Hi From Heather

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to briefly introduce myself.  I am going to be taking over the host family coordination and there may be some growing pains as Fran trys to get all the information she had over to me.  So please hang in there with us.  I am answering emails as quickly as I can.  I have started a file for each of you that have sent applications and hope to have notice out to you this week as to whether your file is complete or I need anything.  Please note my address on the side bar.  Please send any applications and supporting docs to that address so that poor Fran doesn't have to keep sending me stuff!

A little about me.  I am mom to five at the moment.  We have four kids of our own and one foster daughter.  We have adopted from Guatemala and Haiti.  It was during our Haitian son's adoption in 2005 that we met Vanessa and began to work with Angel Missions.  We hosted our first child while we waited for our adoption to go through.  Since then I have watched Vanessa tirelessly serve the Haitian people.  I am blessed to serve with Angel Missions.

New Host Family Coordinator

Hi...we want to introduce our new Host Family Coordinator!  Her name is Heather Price and she lives near Vanessa in Virginia.  Heather is a very experienced adoptive mom who has worked with Angel Missions on and off since it began three years ago.  Heather and her family have hosted numerous children as well.  Angel Missions is very blessed to have her and her family helping our mission!

To reach Heather, please email her at AMHFamilies@hotmail.com or call her at 434-426-1791

Unfortunately, there are no updates as to when we might start bringing children to the US for medical care. The embassy is not issuing medical visas right now, but Vanessa is keeping in touch with them and will let us know.  For now, Angel Missions will continue to prepare for their anticipated arrival.

Thanks!

AMH update from Haiti

First let me THANK everyone for the prayers, and support we have received.

We are all doing well in Haiti and making it one hour at a time, one day at a time.

Working in Haiti was hard before all of this devastation. Now it is next to impossible. We are going to need ongoing medical teams each week to come and work at the clinic. Help out at different facilities that we partner with.

We are very thankful that most everyone we know and work with here in Haiti are alive and safe.

As I have said before words can not describe what is going on here. How devastating everything is.

One funny note: We were in traffic waiting and I noticed somewhere between 15-20 sheep standing on a walk way. When traffic stopped they crossed in front of us in a line. It was not until they were all across the street and walking down the other side did I realize that no Haitian was with them. They were just following the leader. The leader is walking, just walking down the street.

How bizarre is that. But it brings to mind God, we are all following his calling he is leading us and I have to believe he was leading the sheep to a safe place, just as he leads all of us to him.

I know you are seeing bad things on the news and reports of looting but we are seeing none of this. Just adults and children in shock and hurting, we are doing everything we can for them.

We had 4 translators show up today that worked on the USNS Comfort they are helping, here at Fr. Ricks hospital, in Tabarra.

It took days for me to bring myself to take photos. I know I should have taken some but could not stop long enough to do it.

I have no news from the children who have come to the states for care. I figure it will take months and some we will never know what happened to them. So many have fled Port au Prince to the DR and lots show up trying to get out at the embassy every day. Some are gone and there will be no one to tell us. Bernard and his family got their visa’s to go to the US in November so they had already moved before this happened. He and Suzie and Berny are all fine in Miami. But because he has not yet been replaced there is no one for the families to call or come and see.

I wish I could get my brain to write more. But I must get back to transferring patients.

All my love
V

Clearing up Some Confusion about GIRLS ORPHANAGE

I wanted to post a quick note to all those from the Roanoke & Lynchburg areas of Virginia.  There is a bit of confusion concerning a group of 65 girls from an orphanage in Port au Prince.  Given the incredible urgency we all feel to help the children in Haiti this is very understandable!  The girls are in an orphanage that is connected with the Resurrection Catholic Church in Moneta, Virginia.  The staff at the church has been attempting to contact the director in Haiti to determine if she wishes assistance at evacuating her girls.  They had received word that the orphanage was badly damaged in the earthquake and the girls have no supplies.  Beyond that, we have little information and we are unsure at this time whether or not these girls will leave Haiti.  The incredible communities around the Moneta area have been working to put contingency plans in place to ensure that if the girls are evacuated, they will have a safe haven.

Angel Missions & Safe Haven Network has been attempting to help the church coordinate their efforts.  With our experience finding host families for children coming from Haiti on medical visas, we are sharing what we know and assisting in identifying potential host families.  These host families will work with the Catholic church, not Angel Missions Haiti, but we are using our system as it is already in place.

If you live in Virginia and wish to consider apply to host a child, please go to www.safehavennetwork.org - there are instructions on how to proceed.  If you are interested in finding out other potential opportunities to help, please contact the church (see above).

We again want to thank everyone for the incredible response in this crisis!  You all are awesome!  Our hearts and prayers go out to the country of Haiti and her people and all those who are working so hard to help them.  We have confirmed that Vanessa is there and busy working.  We will update you all as we know more!

Fran

Fundraiser for Earthquake Relief

A friend of Angel Missions Haiti started a fundraiser to help us with our mission.

You can find the Haiti bracelet site here !

Thanks for your support

Partnering with American Airlines Flight Attendants!

We want to tell you about some awesome ladies who are partnering with us to get supplies to Haiti!  You can read about their project below and find them on Facebook as well.  


"Patricia Sund and Pamela Quirin regularly fly to Port Au Prince out of Fort Lauderdale Airport. Patricia became a friend of Vanessa Carpenter throughout frequent flights, as did Pamela. When the earthquake hit, Patricia found a "Tweet" from Vanessa and emailed her asking her what her status was and did she need help. Well, that got the ball rolling! Patricia contacted Pamela who set up a Facebook page:
"AA Flight Attendants Supporting Haiti Recovery."

Four days after its creation, the "AA F/A Haiti" page has almost 600 members with numbers climbing daily. 48 hours after initial contact, Vanessa set up operations in Patricia's Condo living room and they began to set up and plan what Patricia refers to as "Project Peanut Butter." With a donated airplane bound for Haiti, donated supplies, Vanessa and two medical Professionals aboard, "Project Peanut Butter," took off a mere three days after Vanessa landed in Fort Lauderdale. During that time, the flight Attendant's "Guest passes" got 4 of the angel Mission Staff people back into Haiti through santo Domingo. Along the way, the American Flight Attendants began to scheme, plan and communicate about how they are going to bring supplies to Vanessa and "Angel Mission Haiti." It is still an ongoing process, but this group has accomplished an incredible amount of work and generosity in less than a week not taking into consideration the awareness Patricia and Pamela generated along the way about "Angel Mission Haiti."

Host Application Forms - PLEASE READ

Hi Everyone,

Thank you to all the families who are contacting us about hosting.  We are very thankful that so many of you want to help.  Our staff is a bit overwhelmed with the number of calls & emails, but are doing our best to get back to everyone.  At this time, we do not have any definite information on children coming to the US for care or specifics on how long the process will be.  I will update you all when we know more.

We have had numerous requests for our host family application.  Unfortunately, our website seems to be overloaded and not working as well as we like, so I have added a link in the right hand column & at the bottom of this post where you can download the forms.  This link will take you to Media Fire where you will see a screen with four files.  This link does work as there have already been over 150 downloads since this morning.  To help with downloading, please be sure to read all of the instructions below.


You must download the files one at a time.

1) Do not use the download check boxes, they don't work.  Simply click on the file name & you will see a download button pop up just to the right of the file name.  Click on this to download (ignore all advertisements...that is what you get when you use free hosting!).


2) You will see a a yellow box come up that says "Begin download now"; click on this box to begin process.

3) Move back to file page and repeat this process for other files.

4) Download HERE


Please be sure to download all FOUR files.  There is a host family letter, application instructions (including where to mail your paperwork), the application itself and a document that describes our requirements and policies.

I hope this helps!
Thanks again for your willingness to help us in our mission to help the Haitian Children!
Fran

A Big Thank You…

This plane from the University of Michigan Health System has been flying critically ill children out of Haiti. They pilots and medical staff have been working around the clock to help us serve the people of Haiti. Their tireless efforts have been a huge relief to us and we greatly appreciate it! Thank You!!!

 

Jan. 18, 2010

Dear Family,

I can not say thank you enough to the out pouring of love, prayers and financial support.

My son Bill made it out last night and it was so hard seeing him in so much pain on the evening news. He is still alive and God has sent many angel to watch over him and everyone else.

another miracle today they found a 7 year old american girl alive. Her parents were both killed she has back injury and we are working on getting a charter plane to get her out of Haiti. Pray for her, not having a guardian and needing a special flight is proving difficult but with God all things are possible.

A man I do not know called and is helping us with paying for some charter flights to get doctors and nurses. Again a God thing. Thank you lord for all you are doing and will continue to do to help us and the people of Haiti.

For all of those worried I left the triplets. They are at a loving host family and are doing well. I miss them dearly but God knew this was coming and had them placed and in great hands so I would not worry. Again thank you Lord you are doing so many miracles.

When I get a chance to see the news, I see the wonderful people of Haiti still praising God. They love God and know he is there with them. I would like to think we would be like them praising God if we were going through the same thing.

All my Love Momma V
Vanessa A. Carpenter

Email for staff

Here are a few email addresses for our staff.  We have had such an overwhelming response that we have added staff.  For the time being, Kris Meadows and Britnie Carpenter will be coordinating all medical mission trips.  If you are a medical professional and want travel to help, please contact Kris with all your questions.  Britnie will help you with the paperwork needed to make the trip.

Kris Meadows - AMHMissions@hotmail.com   815-739-7656

Britnie Carpenter - AMHMissions@hotmail.com 540-380-4588

For donations and general questions, please contact:
Beth Richardson - AMHStaff@hotmail.com  540-380-4588


**Please note that in an earlier email this address was misquoted...it is NOT "AMHMedical"...sorry!**

If you are wanting to ask general questions about Angel Missions or discuss hosting a child here for medical care, please contact Heather at AMHFamilies@hotmail.com or 434-426-1791

Vanessa is currently en-route to Haiti.  It will be difficult at best to reach her by phone or email.  If you need to speak to AMH, please contact one of us and we will do all we can to get you an answer.

Thank you again for your prayers & support!

Note to all families interested in hosting

I wanted to thank everyone who has contacted us in the last few days about hosting!  Your response has been incredible and we are humbled by your willingness to help the Haitian children.  With the overwhelming numbers of emails we are receiving, it may take us some time to contact you individually. So, in an attempt to answer some of the questions, I will try to answer some of the most common questions here:

1) At this time, there are numerous groups working to help Haitian orphans connect with the American families who have been in the process of adopting them.  These children have already been identified,  are in the adoption pipeline (which is long and winding) & their many of their families have been waiting for them for some time.  These children come from many different orphanages, but hopefully a plan will be put into place to help them receive visas to come here without those adoptions being finalized in Haiti.  There are a number of different government groups working on this but you can find out information at this link:
Be The Answer for Children

2) We are not a part of the process described above.  Angel Missions Haiti works specifically with children who have medical needs.  At this time, I do not know how the earthquake will change that mission, but it is obvious that the need to provide medical care for children will increase.  While we do not believe that the need will be immediate, it is likely that we will need host families in the near future for children who need live-saving medical care here in the US.  We have no time tables for when we might need families nor do we know how many we will need.  In the past, most of the children in our program have not been orphans.  This may or may not change, but please know that we are not an adoption agency nor do we work with any specific orphanage.

The length of time children stay here in the US has always been dictated by their medical care.  Some only stay for a month or so, others have stayed up to a year.  Host families must be willing to care for and treat their host child as one of their own.  There are no stipends or allowances to cover costs.  We arrange for the major medical care, but often host families arrange for a pediatrician in their area to donate care for the usual kid stuff (ie: ear infections, colds, rashes, etc.)  Before a match is made with a family & a child is placed, all these details are discussed and plans are put into place.

3) Thank you to everyone who is willing to open their homes & hearts and host one of our children.  We would like to build a database of families who are interested in hosting this medically involved children.  Generally, the hospital & doctor that agrees to provide care for a specific child determines in which area of the country that child will stay.  Families from all states are accepted.  If you are interested in applying, please fill out the application on our website under the "mission" tab (scroll to the bottom of that page).  The website can be found here:  Angel Missions Haiti  - there are three links for pdf files all highlighted.  Please download all three.  Once you have completed the application, please email them to me at: AMHfamilies@hotmail.com

4) As is true with all NGO's working in Haiti, the greatest need at this time is for funds.  Please consider donating.  You can find a Paypal button on this blog.  Our funds are going to provide medical care in Haiti and to purchase supplies, food & water for those coming to us for aid.  We have a number of medical professionals who are interested in going to Haiti to help.  We have several partner organizations who are already there on the ground who we will support once Vanessa arrives.  It is impossible to guess how this response will develop over the next weeks & months, but we have worked in Haiti for many years before this earthquake and our commitment to the Haitian people, especially the children, will continue for years to come.

Thank you again for your prayers and your support!  They mean more than we can say...

If you have any questions about the application or instructions, please email.  We promise to respond as quickly as we can.

Fran

Update on Missing...

Ok Sumens and Menez, Suzanne and Jr are all ok. house still standing and so is Menez place of employment.

Love,
V

These Friends are Well

We wanted to update you on some friends who we posted were missing.

Menes and his son Sumens are well as is the rest of their family. Please continue to pray for all the others.

Needs List...

Wings wish list:

Tegretol!
Phenobarbytol 15mg/5ml
Tryhexfenidill 5 mg
Dogmatil 200 mg

Benedryl to help the kids sleep at night
Cough medicine
Ibruprophen

Benadean (the orange liquid to clean wounds)
Rolled gauze
Non-stick gauze/wound pads

A doze headlamp flashlights as you can stuff in your bags. Everyone wants mine!

Thanks!
Renee

Need Host Families…

 

All families who are interested in hosting children being brought out of Haiti on refugee status please contact Fran at AMHfamilies@hotmail.com. There is an application and background check with fingerprints that needs to be done before children can be placed.

Due to the conditions in Haiti all missions trips this year will be scheduled medical trips or construction trips. If anyone has any questions they can contact us at angelsmissions2@msn.com

People that are Missing..

 

Menes and his son Sumens

 

Jeudy Fitho

 

Kevin one of our workers in Haiti

 

Dr. Jaque

 

Roberta‘s kids

 

Claude teaching Keli to stir and roast coffee

 

 

David Dani and Baby Daughter Gabby

 

Pastor Samuel—No Photo Available

More Info

Dear Friends and Family,

Praise God,

1 Pastor Gerard and his family have been found alive.

2 The Emanuel School, Chapel and Surgery Center are still standing. And now providing a home for 1,700 Haitians who have lost their homes. Photos of these places below.

We have redone the office in Virginia for Earthquake Relief and add more staff. Please pray for them daily as I am about to leave for Haiti.

Beth Richardson is our new Executive Assistant she can be reached at AMHStaff@hotmail.com

Britnie Carpenter is our new Medical Teams Coordinator, she can be reached at AMHMedical@hotmail.com

Fran Johnson is handling all of our host families for those children needing medical care in the US and if Refugee status is granted by the US Government for orphans. Her email is AMHFamilies@hotmail.com

Kez is alive and doing great things. I have been told she is working Miracles. Our Clinic on Delmas 91 is intact and she has been able to sleep indoors every night. Although not getting much sleep. She is out of supplies but thankful we will be there sometime next week.

Limited Phones she has been able to get limited phone service back and some internet.

Please pray that her water supply holds out. (this is of major concern)

I am in contact with the Military and will be assisting them as needed once on the ground.

* Please pray for the 7 of us that leave for Haiti Monday Morning.

* Please pray for the work we are about to do in Haiti may we all work to Gods Glory

* Please pray for the children at the orphanages who are out of food and water

* Please pray our Government opens it boarders to the children who are orphaned, That we have loving homes for each of these children who have lost everything

* Please Write your congressmen to support the relief needed.

* Please pray for the families we have lost and the ones we are still searching for

* With God all things are possible. This is horrible now but just how the Haitian People are reacting by sitting together and singing praises to God. It amazes me over and over in each broadcast if you listen you can here someone singing praises to God. Kez said that as she walks the streets helping and the 300 in the field close to us, you can always here someone praising God. Yes you see the bad things that the news covers, but that is a small part and made even more graphic when those people see New Media and Cameras.

* Thank you for all of your continued support, prayers and love

All my love in Christ love and service, Vanessa AKA Momma V



Vanessa A. Carpenter

Angel Missions Haiti - Director

www.AngelMissionsHaiti.blogspot.com
www.AngelMissionsHaiti.org

home 540-380-4588
Cell 540-580-9721

Answering service 1-800-409-7948

Update

New info.

Great news surgery center, chappel and school are standing. all of them.

Next new info to add to the web site and the blog.

Fran is in charge of Host families for children who are granted refugee status Her new email and phone # are below

Beth Richardson is my new assistant director in the US
Her phone number is 540 353 5058 Her email is AMHStaff@hotmail.com

Britnie Carpenter is in charge of Medical Missions
Her phone number is 540 314 9904 Her email is AMHMissions@hotmail.com

Fran Johnson is in charge of Host Families for medical and refugee status children
Her phone number is 540 820 3759 Her email is AMHFamilies@hotmail.com

Thanks love V




Vanessa A. Carpenter

Angel Missions Haiti - Director

www.AngelMissionsHaiti.blogspot.com
www.AngelMissionsHaiti.org

home 540-380-4588
Cell 540-580-9721

Answering service 1-800-409-7948

Haiti Update Jan 13 7:30pm…

 

HIS Home for Children sustained structural damage and minor injuries, other than that all children are okay.

· Three Angels Children’s Relief also sustained structural damage but all children are okay.

· St. Josephs Home for Boys was completely destroyed, all boys are accounted for but two have sustained serious injury and need constant prayer. There is no hospital to take them to.

· Our clinic on Delmas 91 is still standing and Kez, our U.S. nurse is taking care of them the best she can.

· We have news that Pastor Gerard was in a building that collapsed with no survivors. As reported on the news, a hospital in Petionvile, had collapsed.  I’m happy to say this facility was no longer a hospital and was not full of ill people. However in the last year had been turned into a Handicapped Rehab Center. There was a U.S. therapy team there on a mission trip. The building did collapse, some made it out, but many are unaccounted for. The one report we received today was that they were hand digging through the rubble all night, and will continue to look for those that are trapped.

· Bresma and Margarite have reported in okay.

· Wings of Hope sustained major structural damage, but all are healthy and accounted for.

· Trinity house in Jackmel sustained no damage or injuries but the road from Port-a-Prince to Jackmel is impassible.

· On the north coast in Port-De-Paix our friends at Lashbrook Family Ministries are all safe and accounted for. They are preparing for the onset of refugees that will be coming to the countryside from Port-a-Prince. They request prayer that God will provide the necessary supplies and food. Before today all supplies came from Port-of-Prince and now there is none.

· Sister Fidelis and Sister Jo are safe in Pestel.

· There are many more partnering agencies we have not heard from, so please keep them all in your prayers.

What we are coordinating here in the U.S. for Haiti

· At the present time we have set up an Earthquake Relief Fund. One hundred percent of all donations will go directly to Haiti, to help the children of Haiti.

· We have been contacted by four medical mission teams who are mobilizing to deploy to Haiti to provide medical relief and care to the Haitian people. We will be coordinating all of their efforts with St. Damians Hospital in Tabarre.

· The U.S.N.S. (Naval Hospital Ship) “Comfort” is in dry dock in Norfolk .We had contact with Captain Wear and they will be leaving for Haiti ASAP.

· We have been offered two shipping containers of food from” Feed my Starving Children”, and we are in the process of raising $8000.00 U.S. dollars per container to ship the food immediately to Haiti. Our contacts in the Haitian government, whom we have spoken to, promised to release the containers of food immediately upon arrival in Haiti.

· We have been contacted by our friends at Proctor and Gamble, they are working to get three million packets of PUR. (These packets purify water into drinking water.)

· Please continue to keep all the wonderful Haitian people in prayer and pray that God continues to bless our work helping the Haitian people.

In Christ’s Love and Service, Vanessa

Pictures to Use…

 

These pictures are from before the earthquake. Feel free to take any photos off of our web site or blog if you can get them.   love V

 

Clinic- Still standing but has structural damage

 

My boys at the street boys home they are now homeless as the whole house had collapsed.  2 were hurt very badly.

 

My boys in their uniforms we have our own boy scouts group

 

Our kitchen that is now gone.  We play darts once a week with the boys.

Outside of our new building.  We do not know if it is still standing.

 

New Dental room

September with the triplets i found near death

Earthquake Update…

 

A major earthquake struck 10 miles South of Port au Prince just before 5pm local time. There has been significant structural damage to St. Joseph’s and they are still accounting for everyone. Most of the damage was below the level of the chapel and most of the kids were outside during the event. Wings suffered structural damage but all are safe there. We will continue to keep you posted as news comes in.

I have heard that Michael and the boys are fine.  In the street as it is not safe to go inside.  Bill was hurt but details are limited.   Please pray for all of the children at St. Josephs family and all of the other Orphanages Three Angels, God Little Children, HIS home for children, Deedee's house. Dorothy's house and the many others we do not even know. 

 

All my love momma V

Earthquake in Port au Prince…

Dear Friends and Family,

As most of you have heard by now we have had a devastating earthquake hit Port au Prince Haiti.   I am flying down to offer what assistance I can.  We will be using the buildings for medical treatment.  We will need funds to purchase what supplies will be needed.

Please be in Prayer for us, for our safety and all of the children we take care of in Haiti. 

Love,
Vanessa A. Carpenter

Major Earthquake Hits Outside Port-au-Prince Haiti

See the news reports at CNN and The Associated Press.

Please use the donation button below to help us provide food, water, and other aid to the people of Haiti affected by the earthquake.


All donations will go straight to helping the people of Haiti and are tax deductable.