Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Update

As predicted, Haiti made the news for a whole ten minutes... then the olympics and now the world goes on. When are we going to WAKE UP to the fact that these are our brother and sisters in Christ. God made us all, we were blessed to be born in this country we owe it to God to reach out to our Haitian brothers and sisters to help them.

Yes I know our economy is in a bad place right now. But honestly can't we all find something to give up so that we can help these children. We will be judged by what we do and whom we help and whom we ignore. YES it is easier to say I have bills. We all do. But none of us are living in these horrific conditions. None of us are sleeping in puddles of water being rained on all night long. None of us are watching our children die before our eyes because of NO FOOD NO MEDICINE TO TREAT THEIR ILLNESSES.

Please I beg of you. What is the one thing you can give up this year so that funds can go to help just one child. Is it that Coffee at Starbucks, Is it brown bagging it to work instead of fast food meal (that is not even good for you). Nothing is to small all funds go to help the people of Haiti. Please help us this year.

Below is information you may want to read. Opens your eyes to how life really is in Haiti. All my love V



“FEW EVENTS OF SUCH FEROCITY”
According to a February study by the Inter-American Development Bank, the cost of physical damage from Haiti’s earthquake ranges from $8 billion to $13 billion. It says, “there are few events of such ferocity as the Haiti 2010 earthquake.”
The study looks at natural disasters over the past 40 years and concludes that the death toll, per capita, of Haiti’s earthquake is four times, or more, higher than any other disaster in this time period. Nearly 24,000 people per million of Haiti’s population died. (The total estimated death toll is well over 200,000). The closest equivalent is 4,000 per million, in the 1972 earthquake that struck Nicaragua.
The Partners In Health agency estimates some 1.3 million people were left without shelter by the earthquake. The majority of those people still do not have adequate emergency shelter nor access to potable water, food and medical attention.
According to US AID, there are approximately 600,000 displaced people living in 416 makeshift camps in Port-au-Prince. Sanitation conditions in the camps remain a grave concern. With heavy seasonal rains fast approaching, the population is extremely vulnerable to exposure and water-born disease.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an alert on March 4 about another deadly danger that lurks: malaria. It said, “Displaced persons living outdoors or in temporary shelters and thousands of emergency responders in Haiti are at substantial risk for malaria.Each year, Haiti has 30,000 confirmed cases of malaria. Officials believe the actual number is closer to 200,000.
Partners In Health says it has established clinics in five of the makeshift settlement in Port au Prince, serving some 80,000 to 100,000 people.
A “BROADLY INSUFFICIENT” RELIEF EFFORT
Two leading directors of Doctors Without Borders have called the relief effort to date "broadly insufficient." In a March 5 interview, they say that, “The lack of shelter and the hygiene conditions represent a danger not only in terms of public health, but they are also an intolerable breach of the human dignity of all these people.”
They call conditions in the makeshift refugee camps where many survivors still struggle to survive “shocking” and “shameful.”
Partners In Health voiced similar concerns in a March 5 press release and conference call. They called on governments and NGOs to do a better job addressing the “inhumane and rapidly deteriorating conditions on the ground in Haiti.”
PIH Executive Director Ophelia Dahl, recently returned from Haiti, told the conference call, “We witnessed hundreds of thousands of people living in makeshift temporary shelters; spontaneous settlements made of scraps of cardboard and plastic bags. What little people have is soaked, because they’re sleeping in the rain, and the makeshift shelters are already breaking down and dissolving. The conditions for the homeless and displaced people are absolutely inhumane and getting worse every single day.”


Vanessa A. Carpenter


Saturday, March 20, 2010

Showing Our Hope for Haiti

Like many others, I have been devastated by the earthquake in Haiti. My family is an adoptive family, and two of my children, Zoe and Andy, were born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. We were fortunate to meet both of our kids’ birth mothers when we were in Haiti to complete our adoption in 2004. Since then, we have exchanged letters and pictures. Watching the reports and video coming out of Haiti became too stressful because we did not know whether our not our children’s birth families had survived, were injured, or homeless. We decided to do something to help instead of just sitting and worrying.

We decided to start a fundraiser for Angel Missions Haiti. Vanessa Carpenter, the Director of Angel Missions Haiti, helped care for my children in Haiti. My children spent most of their first year of life at an orphanage run by Vanessa Carpenter, “Three Angel’s Children’s Relief”. Without the loving care from Vanessa and other wonderful volunteers, my children would not have survived.

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The last two months my family has kept busy taking orders, folding and stapling labels, and mailing Hope for Haiti Bracelets. My kids have enjoyed helping. They were very proud to speak to their classmates about Haiti and show off the bracelets that they were selling. Our extended family has helped as well. My sister helped put together a website to take orders from, and my mom has helped with mailing orders. So far, we have raised $1,000, but we still have many more bracelets to sell. We have sold them at schools, churches, stores, and benefits for Haiti. People from all over the world have helped our fundraiser. Bracelets have been mailed to France, Hungary, Germany, and around the United States. We have also had some wonderful volunteers that have contacted us through our website and are selling the bracelets in different parts of the country. We are looking for others that would like to help.

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We received word last Saturday that my daughter’s birth mother is alive. She is living outside her home in Cite Soliel. We are still waiting to hear word from my son’s birth family. I am thankful that we have had something positive to work on during this time. My children are seeing how important their birth country is to our family, friends, and to others throughout the world. Thank you to all that have participated in our fundraiser. We will continue to spread our hope for Haiti one bracelet at a time.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

March 17

Dear Friends and Family,

Yes I know I need to slow down but doing so is almost impossible. So many children needing help, so many of you wanting to help. My phone still rings all of the time.

UPDate of the Triplets

Faith, Grace and Hope are doing fantastic. They continue to grow but do have the allergy to formula undercontrol.

Miss Grace is stll the largest coming in a 17.1 pounds
Next is Faith she is at a whopping 14 pounds and last but in no way least is Hope she is 13 pounds.

All the girls are doing great. There host family is doing therapy with them reguarly. Big Brother Jiolo is fantastic. All of the girls love their big brother. I love these new photos.














Vanessa A. Carpenter

Monday, March 15, 2010

Vehicle Needed

As many of you know we have tried to keep our Jeep in Haiti running. It now needs a decent burial. We are in desperate need here. It is next to impossible to work in Haiti without a Vehicle. We were paying $200 to $250 to have someone drive us. This is money that can be spent to purchase food and medicine for so many children.

I am told I should replace it with this type of Vehicle
Dodge Ram Truck 1996 to 1998, 4 Wheel Drive, Manuel Transition, Cummins-Diesel Engine, 3/4 ton to 1 ton size. It would be great to find one with an extended cab or an extended bed.

I was told that this type of truck would work out well in Haiti. If anyone wants to help search the web for this truck, or raise funds for this type of truck please email me. As I am not that smart when it comes to purchasing a vehicle for Haiti.

Please pray God shows us a vehicle either donated or in our limited price range.

all my love,

Vanessa A. Carpenter

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Updates…

 

Hydrocephalus:  Water on the Brain a condition that you do not see here in the US because it is treated right away.

Chrisno Jeudi 1


Please meet Chrisno and his host parents.  With treatment, LOVE, therapy look at how this child is doing. 

 

Chrisno Jeudi w mom

Chrisno Sept 023 

 


We can treat this in Haiti we just need help from each of you. 
Love Vanessa