Photos of Blanc and his ATW

(Author's note: I always have to laugh when I've finished a post. Inevitably, as soon as it's up, additional information about a project or photos shows up in my inbox. This is no exception!)

Kathy (foreground), Willem (left), Blanc's wife and son (background)

and Blanc at the entrance of his home

Blanc demonstrating how the chair works

Explaining to Kathy how the chair has helped him with his therapy

Joking with the team

A grateful smile and thank you

Visiting Blanc

The team visited Blanc during the May trip. It was great to see how the all-terrain wheelchair is making a difference in his life. He was very thankful for the transformative gift and expressed his deep gratitude to The Red Thread Promise.

Blanc and his wife in front of their home in Gramothe

Blanc shared that he is now able to do his prescribed therapy more comfortably and that his upper body strength has greatly increased. He appears much stronger and healthier than the photos taken just weeks earlier when the wheelchair was delivered in April.

The path to Blanc's home

The Haitian terrain is a constant barrier to mobility for disabled citizens. Pictured above is the roof of their home. As with many residences, it has been built into the side of the mountain. The path leading to the front door runs steeply down the left side of the house. Due to the rainy season, many mountain roads and foot paths are completely washed out and the wheelchair has allowed Blanc mobility that he would not have had otherwise.

Saying goodbye

Kathy & Tom - Days 1 & 2 in Haiti

Kathy, Tom and the team made it safely to Haiti despite late flights from New Orleans and Miami. They were greeted by Willem (MTM), Rachoul (Rivers of Hope orphanage director) and Jean Michelle (Rachoul's son) who took them to the guest house in the midst of a slow drizzle.

Haiti is in its second week of the rainy season, which normally lasts for approximately 6 weeks. The roads are taking a beating in all of the rain. Large potholes are now huge potholes. Vast areas of road has washed away leaving behind deep ruts that are difficult to traverse even in a truck. Large rocks and boulders have been washed into the streets making many impassible. Tomorrow the team will go to Port au Prince to see the affect the rain is having on the tent cities.

There are 7 people on the team, pictured from left to right:

• Sally, representing the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia
• Kathy, TRTP President
• Randa, interior architect
• Noor, urban planner
• Tom, interior architect
• Jennifer, former TRTP board member working for SDG Adoption
• Angie, occupational therapist

Kindergardeners singing at the Gramothe School

A tour of MTM's school and church followed. Willem showed them the site for the new Children's Home orphanage on MTM's property. Then a trip up the mountain on foot to visit the village of Gramothe and surrounding areas.

Sally holding Rose at Rivers of Hope

Christopher

Finally, they drove to Rivers of Hope to tour the facility and, of course, play with the beautiful children in Rachoul's care. There are 6 boys and 1 girl at this time. Praise God Christopher was feeling well today and running around like a typical healthy boy.

Tomorrow's schedule will be just as full. Check back for an update.

Wheelchair Promise Program Delivery

We are happy to announce that we have delivered our first all terrain wheelchair to Haiti! (Author's note: Actually, it was done about 2 weeks ago and I am just now getting the post on the blog. Sorry for the delay!)

Willem (in the pale green shirt) was able to give the wheelchair to a very deserving man named Robert who had been an accomplished welder and farmer in Gramothe until some time ago. "Blanc" (as he has been nicknamed because of his light colored skin) has a progressive condition that is causing him to lose the ability to use his legs. The doctor has not given a prognosis of Blanc's condition. He has been immobile for quite some time.

Blanc was very thankful to receive the wheelchair and even more excited about the prospect of having the mobility that the all terrain wheel chair will provide him. He is still young and hopeful to return to welding and farming to some degree with the use of the chair. He is married and has two boys that both attend the MTM school at Gramothe, one of which hopes to become an engineer.

Below is a video of Blanc's first "spin" around the house as Willem is teaching him how to operate the wheelchair and maneuver through the doorway. The video is not great, especially when trying to shoot inside a cement and stone house with no electricity and little natural light.

We are excited about the shipment of 100 wheelchairs that is bound for Haiti! It is scheduled to dock in late June and then we work to get them through customs, which could be a lengthy process, following which we will identify candidates for the wheelchairs and begin distribution.

Mountain Top Ministries School

When we visited Gramothe in March, the Haitian government had not yet allowed the schools to open. Thankfully they opened shortly after we returned to the states. We are privileged to share this video from the Gramothe school where Kathy taught English the week prior to the quake.

Students are engaged in a beautiful song, When The Saints Go Marching In. At the end you will hear Willem talking about how important school is for these children.

Special thanks to Little By Little Haiti for sharing this video with us.

Haiti Team Member in the News

15 of our 26 team members from our Haiti trip.

From left to right: Karen (foreground), Kathy (behind Karen), Wade peeking out, Erin & Tom.

During our recent trip to Haiti, TRTP team members were privileged to meet Karen Henderson, a medical professional from Terre Haute, Indiana. She joined the team of doctors, nurses and physician assistants who had come to work in the clinic at Mountain Top Ministries (MTM) during MTM's first week of operations following the earthquake.

I (the author) met Karen at the airport in Port au Prince, where we frantically searched for our bags among the crowds and gathered close to Willem as he guided us swiftly through customs. She and I rode together in one of the trucks to Mountain Top Ministries. As we drove, Karen was video taping much of the material that you will see on the newscast from WTHItv 10.

She video taped throughout the week and, if you watch closely, you will see Kathy (TRTP President) and Erin (TRTP board member) working in the clinic.

Thank you, Karen, for your moving pictures of life in Haiti.