Progressing one day, one life at a time

Birthing a new doctor for Haiti...

Picture
Dr. Nick
I met Suivenick Iliassaint on my first trip to Haiti in year 2000.  He was busy studying in classic school and attempted to teach me the Haitian alphabet in a room with no lights, in the dark, sitting on an upended suitcase for a chair.  Since then, Suivenick has progressed in the gospel ministry, co-pastored a church in Pernier, and enrolled into an English speaking medical school in Port au Prince long before the earthquake.  Today, I have committed to advocate for him to see him finish his medical training.  Because people have a difficult time pronouncing his name, I will address him as "Nick" from now on.

Nick started his medical training while serving as co-pastor, enrolling in the first Haitian University that would teach in the English language, founded by a Haitian priest.  This plan would have positioned him to eventually apply for a student visa into the USA, or even England, to finish his medical rotations.  His ministry overseer felt finishing medical training in the USA would give Nick best training available.

The plan fell apart one month after conception.  Determined to finish school, desperate to continue, Nick was able to contact missionaries he had interpreted for from the past for sporatic financial support.

Nick worked as translator, interpreter, and co-pastor while studying with photo-copied textbooks, without electricity, and often times, without eating.  After two years, the entire surviving first class of the Haitian Medical University was to transfer from PauP, Haiti, to St. Kitts, West Indies, with hopes of finishing their four year medical requisites.

On going projects:

ZLCC works with Christian Haitian leaders and looks for ways to continue financial provision in these areas

*primary education for 1000 enrolled children

*teacher salaries and pastoral supports

*meals for school children and starving families

*funds for future eye field clinics

*assistamce with education tuition of one future Haitian doctor currently doing clinical rotations in Pignon, Haiti

*teaching seminars in hygiene, nutrition, and Bible

*encourages self-sufficiency in marketable skills, i.e. sewing school with treadle machines

*school supplies and other humanitarian aide such as clothing, shoes, tools, etc.

*vehicles  (including maintanence) used for economic stability for the ministry, i.e. taptap (taxi), freight hauler, and mission team transportation

*advocate for those with no voice
Picture
Dr. Nick is trying to complete a second reservoir for the people in the earthquake refugee re-settlement city of Jerusalem. Please use our contact page for more information or use our secure donate button to help him complete the project.

_______________________________________________

...Dr. Nick continued

Picture
Dr. Nick in surgical training, Pignon, Haiti
Unfortunately, the new university  accreditation would not follow Nick's class to St. Kitts, and the entire transferred Haitian student body was in jeopardy of losing all they had gained.  The initial Haitian class re-grouped, and petitioned other St. Kitts universities.  Windsor Medical University gave them an ear and graced the Haitian class.  Never having to deal with such poverty stricken students, nor Haitians, rules were bent  enough to allow Nick monthly tuition installments.  Between he and I, portions of outside contributions,my personal loans, along with my notarized statement to guarantee tuition, he was accepted with the others under the condition they retake classes they had just finished.  Nick faithfully studied, pinched pennies and shared housing with his special classmates to make ends meet.  He returned to Haiti for the 2009-10 winter break, to renew his passort and make an application attempt for a USA visa.  January 12, 2010, Haiti had an earthquake.  Nick, obviously survived.  I purchased Nick return air tickets to St. Kitts in the mass confusion.  He returned trying to find a way to continue and pay his studies, depending now, on God and any opportunity I could find to channel support for him meeting his monthly tab. 

Nick will be required to return to St. Kitts after working one year in the French Hospital in Pignon, Haiti, fulfilling clinical rotations.  He will have approximately 72 more weeks of training. Nick must renew his St. Kitts student visa and fulfill all requirements to become a full fledged OB/GYN doctor, serving his people in Haiti.  I ask for your help.Read abput Dr. Nick's progress in  Pastor Donna's Blog

______________________________________________________________________

After the Earthquake....

Picture
Graffiti in Port au Prince
Visiting Haiti after the earthquake led me to assess damages to some ministries. A new school construction has begun in Belladère. To legally have a church in Haiti, the ministry must also sustain a school, orphanage, or medical clinic.  This is Haitian law.  How can they finance such an operation without a sustainable national economy? Answer: Find a foreign supporter. The government realizes this, and consequently, the requirement.  This law places the burden on Haitian nationals to depend upon international support through the grace of God. This nation is the poorest in the world according to the EEC and UN statistics.  Hands down, it is the poorest nation in this western hemisphere.  Why is the Christian church important to an impoverished nation?  My Bible says righteousness exalts a nation.  Christians and Haitian pastors preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Righteousness is established in redemption. Pastors are not just the spiritual leader in a community.  If people need medical help, food, or education, it is customary for the people to seek out the pastor first.  I work with pastors in nearly all districts that hold lists of hungry refugee people or IDPs (Internal Displaced Person(s). Daily, for lack of supply, pastors are forced to turn away many begging for food.  I continue to advocate financial and spiritual support for their ministries. This is my optimism.

Fact:  Few Haitians have steady incomes.  Before the quake, unemployment was estimated from 60-80 percent.  In cities, most scrape by selling  in the streets, doing odd jobs or relying on remittances from abroad that make up a quarter of Haiti’s US$7 billion gross domestic product. (NZ Herald News February 27, 2010
Zoe Life Christian Center  |  PO Box 1023  |  Cook, MN 55723  |  Phone: (218)-969-7944  |  Contact Us