Holo todos,

Well, since I am definitely off on my usual Monday mass email schedule, figure I will keep this short since Im sure you all have heard enough from me for a while.  Also, from now on, tune into http://www.macombdaily.com/, where it says Haiti, Reports from the Front, to read more about what NPH is doing in Haiti.  Most all of these are from our NPH journalists, I did not write them, but since there is so much info. and Im not sure how much people want to read, you can tune in there anytime to stay updated and I will not be forwarding the info to you.  Also, please feel free to leave some comments as most of the ones Ive read so far are quite disappointing.

Well, as I think you read, Dave came back late Thursday night, and I was happy to see him.  He wanted to take the weekend to rest but I think he is leaving for Haiti again tonight.  Really funny story though that I forgot to share before.... While he was in Haiti, he was sleeping each night in the aid truck because the hospital was full, and Jeanvie and some of the other former orphans from Haiti, we call expequenos, were pushing and shaking the truck and making jokes screaming Earthquake, Earthquake, during the night.  Yeah that should not be funny, but I guess thats how theyre dealing and they were having fun with it.  Anyways, the funny part is that when the real earthquake, the big 6.1 one, happened Wed. morning at 6a.m., Dave said the truck was shaking like crazy and he thought it would fall over, but he just yelled.. Knock it off Jeanvie, quit it, Im trying to sleep... it wasn't until after the whole hospital had been evacuated and people were screaming all over in the streets that Dave realized that it had been a real earthquake rocking the truck.  Ha, thought that one was too funny not to share.

Well, on the DR side, things are going good.  It has been a crazy transition since Christmas but my kiddos are doing very good.  I got some great new supplies with the donations from our party, including chalkboard paint in bright colors that the kids LOVE.  They even try to sneak up and use it when Im not watching.  But it definitely gets them even more motivated to come show off their skills on the chalkboard.  So far, we have spent the first week back sharing lots of ideas about helping Haiti, and now we're doing a unit on farm animals.  Hopefully this Friday we'll be visiting the NPH farm for a tour, to learn more about the animals, and take some photos.  In other school news, I got a new student referral last week.  He is Manuel's brother, the new special needs boy who came a couple months ago from the very harsh conditions I described, and though I am way full already, he is just too precious to turn down or pass on to someone else.  His name is Carlos Daniel, and he is ten and in the first grade, skinny as a rail, dark as night with a bright white smile, and towers over the other kids in his class.  I've been told he is Haitian and speaks Creole, but he wouldn't admit this to me, but when I tried throwing around a phrase or two in Creole, he laughed as if he understood.  I hear he can be aggressive, but so far its just been big hugs and big smiles, and Im really excited to work with him.  He seems very intelligent, just needs some help with basic vocabulary and learning to read in Spanish.  Should be fun...

Friday we finally got the last of our stuff moved in, and spent the night organizing it, only to find out Sunday night that we were moving to a different room.  So Monday, since there was a holiday we spent a good part of the day moving all our furniture and all our stuff all over again and reorganizing.  There have been so many changes since we are housing so many new visitors.  No lights or electricity yet, so lots of sitting around candles and hanging out under a dark blanket of stars, definitely makes you realize what you take for granted.  And at least 1 or 2 days I think its been pretty obvious I put my makeup on in the dark, and didn't realize til hours later... insert smiley face here...  One of our volunteers, Ralf, from Germany who has just been here a week and committed to a year, flew home already on Sunday.  Said he missed his girlfriend too much.... and Max, a 19 year old volunteer also from Germany, whose application was turned down but showed up anyway because his parents donate lots of money, moved in today so that should be interesting.  So far, the ages in our volunteer house has been 22 to 35, and he acts like he is still in high school.  Sometimes I feel like Im on the Real World.... only I get along with everyone great, and unlike Real World, I listen to at least 5 languages among my roommates while hanging out on the patio.... and we spend our time playing with orphans rather than all the crazy things they do on that show... so maybe not too much like Real World.  I think our house would be a much more interesting place to tape though.... another smiley face would go here if the punctuation marks on this keyboard worked.  

Tim and Paola came out to San Pedro Saturday to visit, Paola is 7 months pregnant and getting bigger and bigger and I can't wait to meet the baby, my first neice, and Tim is staying busy going back and forth to Haiti all the time still.  Looks like we will be seeing them more and more now which is wonderful.

Not sure what else to say, other than have I mentioned thank you yet for all of the support... again the question mark doesn't work, oh these Dominican computers.... well again Gracias, Danke, Mercy, and Thank you!!! Love you all dearly, and thank you a million for the love, prayers, encouragement, donations, and support.  Each one of you is making the world a better place.  Speaking of which, I read Horton hears a Who, in Spanish, today to my kiddos.... love the message there.... but here is the quote of the day to leave you in English.... 

 A person's a person, no matter how small.

Thank you for helping our friends in Haiti!

In Haiti, even before the quake, they say that one in five children die before the age of 5.  Thanks for helping these little guys of NPH, in Haiti, the DR and the 7 other countries where NPH saves these kids' lives.  I can promise they are wonderful and beautiful and deserve to keep on living.

Love, peace, and prayers,
Kristin
 

Hanging out with Ditania, Alejandra, and Glorimar in Santa Ana

Hi again,

I think it has been two days now since I’ve written an update, and I’m pretty sure I have told everyone, but just an update – my husband Dave, his brother Tim, and his cousins are just fine.  All still working hard on one side of the border or the other, helping with the Haiti relief. 

