A Disappointed/Sadder Donkey Heads Home Again

Hi All:

This update is a bit late for a variety of reasons. Partially, it is because the head is still not clear about what exactly is, has and should happen on the scene in Haiti. As that is about as inexact as it could be, this is part of the reason I have waited to write what is going on, so as not to state things inappropriately, etc. So, understand that what I am sharing as prayer requests come out of a mind that has not really been able to sort things out properly but definitely need the Lord’s wisdom and direction as to proceeding.

First of all, the Mardi Gras week went by fairly nicely, we only had a few assaults and injuries from the area, thankfully. On the trip back home, we left early to be sure we didn’t arrive at the airport too late with any possible revelers in the streets slowing us down. At about 3 am and again about a half hour later, we ran into two drunken groups that were spilling into the streets and we had to carefully proceed, as we didn’t want to stop and have the vehicle trashed by the out of control crowd, yet we wouldn’t want to hit any either. That was the first disappointment, seeing the depravity of man so evident. The majority of the people have hardly enough to feed themselves, yet having a party that still goes on in the wee hours 4 days after the main event is over with only negative results possible at that time of the day/night and week seems so senseless and sad. But, we were glad to make it back to the airport and on our way.

As I have shared in the past, we have struggled to make some sense out of the financial situation with USAID and the administrator in charge of the funds for both our hospital and Bonne Fin, as things have deteriorated steadily over the last few years. I have tried quite diligently, with the help of my coworkers, to try to bring this to some semblance of order since early December, as the MSH group (the Haitian people hired by USAID to administrate the program in Haiti for them) were passing off the scene and another group, called Pathfinder, possibly would take over, but they would reduce the number of programs by 50% in the attempts to pass the workload and costs to the country, rather than always funding it, at least in principle. I have tried to contact the person (a Haitian pastor) on numerous occasions, we scheduled meetings with the MEBSH authorities (also all pastors) who are in charge of this program, as well as our two hospitals, the schools, the nursing schools (2) and the medical school from which my 5 doctors graduated, but could never come to any understanding of where the funds have gone, to the tune of over $100,000 USD for our hospital program alone, more for the other hospital, if I understood it correctly. On the March trip, we again tried to set up a meeting when this individual would be able to bring facts and checks, bills, etc and try to figure out where the missing funds are. The only time he could make it was 4 pm on Friday, not the greatest for me as we leave at 1 am on Saturday and there are a number of loose ends I would like to wrap up, but this is an important issue, so we of course came. About 33 of our employees are engaged in these preventative health measures and paid by USAID in working with AIDS, TB, vaccination programs, etc. However, he was a no show, so nothing could be sorted out again. I find this very discouraging, as, of all people, our pastors should attempt to be blameless, as exhorted in I Tim 3:2 and in several other places. It seems less and less likely that this will be cleared up, let alone proceed in the future on such shaky ground.

Also, as many of you know, since 2004, I have been training my Haitian doctors to be able to continue the work of CSL, should I no longer be able to continue, and specifically working with especially Drs. Moise and William to teach them surgery in the hopes that they could be accredited in some fashion by the government and continue doing surgeries when I am not there as they are capable. They have done over 4,000 cases thus far, mostly with me, but now with an increasing number of other surgeons, so they have learned other techniques to broaden their armamentarium, as we all did in our surgical residencies. A year ago, Dr. Luke Channer and Beth Newton met with one of the main governmental authorities who is symphathetic to our cause, but she suggested that I set up a surgical residency program as there are only 2 programs in the country, both in Port.  As I could not attend the meeting due to my surgery in Pittsburgh, I didn’t consider this an option, as my long range plans have to be tempered by the prognosis I carry. However, today is the one year anniversary of my 15 hour marathon surgery (not a marathon for me, technically, as I slept through it all, but certainly for the 4 surgeons diligently picking out tumors from my abdomen and doing other questionable deeds to my insides, plus for my faithful family, who have really kept me going in the days immediately afterwards and the year that has followed) and we are prayerfully considering this as the (apparently) only viable alternative. Since this would be a 4 year program and would have to be combined with our sister hospital, Bonne Fin, we are slowly and prayerfully proceeding, asking God for wisdom to not do something unwise or not in His plans for us or the hospital/doctors involved. With the addition of several younger, energetic US surgeons to help me, I am hopeful that the program could begin soon and, in God’s time, be carried out, if He so wills. So, join me in prayer for guidance, remembering that John 15:4 says, “Abide in Me, for without Me, you can do NOTHING.” There is a lot to be sorted out and arranged yet, if this even is to proceed, but we are making careful steps forward.

Another sad item to share is that many of you have heard of my sister Marge and husband Harold, who have also helped a lot with the work in Haiti, as well as coming down with a team yearly to help out with projects there. They were the recipients of the “Montezuma’s Revenge,” struggles in their trip in December, from which all have recovered well. However, he has had increasing amounts of back pain, Xrays that I did in January were not out of the ordinary for our age (he is 6 yrs younger than I), so when the pain did not respond, we did a CT scan of his abdomen while I was in Haiti with my family and the Hordyks. The results have shown advanced cancer of the pancreas with spread to the liver, thus unresectable, at least at this stage. He has had increasing amounts of pain and we have started chemotherapy in hopes of slowing it down, but this has been the most significant of the discouraging notes I have to share with you. As you know, my prognosis was about as dismal a year ago and I praise the Lord that I am doing as well as I am and am praying the same for my brother (in law, also Theresa, my office nurse and a great assistant to the work in Haiti both in the US and there on her trips there, is his sister). Our Lord is able to “do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. (So) Unto Him be the glory.” Eph 3:20-1. We know we have a glorious eternity, thanks to our Lord, but also pray that we will be faithful to Him in the days and months He chooses to give us to serve Him on this earth.

In His Humble Service,

Bill and crew