby, Jackenson and I travel through town while Kelby acts as a tour guide. We turn from a paved road onto a bumpy road with cement curbs on either side, but with no paved street between them. Bumpy bumpy. And dusty dusty. It hadn’t rained in Port-au-Prince for a month.

We stop by the building where his clinic is (a walled compound marked by a hand-painted sign which reads “Coram Deo.” Kelby drives a Saturn SUV through the opening after the security guard slides the steel gate to the side). And I’m finally able to see what he’s been describing in his blogposts! 

A few things click into place for me. Kelby’s stopping by, partly, to show me around, and partly to check on some supplies that were donated to the clinic. It’s a Sunday, so the clinic isn’t open. We leave Jackenson at the compound and head by car to Kelby’s room (he rents a room from Troy and Gwynn Price's home). Despair? Not yet.  

Kelby and I spent several hours that afternoon recording some video for his website (stay tuned!). And by the end of the first evening, Kelby and I had already spent more time together that day than during all of our previous visits back in Midland combined! It was finally time to go to bed. The first clinic of the week would be open for business at 9am Monday morning. Time to take a shower and crawl under the mosquito net and get some sleep. Without despair.

Before the clinic doors opened the next morning, a short sermon is given. Kelby tells them it’s to care for their spiritual health in addition to their bodily health. The moms and kids sit and listen. Lots of kids running around. Some sick. Some not. Lots of blank faces. Many smiles, too. 

Kelby narrates the day to me as patients come and go. He occasionally comments on a superstition Haitian moms often believe. He points to a bracelet a mom is wearing and he talks about voodoo. From where I sat, it appears Kelby saves an old man’s life. Kelby embraces a one-year-old, five-pound, malnourished baby with a deformity as though the child was his own. And he goes to work to nurse him to health. 

The sick, deformed baby had been turned away by the local hospital due to his deformity. Luckily the momma had heard of Kelby’s free clinic. 

If there was despair at the clinic, it was being held back, squelched, one patient at a time. When Kelby’s stethoscope was placed on the chest of a wheezing child. With each little packet of tums given to pregnant mom to help her with indigestion. With each can of formula set aside for a malnourished baby. With every package of peanut butter handed to dad for his kid. 

Perhaps despair wasn’t showing up because poor moms and dads were treated with dignity. 

And that’s just the first day I was there. There’s another day of the exact same thing. And then there’s *another* day of the same thing.

Even as we were walking through the trashy trashy ravine I was reminded how I can’t let innocent little things my friends say influence my opinions of things I know nothing about. In this case, Haiti. And hopelessness.

This quick report is not meant to dismiss the real and present needs in Haiti. There's brokenness and poverty and sickness and pain — and a lot of people need the real Jesus. But, what I saw through Kelby was a picture of a man putting one foot in front of the other and simply walking toward the brokenness and sickness in order to be the healing hands and feet of Jesus in Haiti. Maybe that's the kind of thing that keeps despair at bay.    

I was blessed beyond measure to spend those four days there. Not only by getting to witness Kelby’s good work, but by God showing a bigger picture of what He was up to.  

Fast forward to Thursday morning and I’m standing in line in the airport waiting to board a plane that’s 90-minutes late. And I meet a family returning to Florida. It’s as though God wanted to give me one last chance to understand it’s not hopeless in Haiti. I asked the Mom of the family what brought them to Haiti. “My parents just moved down and built a house. And we were visiting for the first time.”

Not as missionaries. Just as people deciding where in the world they wanted to retire to. Not a sign of a place full of despair.

And there’s one more thing. 

I’m on the plane sitting by the window in an exit row. At 6’ 4,” I’m always thrilled to get a seat in an exit row! Plus, this time, there wasn’t anyone sitting in the middle seat next to me! The captain was giving his announcements, the flight attendants were making sure we’re all buckled up for safety when, lo and behold, a last-minute passenger rushes onto the plane as the attendants close the door behind him. 

And it’s just like God to say, “I wanna make sure you know sumpthin’.”

The very last guy through the door makes his way back to row 13 and sits right next to me. 

No biggie. The plane starts to move backward to head toward the runway, the guy next to me gets situated. I ask him, “what brings you to Haiti?” And he says, “a business opportunity.”

The plane is ready to take off now. 

I asked another question — “how’s it looking?”

And as the plane zooms forward for takeoff he says, “Very good. Very very good. We’re going to setup shop in Haiti.”     

Leave it to God to take — even — the last possible minute in Haiti to make a point about Haiti

And that’s a little story of what I didn’t see in Haiti.

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(Side note: You should totally consider a trip to help Kelby. Check the website on the “Pray. Give. Go.” page for details. And you can make an assessment for yourself.)

Blessings and Burdens

I had a new patient come into the malnutrition clinic this week. 

His mother is sick and he needs a little help. He is almost 5 months old — and weighs only 7 pounds. 

His dad has done a great job taking care of him, but doesn’t have enough money to feed him anymore. He was reported to have been born at only 910 grams (2.0 pounds). 