I have yet to share about the most exciting and unexpected visitor I received yesterday during my day as visitor coordinator – my former roommate Antoine!  Antoine is a former orphan from Haiti that volunteered in the DR for two years… we shared a house, and many great conversations.  He told many times of his dreams to start an orphanage of his own to give back for all he had been given as a child.  He is all of about 5 feet tall, if that, at 28 years old and is an absolutely adorable human being.  He showed up yesterday after a long bus ride from Haiti, and I hugged him tight and burst into tears.  He is actually sitting across from me out on our terrace now and it feels so good to have him back living with us again as a part of the big NPH volunteer family.  Among other volunteers that arrived yesterday included the director of the NPH office in Italy, an NPH medical coordinator from Iowa, an NPH nurse from Germany, and an NPH veteran and nun who lived years and years here and in Haiti among other 3^rd world countries in tin huts in bateys caring for the babies who are now grown… the volunteers fell in love with her and her crazy stories in a single afternoon.  Last night, two guaguas (buses) returned from Haiti.  The first one with Jeanvie and my husband, which was an exciting surprise since I had expected not to see him til Saturday; we didn’t have much time to talk before he was sound asleep but he told me of the countless Haitian children with missing limbs and terrible injuries.  In the next bus came Nikki and the others, including Joseph, a former orphan from Haiti who will also be staying with us for a while since he lost all of his family in Haiti, and also his home since he lived in the hospital that collapsed.  He had a younger brother who died alongside him in the rubble while he survived and I can’t imagine what he is going through for it.  But here he is outside chatting and laughing with the rest of us on the terrace.  It’s great to have both him and Antoine living in the volunteer house with us – one great big crazy multicultural happy family (for those who don’t know, my current roommates are from US, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Haiti, Mexico and New Zealand – it keeps things interesting for sure). 

Today in our daily “Haiti Relief Meeting” came another unexpected volunteer, our house director (also a former orphan from Haiti) Danny, who had been MIA since he left for Haiti last week.  He didn’t return the same bright smile when I saw him and looked like he had seen a ghost.  Later after the meeting I caught up with him, he did tell that his wife and kids are alive, but his sister-in-law and brother-in-laws, cousins, aunts, uncles, and all extended family had died.  Recounting his experience even brought my roommate Jose to tears.  Things we cannot imagine.

 

On the DR side of things, we had another scary event here.  A little girl from my class and that also lived in the Santa Ana house where I hang with the girls had to have emergency open heart surgery today.  I’ve known of her heart condition since I moved here, but it suddenly took a turn for the worse and my heart sank when I heard of her chances.  But thanks to God she made it out okay.  She will have to go back for more surgeries, but for now she is home resting.     

What else to share…. Many more volunteers, visitors, doctors here today.  We are sending two more trucks to Haiti at midnight tonight.  My roommates just finished packing in the cots and other boxes of supplies.  Going tonight will be Father Rick, the director of the orphanage in Haiti, who just flew in from burying his mother who died a few days ago.  He was visiting her to be with her in her last days when the earthquake happened, and his mom said “Go to Haiti, they need you there” and he went, then was back to the states for her funeral a week later.  Can’t imagine the pain or loss he is experiencing, but yet he stands strong as the backbone of this entire Haiti Relief operation and is on his way there again.  Talk about dedication.  For those who haven’t read Diane Lane’s article on him on CNN.com, it is worth checking out.

I think that’s all for now.  I am going to cut and paste a few details from our NPH reporter Monica who is in Haiti, in the space below.  What I can say last, is that what all of you are doing in terms of help, donations, fundraisers, prayers, encouragement, is beyond what I can respond to in a simple thank you.  I don’t have words for it, other than among all this tragedy and devastation, there is such a great beauty in all the caring people coming together to give anything they can to help.  Each email I get touches my heart and keeps me going here.  Each person helping in each of their own ways is bringing a bright light to the people of Haiti, more than you will ever know.  You are each planting a seed that you may never see bloom, but that will indeed bloom.  Thank you thank you thank you again and again and again.  I love each of you dearly and can’t say it enough how blessed I am to be here as a part of all of this and to have such a HUGE support system behind me through all of it.

Love,

Kristin

One medical team provided medical care today for 40 patients living in one of the many makeshift camps. They are not really a camp but thousands of blankets connected with wooden sticks to try and protect them against the wind. They have no food, no water, no sanitation and no medical care. These camps are a big concern to all organizations.

The St. Luke Outreach team is working on going out into the community to distribute water and they are discussing strategies about combating possible future outbreaks of disease. If the rains come these tent cities will be washed away.

We have an average of 80 volunteers excluding the Italian civil defense. Many of the volunteers are surgeons and physicians. We were very happy to receive surgical support from the first group of volunteer nurses. We appreciate all volunteers because the hospital staff is functioning at half capacity. Many staff have lost their homes, or family and have not been able to return to work. We do not have an exact number of missing staff.

We have a 35-year old man that arrived positive for tetanus and has severe, deep wounds. Having tetanus can result in convulsions when exposed to light and sound. This patient was located in the ER, which is quite loud and whenever someone was shouting, he then started to convulse. He was treated with Valium, but continue to speak to everyone in English saying, “please help me”. In most countries, tetanus is easily preventable. A single shot vaccine. Today we received a tetanus shipment from the WHO so we are no able to vaccinate all in-coming patients.

Monica Gery

Information Officer

NPH International

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.

---

Hello dear NPH volunteers,

I wanted to give you some updates.

I attended Molly’s funeral yesterday.  It is hard to describe the sadness.  Her uncle, Fr Craig Hightower presided over the mass.  He is a former Haiti volunteer as well.  Here is the article  in today’s paper:

Jordan Hightower gave the eulogy for her sister Molly, who was killed in a Haitian earthquake on Jan. 12. –Charlie Bermant

An estimated 1,000 people crowded into a Lakewood church on Wednesday, paying tribute to a Port Orchard resident who lost her life during last week’s Haitian earthquake.

Molly Hightower was killed in a building that collapsed during an earthquake on Jan. 12. At the time, she was serving as a volunteer for Friends of the Orphans, an aid organization for orphaned and abandoned children.

Jordan Hightower, who was older than her sister by just 15 months, delivered a eulogy that left listeners wondering whether they should laugh or cry.

Many did both.

