DIOCESE OF COLORADO
The Diocese of Colorado web pages:
www.coloradodiocese.org
The Bishop of Colorado:
The Rt. Rev. Robert O'Neill
The Diocese of Colorado representatives to GEMN:
The Rev. Jodie Steeves
Mr. Robert Zinke, gammasearc@aol.com
Companion
Diocese: Haiti, Southern Malawi (Central Africa)
Missionary activity in the
Diocese of Colorado:
|
Colorado - Haiti Episcopal Medical Mission |
| The Colorado - Haiti Episcopal Medical Mission is a joint project of the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado, The Right Rev. William J. Winterrowd, Bishop and the Diocese of Haiti, Anglican Communion, The Right Rev. Jacques Duracin, Bishop | |
|
La Mission Médicale Episcopale Colorado - Haiti est une alliance entre le Diocèse Èpiscopal du Colorado, ECUSA, Monseigneur William J. Winterrowd, Èvêque, et le Diocèse de Haïti, Communion Anglicane, Monseigneur Jacques Duracin, Évêque.
|
|
|
The Medical Mission |
|
|
Annually a group of medical missionaries, including doctors, dentists, nurses, priests, and others travels to a small village in Haiti called Petit-Troup de Nippes, where there are no doctors, nurses, dentists, or hospitals to care for the people of the area. In this poverty-sticken town, a medical clinic is opened only on the rare occasions that the government sends a nurse or physician and during the annual visits of the medical missionaries from Colorado. The physicians, nurses, and dentists from Colorado bring modern treatment methods, modern medicines, and the hope of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the people of this impoverished, third world community. The Colorado missionaries do as much as they can during the short time they are there, trusting that God's mercy will provide for the people after they are gone. The Colorado - Haiti Medical Mission is principally supported by the Chapel of Our Saviour, Colorado Springs, and several other Colorado parishes. |
|
| A complex consisting of a church, clinic, and school is under construction in Petit-Troup de Nippes. The construction project was funded by a grant from the Episcopal Diocese of Colorado. Bishop Jerry Winterrowd, who visited the area in 1997, told his congregations in Colorado that, although Colorado had many uses for the funds, God's call was for Colorado to send the moneys to Haiti, where the need was desperate and could not be met otherwise. When the Colorado Diocese sold an interest in Parkview Episcopal Hospital in Pueblo, Colorado, USA, it decided that a portion of the proceeds should go for a use which would relieve the misery of the poor of the world. The funding of this project in Petit Troupe de Nippes was made possible because of the generous support of the hospital over many years by the Episcopal churches of Pueblo, Colorado, USA. The past support of Ascension Episcopal Church and St. Peters Episcopal Church has now resulted in a permanent memorial to God's grace. | |
|
Haiti and Its People |
|
|
By Robert Biondini, age 14 In January, I went on a mission trip to Haiti with a group of 17 other Episcopalians from all across Colorado, many of whom were going for the first time. Our group was going to Haiti to provide much needed medical care to the people of Haiti. As soon as we saw Haiti outside the airplane windows, the poverty of this island nation became abundantly clear. On the ground in the Haitian capitol of Port Au Prince, we immediately noticed the heat and humidity, but that was not all. We also noticed the smell of the garbage-laden streets, and the conditions in which the Haitians lived. Many people in Port au Prince lived in what could only be described as garbage dumps. Many of the houses were not really houses at all. They were better described as three sided shelters built of: old car parts, glass, shells, nails, rocks, cardboard, and many more substandard building materials. We did not stay in Port au Prince for long. Just one day after our arrival, we departed for a much cleaner and smaller part of Haiti. Our destination was the village of Petit-trou-de Nippes, which the locals call Petit-trou. The distance between the Petit-trou and Port au Prince was about 70 Kilometers. It took us six hours to get to Petit-trou because the muddy roads were full of huge boulders, and gigantic potholes. Located just outside Petit-trou was St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. St. Paul’s would be our home for the next eight days. We arrived at St. Paul’s in the early evening. With singing Haitian voices in the background, we unloaded our supplies (all two tons of it), and started to observe our surroundings. Many of the malnourished at St. Paul’s were children. These children were so malnourished that we could see their bones under their skin. Yet other children were malnourished to the point that their normally dark hair was turning reddish brown. Their organs lacked the support they needed to stay in place, so their organs sank into a position that made it appear that these hungry children were fat. The children that were not part of the church school looked even worse. One thirteen-year-old boy was so vitamin deprived that the skin on his ankles was literally rotting away. This child did not have enough food to eat, or even decent shoes to protect his rotting skin. Thanks to our mission, he was enrolled in St. Paul’s School, where he will receive a hot nutritious meal every time he comes to school. Our group was in Haiti hoping to share what we had to give. For the next week our group worked in many challenging, and rewarding situations. Some worked in the two medical clinics nearby. It was to these clinics where hundreds flocked from many miles away, to be healed. In many cases all we could do was give them some vitamins, and send them on their way. There were also many people that we were able to help. Some received antibiotics and others received lifesaving ointments. Yet others were given inhalers to treat their asthma. All of this was done only because we were there. If we had not been in Haiti, many of the patients that our doctors and nurses saw would have died. Sugarcane is abundant in the area around Petit-trou. In excess this crop can cause tooth damage. The Haitians eat so much of this crop that their teeth simply rot away. Several people in our group examined the Haitians’ teeth. Many teeth were pulled because they were rotting. Some teeth split as they were being pulled, but the dentists always came through to help the Haitians. Yet others took pictures of the 242 students of St. Paul’s Church School, ranging in age from four to sixty. These pictures will be put in their own personal files, which will help keep track of their medical history and other important information. These pictures will be made available to anyone wanting to help support a Haitian student. What amazed many people about the Haitians is how giving they were. They have so little and yet they give so much. If all people would give as the Haitians gave to each other, and us, the world would be a much better place to live in. We all have an obligation to our fellow men and women throughout the world. It does not matter if we donate our money, clothes, shoes, toys, books, or our time and talents. What matters is that we all love our fellow man as much as we love ourselves. |
|
|
Haiti Links: |
|
|
Art
of Sainte Trinite, Port-au-Prince
Episcopal Medical Missions Foundation: Haiti Mission Site - A Virtual Tour Episcopal Medical Missions Foundation - Making a Difference Around the World HAITI Contact - Autres serveurs Hôpital Sainte Croix, Léogâne, Haiti HAITI MISSION TRIP QUESTIONS & ANSWERS History of Hopital Ste. Croix, Leogane Haiti |
|
| Webmaster | |
|
The Colorado-Haiti Medical Mission
Website is hosted as a ministry of
winghaven.com,
George C. Wing, webmaster. |
|