Thank you for your support and dedication!
(Photos courtesy of Mike Evans)
MAF transports team members from Port Au Prince airport to Pignon.
A view of the mountainous region where Pignon is located.
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Thank You to All Mission Teams!
Happy Children show thanks!
Our Mission Teams are so vital to the community of Pignon. Their
dedication and services are very needed and appreciated for all
that they do. From health care services, community services,
building and monitoring of schools to building wells and tending
to agricultural training, the teams continue to provide and support.
These articles were submitted by teams who have already traveled to Pignon in 2011. Each team submits a trip report when they return from Pignon. The following reports were submitted:
Fargo Medical Team:
"There were 16 team members : 4 surgeons, 4 CRNAs, 4 nurses, 1 pre-med student, 1 medical supply specialist, and 2 non-medical members. They did 35 surgeries, organized 23 pallets supplies, and organized storage areas in the PACU. They also had 3 fourth year Haitian medical students, who scrubbed in with the surgeons, getting one-on-one instruction."
The Haiti Education Alliance:
"There were 12 team members. The main focus of their trip was to begin 3 education programs for the secondary students that enabled them to support their families and communities upon their graduation.The 30 secondary students were divided into 3 areas according to their interests: sewing training, gardening training and medical education. With the sewing program, an 18 month program was designed for the students to have 3 day classes with the local tailor. In the gardening program, the students are learning how to use a compost and organic fertilizer to care for the nutritional needs of the community through the help of a local agronomist and THEA's Agriculture Training Coordinator. In the medical education training, 4 nurses on the team taught the students about blood pressure, nutrition, and community health issues."
Hope/E-Free Churches from Spencer, IA and Meriden,IA:
Christi Gabhart submitted the following:
"Our team was made up of 15 people; nine of those were experiencing Haiti for the first time. Hope Church from Spencer, IA has had a team with Promise for Haiti for several years in a row. We teamed up with 6 new people from the Meriden E-free Church in Meriden, IA. The combination was dynamic! Everyone embraced the country of Haiti and the work that was planned and all reached out to the people with the love of Jesus Christ. One returning team member did dental work in the dental clinic which he says is the best clinic of any in which he has worked in a mission setting. Three gals on our team have a nursing background. They were able to spend time on a couple of occasions observing helping out at the hospital. Several of the team members have skills in carpentry so some work projects were a big part of the week. Some cabinets were built for the kitchen in the doctors' dorm and ceramic tile was laid in the doctors' dorm as well. The ladies on the team had done some preparation for hosting a Women's Conference at the church down the street where Pastor Francios serves.The is the 2nd annual "Fanm Espwa nan Ayiti" conference, translated-Women of Hope in Haiti. We were anticipating a long awaited trip to Guimby School to bring gifts for the students that we have been unable to deliver for over a year because of the January 2010 earthquake. The rice and beans had been purchased with money given from our home congregations."
Sunnybrook Team:
"This is the 11th year of partnership with PFH. Their trip was part work and part experiential. They laid tile in the doctor's and nurse's dorms. They distributed rice and beans to the poorer areas of Pignon. The Sunnybrook team also visited the Guimby Elementary school and spent a day with the kids and family members. The team members also worshipped on Sunday at a Haitian church."
Meredith Drive Reform Team:
"Herb Sikkink along with the Naturally Wallace Consulting is part of the team donating services to provide an improved wastewater treatment system at the Hospital de Bienafaisance. Through the generous plumbing services by Herb Sinkkink and also the donation of engineering services by NWC, the team is there to prepare for the construction of the septic tank to wetlands and seepage field project for the hospital which will be initiated in Spring 2011."
Project Haiti Team:
Dr Paul Severson reports that they hosted 5 general surgery and 7 OBGYN residents and faculty from Port Au Prince and Cap Haitian for the training course in endoscopy and laparoscopic surgery. They also upgraded the OR to a new high definition video system which allowed them to have a live video conference with other surgeons in Minnesota for laparoscopic total hysterectomy. Wireless internet is also now available in the OR, the Minnesota Dorm, and the Education Center. Many thanks to Mike Evans and Rich Strobridge and the Project Haiti donors for upgrading this system. A work team with an electrician fixed the water problem and installed 2 water heaters on the first floor of the dorm. Hot showers are now available!