It continues to amaze me how small some of these babies are when they are born — and are still able to survive here in Haiti.

Praying we can help Christopher to grow up big and strong!!

In my last post I told you about Samuel. Well, there have been some changes with him.  On Monday, Samuel came in to the clinic with his mom because a couple of his sisters were sick (Sam is baby #11).

Samuel — doing well on Monday

On Tuesday, Samuel came into malnutrition clinic for his appointment, and was very sick. It was reported that he had been having severe vomiting and diarrhea.  He was down to 2.19 kg (4.8 pounds).  It doesn’t take long for these little ones to crash from dehydration. We tried some fluids to see if mom was just not trying. But everything came back up and out. So, we decided that an IV was the only fix for him.

Samuel needs an IV on Tuesday

Sometimes I feel like I am losing some of my EMS skills — as I don’t do a lot of American type EMS stuff here everyday. So, it was truly a blessing that God guided my hands to get an IV on this dehydrated 4-pound baby — on the first try! Especially as I really only found one place I could try. 

I got the IV with a scalp vein. He responded well to some fluid but after maxing him out with 60cc's of fluid (about 4.5 of the single serving peel-and-pour coffee creamers), he really needed to continue to get more fluid later in the day. 

We were very concerned with sending him home with this scalp IV.  If something would happen, he could bleed to death before someone caught it. So, we decided one of the inpatient malnutrition centers would be best option for him. He was sent up the mountain for further care.

It really looks worse than it is, plus he feels better now — and is keeping fluids down!

The next day we got a message from a friend that also has a ministry in Haiti and said "I think we both have something in common…  we both helped Samuel!" 

After a conversation, it was decided that Samuel’s mom was lying to both of us and taking advantage of our programs — and, possibly, others as well. 

A trip up the mountain was scheduled for the next day and we were going to call her out on her actions. 

When we arrived, we discovered more untruths!

We learned that the mother tried to leave the clinic (with Samuel) the night before, but was held by security and not allowed to leave. 

The look on her face told it all — when Mom walked into the office and saw people from three separate malnutrition centers standing there! 

But, as often occurs, without hardly missing a beat, she went into a story about how she hadn't lied. She said she was doing what she was supposed to do, and it’s not her responsibility to share her business with the other clinics she goes to — especially if the clinics don't specifically ask her if she's in any other programs. 

It was pretty obvious that Samuel was being used as her "business." 

She knew the day before that he was getting better (and she doesn’t want him to die). But, the sicker Samuel looks, the more money she can make off of him. She couldn't explain why he had gained more weight in the previous 50 hours as he had in the previous 5 weeks. 

Samuel was getting very little of the formula that our clinics were giving her.

She was given the chance to come clean and apologize. Instead, she asked about money. 

She was given very specific instructions as to how things were to continue with the inpatient program. She was told that Samuel would not be leaving until he's big and healthy. She was advised that if she breaks any of the rules, she would not only be kicked out of the inpatient program, but not to bother coming back to any program. 

It is such a burden to our heart to have to be like this but allowing people to take advantage of your program for financial gain. The child is no better off in the program as they don’t get the help anyway.

We had a few mothers that did not come to clinic this week. Maybe the word got out! 

We had another conversation with the parents who were at clinic…  but it will always be a struggle.

There was a great team that stayed in the guest house last week. It was such a blessing to have them. Samuel was truly a source of mixed emotions as his story played out during the week. 

I was truly blessed and humbled at the beginning of the week by one of those team members.  He said that God has placed my ministry on his heart. Through a mutual friend he became aware of a way to bless the work of Kelby’s Kids and the new Maternal Health Clinic.

He purchased and brought down with him this new portable ultrasound machine! 

It was overwhelming! 

It will have such a HUGE impact on the level of care that I can provide — not to mention the lives that'll be saved.  I have had to send 2 mothers already for an ultrasound at $4,000.00 HTG.  Plus, I lost contact with one of them for a while after it took some time to get it done. I had 3 moms that I would loved to have given ultrasounds, but ended up just watching them.        

The first day it was used, I was able to check 3 healthy babies, confirmed a set of twins, and, unfortunately, confirmed 2 miscarriages.  One of them had been told she needed a D&C. 

At General Hospital, because of the poor conditions, it could be deadly (not to mention, the hospital is on strike again). But with the ultrasound, we could tell that the miscarriage was complete and there was no need for a dangerous D&C. 

This ministry has truly been blessed!

There are burdens and there are blessings.  I am thankful and blessed by each person who has partnered with the work of saving lives and making a difference to the children and people of Haiti.  Some days the scales may seem to be tipping the wrong way but it is always short lived as together we continue to make a difference for so many.

You don't see many pacifiers down here.  When you do have one you need to be sure you don't lose it.  So a little bling keeps the pacy safe!

So, I leave you with a little cuteness but more importantly a life that has been changed because YOU cared enough to help her!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

Can You Really Be So Little?

I know I am behind on my updates from Haiti.  I had hope to write during my “Spring Break” but it was a very busy time. 

