Dear friends,
We wanted to reach out to you today with both some good news and some bad news. First the good news:
Widlene has begun her six-month course of treatment and it is going well so far. Her first Lupron injection was almost three weeks ago, and we believe it is already turning the tide on her endometriosis. She has suffered a couple of expected side effects but nothing she cannot deal with, and she has been out of the excruciating pain that had become part of her normal existence in the recent past. Though she is not allowed to enroll in school in the states under the medical visa she holds, she is spending her time learning all she can, volunteering with Shop Hope and being coached by a neighbor to develop her amazing singing voice. While in Haiti, she reached the finals of a “Haitian Idol” contest which included stints on radio and TV. Every day is an adventure for her here in the Land of the Free.
Our friends in Haiti, on the other hand, are struggling under the rise of gang rule in Port au Prince that is also spreading to other parts of the country. Below is a link to an article about the recent increase in violence there. Just yesterday, we received a text from Esaie Despre, who is one of our medical students in Port au Prince. He stated that armed bandits had invaded several areas in Petion Ville and that he had to evacuate to a friend's house in Turgeau. He asked for continued prayers for him and others who are facing difficulties.
When Esaie says “armed bandits” the following excerpt from the article may give you some idea of the kind of men he is referring to:
“Jimmy Cherisier, alias Barbecue, the former police officer who heads the armed G9 coalition, is known for committing atrocities that flirt with the unthinkable, according to people driven from their homes. Elderly women thrown into fiery tanks, homes burned down with people inside, people cut into pieces … Nobody gets away. And the fury of the gangs knows no limits.”
Within the coming year, if he escapes harm, Esaie will complete his education and his internship and will begin a year of service to the Haitian government as Dr Esaie Despre. We are beyond proud of the man he has become and the physician that he is becoming. Please join us in prayer for Esaie and all our students and staff in Haiti. May God keep them safe from harm and may they become part of the solution for their strife torn country.
All the best,
Roger and Angela
