Cholera Camps in Haiti

Fonda Cassidy volunteered with Samaritan's Purse in Haiti last month. Here is what she had to say about the experience:

In October 2010 I left for the country of Haiti working with Samaritan's Purse. I did not realize until I arrived that there was an outbreak of Cholera. This is a bacteria that is spread by contact or contaminated water. None of the 5 doctors nor myself have worked anywhere where we have witnessed this. Once you see it you truly do not forget.

They present with fear frozen in their eyes, drawn up and over with incredible amount of abdominal pain, with profuse emesis and diarrhea. What you soon realize is that the little ones and the older generation will soon die if not cared for properly. They need oral hydrating salts and/or IV solutions to replace their fluids and an antibiotic.

So we ran Cholera Camps where we were treating only Cholera. If they were not getting treatment within 12 hours usually were dying. It is so hard to see death where you are working. Sometimes we would start treating someone but it would be too late. They would have to be taken out right away and be buried. At each clinic we would do a lot of teaching and have a pastor that would be praying with the people. I worked in 4 different locations within Haiti. One clinic took us about 2 hours to reach. Others were closer. We were able to share Christ with our patients. Personally I was blessed to lead about 4 of my patients to the Lord. There would be follow up by a Haitian pastor. I was able to visit 4 different orphanages that were run by Samaritan's Purse. I taught about Cholera in about 4 different classrooms and how it is spread and how to prevent it from happening. I will gladly return to Haiti to help in any capacity that God would want me to.

We have 22 United Brethren churches in Haiti. I was able to meet with the leader, Pastor Oliam Richard. He was a very precious man. He took me to two sites in Cite Soleil where there had been two churches.They now are rubble. Both toppled in the earthquake. There are plans to rebuild.

Safety and security is very important in Haiti. Each time we left the secured compound we had to radio a safety code and when we arrived at location we also had to radio that we were at our destination.

I witnessed people dying and I witnessed a person being killed by rocks as he tried to steal - the police stoned him to death. Haiti is very rough, but there are thousands of people living in that country that God loves and cares for. He has asked us to be His hands and feet in ministry. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve.