Farewell Heurese

In our house today, we are missing Heurese. She is a 30-year-old Haitian woman who lived with us for the past five months. Four days ago, she returned to Haiti. Despite the lavish life she was leading with us (relative to her life in Haiti with no running water, regular electricity, and much skimpier meals), she wanted to return to her home. And for good reasons: her 5-year-old daughter and her 3-year-old son.

Though Heurese came to the United States in December 2008 for heart surgery at Cleveland Clinic, she has not seen in her children in almost a year. Prior to surgery, her sick heart made her so weak that she was unable to care for her children. They lived with her mother in another town. We know there was a happy reunion in Port-au-Prince this past Saturday.

Heurese was fully recuperated from her heart surgery--the installation of an artificial valve that will last her the rest of her life. She has more energy than she has ever had in her adult life. She will need it to negotiate life as a poor person in Port-au-Prince. So much energy goes into activities like getting water, gathering fuel for cooking, washing clothes--all processes that are automated in the developed world.

It is amazing how fast humans can bond to each other. Heurese was a wonderful presence in our home. Intelligent, kind--a lovely person, who helped us a lot. We will think of her often and look forward to seeing her on future trips to Haiti.

Roldolphe Richeme 1985-2009

This is an e-mail that my husband John received, regarding a young medical student/doctor in Haiti, Roldolphe, who died of severe liver disease. The e-mail was written by Rodolphe's brother, who prior to this, had campaigned with all his heart, mind, and effort to get Rodolphe medical care in the United States. He even offered part of his liver to be transplanted into his brother. Rodolphe was never granted a visa to the United States, and he died in Haiti

Dearest Friends,

God has made everysingle 1 of his creature for one purporse like he has made ROLDOLPHE RICHEME borned in our family, for us to have a sense of lifestyle in the Heaven as he was pure angel living temporarily on this earth for 24 years 7 months old (DOB 12-5-84). The Richeme's family was blessed by God to benefit that grace of having Roldolphe in the family.

No one can come in direct competion with God as we (the Richeme family+yourselves) through Roldolphe's illness end stage were pleading, fighting, shaking the earth and heaven for Rodolphe to live longer on this earth. God wins always the battle as he indeed retrieved Rodolphe prematurely from this earth on a mourning day of july the 4th while some earthly people were rejoycing where 1 other was agonizing, putting out all his blood from his body resulting from the sevrity of his unassessed medical affection experimenting in 3 months on the pitiful eyes of the Lord.

Some would have emphasixed that I would correlate Rodlophe's death on the account of the USA since he could have had better assistance and care there, but no, it's to more emphasize that weirdly according to Independence day celebration in the USA, Rodolphe took his independence from this earth which is an even better fulfillment of Lord's willing. After much sufferings, God decided that RODOLPHE worths more in Heaven then on this failing earth where he had to face sins of all nature and now HOME FREE and away from all pain, sorrows and diseases and iniquities of all kinds.

RODOLPHE's departure would live a unfilling huge gap in the Richeme's heart and yours as my grandma 86 years old fainted last night on hearing that sad news and taken right away to general hospital las night in Port-au-Prince as she wanted to make trip before Rodolphe and asking herself why Rodolphe but not her. Though through this toughFUL experience, we remain more faithful to God and praising Him more than ever not only in good times but as well in bad times like this as each of the trial takes us to a different growth maturity level and the TO BE READY AT ALL TIMES for this EARTH-HEAVEN TRANSITION as Rodolphe is not dead and just ahead of us and we are already anguish to join him to continue to rejoyce with him in songs of Honor and reverence to the Lord.

RODOLPHE HAS CHARGED ME AND FAMILY TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND ASSISTANCE FROM ALL NATURE but felt unsecure about you being ready for that transition as the Kingdom of Heaven is freely open to all of us as we get Lord's redemption.

Rodolphe's funeral is scheduled for this saturday the 11th of july and you are part of our guests to join us for that symbolic event but be sure that Rodolphe won't rest in peace as he is alive in our heart and alive in heaven eternally.

You may want to stop all medical and financial donations regarding Rodolphe's case at this point. The prayer supports are indeed requested for my family as God is the only one comforter and body and soul healer.

GOD BLESS YOU

THE RICHEME'S FAMILY

Just Like Here

John has returned from his trip to Haiti. As usual, he found some new heart patients, a couple of whom I've written about. We've had contact from someone who is interested in helping us find hospitals--always the biggest challenge--for a couple of new patients. I will keep you posted on the progress.

On this trip, John examined 3-year-old Lydia, pictured above with her mother, who has Down Syndrome, Unfortunately, she also has some of the congenital heart problems, that can accompany this syndrome. In Lydia's case, she has AV canal, a defect where the walls between the heart's chambers didn't form properly. She was referred to us by a pastor in Missouri who had met the little girl and her family on a recent trip. The little girl and her mom and dad made the three-hour trek to Port-au-Prince from their home in Gonaives to see John.

Please keep Lydia and her family in your prayers.

Follow Up With Marie, A Haitian Hearts Patient

Marie Myrtha, who had artificial valve replacement surgery at Provena St. Joseph in Joliet in June 2007 visited John today in Port-au-Prince. John examined her and was very happy with the results, Her heart rate was 84 at rest. The beat of her heart is crisp and clear and her most recent echocardiogram looks good. She has a large supply of required meds and is faithfully taking them. Her lungs are clear and her pacemaker is working effectively.

After all the work of getting a Haitian to the United States for heart surgery, seeing these kinds of results is so gratifying. Marie could barely walk before surgery; now she doesn't have to worry each day if her heart will give out. We are grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.