From Don Owen in Haiti

First let me begin by saying, Thank You, to everyone who has come to Haiti to work with the medical end of our Tennessee Baptist Disaster Relief effort. I already knew from all your emails and your updates to the blog what a difference the work was making. However after talking to the director of the entire project and with the doctors, nurses and the EMT's I have learned that the half of the story has not been told. Second let me say, Thank You, to those of you who supported, through your donations to the Nolachucky Baptist Association Haiti relief fund, and through your prayer support of those who came and became a living sacrifice. According to the Director of Operations for the Medical project know as Medi-Share more than 20,000 lives were saved as a result of thousands of volunteers supporting and serving through this operation in Port au Prince Haiti. Plus not only were lives saved in the operating rooms and through the care of the doctors, nurses and medicines provided but thousands have given their hearts to Christ and saved for eternity. David Acres, our state DR Director, was here to start up operations of at the hospital project (back in March) and also here to assist in the shutting down our portion of the massive operation. Today,Tuesday, the area where the operations and work took place is just a big open space at the airport. The tents are gone the containers are all gone and that page in the 2010 Haiti earthquake recovery effort is now history.

Now to page two:
Beginning today our efforts will turn toward looking for ways we can effectively work to support the rebuilding in Haiti. A team is flying in this morning from Memphis to meet and show us an area we might possibly serve. There are so many, many needs here and my biggest request of you at this moment is to ask you to pray for God to show us His plan. Please pray for Mr. Acres and me today and the remainder of the week here in Haiti.

A personal note:
It has been incredible for me to see how the people of Haiti have picked themselves up dusted themselves off, and even in their poverty, have kept smiles on their faces as they begin the long uphill battle of rebuilding their country. These are some of the hardest working people I have ever seen. In the heat of the day, and I mean heat with a capitol H, they do not stop. They do not have jack hammers they use hammers or whatever tool they have to bust up concrete in small enough chunks to be carried in 5 gallon buckets outside and dump it in a pile. From these piles others go through sifting it and salvaging everything that has a possible use. Most of these people are doing this for food or possibly up to two dollars per day. Please do not forget the people of Haiti.

- Don Owen