“Many of us think that a bad event in our life — a failed test, a lost job opportunity or a failed relationship — is the end of the world and the worst thing that could happen,” she said. “It would be easy to say the last week has been the end of the world for my family and so many of us.

“It isn’t the end of the world, but the beginning of Molly’s legacy,” she said. “It is the beginning of when people will be turning to God, and ask how they can help out others. It is the beginning of us asking why we are on this earth, and what we can do each day to live with intention and purpose.

“This week showed many people that in a blink of an eye or the flip of an underwater fault line, life can be taken from us in an instant.”

Jordan Hightower finished writing the eulogy on Tuesday, according to a post on her Twitter account.

At the beginning of the service she told the congregation that she had “searched Google to find out how a eulogy was supposed to look, but it wasn’t much help.”

Molly Hightower was born in 1987 in Pacific, and her family moved to Port Orchard when she was seven years old. While she has strong Port Orchard ties, the service was held at the St. John Bosco Catholic Church in Lakewood, where her great uncle serves as a priest.

Hightower’s uncle, Father Craig Hightower, is also a priest at Gonzaga University in Spokane.

He said Molly “had the light of Christ in her eyes that gave her the crown of righteousness. This light was bright, and is not diminished today.”

Jordan Hightower was respectful and affectionate, but a little less reverent.

“Molly was our princess,” she said. “If she knew she was getting a crown of righteousness, she’d be really psyched.”

As children, Jordan characterized her life with her sister as “sarcasm, insults, competition, tattling and clothes stealing.”

Later, she thanked Molly for her tendency to “annoy me, irritate me, tattle on me, love me, push me, confront me and inspire me.

“Molly lived her life dramatically and with flair,” she said, “from the time she was almost born in the car with a cord around her neck to her dying in the first earthquake in Haiti in 200 years. Sis, you lived in style.”

As the eulogy continued it became more emotional and intense.

“We know that God had a plan for Molly from the time she was created but for us her ‘happily ever after’ came way too soon,” Jordan Hightower said. “If there is one thing we can take away from the multitude of beauty and wonder that is my sister’s life is that we should ask ourselves what we are doing with each minute of each day. Because every day is a gift that cannot be guaranteed.

“Who are you helping? What kind of impact will you have, and most importantly, what are you waiting for? One person can make a difference, and my sister’s life shows that in spades.”

After the service, Craig Hightower said the family hoped to rebuild the structure in which Molly died as a tribute, but had no current plans for further action.

“Molly inspired a lot of people,” he said. “But they should get involved because they want to, because they are inspired to do something, not just because of Molly.”

In addition to friends and family, the service included about two dozen Jesuit priests from Oregon and Washington, who were acquainted with Molly and her family.

Additionally, the Hightowers gave free reign to the media, which was allowed to videotape and photograph the service with no restrictions.

“The media was very helpful in getting word about Molly out to the public,” said Mike Hightower, Molly’s father. “I am grateful for that, and they have been very considerate of our family. I just wish that it didn’t take this for people to learn about Molly.”

This article was originally published in the Port Orchard Independent on January 20, 2010.

  

Like all of you, Molly was drawn to serve the poor out of a love for children.  Thank you all for that dedication. 

I will be in touch in the future, but please know that I am thinking of you.  We are all frantically busy trying to respond to the needs.  I am screening all the volunteer offers.  We have received an incredible amount of donations in honor of Molly and Erin and Ryan.  Many of them have come from your family and contacts.  When things settle down I will let you know details. 

I know some Danielle and Angela and Ingrid (former DR vol) went to school with Molly at the University of Portland.  You know they held a prayer service on Saturday, and Molly will forever be remembered there.  Many younger students say they look up to her. 

Please hold all the NPH DR volunteers in your prayers.  The DR home has become the staging ground for the relief efforts for NPH.  They are being exposed to the horrific aftermath.  Jacob, Kristin and David, we are thinking of you.

Please lean on each other for support.  Let me know if you need anything from afar. 

Respectfully,

Vicky Medley International Volunteer Coordinator Friends of the Orphans National Office Phone   425 698-5449 Fax       425 484-8280

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.

---

From: tinselina303@hotmail.com
Subject: Watch CBS interview with Katie Couric about NPH - 5:30 tonight
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:17:06 -0500

Hello,
The Kloos family informed us that Erin was interviewed by Katie Couric for a piece she is doing TONIGHT on Molly Hightower, Erin and Ryan Kloos.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
CBS Evening News with Katie Couric
5:30CST/6:30Eastern
Monica Gery
Information Officer
NPH International

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.

---

From: tinselina303@hotmail.com

Hi again all,

I know you are hearing from me a lot so will try to keep this short.  Just want to let people know who I may have misinformed that when you donate online for Haiti on the homepage, mark Haiti as the country to donate to, not the Dominican Republic.  Im sorry if I confused people with this.  I think all of the money will ultimately end up going there anyway, and no matter what, it is going to a great cause and great organization, but if you want to make sure the money does get straight there to Haiti and you marked Dominican Republic, you can go to http://www.friendsoftheorphans.com/ and go to contact us and write them an email, if you want to change where your donation goes and make sure to have it marked Haiti.  Sorry for the confusion.

As an update, we just sent out one more aid truck and one bus to Haiti last night at midnight with 7 doctors and several volunteers, including Nikki, my close friend and physical therapist here who has been taking over for our volunteer and visitor coordinator, which leaves me as the volunteer and visitor coordinator now.  Luckily, it worked out perfectly because there is a national holiday so no school today, so I can work in the office and run around coordinating beds, food, transport, etc. for all the doctors and volunteers coming.  Dave is still in Haiti, should be back tomorrow night or Saturday but no word yet.  The last truck was overweight so the brakes went out and we sent the part to fix in the truck last night so could be a couple of days yet.  I am hoping he will get back soon so we can move our furniture, I have been living between two houses.  One house has my bed and things, but no lights, electricity, gas, furniture, people, etc.  And to make things worse Dave took our only flashlight, so I have just been crashing on a sofa of sorts in the new house where the other volunteers are.  Have to move soon because we are filling with more and more doctors who are on their way to Haiti, and I think will be getting lots more Haitian orphans on this side as soon as the paperwork can be done because so many have lost their parents. 

Been getting lots of updates from Haiti, not sure what to send anymore because there is soooo much, but I will cut and paste below for anyone interested in reading more details of what we are doing there.  Oh and also, my brother-in-law Tim is okay, he was on the border ýesterday for the other quake.  I havent heard anything about Daves cousin Daniel, but am hoping no news is good news.  Also, Danny, our DR house director is still in Haiti (he is a former orphan from Haiti), but no one knows where and no one knows if he has found his wife and kids, so pray for Danny.  Otherwise see more updates cut and pasted below.

Love and much thanks to all for your prayers and genorousity,
Kristin

Message from Gena Hegarty, Director of Special Needs Programs, Haiti:

One week later and still there are wounded not treated. One week later and so many dead, injured or just disappeared. Amazing how fast the world we live in can change. Kids in the orphanage still sleeping outdoors - except for my kids- they are inside since last week. All are fine and not in any way suffering from the tragedy.

I am in the hospital in Tabarre every day - helping where i can. The husband of the director of our special needs school is paralyzed from the chest down and in and we are all very concerned for him.

Lots of people helping out and everyone doing what they can. So many people left without arms or legs and my God they are so so strong. Lying in their beds, not complaining at all and they have lost so much. One girl lost a leg when she was rescuing her younger siblings. I don't know what to say - so many emotions and really no time to deal with them. At night when I lie down, the bed seems to be forever shaking and when i talk to people they say it is the same for them.

My heart aches for Haiti and the Haitian people. My heart aches for those I have loved and lost. Some people blame God or wonder if he is even here. I do not blame God nor do I doubt his existence. My mind is logical. this was a natural disaster and it wreaked so much havoc because Haiti was in a mess long before the earthquake.

People in tents all over the place- makeshift ones. Are they getting help? I worry for some because who will find them where they are, off the beaten path?

How am I? I am ok. I am alive and happy to be alive. i am happy for all the support I know and receive. I am sad as is everyone here. We have lost a lot but we have a lot to work for still. There is no time to grieve just now. Well maybe there is but we choose not to take it because the wounded need us to be strong if they are to survive. So we are ok and we are people of faith and we believe we can make things just a little better.
For now this is all I can bring out of my mind.
Love to all.
Gena

Hi all,
Sorry for the mass email but I have been getting lots of concerned emails.  A quick update for those that don't know.... I'm sure everyone knows by now that there was another big 6.1 earthquake in Haiti this morning.  Dave is still in Haiti now in our hospital at Tabarre, he left at 4a.m. yesterday morning.  He was supposed to come back this morning with Jeanvie but there is something wrong with the brakes on the truck so it's getting fixed.  He is okay and so are the other volunteers and kids at the orphanage there.  In Port-au-prince I hear it is bad but I don't have a tv here to watch the news and don't know details.  I hear a lot more buildings have come down.  Dave's brother Tim is in Haiti as well, along with his cousin Wes and cousin Daniel who are doctors helping in Port-au-Prince.  I got word that Wes is okay, but haven't heard anything yet about Tim or Daniel.  There may be this info. available on facebook but that is blocked here so check in if you can and let me know asap.  Please pray they are okay.  I hear there are lots more collapsed buildings and lots more death, which is scaring aid workers and they are pulling out.  Please pray for the people of Port-au-Prince and that the Lord give strength to those helping there, I can't imagine how much more terrible it could be there.  They are working under extreme conditions in danger and poverty.  If you want to donate, you can donate directly on www.nph.org on the homepage and the money will come straight here where we are loading and sending trucks with specific supplies requested of the hospital in Haiti.  They have done countless surgeries and especially amputations already.  But for now please pray pray pray and forward this on to all you know to pray.  Going to teach for the p.m., and then tomorrow will have my assitant Maria take over and I will be the new visitor coordinator to coordinate our many many doctors that are flying in and using the orphanage here as a stepping stone to get to Haiti.  Thanks for all the prayer, encouragement, and donations.
Love,
Kristin

Hi all,
> As you receive this, please take the time to say a prayer
> for my husband Dave who left for Haiti about 30 minutes
> ago driving in a truck, and pray for all our
> friends who went with him.  Pray for the people there
> and that our supplies will reach the people that need them
> most.  Pray for our doctors who are working in our
> hospital in Tabarre.  Pray for Dave's 2 cousins who
> are on their way to Haiti and Dave's brother Tim who is
> also in Haiti.  Also, please pray for David's
> wonderful Aunt Eileen in Michigan - we just received an
> email that her cancer has severely progressed.  Thanks
> for the prayers, love you all.
> Kristin
> PS Yes, I know it's 4a.m. but I couldn't sleep
> after kissing my hubby good-bye and we happened to have
> electricity at the moment so I'm on here instead! :)

Hi all,
Where to start.... I am at the internet cafe where none of the punctuation marks work.... except the period.  Well, I will start by saying thank you thank you thank you so much for all of your encouragement, kind words, prayers, and donations.  Please forgive me to those who have not received personal thanks and emails, as I have been very limited to email access, but know you are appreciated.

As you know, we have been praying like crazy around the clock for our close friends and former roommates, Fritznel and Antoine, and the kids have been worrying like crazy, trying to make plans to drive there themselves and brainstorming nonstop on what they could do to help, especially the older boys from their house.  Well, I can say now, that we got word that our dear friend Antoine was found and is okay, injured from jumping out the window of a building that was collapsing... like superman, as the kids describe.  The kids told me that Fritznel too is okay, which I sobbed and sobbed with joy, but now sitting by a friend Anna at the internet cafe says she heard they are still looking for him, so that may have just been something they told the kids to settle them.  Rumors fly when you live in a enclosed compound with 200 children, especially in times of this kind of panic and anxiety.

Well, with the good news of Antoine comes loads of devastating news as well.  On Saturday, while driving to go meet our brother and sister in law Tim and Paola, I got the phone call from Jeanvie, our close friend and volunteer who is a former orphan from Haiti that Antoine was okay.  They had just gotten phone service back in Haiti and he was trying to reach the orphanage to coordiante the truck coming back.  I was so overjoyed to hear about Antoine.  I asked him then, and how are you, did you find your family.  Yes, I found all my neices and nephews, he answered, and they were all dead.  My heart sunk like I cannot explain, and I couldn´t find words, but I´m so sorry over and over, until he interrupted with it´s okay, it´s nothing, and preceded to make plans for the trucks and continuing to help Haiti.  Jeanvie, since most of you don´t know him, has volunteered at the orphanage for the past year or two and is as dedicated as anyone I have ever met.  Having been an orphan himself, he understands more than anyone else ever could.  While the rest of us complain about our 65 dollar a month stipend, and spend it on coca cola and pizza and weekends at the beach, he has always sent every penny to what family he had left in Haiti.  I don´t deserve a single word of kindness in comparison to this person who NEVER indulges, never leaves the orphanage for fun, never does anything for himself, and gives every last penny to his family.... and now they are gone.  He has a brother that is still missing.  No parents, no one else.  In the moment, I forgot everything else, to ask about Danny, Roselin, their families, the people at the hospital.  Up until this point, I have been in work mode non stop, trying to teach, comfort the kids, move houses, raise money, not taking the time to really cry, and when I got out of the car at Paola´s house, I started to cry, especially when I saw her.  This crying continued to sobbing to weeping that has not yet stopped through the weekend, and I can´t remember the last time I have felt anything so heavy or cried so hard or so much.  Though it was great to see Paola safe and healthy, the stories they had were devastating.  Paola came with Anna, an American teacher I stayed with two years ago when I was in Haiti.  She was nine months pregnant, and due next week.  She left her husband behind and teared up if I mentioned him, or anything about Haiti.  I saw many more friends of Tim and Paolas and heard of their tradgedies throughout the weekend.  My brother in law, Tim, we didn´t even get to see, because as soon as he got to the DR he was back to pick up friends at the border who had a 2 week baby who was sick, and then brought a doctor into Haiti and has been staying at a clinic there.  He has sacrificed days of sleep and goes with hesitation to do anything he can to help the people in Haiti.  Paola spoke in church on Sunday and showed a slideshow of photos she personally took and I sobbed uncontrollably through the whole thing while Dave hid his head in his knees as I am never allowed to see him hurting they way I know he was.  I can´t put into words the honor I feel to have married into such incredibly compassionate family as the DeYoungs.  Two of Daves cousins are also en route to Haiti, since they are medically trained and fluent in Creole.

Not sure what other news I have not yet shared.... it has been a few days and I hear so much I can´t remember what to share.  The NPH doctors we sent to Haiti continue to work round the clock.  In the hospital that was still standing, they are housing 700 people in a location built for 200 and treating people all over the grounds outside as well.  They are doing surgeries and amputations like crazy.   There are deaths, and also births.  They mentioned a young girl whose skull was crushed and was missing most of her face.  There are many, many, many stories like this.  There are not the proper supplies to respond but people are doing everything they can.  We sent out two large trucks to Port au Prince, full of supplies and it came back today full of tired volunteers, less one, Jacob, that decided to stay in Haiti and keep helping.  Please pray for these volunteers, doctors, workers who literally have been working day and night without stop and seeing things beyond your wildest nightmares.  Death counts are still unconfirmed, and will probably remain that way.  I have heard estimations from 100,000 to 1 million but no one really knows.  In the local papers here, there are photos of mountains of bodies, stacked 10 bodies high, while  both children and adults climb through them searching for their loved ones.  People have stopped trying to count and identify them, and are bulldozing them instead.  I can´t explain the sickness I get to think about people we know and love possibly being bulldozed into those piles, I don´t even want to think about it. 

Well, not sure what else to say other than please please please continue to help and send these messages to everyone you know.  Now on the nph.org website you can donate directly to our office here in the DR and it will go to packing the trucks that we are taking back and forth every other day.  Dave is planning to forgo his maintenance work for a while to drive these trucks in and out, so please keep him in your prayers.  I told my pre teen girls that I may be sleeping over when I can´t go home to him and they were happy to have me.  Please also pray for our house director Danny.  He went out in the truck last Friday to look for his wife and kids and didn´t come back.  The rumor from the kids is that they lost him, but this is from the kids and I will keep praying that is not true.  Please keep praying.  Please keep donating.  Please keep telling everyone you know to do the same.  I made an event on facebook too so forward it to all of your friends.  I feel like I had a million other things to share in this email but I can´t think of anything else and have to get to shopping so will end here.  Thank you again and keep spreading the word.

Love and prayers,
Kristin

The following is an update on the Haiti volunteers that have been found.  Molly, below, was a good friend of my roommate Ingrid, and came to visit us here in the DR for a few days back in October.  I didn't get to know her well, but we did spend time visiting and chatting lots about working with the special needs kids and sharing ideas.  She was very sweet and dedicated to her work for NPH.  Please pray for her family, and for all those lost in the disaster.

Love,
Kristin

May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith. May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you....May you be content knowing you are a child of God.... Let this presence settle into our bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of you.

---

Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 15:57:10 -0400
Subject: HAITI Volunteer Update!

Dear NPH Family,

It is with deep anguish that NPH is confirming the deaths in Haiti of international volunteer Molly Hightower, 22, of Port Orchard, Washington, and Ryan Kloos, 24, of Phoenix, Arizona, who is the brother of NPFS volunteer Erin Kloos, 26, also of Phoenix. 

Ryan Kloos, a 2008 graduate of the University of California-San Diego, was recovered from the Fr. Wasson Center in Petionville on the afternoon of January 13. Erin Kloos was rescued from the Fr. Wasson Center on January 13 and is currently in stable condition in a south Florida hospital’s intensive care unit. Her prognosis is good.  

After an extensive search, Molly’s body was recovered from the same location at approximately 4:30am ET Friday, January 15.

A friend of Molly’s visiting Haiti, 22-year old Rachel Prusynski, a University of Portland graduate and resident of Boise, Idaho, was also rescued from the Fr. Wasson Center on January 13. After medical treatment for a broken arm and severe cuts,  she has been reunited with her family in the U.S. 

Both Erin, a University of Washington graduate, and Molly, who graduated from the University of Portland, worked as international volunteers for Nos Petit Freres et Soeurs in Haiti. Molly assisted in the physical therapy program, and had begun her service in June 2009. 

Erin’s initial volunteer service spanned September 2007 to October 2008. She had recently returned to NPFS and served in many capacities. While at NPFS, she helped in the lab at the hospital, assisted with visitors and volunteers, translated for visiting doctors and was the Home Correspondent.

Both volunteers spent their evenings and weekends caring for and playing with the children in the hospital and those with special needs.

The Fr. Wasson Center in Petionville served as a guest house, volunteer residence, administrative offices and a day school for children with disabilities, and completely collapsed during the 7.0 magnitude Haitian earthquake. 

Our NPH Family extends our prayers and deepest condolences to the Hightower and Kloos families during this extremely difficult time. 

There will be a prayer service TONIGHT for victims and their families of the Haitian earthquake, including 22-year-old Molly Hightower of Port Washington who died during the disaster, and University of Washington graduate Erin Kloos, 26, who was rescued and is in stable condition in the ICU of a south Florida hospital.

When: Friday, January 15, 7:00pm Pacific Time

Where: St. Louise Church

141 156th Avenue, NW 

Bellevue, Wash.

Directions can be found at www.stlouise.org

Additional Information:

Please RSVP to Katie Hultquist at 425-646-3935 or khultquist@friendsus.org and join friends and supporters in offering prayers to those affected by the Haitian earthquake tragedy. 

Details from NPH Staff who are working to find volunteer bodies in Haiti.  Very sad news.... you won't recognize the names but we know most of them.  Read below what is expected of those who come to volunteer.  We got a team of Italian doctors in last night who had large suitcases with no backpacks, sleeping bags, supplies, or water.  One went to a hotel for the night because he said he preferred not to sleep in an orphanage.  Thank God they are here, but I think they're in for quite a shock.  It is really really bad, but you can read all of that below....
Love,
Kristin

Hello Friends,

After driving by night to Kennedy Airport January 12th, and flying to the Dominican Republic  January 13th, Conan and I arrived to Haiti this morning in the helicopter of the President of the Dominican Republic. This ride was due to the reputation of NPH in the Dominican Republic, NPH Italy, a reputation enhanced in the DR by Andrea Bocelli not long ago.

 

Our first tasks were the medical evacuation of one of our American volunteers, the medical evacuation of one of our Cuban doctors and the evacuation of the body if one of our American visitors. The search still continues in the rubble for another missing American volunteer, Molly.

 

We also had 18 funerals today. One for John who works at our St Luke program. We miss John very much. He often stopped to at my door to tell me the milestone of his developing baby, which delighted him no end. John ran our computerized language lab. Another was for Johanne’s mother. Joanne is one of the Directors of the St Luke program. All the others were of unknown people who were sadly rotting by the wayside.

 

Other sadnesses…the death of Immacula, our only physician assistant, who worked at our huge outpatient side of our hospital. The death of ALL but one of Joseph Ferdinand’s brothers and sisters, the death of the husband of Jacqueline Gautier as he was visiting a school which fell and all the students (all died), the death of our ex-pequeno Wilfrid Altisme who was in his 5th year of seminary for priesthood. Other stories of deaths of people who are dear to us keep coming in.

 

We spent the rest of the time managing the countless people with serious and severe wounds, coming to our hospital. We are doing our best for them, under trees and in the parking lot with ever diminishing supplies. We will work throughout the night and beyond. No stores are open, no banks are open. Diesel is running out. Will be out in two days if we don’t find a solution, which will mean no power at all. The hospital is without water since there is some broken line between the well and the water tower.

 

Structural damages to the hospital seem superficial at first glance, but about half the outer perimeter walls have fallen. The old hospital in Petionville is in ruins, and teams of workers, led by Ferel, and been digging for Molly non-stop around the clock.

 

WE HAVE NO INTERNET. OUR PHONES DO NOT WORK. IF A CALL DOES GET THROUGH WE CAN’T HEAR OR BE HEARD. Robin has internet access through a satellite. I asked her to send this message for me, and to read my emails and answer them as best she can for now.

 

Please continue to pray for us. We pray for you too.

Fr. Rick Frechette

____________________

Dear Friends and Family,

I want to thank you on behalf of Fr. Rick, NPFS, the St. Luke team and our entire family here in Haiti for all your prayers, concern and especially support during this most difficult time. Fr. Rick has asked me to send something to update everyone. I am the point of contact person here in Haiti so please try not to contact him via email because I'm answering both emails! At this time there is no regular internet, electricity for internet or for computer or phone charging. Fr. Rick is at spending most of his time at the hospital and organizing search/rescue teams with Nebez and Augusnel (of St. Luke). The phones lines are also not yet reliable. It will be easier for us to keep things with a good flow if all information goes through myself and Monica Gery.  At this time, all interviews need to go through me. Fr. Rick cannot do them.

This morning Fr. Rick, Dr. Pilar Silverman, Conan, Vern Conaway and I arrived in Haiti via special helicopter arrangements made by the First Lady of the Dominican Republic and by Vern. The state of the country is beyond words. The past few years of hurricanes were nothing compared to the scope of damage done with this earthquake. The government has advised no one stay inside as aftershocks were still hitting the country today. People are literally sleeping, well really just sitting in groups, on the streets tonight. Electricity is cut, Water is running out and so is food. We are almost out of medical supplies. 

The child patients at St. Damien Hospital in Tabarre are all outside on the grass under makeshift canopies and we are hoping to get tents soon. Two emergency centers have been set up in the driveway of the hospital - one for children and one for adults. The other hospitals are also overloaded and running out of supplies as well. We are almost out of supplies and we have many offers of donations that can be sent if people confirm it with me first. As far as we know the large donations of meds, etc., have to be sent the same as usual and pass through port authority or the airport and customs. Please do not send containers or large donations UNLESS you have arranged with prior - we don’t have the staff or time to track down things that have not been pre-arranged. If your office has arranged with me already to send containers or donations please make sure to address them as follows, and please include a donation letter and a facturation detail or we will not be able to start the process to get them out. We also would need the original bill of landing and paperwork fed-exd - but we can try with scanned copies to us to start the process:

Nos Petits Freres et Soeurs

c/o Fr. Rick Frechette or Maurice Solomon

117 Ave. Panamericaine

Petionville HAITI

West Indies

The children and staff in the orphanage are all fine. They were together outside on the basketball court during the earthquake, slept outside last night and probably will continue to do so until we know its safe for them indoors. The children who live in our rented houses in the St. John Bosco program (formally the extern program) are okay. We are not yet sure of all the ex-pequeños (hermanos mayores) and all of the children living with family. We have lost several people so far including John our know-how-to-do-anything-electronics man from St. Damien, an ex- pequeños Solita Badio and her baby,  two younger brothers and one sister of Joseph Ferdinand our Intranet Projects Manager, many extended family members and I fear the list will continue to grow as the days go on.  Fr. Rick already did 15 funerals this afternoon and I've been told there are just bodies lying in the streets in Port au Prince. Our Father Wasson Center has indeed collapsed and it’s a very sobering experience to stand next to it. Our volunteer Erin Kloos has been evacuated to the US after being pulled from the Fr. Wasson Center rubble after a 12 hour search and rescue. A visitor Rachel has been evacuated to the US with a broken arm and we are still searching for Molly Hightower. Please pray for Molly and please pray for the countless men who have been searching non-stop for almost 56 hours now. 

Hello all,
Thank you so much for your prayers, support, donations, and encouragement.  Since we have not been able to communicate much with the people in Haiti, there are still a lot of unknowns and we don't have much of an update.  Dave was very happy though to talk to his brother Tim today and they are okay and planning to cross the border tomorrow from Haiti to the DR as our sister-in-law is almost 8 months pregnant and things are really crazy there.  Last we heard they were sleeping in their car after the quake and weren't able to get through anywhere.  Our father-in-law sent a helicopter to get them but they decided to take their truck so they could load it with supplies and return as soon as possible.  They are quite dedicated.  As far as NPH goes - NPH is the organization that I am currently volunteering for - there is no new news.  As far as we know, all the volunteers, visitors and staff are still missing other than the 2 bodies that were found, one dead and one almost dead of American volunteer and visitor.  We have not heard yet if anyone else was found.  We still have not heard anything from our close friends and former roommates Fritznel and Antoine.  Our Haitian friends here - Danny, Rosalin, and Jeanvie - are leaving tomorrow in the helicopter along with 13 doctors from Italy who are flying in tonight and then taking the helicopter/trucks over.  We are very grateful for the money people have donated and continue to donate - Dave took out $300 today and bought medical supplies, food, and water, and we will continue to take out $300 as we are able as that is the limit to what you can withdraw in a day.  All the volunteers and the doctors here are in the office now organizing all the supplies that have been donated to leave at 4a.m. tomorrow morning.  NPH will continue to send trucks over with supplies and volunteers as frequently as possible.  Dave and I are not able to go and help in Haiti at this time as we are not medically trained, but are on a list to go as soon as they need us (which will probably be quite a while yet as it is very tight getting in and out of the country).  It seems as though I've been hearing new things all day but this is all I can think of for now.  In my classroom today we prayed for the people of Haiti and talked about ways we could help.  It feels silly to think about lessons and teaching with all this going on, but life does go on.... we also practiced emergency procedures as they don't do these kinds of drills here.  Other than that, just keep praying, especially that our NPH friends get across tomorrow to Haiti and are able to save the people they can, and that our family gets out of Haiti and across this way safely and are able to get the supplies they need to return.  We are attaching pictures of the supplies purchased today while Dave and other volunteers were in town so you can see where your money is going, though I'm having trouble attaching... and also please visit cnn.com for great updates on what is going on.  Check out this link here to see pictures, including picture 21 that is of the NPH center:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/14/haiti.relief.efforts/index.html?hpt=T1

Please keep praying, and pray tomorrow morning for our friends and family crossing the border, that everything goes safely and our friends and fellow volunteers are found alive.  Will keep you all posted and thanks again for all your prayers and support.  Also please keep in mind that we are NOT able to access facebook from here at the orphanage and probably won't be able to use facebook for a while so if anyone is trying to communicate with us via facebook we are not receiving those messages, and please email us instead.  Thanks! 