I was able to come back to Michigan for 2 weeks for a little break.  It was a very busy time getting some things done, meeting with people about Kelby's Kids and catchhing up with friends. I was hoping for some half-way decent weather in Michigan — but it was not meant to be. I guess when you live in the Caribbean and you go to Michigan for spring break you have to expect it. Snow arrived within hours of my arrival and remained until after I left. It even got down to zero one night.  I wasn’t happy — but it sounds like the following weekend (after I left) was even worse!.

Just before I left Haiti for break, we had a busy week in clinic. 

On Tuesday, we had two babies come into the malnutrition clinic.  They were both so very little. When I saw the weight on the slip I thought "can you really be so little?" 

The first little one weighed 1.5 kg (3.3 pounds). She was a month old. Mom reports having problems and delivering her at home around seven months into the pregnancy. She said that the baby just wouldn’t grow. 

When asked what she feeds her baby, her reply was “well, the same thing I eat!” 

Momma is feeding beans and rice, chicken, mango and bananas to a one-month-old, three-pound baby. It’s simply amazing that the baby is still alive. I assumed she was a new mom. So, it was shocking to hear that this baby was her 11th! And only one has died! 

We made arrangements for her to go outside of Port-au-Prince to an inpatient malnutrition center for around-the-clock care and education. 

Once she arrived she decided that she wasn’t going to do it ... and she left.  Sadly, we have not heard from them since.

This little angel is only 3.3 pounds

Our second little one was Samuel.  He was the big boy at 1.8 kg (3.9 pounds).  Except he was two and a half months old.

Samuel coming to get some real food!

He was very cute and seemed to be doing quite well, all things considered. 

His story is a little different, but not much. 

His mom had actually come to the clinic twice (before we were an official Maternal Health Clinic).  She started the program and when she came back for her second visit, And it was obvious that there had been a big change. She was very sick. 

She was obviously suffering from Preeclampsia — with very high blood pressure, very swollen feet, many complaints, and even some cardiac issues. We sent her to the Doctors Without Borders Hospital a short distance away, but she was transferred to a second hospital — because they didn't have any beds (the Doctors Without Borders Hospitals in Haiti are all closing this year and that will make it even more difficult to get help for the moms in the program having trouble). 

The second hospital would not care for her and she was sent to a third hospital.  The third hospital told her to come back later — and then she went home.  We lost touch with her and assumed that there was a good chance mom and baby had died.  Praise God that was not the case!!  She went back 2 days later and they did a C-section.  Samuel was also born around 7 months at 1.4 kg and spent 2 months in an isolate of some sort. 

During his 8 weeks in the isolate and the next couple weeks at home he has only gained 0.4 kg to his current 1.8 kg (with a diaper) weight.  When mom was asked if she was breast feeding him, she said she wasn't. She said he dried up during the 2 months he was in the hospital (hard telling what they were giving him). 

When asked what she has been giving him she said "pudding." My first thought was that’s probably even worse than the sweetened condensed milk that most people use. But then she explained that pudding was saltine crackers crushed and mixed with water.  So, he has been given virtually no nutrition for who knows how long. 

We started him on formula even before he left the clinic.  He has been doing well and is slowly gaining weight.

A mother and child are 2 more lives saved!!

Please remember to pray for Samuel as well as the other little one as they struggle to survive in this difficult culture.

One of my patients the other day was very cute little man and I realized that he was trying to give me a fist bump.  After he would give me a fist bump he would tap his chest with his fist.  I am sure that he has seen the bigger boys doing this.  I think this was his way of showing appreciation for what he has received through the malnutrition program. 

It’s such an encouragement to see him growing up big and strong! And because YOU make it possible for me to help him!

Thank you my little brother!

You may have seen the posts on Facebook about Ruthchina, the little 10-month-old we sent to inpatient malnutrition on March 21. She was only 9 pounds at 10 months. 

She was very sick with Pneumonia and had a high fever, as well as malnourishment.  She initially did really well — but has since taken a step back. She is having problems with her lungs again.  Please remember to pray for her as she struggles to regain her health.

Sweet little Ruthchina

I am sad to have to report that we have lost track of Guerna (the young lady with the bad burns on her chest, abdomen, and left arm). 

She has an appointment this week for reconstructive surgery. We have been trying to get in contact with her to let her know, make sure she was doing well, and get her some extra food and vitamins so she would be healthy for surgery.  But she no longer lives in the neighborhood. Nobody knows where to find her but we were told that it’s rumored that she was possible sold as a Restavik again. 

Please pray for Guerna that she would be able to get out of this child slavery and find the help she needs.

Traumatized, deformed, and disabled. And now a child slave for the second time. 

I am pleased to report that there are already 9 moms in the Maternal Health Clinic.  I am excited to see the improved health for these moms and their babies, preventing the need for further medical care in the wake of the hospital closure, and reducing mortality for both the babies and their moms!

I continue to be blessed and humbled by your faithful prayer and financial support of this ministry.  I would not be able to do all that I am doing without you! Please consider sharing this ministry you are involved in with others.  The more we come together, the more we can accomplish!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby