September 11: When Volunteers Became Heroes

Not single September 11 comes around without us thinking back to where we were that morning, how we heard about the attack and how it’s changed life forever. One of those changes was actually a positive change. After September 11, 2001, volunteers became more of a hero than a volunteer. You saw people giving their time, efforts and resources to treat survivors, clear wreckage, comfort the families of the victims. In the ten years following that fateful day, we have seen more people willing to volunteer and help others in grave need. While it has been tragic to see loss of life over the past ten years from hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, war, tornadoes, and most recently famine, we have been privilege to see people step up and become heroes.

It is no different than what we’ve seen at Hospitals of Hope. Our volunteers have given their skills, time, money and more to help bring relief, healing and hope to people all over the world. These heroes have treated earthquake victims in Haiti, car accident victims in Bolivia, brought new life into the world in Liberia, as well as so much more all over world.

We are honored to have some of the best volunteers in the world. Our volunteers have not only a desire to serve, but a passion to see change and give hope.

“There is just such a pressing need for help in this country [Liberia] ... [Serving here] has been a renewed fuel to the passion and fire I had to become an international physician,” one of our volunteers said. “I really hope to someday come back and serve in a country like this, if not maybe here.”

While it is always solemn to pause and think about all the lives lost ten years ago, we have been honored to see the positive change of people becoming heroes and respond to the needs not just in the United States, but around the world. Thank you to all of our amazing heroes who make Hospitals of Hope happen.

Haiti Team Builds Brighter Futures

Hospitals of Hope's Daniel White recently led a mission team of 19 from Central Christian Church in Wichita, KS to work with Mission of Hope in Titanyen, Haiti, a town 40 minutes north of Port-au-Prince.

During their week serving, the team spent the mornings putting on a VBS for the children of the surrounding communities. Anywhere from 200-450 kids came each day to play games, do crafts and learn from the Bible. They also were taught basic health care like the importance of washing their hands, how to brush their teeth and the need for proper exercise.

Another part of the team’s time was spent helping with the construction of a school at a satellite location. The school will open in September for elementary grades. The team was able to help by roofing the school buildings and installing doors. The group also did other projects for the community including clearing brush and painting houses.

The team had two nurses who were able to serve with their medical skills. They spent several days working at Mission of Hope’s clinic at the main campus and also spent a day in the mountains providing immunizations for about 200 people.

The team was also able to see a Clinic in a Can that Central Christian Church sponsored to give to Mission of Hope in the fall of 2010. The container clinic is located on the same compound as the newly constructed school and has been used for monthly outreach clinics, but will be staffed fulltime in September once the new school opens.

“It was a blessing for our team to partner with Mission of Hope and the great work that they are doing in Haiti,” Daniel said. “We are excited to continue working with them in the future!”

Container Clinic Featured in Local Media

Hospitals of Hope’s Clinic In A Can has recently been featured in local Wichita media including the tv news station KAKE and also the radio station KFDI. You can see our stories by clicking on the following:

KAKE TV Broadcast

KAKE TV Article

KFDI Article

Hospitals of Hope is sending a three-unit Clinic In A Can to Southern Sudan later this year. The Clinic In A Can is converted from 40-foot shipping containers. This container hospital is Hospitals of Hope’s tenth Clinic In A Can. The first Clinic in a Can was sent in 2005 to Jefferson parish in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Another six Clinic in a Cans have been sent to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake.

While the news that Southern Sudan is set to become the world’s newest country in early July brings hope for many refugees, the infrastructure there is still unstable including access to adequate health care.

“The Clinic in a Can is a practical solution to not only the immediate healthcare needs but also the long-term healthcare needs,” said Michael Wawrzewski, founder and CEO of Hospitals of Hope.

Hospitals of Hope is working with Covenant Presbyterian Church and the Healing Kadi Foundation in Omaha, Neb. to send a Clinic in a Can hospital to Kajo Keji, Southern Sudan. This portable hospital is constructed in three forty-foot shipping containers and will be set up in a “U” shape. This small hospital will contain exam rooms, a laboratory, a pharmacy, and surgical and radiology suites. It will contain a generator and water system, enabling it to be self-sufficient regardless of the surrounding infrastructure.

The Healing Kadi Foundation eventually plans to construct a larger hospital, but that will take several more years. In the meantime, the Clinic in a Can will provide much-needed medical care to the more than 450,000 refugees living in Kajo Keji.

The public and media are invited to tour the three-unit Clinic in a Can before it ships next week at Hospitals of Hope’s office at 3545 N. Santa Fe in Wichita, Kan. For questions or more information contact the Hospitals of Hope office at 316-262-0964.

Container Clinic Continues Bringing Relief in Haiti

Hospitals of Hope’s Clinic In A Can was mentioned as continuing to bring to relief work in Haiti.

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Center (JDC) recently reported on the relief efforts continuing to help Haiti recover from the devastating 2010 earthquake.

“Through Partners in Health, (known in Haiti as Zanmi Lasante), the international health organization founded by Paul Farmer, they have brought a “clinic in a can,” a fully equipped medical facility set up in a container to provide services to Fondwa and its environs.”

This container hospital is one of Hospitals of Hope’s ten Clinic In A Cans. The first Clinic In A Can was sent in 2005 to Jefferson parish in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Another six Clinic In A Cans have been sent to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. Hospitals of Hope will send a three-unit container clinic to Southern Sudan later this year.

To read the rest of the article from JDC click on the following link: http://jdcambassadorscircle.blogspot.com/2011/06/jdcs-efforts-in-haiti-highlighted-in.html

One Year Out from the Quake in Haiti

One year ago today, the earth shook. At 4:53 pm, Haiti experienced a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands and forever changed the lives of those who survived.

In the days that followed, we at Hospitals of Hope thought and prayed about our response. Calls poured into our office from supporters wanting to know how they could help and if we were going to send any disaster relief teams.

We decided that the best way Hospitals of Hope could contribute was by helping to build medical infrastructure, much of which was destroyed by the quake. As we talked to other organizations on the ground in Haiti, they told us, "We have enough doctors. We just don't have anywhere to work."

When we announced what we had decided to do, our supporters and the Wichita community were quick to respond. Volunteers poured into our office to help with construction of two "Clinics in a Can" -- self-contained clinics built in shipping containers. Area businesses donated building materials and medical supplies, and cash donations flowed in. Within weeks, the clinics were finished and ready to ship.

On the day the first clinic opened, it saw nearly 200 patients.

Since then, we have sent a third clinic to Haiti, and we're in the process of building a small hospital, constructed from three shipping containers.

Haiti has a long way to go. Many are still living in camps, cholera has taken thousands of lives, and the birth rate has tripled in the last year, leaving children abandoned by desperate mothers.

But Hospitals of Hope, the organizations we partner with, and countless others remain committed to making a difference in Haiti, one life at a time. Thanks to you, our clinics are offering quality medical care to many Haitians -- a vital step in the process of rebuilding.

The problems in Haiti won't disappear overnight, but we remain committed to our work there. The new hospital is due to ship this spring, and we will be sending a volunteer team this summer. For more information about how you can help, call our office at 316.262.0964 or send us an email at info@hospitalsofhope.org.

Clinics, Liberia, and life at Hospitals of Hope

It’s been amazing seeing the way the Clinics in a Can have come along in the last couple of weeks. We’ve had a great group of volunteers coming in every day for the last few weeks, and Hutton Construction donated several of their employees for about 3 weeks. The clinics look great, and they’ll be a huge blessing to many in Haiti.

This Clinic in a Can project has definitely been a learning experience for me. While I haven’t been involved in the hands-on details, like sheet rocking and plumbing, I am learning my way around Home Depot, and I can now tell you what, exactly, a down cut jigsaw blade is!

Mike and Daniel are in Liberia right now, where they’ll be installing the medical equipment that we sent in December. The container has arrived in port and should be released from customs soon. Please pray for the quick release of the container and for safety as they unload it and install the equipment.

While they’re over there, I (Leta) am here in Wichita, working with volunteers to equip the clinics, pick up supplies, and run the day-to-day business of the office. There’s plenty of work to keep us all busy, so, if you’re in need of something to do, I could definitely put you to work. :) (You can send me an email at leta@hospitalsofhope.org or call me at 262.0964 if you’d like to come in.) Or, if you’d like to just drop by and see the Clinics, I’d love to show them to you; just give me a call to let me know when you’re coming. Either way, we’d love to see you!

