History

The clinic of Haiti Gospel Mission was established in the early 90’s, by missionaries Wesley and June Churchill. Initially the clinic was used for a school, but over time it was converted into a clinic. The clinic was run by Mrs. Churchill, a Haitian nurse, and had visiting doctors that would come when they had the time. Due to lack of resources and an inconsistent administrator the clinic never really grew or developed much. There were not very many meds or much care given due to a lack of supplies and staff.  It was only open two days a week and that depended if the doctor showed up.

It wasn’t until April 2006 things began to change.  Joel and April Hess came to Despinos to work with Haiti Gospel Mission. After preparing for six months learning the language, customs, and culture, April took the role of Medical Administrator and began to work hard in searching out the aid needed for the clinic to succeed.  Since then God began to answer prayers and work in a mighty way.

Today the clinic is functioning well and growing. It operates four days a week now from 8am-2pm (and many emergency after hours). In 2006, the average patients seen at the clinic during a period of one month were 15-18, now we average around 200. We are able to do lab work for malaria, typhoid and many other illnesses, and we also have a well-stocked pharmacy.  We have a doctor that comes every day, two nurses, pharmacist, and a secretary. We never turn a patient away for lack of money--everyone in need is seen.

The clinic has become a focal point of the ministry for Haiti Gospel Mission. In the clinic we are able to meet the physical needs of the people, but also provide counseling spiritual and mental. It is also used for dispersing food to those in need, clothing, and other donations when they are available. It is a place where your problems can be talked out, and solutions found. Whether it is financial, spiritual, emotional, or some other need. It is a place to make contact with those who are searching for something to satisfy; it allows us to share the Gospel with those who are spiritually sick.

Although we are functioning and many patients are being cared for, treated and loved, we have many areas to grow and improve. We have many financial and equipment needs, but we are confident as we endeavor to provide “hope” to those who have none. God will continue to bless and help us achieve all our goals and ambitions for making this the very best clinic it can be for the community of Despinos and the neighboring communities.

Presentation of the organization

Haiti Gospel Mission is a non-profit American organization working in the field of health and other areas in Haiti since 2006 in order to advocate on behalf of families and their children for public health policies and services that will, over time, have long term benefits for them and the larger community. Our clinic is located in Despinos where is said to have over 500 people residing. The neighborhood Lahatte is said to have over 300 residing. The town of Cocoyer is said to have over 300 in population. These are three of the main communities we services too. However, we also provide care to the towns of Chambrain, Lilavois, Croix de Bouquet, and other small neighborhoods.

Mission statement.

The purpose of our clinic is to provide medical, spiritual and emotional help to those who are in need. Our desire is to be a blessing to all those who are in need in despinos and in the neighboring communities, to provide hope for the hopeless.

We will not discriminate between class, education, or financial ability. We will work to provide quality care for anyone in need.

Goal and ambitions

Listed below are some of the goals that we have for the future.

• To have a functioning Laboratory to test for malaria, typhoid, HIV, urinary, anemia and many other illness.
• To have a good, educational pediatric program
• To provide quality maternity care
• To provide emergency services
• To build a small hospital for the community

• We want to provide information sessions where we can teach young pregnant women how to prepare and properly care for their babies.
• We want to have a vaccination program for young children, to protect them from disease.
• We want to make our mobile clinic program larger and be able to reach out to more communities every month.
• We want to have a nutrition program, reaching out and feeding children who are undernourished.
• We want to have a class for young mothers with toddlers, to teach them how to play together, educate them, nutrition etc.
• We want to be able to provide eye care, to have a permanent eye doctor

Goals for Projects and Programs for 2010

For the year 2010 we have many high hopes and dreams for projects and programs to be accomplished for the good of the community of Despinos. Below are several of the desired projects.

1. To complete the laboratory room and pharmacy
2. To expand the waiting area, bathroom area, and build a administrative office, treatment room, and storage facility.
3. To implement a pediatric program, Ex. providing and encouraging regular checkup’s for children and babies, educating the mother and child about hygiene, nutrition, and many other things. To encourage education, book reading, and being active.  To provide eye examinations, vaccinations, Denver testing, development and growth.
4. To begin aids and HIV awareness classes.

What is needed to Accomplish These Goals

1. To Complete the laboratory room and pharmacy

We need to put in counter tops and shelving into the laboratory, put ceramic down, and purchase some chairs etc. We then will need to purchase a microscope and other necessary machinery to perform exams.

1. To expand the waiting area, bathroom area, build an administrative office, treatment room, and storage facility.

This will be costly because materials are very expensive in Haiti. We would need to open up some block, pour foundation and build onto the existing building.

3. To accomplish the pediatric program, we will need materials on pediatrics to interpret into their language. Books to encourage reading, dental hygiene materials, eye machine for testing vision, etc.

4. To have a vaccination program we will have to have private funding to be able to purchase the vaccinations for the program.

5. To have the HIV/ Aids and educational programs, we need educational materials in French and Creole. videos, DVDs, posters, brochures in French/Creole and to be able to provide the patients a curriculum to teach about Aids prevention.

Realizations

Haiti Gospel Mission Clinic since its presence in Haiti involves in the health sector and created a center of health at Despinos where many patients receive medical care. According to the statistics for 2009:

We see on average 144 patients every month. 78 of these patients are adults, above the age of fourteen, and 88 are children under the age of fourteen.

In the year of 2009 we saw 20 patients for pregnancy on a monthly basis. In 2009 we aided in finding placement for three of our patients to have an operation. We helped with pre op exams, and then provided post op care.

We saw 220 patients who were suffering with anemia.

38 cases of  asthma

43 cases of  conjunctivitis

169 cases of skin Infection

4 cases of Scabies

35 cases of fungal infections

130 cases of hypertension

209 cases of acute respitory infection

325 cases of respitory cough

71 cases of malnutrition

107 cases of diarrhea

198 cases of Parasites

64 cases of Diabetes

193 cases of epigastric/ acid reflux

177 cases of Urinary tract Infection

116 cases of Vaginal infection

195 cases of malaria

31 cases of otitus media

4 cases of Burns

7 cases of epileptic seizures

7 cases of STD”S

3 cases of Aids

12 cases of Tuberculosis

104 cases of Typhoid

2 cases of Tetanus

5 cases of Bronchitis

7 cases of ovarian cyst

This does not include all the illness’s that were treated in 2009, but the larger majority of them.

• During the earthquake we saw over 350 patients in a 2 week period, and transferred over 150 to other facilities for surgeries. When these operations were finished we provided follow up wound and infection control for these patients. During the weeks that followed the earthquake we “hospitalized” over 65 patients at one time.

Perspectives

Programs for the next 2-5 years:

I want to have a program for young mothers who are pregnant or have young children, teaching them about what is going on in their body while they are pregnant, the importance of maintaining a healthy diet, exercise etc. Talking about after the baby is born, the importance of nursing, and proper love and attention that baby needs.

Prospective for the next 2-5 Years:

1. Have a delivery room, well equipped with all that we need to properly deliver a baby, and to give the mother the proper care that she needs.

2.      Build a center for eye care, a separate entity for eye care.

VII. Conclusion.

Haiti Gospel Mission Clinic wants to achieve its goals in spite of all difficulties which exist in working in Haiti. For, we want to bring “Hope for the Hopeless.”

“For I was hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”

Matthew 25:35-36