Blog
ARGENTINA RELIEF TRAINING IN PROGRESS NOW…
Dr. Sathya Furtado M.D. and David Canther, ACTS World Relief Director are currently in Argentina this week conducting an "Emergency Response Training- CERT" Intensive at the Universidad Adventista Del Plata. There has been tremendous involvement from medical, theology, nursing, and counseling students as well as other careers. This is a week-long training, ending in a simulation event including individuals from the local fire department, SWATT Team, police, emergency response, hospital and local media. There will be explosions, fire, pseudo mass casualty, drowning and rescue. Dr. Acosta, Dean of the School of Medicine says: "We are so pleased with the experience shared in this professional training, and the large attendance of the student body to participate in this ACTS World Relief training event. We look forward to being involved with ACTSwr throughout South America and globally". Pictures to be posted soon.
News Articles about ACTS
One reporter's experience while in Haiti
Orlando fire chief assists in Haiti relief efforts
Oakwood Champions of Care
Determined does not even begin to describe the three Oakwoodprofessionals who embarked on a trip to help the victims of the earthquakein Haiti. With the help of their coworkers and charitable organizations, Dr.Jeremiah Weekes and nurses Nicole Custer and Trina Mason spent six days seeing hundreds of patients in need of medical care. Listen to an .mp3 audio file to learn about Oakwood staff's outreach to Haiti.
Hear more stories of heartbreak and courage from the Oakwoodmedical professionals who traveled to Haiti to help and heal the victim ofthe January earthquake. Hear more about Oakwood clinicians in Haiti.
Learn more about how Oakwood employees and outside charitableagencies came together to provide relief and aid for those impacted by thehorrific earthquake in Haiti. Listen to Oakwood's Everyday Heroes in Haiti.
Our Dedication to Haiti Continues...
Our presence in Haiti has ventured and continues to evolve through three different phases. We continue to be blessed by so many talented and dedicated volunteers and have surely grown as an organization.
- Phase I:
First two weeks: Initial deployment offering overall disaster relief at the Hopitale Adventiste d'Haiti and implemented feeding program for patients, volunteers and families in need. - Phase II:
First three months: Joined efforts with Operation Hope to set up community medical clinic. Sent out mobile medical teams to disaster areas & orphanages, continued the feeding program and set up dental clinic. - Phase III:
Moved ACTS base to long-term location. New collaboration with partners to set up Pediatric Rehabilitation & Prosthetic Training Center. Continue with mobile teams to schools and orphanages to assess medical, emotional & spiritual and structural needs. Continue hot meal program to schools and orphanages. Details can be found in documents below.
- ACTS April 2010 Newsletter (pdf)
- CTMO-HOPE and ACTS (pdf)
- ACTS Holistic Approach (pdf)
- Church Bulletin Insert (pdf)
Phase III ACTS Children's Rehabilitation and Training Center
David Canther with Jerry, an amputee that is quite happy!
ACTS' current dental clinic with three dentists
Jax Jam for Haiti
Check out this news report from The Beaches Leader into the Jax Jam benefit concert this weekend! Thank you Joe Ryan for helping us raise $4500!
David's Return
Director, David Canther, returned to Haiti this past week. His presence helped to further organize and sustain the current and future projects for ACTS. A few days ago, a premature infant was brought to the clinic for much needed medical attention. The precious child's outlook was very, very grim but with faithful prayer and guidance by an outstanding medical team, this child began to flourish and regained the spirit of life again. Every day God continues to open doors for our continued efforts. His Guidance and Grace have sustained us and we thank Him for His daily blessings upon this amazing project. In the short-term, we look forward to a donation of 60 toilets by Kohler to be installed in the next couple of weeks along with the setup of dome tents by Pacific Dome. The community medical needs continue to require medical teams to come in on a regular, weekly basis. We will also be looking for general labor teams to help facilitate renovation projects. We are also blessed with an outstanding engineering team that will be helping the Haitian government with facilitation of proper engineering and future building development plans.