Clinics in a Can

Thanks to many of you, we're making great progress on our Haiti relief efforts. As many of you know, Hospitals of Hope constructed a self-contained medical clinic in a shipping container -- called a Clinic in a Can -- in 2005. This clinic was initially utilized in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and was then sent to Les Cayes, Haiti. This clinic is currently being put to use by relief workers, as refugees flee from Port Au Prince to the surrounding communities. But with hundreds of thousands injured, many hospitals destroyed, and relief teams operating in the open air or under tents, more medical facilities are desperately needed.

We plan to send 2 Clinics in a Can and a small hospital constructed out of 3 other shipping containers, and, thanks to your support, we should have the first of these clinics finished next week. We have had a number of volunteers coming in to help, and Hutton Construction has donated the time and expertise of many of its employees. A number of other local businesses have pitched in, including Wesley Medical Center, Castle Door, A & H Electric, Wilko Paints, and more.

To learn more about what we're doing in Haiti, or to see pictures of the Clinic in a Can, check out our Haiti Relief page. You can also find a list of items we still need there. If you're interested in donating items or in coming in to help out, give us a call at 316.262.0964 or email info@hospitalsofhope.org.

Haiti Relief - Clinic in a Can

Medical personnel in Haiti are currently treating patients out of tents, since many hospitals and clinics were destroyed by the recent earthquake. To meet the urgent medical needs Haitians are facing, Hospitals of Hope plans to construct and send 5 “Clinics in a Can”— self-contained medical clinics built in the back of 40’ shipping containers.

These clinics are durable and designed to survive earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. While hospitals and clinics will take years to rebuild, we plan to have the first “Clinic in a Can” on the ground in Haiti in 5-6 weeks. Learn more about the previous “Clinic in a Can” that we sent to Haiti.

In our initial response, we will construct two clinics, each containing two 8’ x 12’ exam rooms, an 8’ x 11’ laboratory, and a storage area. We will coordinate with other organizations already on the ground in Haiti to ensure that the clinics are shipped to the areas of greatest need.

In the coming months, if funding is available, we plan to build a small hospital by combining three shipping containers in a U-shaped formation. This hospital will contain 1 surgical suite, 1 recovery room, 1 laboratory, 3 exam rooms, and a central courtyard.

If you would like to help build Clinics in a Can or would like to donate medical or construction supplies, please contact the Hospitals of Hope office at 316.262.0964 or via email at daniel@hospitalsofhope.org. To financially support our work in Haiti, please visit our website.

Current Medical Equipment Needs

* 6 roll-around stools
* Scales
* Syringes
* Gloves
* 6 swan-neck or other exam lights
* Orthopedic supplies (plaster of paris, casting material)
* IV supplies
* IVs
* 4x4 gauze
* Kerlix gauze
* Tongue depressors
* Urine dipsticks
* Blood pressure cuffs
* 6 Welch Allyn wall unit otoscopes/ ophthalmoscopes
* 3 mayo stands
* Microscopes and other basic lab equipment
* Manual surgical table (for future hospital)
* Overhead surgical light (for future hospital)

Disaster in Haiti

As I'm sure you've all heard by now, Haiti was hit yesterday by a devastating earthquake, registering 7.0 on the Richter scale. Several of you have contacted us about what Hospitals of Hope's response will be to the disaster and asking for ways that you can get involved.

After thinking and praying about the situation, we believe that organizations such as Samaritan's Purse and World Vision are in a better position to respond to the immediate crisis. These groups already have disaster response teams in motion, so we would urge you to support them, as the first couple of days after an event like this are the most crucial.

We have been working in Haiti for several years now, and we are committed to continuing our work there, especially in the wake of this disaster. We have a team going to Haiti in July of this year, and we may assemble a team to go in the next month or so, as well. If you or your church is assembling a team, we would be happy to donate medical supplies and equipment to support your trip. If you are interested either in joining a team or in donations of medical supplies, please email info@hospitalsofhope.org or call our office at 316.262.0964.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Haiti today, and we will continue to look for ways we can serve in the weeks and months ahead.