Love,
Kristin

Hello and thank you for your prayers, concerns, and support.
(For those who I haven't spoken to in a long time and don't usually receive these emails, I now live in the Dominican Republic and an earthquake hit our island so I'm writing anyone I can to help the people here - please see below to help)
Today we spent the day tuned into emails and reports from NPH Haiti, and it appears they were affected much worse than I had thought.  The 8 story NPH hospital (which was also a school and therapy center for the special needs kids) that had collapsed, housed not only patients, but also the volunteers, visitors, and staff of the NPH orphanage.  So far, they found the body of one American who was visiting his brother who is volunteering and he was dead, and the volunteer coordinator from Haiti is in very critical condition and unable to speak, but all the other volunteers, visitors, and staff are still yet to be found - including volunteers we know who had come here to visit and hang out with us, and many close friends of volunteers here, so needless to say everyone is extremely emotional here.  There are 3 Haitian staff here who have not been able to reach any of their friends and family yet, but also many of the kids here have family in that area of Haiti and pretty much everyone has friends there and no one is able to locate them.  Rosalin, our sponsorship coordinator, talked to a friend in Haiti and was informed all the friends she knew there are dead or missing.  Our former Haitian roommates and close friends, Fritznel and Antoine (from our dance videos), also lived 10 minutes from where the hospital came down and are missing.  It is predicted at least tens of thousands of people have died, and up to 3 million people have been affected.  The borders are closed and only aid planes and helicopters are being allowed in and it is very dangerous to go there as we have been told.  Our American friends who live in the capital and often visit us, pooled all the money they could to get a helicopter out tomorrow to send over our Haitian staff as well as the director of the Haiti orphanage and hospital, who had been out of the country visiting his dying mother.  But, needless to say, things there are very very bad.  Dave was trying to go to help, which he was a little nervous about knowing the streets are stacked with dead bodies everywhere and he would be helping to collect more, but space is very limited so the helicopters are only allowed to those who are missing family or are medical staff.  Some connections from NPH have asked the first lady of the DR to open the border tonight so we can start to get people over there to find bodies of the NPH volunteers that are missing and to care for those that are found in critical condition, but not sure yet if they can get across.  NPH Italy is sending helicopters with 13 doctors and Kieran is pooling money from all other budgets to go straight to Haiti, but the need is so great.  We will definitely be taking out money from the donations that were made when we were home, but please consider giving what you can to help with the extreme need to find those missing and keep those we can alive.  Every little bit counts.  Please pass this on to all the people you can to pray and give what they can.  Andrea and Dawnette please forward this to all of Owosso staff and everyone else please inform your friends, family, workplaces, and churches to start praying!  Please try to imagine this as your own close friends, roommates, loved ones.  Almost all of the volunteers here have stayed in the housing there, and that easily could have been Dave and I staying in the building that had collapsed.  Please also pray for our family Tim and Paola as I can't even imagine what they are going through there.  Please see this website for more information and pictures of the NPH building that collapsed:
http://www.friendsoftheorphans.org/s/769/inner.aspx?sid=769&gid=1&pgid=252&cid=1903&ecid=1903&crid=0&calpgid=61&calcid=719

You can donate online (on the website above), or if you would like it to go straight from our hands to the Haitian volunteers here you can contact my mom 248-705-2198 or my dad 248-408-6342 to have the money deposited directly into our checking account.  If you choose to go this route, I promise that 100% of the money will go directly to the people who can provide support and relief to those in Haiti.  We are going to have fundraisers in town to raise money, which won't be too much from the Dominicans here, but every penny counts.  If you can't give, please pray and pray and pray and pray and tell everyone else you know to do the same.  Forward this email to everyone you know please.  I will keep you posted with what we find out.

For more pictures, please see this website http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-381632 - the last 4 pictures are of the Padre Wasson Center (hospital) - notice our logo on the gate in front of the collapsed hospital. :(

Love and prayers,
Kristin

Hello all,

Just writing to let people know an update from this end as a lot of people have been writing with their concerns about us and Dave's brother and his wife in Haiti.  From this end in the DR, we didn't feel anything and have not been affected at all, but they did cancel school today because there is a red alert just in case, but we are okay.  I checked and there is not a tsunami warning for this region as some had thought.  In Haiti though, things are quite a mess.  We heard from friends that heard from Tim and Paola that they are okay.  They were staying at a friend's house during the earthquake and were not hurt, but have not been able to get to their own house yet, but most of Port-au-Prince where they live appears to be destroyed.  As far as the NPH orphanage in Haiti, it is far from Port-au-Prince and all the kids are reported to be okay.  Of the two NPH hospitals there, the new hospital was structurally sound with minimal damage and will probably be full of patients... but we are getting reports right now that the older NPH hospital, which is usually full with patients and is also where workers, volunteers and visitors stay, has completely collapsed and they think everyone in it has died so people here are really worried about the NPH staff in Haiti, and it looks like we are sending over a team of people from here to Haiti soon.  We also have 3 Haitian volunteers here at the moment who are former orphans from NPH Haiti that are very worried about friends and family there.  We are having a prayer service in the chapel in an hour and will get more details then.  In the meantime, here is an article with more info. and photos:

http://www.sphere.com/world/article/haiti-earthquake-update/19314964?icid=main|hp-laptop|dl1|link1|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sphere.com%2Fworld%2Farticle%2Fhaiti-earthquake-update%2F19314964

 

Please keep praying and praying for the people in Haiti!

 

Love,

 

Kristin

Dear family and friends,

Just writing to each of you to say thank you SO much for coming to our fundraising party to support us in our projects at the orphanage, and also to those who were not able to make it but sent donations or donated online.  I cannot say enough how extremely touched we were by your genorousity and kindness, it was truly incredible and the donations will go a long way to help the kids in the orphanage.  I can't wait to get new materials to help the kids in the classroom and use the money for field trips, birthdays, rewards, and other fun ways to bless the kids.  You can't imagine how easily their eyes light up at simple new activities or how excited they get. 

It was so great to see and spend time with everyone, and we really appreciate all of your encouragement, support, and prayers.  Please keep in touch with us in upcoming months, and remember you are always welcome to come and visit us in the DR too!  To learn more about the orphanage, read NPH news, sponsor a child, volunteer, or get involved in other projects, visit www.nph.org  God bless each of you throughout the 2010 year and keep in touch!

Lots of love and prayers,
Kristin and Dave DeYoung