"Great experience and great team of compassionate people. I was proud to be part of the first team to volunteer with ACTS and I will be going again. I am so thankful for all the support the people of Haiti receive and you will be divinely rewarded. God bless" Michele Rigaud/Facebook
"I want to come back (third time) I miss it so much!" Theresa Tyree/Facebook
"Can't say enough positive about my experience in Haiti. It obviously was a good one given the fact I am heading back the 27th of this month. And, am already planning when I can go again and again and again. I was blessed in so many ways. Since I have been back people have said I've changed, seem more peaceful. I know I am more patient than before. I was blessed by the experience of working in the midst of this incredible power of compassion and love. Blessed to work with loving, caring and compassionate individuals. If you are reading this and have even a hint of wanting to go.... listen to that "still small voice", give into the power of love and compassion. Thank you ACTS for providing the place for me to go when I answered the call." Dody McLeod/Facebook
March - Hope & Healing for Haiti
We continue on a very positive path in partnership with Operation Hope for the Children of Haiti. Our medical clinic continues to serve hundreds of patients each day. We could not have succeeded and actually exceeded our expectations of this project without the outpouring of support from the medical community both in the United States, Canada and locally by the Haitian community! Our great group of volunteers has allowed us to meet the medical needs of the Haitian community as we welcome them with open arms without refusal. Yes, we do encounter struggles in this every-changing environment but God has been so incredibly gracious through this project. Our Psychology team continues to provide support and counselling as well as train-the-trainer programs for continued emotional support.
In terms of volunteer staff, we would love to secure a consistent means of transportation for our relief workers both in/out of Haiti. This continues to be a challenge hence staffing does encounter some low times but also some blessed times such as March! We are therefore recommending all volunteers/teams to look into commercial airfare. Upon request, we can provide a participation letter of confirmation to assist with the waiving of luggage limits. Due to the weight/luggage restrictions, some airlines, and we emphasize some, have actually waived extra luggage/limits fees! Praise God!
Continue to pray for the Haitian community outreach in the Carrefour area as we meet the enormous and ongoing medical needs of the people since the earthquade a mere two months ago.
February 22
Recently our mobile clinic group ventured on a 3-day journey to remote villages/orphanages. Our volunteers share similar feelings of being blessed by this type of medical mission work. We are able to touch the lives of so many in need, even some being seen for the first time since the earthquake that is now a month behind us. On the way back, our bus hit something in the road. Haiti roads can be very dangerous to drive at night as there is little to no lighting whatsoever and rebuilding projects are not always well-contained. Initially, two of our volunteers required immediate medical attention but can thank God for His many miracles, providing the right resources at the right time. We continue to make new connections with various medical relief groups. Recent visitors have included a group from the Wyoming Haiti Relief as well as Union College and an AMEN medical team. We have been so blessed by the outpouring of support both medically and spiritually but also in regards to donated supplies. We cannot thank you enough!
"It was sure a blessing to serve with ACTS/Project Hope for the week of Jan 30-Feb 5,2010. We were the Deskan Institute Group from Atlanta,GA. Our sincere thanks to Dr Eddy, David and the crew for welcoming is with open arms and allowing to serve the people of Haiti. It was truly a humbling experience to serve. Even under basic living conditions, we were comforted by the service we provided. God's grace is with the people as they share their sorrow. Thanks for the opportunity, and we hope to be back soon; for His work in never done: suffer the little children to come unto me!" Charles E/Dr Joan Liverpool
February 11-12
We welcomed two more groups of 12 volunteers each that will service both Operation Hope as well as continuing to assist Loma Linda's presence at the Hopital Adventiste. Thank you Northlands Church from Orlando and Wyoming Haiti Relief! We also welcome college teams from Union College in Nebraska. It has been such a blessing to share a common vision for Operation Hope and to work with so many great teams, relief groups and individuals.
Wednesday, February 10
ACTS and Operation Hope for Children of Haiti are continually amazed how things are coming together and networks and bonds are forming. We are so fortunate to work with so many teams/relief groups that we'll have to mention in a seperate post to thank them all! Here are some stats and how all of our volunteers have made a difference. Thank you!
- Jan 28 - Feb 9: Main clinic set up and located across from Hopital Adventiste. Between the clinic and mobile teams, we have seen 8,988 patients.
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The wonderful 'cooking/kitchen' team has served 52,000 meals!
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Jan 16-27: Patients @ the hospital is 7,700.
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Total patients seen since January 16 is 16,688 and of that number approximately 140 are dental patients and approximately 1,700 have been seen for emotional/spiritual care, usually in addition to medical.
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We have given out and used 64,000 tons of water.
February 6-7
This weekend is busy with volunteer groups flying out and new groups arriving. We have been so blessed with the influx of support both medical, dental, emotional and spiritual and general labor! A big thank you to Vision Air out of Miami for assisting us with flights out of Miami directly into Port-au-Prince! We couldn't do it without you! The base clinic closed early today so that the team could go to one of the orphanages and surrounding area to render medical assistance.
From Lois T...
"David, it was truly my honor and joy to be a part of the Haiti team, I really wanted to stay there much longer, of course. Many lives were touched forever, not only those we served and cared for, but hopefully deep and permanent impressions on our own lives, to inspire and spark others to serve. What a series of miracles we saw!! PTL!! I hope to return... my brother Joel is on to other roles as he prepares to go back on the 22nd to continue his work to provide trees/charcoal improve the ecological scene. My sister Judith Timyan, also is in USA for rest, is returning in a week to resume her work at the Embassy coordinating USAID efforts. Thanks again for your leadership."
...via David's iPhone 2/7/10..."Yesterday we tried to help at a state run orphanage of 600 boys where we were invited to help. Our one team of 18 was overwhelmed. In finding that the staff had not been paid in 10 months and the children had not received medical care in any memorable past. They desperately needed food and water. We could not begin this day for not having enough supplies. We will return! Next we helped at orphanage of 15 where we treated medically, fed food, played games and wept with children who were starving. Some of their legs and arms were the size of carrots. We laughed and cried together."
February 3-4
The two medical teams made a large team and went to the city of Cite Soleia. This is the area that the earthquake epicentre was located. The team met up with a local city official and they worked out of a local school that did not receive much damage. The team got set up and started to care for the patients. Over the next two days they treated 1,900 people.
On the way back to the base camp we were able to take some side routes. The devastation and loss is unbelievable. Our local translators were sitting on the bus and you could see the hurt in there faces and sadness in there eyes.
Our main clinic at Operation Hope is seeing well over 800 to 1,000 patients per day. Hopital Adventiste across the street, requested assistance within the hospital and we were able to send between 6-8 doctors and nurses from our network,that worked the rest of the week.
Monday, February 1
ACTS and Operation Hope for Children of Haiti, an NGO of Haiti, have united in serving together. Dr. Eddy is the brother of Dr. Archer, the hospital medical director, where we began. ACTS, a long-time partner has fed 20,000 hot meals for both Hopital Adventiste patients and those who've lost their homes to date. We have helped 11,000 patients so far. Mainly mothers and children.
We are witnessing God provide the urgent medicine we need one day at a time. ACTS is dispensing $300,000 on average, in medicine per week. We distributed five truckloads of water and four truckloads of food. We have been able to save the Hopitale Adventiste $100,000 in food costs and donated 3,500 gallons of diesel fuel for the generator. Today we provided the hospital with new badly needed ventilator. God is good! The best is yet to come.
ACTS received the donation of a 180x330 circus tent to create a new village for refugees in the main university area. This is currently facing cargo transport logistical complications so please pray! We will supply medical teams and ACTS partnership with Haitian government to provide location and logistical support for the new village.The medical camp at Carrefour and the outpost team has treated 2,200 patients in the last two days. In our partnership with Operation Hope for Children of Haiti we are serving over 1,100 patients per day from all sites. We received stories from our teams in our debrief last night. Here are their stories:
Gary B. RN - Team 1
Team 1 went into the city and set up shop in a school yard that was run by a pastor. We set up four stations and shared seeing patients. The team saw over 300 patients in about 5 hours. One lady explained to me that she lost most of her children in the quake and a large chunk of concrete fell on her arm and fractured it. She has been without medical attention for going on three weeks. The team was able to set the arm, immobilize the arm, and give her medicine for both infection and pain. The woman said we were the first good thing that has happened to her since the quake. She said "she would pray for us and thank God for us every night."
Greg P. (Canadian Fire Fighter from Calgary) - Team 4
My team was tasked with a hard one today. I tagged along with a group of five other medical professionals, EMT's, and first responders. Our mission was to revisit the site of a collapsed six-story apartment complex. One of the surviving tenants has been working alongside of us for the past week and half in body recovery. There is said to be 18 bodies lost throughout the rubble. Our job was to get out as many as we could for the families.Today the town Mayor helped us get a back-hole to locate and extract 2 bodies. The first one was located on the NNW side of the building. With very little Minnelli digging we were able to free the trapped body. The second body, found at the opposite end, was much more difficult to extract. After 2 1/2 hours of manual excavation we were able to complete the removal. This person ended up being the sister-in-law to the woman we were aiding. As we removed the last part of the building from her, the relative stood behind us and started to sing a beautiful Haitian Hymn. The complete group felt a peace from the Hymn she sang. This lady lost almost all her family in one day. She could not walk past the building knowing that she still had family in there.
Friday, January 29
Please feel free to copy the following insert to distribute to church/community members! Donations are not only used for purchasing needed support items but also to sustain the numerous travel/cargo transport logistics within the country.
Download a Bulletin Insert to distribute at your church this weekend
Tuesday, January 26
On January 26, 2010 we began to transition into community outreach and continue to assist and support 50 orphanages and the main medical clinic. We will be sending out various teams on mobile medical teams to serve the needs of the outlying community still in desperate need of medical care.
PHASE II
We are now establishing teams of general medical professionals, including physical/occupational therapists, general labor/trades, those trained in spiritual/emotional care, health educators and security staff. They will provide care and support to the orphanages and medical clinic.
ALL VOLUNTEERS must register. The 'Volunteer' link can be found on the home page. If you are a medical/allied health professional, please fax/email a copy of your passport AND license. Regular volunteers just need fax a copy of your passport.
FAX ATTENTION ACTS REGISTER: 888-336-7119.
After being registered as a volunteer and being accepted onto a team you will Pre-pay $250 through our donation page. This donation will help to defray the costs for logistical support. The ACTS coordinator will let you know when to book your flight to Port-au-Prince, or another airport.
Phase I Review
ACTS flew in 100 medical, emotional/spiritual, search and rescue, trades and safety volunteers into Port-au-Prince for the purpose of identifying, assisting and stabilizing 1200 patients in need of acute medical care. Our medical professionals performed 156 orthopedic procedures and amputations. With the acute needs now diminishing, Loma Linda University/Global Health will continue organizing and providing long-term care for the Hopitale Adventiste.
Many from the Hopitale Adventiste commented “I’m truly amazed at how ACTS is able to deploy so quickly and operate with such professionalism. Our people cannot thank you enough for saving so many lives.”
Sunday, January 24
We are in continuous need for physicians, nurses, physical therapists, emotional/spiritual care, and food teams who will come for a 6-day commitment. Thanks for your financial support.
Saturday, January 23
Hospital inspected fourth time and still standing like a rock, Praise God our Rock! Hopital Adventiste has highest patient load of all remaining hospitals. Many physicians have shared "ACTS is the best united, life changing experience they have ever had!"
Wednesday, January 20
A 6.1 aftershock hit at 5:45 AM this morning. Everyone at the hospital are safe. ACTS TRAA team was activated at 5:45 AM to calm people down by talking and praying with patients. The IRR search and rescue team made an inital assessment of all floors and reported to medical team to continue treating patients. The operation logistics are running smoothly. Good is good!
Tuesday, January 19
12:17 PM [D Canther iPhone] - We have a deployed team of 100 professionals. It is vitally important that MD's and surgeons, especially those who speak Creole. There is a triage unit in place at the SDA University just walking distance from thousands who have sought refuge. No rioting here at the moment, people are loving and thankful. Our teams are praying with many wonderful people. I walked throughout the hospital (Hopital Adventiste d'Haiti) grounds where hundreds lie late last night and heard many praying and singing. I also prayed with many who have lost loved ones. ACTS needs urgent donations to help assist in emergency response. We have a great army of volunteers with excellent logistics in place. The Haiti Operation will continue for months. ACTS has brought in all its large tents (worth over $100,000) which have been requested at the hospital, generators and hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical supplies by cargo planes. Please pray for us. God is good!
11:34 AM [D Canther iPhone] - The ACTS teams dug their way into the SDA Hospital and University today. A fresh group of professional volunteers, surgeons, psychologists, trauma and emergency care professionals are now in action. The IRR search and rescue team and k-9 unit as well as locals have started the search for people in the rubble. Ortho surgeons will be busy for months to come. Right away 150 patiients lined up with broken bones. Your prayers are financial support are greatly needed as we move forward.
Monday, January 18
A cargo plane will leave on Tuesday with additional support of three tents for field hospital, etc. and bulk of medical supplies from Miami.The team of ACTS will begin flights out for 95 medical personnel of surgeons, MD's, trauma counselors, Psychologists, SAR's team including K-9, RN's, safety, nurse practitioners, etc. Each Unit will consist of complete command post with assigned duties with MD over medicine logistics for all units. Won-G, the Haitian rapper will also be assessing the situation.
Sunday, January 17
First team of 12 left consisting of primarily all Haitian Physicians and a few RN's and Joel Timyan ACTS logistics director who is also Haitian born. He will look for Steve Latham or Rich Moseanko upon arrival to assess how many needed for World Vision capacity support.
If you would like to become a part of a volunteer response teams sign up here. Please use our online donation page or send donations to:
