THE LEAP OF FAITH!

Well it’s done…  I have taken the biggest leap of faith thus far in this journey.  Thursday night I turned in my letter of intent to retire from the Reed City Fire Department on October 31st.  Friday morning, I turned in my letter of retirement for Osceola County EMS as of October 23rd.  It is very exciting but very stressful and a little scary at the same time.  I have been working for the county for almost 23 years.  It is a very big step to just walk away.  This means that I am 2 pay checks away from being unemployed with no foreseeable income (I am a decade away from being eligible to collect on my pension).  This means that I will be dependent on you for your prayer and financial support for the continuation of Kelby’s Kids! 

My plan at this time is to prepare as quickly as possible for the move to Haiti.  I was initially going to try to go to Haiti for the immediate relief work after Hurricane Matthew devastated Haiti.  The information is just now really starting to come in and the devastation is very extensive.  The death toll is climbing by the hour.  There is almost nothing left of entire communities.  Instead of going down for a couple of weeks and further delaying my commitment to full time work in Haiti, I have decided to just get down there as soon as possible.  By the time I get to Haiti, most of the short term relief workers will be heading back to the US to return to their jobs.  I can pick up things as they leave and maintain the long term issues that will come from this latest disaster in Haiti.

I told you earlier that I needed about $1,500.00 in monthly support before I could get to Haiti.  This is still true but I feel called to serve as soon as possible in the wake of Matthew.  I currently have $880.00 in monthly support pledged.  This will hopefully cover most of my expenses to live in Haiti during this start up period if I keep life very basic.  It will provide little funding for the supplies and medications that I will need to get the clinic up and running and to go out with relief teams and serve the people hardest hit.  It will take additional ongoing funding to support the work of the clinic and medical supplies to provide disaster relief.  At this point, support is only going toward ministry expenses that meet those requirements for reimbursement.  All of my personal expense in both Haiti and Michigan will have to come from my savings.

With that being said, I will need an average of $1,500 per month for operational expenses long term.  I would like to get $1,000 a month for standard ongoing medical expenses, which is not much when you get into large quantities of medications and supplies for a clinic. That is a basic budget of $2,500 per month.  So, until I exceed $3,000 a month in support I will not be able to address any kind of compensation or wage to cover my expenses with my Board of Directors.   So in the interim, I will be burning through my savings which I was really hoping would last me for years and not just a few months.  Now more than ever it would encourage me to know that you are stepping out in faith with me so together we can serve Kelby’s Kids in Haiti. 

I know there is much economic uncertainty in this country.  But there is certainty in Haiti, and it’s that times are very difficult and bleak for so many.  If you have been considering supporting Kelby’s Kids, the time is now! I would like to hear from you to know your commitment even if it will be several weeks before you could start to donate so I can better plan how together WE will help the people and children of Haiti.  There is an immediate need for both one-time gifts for the immediate relief needs as well as long term monthly support.  Many of you have indicated the desire to support me once I have things “up and going.”  That time is now!  The $880.00 in monthly support only represents 12 people.  So if we just add another 36 people I would have a complete budget!

There are many ways to get involved.  You can go to my web site www.KelbysKids.org to the support page.  There are FOUR donation options.  One is a Stripe account where you can do one time donations by credit or debit card.  Second is by PayPal.  You do not need to have a PayPal account to give, just a credit or debit card.  This is the current method to give monthly support.  When you click on the donation button by PayPal there is a box next to the amount you enter to donate that says “make this recurring monthly.”  You just check that box.  There has been some trouble with this for several people.  I have found that PayPal is a different format when you are using a mobile device as well as with Google Chrome.  You need to use internet explorer or another format to open PayPal through my web site and then that box will pop up for you on the first screen.  The third option is to set up an auto bill pay account through your financial institution.  If you would like more information on this please contact me at Kelby@KelbysKids.org   A fourth option is to mail a check made out to Kelby’s Kids to P.O. Box 57, Reed City, MI49677-0057.  If you do not want to take the time to make monthly donations, you can do annual or biannual donations.  Just contact me so I can divide the amount you will give so I can anticipate an average monthly budget.

I have so very much to do to get ready to move to Haiti.  I am working hard to be in Haiti by the first full week in November.  Your prayers for a smooth and stress free transition would be greatly appreciated.

I have truly been blessed by your outpouring of support thus far.  I know that this will continue and together we can touch the lives of so many in Haiti.  If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.  Thank you again.  You and your generous support makes all this possible!

I am humbled to serve.

Until no child dies,

Kelby Klassen

President of Kelby’s Kids Inc.

Friends make the world a better place!

Adventures of September 2016 Trip

As I sat down to write this blog post it’s only been 2 days since I returned home from Haiti.  But it’s with a heavy heart, as I am now sad that I came home.  As Hurricane Matthew bears down on Haiti, I wonder how many will die or be washed away and never be seen again, or how many will be injured and not have enough people to help them.  I wish I was there to do what I could to ease the suffering that will occur.

Grab a cup of coffee, this is a long one.  But I think I lost some of you last time by breaking it up so here goes!!

I hope you were able to follow along on Facebook and Instagram with the pictures and videos that I posted during my trip.  Hopefully they helped you to get a better sense of what I was able to do by seeing those.

My trip down went without any problems!  No flight issues and Jet Blue was good to work with at a $200 savings over American Airlines.  My 12th trip and never been stopped in Customs!!  I thank God for protecting my medical supplies so I don't have to give them up or pay “Taxes” to the Customs guys.  Let's pray for many more trips like that!

When I first arrived at Christian Light School things didn't quite look like I was planning them in my head and I was a little apprehensive and maybe even a little disappointed about how things might go.  But it didn't take long before I felt like I was back in a familiar place and a place I know I have been called!

Thursday morning school started at 8 am and I had my first patient at 7:55. I thought that was a good sign.  But as it turns out he was my only patient for the day.  It's the rainy season and like many children they have Grip (a cough/cold/flu).  We found him a mat and let him lay down in his room where he would get lots of water and 2 meals rather than send him home where he would have nothing.  So again I questioned if this was going to be what I anticipated.

One of the Little Angels getting ready for school to start at Christian Light School.

Sherrie, the director of Christian Light School, has been working in Haiti for 16 years.  She has been through a lot and is a great source of knowledge about not only Haiti, but this journey I am on toward full-time work here.  She does an amazing work in Haiti with the over 300 kids in the school.  She also provides almost 4,000 meals a week to not only keep the kids healthier, but help them to be able to learn so they don't concentrate on empty stomachs.  

I decided that working in a larger medical facility would be a good idea as there are many health issues in Haiti that we do not see in America.  It would be a great way to learn about tropical medicine as well as build relationships and a network to assist with special needs or really sick kids as they come along.  Edmond took me to several hospitals in the area.  One of them is called Nos Petits Freres et Soeurs or Our Little Brothers and Sisters, also known as St. Damion’s Children’s Hospital.  As it turned out this is the same hospital that I took Baby Boo Boo to during my last trip.  This is one of the largest children's hospitals in Haiti.  I was given an appointment Monday morning at 9 am to talk with them about volunteering once a week at their facility.  I also went to Grace Hospital and will be contacting there HR director about possibly working with them as well since they are within walking distance from the school.  But they do more chronic inpatient work than they do clinic or ER type things.

As it turns out it's NOT about who you know, it's about how you dress!  Thursday I wore shorts and a T-shirt as I wasn't really sure what I would be doing (remember ONE patient).  Friday I had planned to go out with the baby feeders into the ravine and see the littlest children.  So I put on my scrubs and grabbed my stethoscope and headed down stairs.  I had so many asking for help I had to make appointments.  I was able to go out with the baby feeders and saw about 15 of the kids who were sick or had other issues.  Many of them have low grade temps from having Grip.  I saw several kids from the school when I got back and then I did a blood pressure clinic for the cooks, custodial staff, and some of the teachers.  I then saw a couple of the teachers for some chronic issues they were having.  I finished the day by seeing the Restavek's (child slaves) classes.  I saw almost 25 of them.  They had many issues but one of the biggest ones was no dental care.  Many had cavities and stated their gums would bleed when they got the chance to brush their teeth, which is probably not very often.  Brushing their teeth made their gums very tender since they are not used to it.  Some of them had complaints that we just grabbed a Tylenol or Ibuprofen for, but that is not an option for them.  It was sad how many were very hesitant to be seen because it might get them in trouble with their owner.  Several had to be reassured they were safe and would not get in trouble.  I look forward to working with them more to not only make them feel better, but to make them feel loved by someone as well.  So in all I probably saw 75 patients on Friday!

Saturday I got to be the Biology teacher for 2 classes!  Many of the kids come to school on Saturday by choice as they don’t have much to do and know how important their education is.  The teacher for this class uses DVD's that are in English.  He doesn't speak English very well so he has a hard time following the video and being able to answer the kid’s questions so I took question and answer time and helped them as best I could.  Those classes were a long time ago for me!

Sunday I went to Quisquueya Chapel for church.  Many of the people there are Americans so it was fun to see some familiar faces and talk with some new folks about what they are doing in Haiti.

Monday I went back to Our Little Brothers and Sisters for my meeting.  It wasn’t as productive as I had hoped.  There was a little bit of a language barrier and I am pretty sure they don’t understand my credentials.  There is a big difference between the government run ambulances in Haiti and my ambulances in the US.  I will continue to work on this project as I still believe it would be a great benefit for me as well as for them.  I also went to 4C which is a pharmaceutical company in Haiti that is from Canada.  It is where I can buy bulk medicine when I return to Haiti. 

After that I had the privilege of going to Bernard Mevs to visit a friend.  Dahicha is a little girl with special needs that I met at Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage 2 trips ago.  She instantly had my heart wrapped around her little finger.  She is not doing well and ended up in the PICU on a ventilator.  She has since had surgery to remove her tonsils and adenoids to improve her breathing but the last word was they were unsure if that would be enough or if she would end up needing a tracheostomy for the rest of her life.  That would be a very difficult thing to manage in Haiti with all the dust.  Please continue to pray for little Dahicha.  It was also nice to be able to see Marla who manages EGO with her husband Ken.  It was heartbreaking to hear how she almost lost Dahicha before they got her on the vent.

This is Dahicha after surgery during a unsuccessful trial period off the vent.

Tuesday I went back out with the baby feeders to check on the babies that I had seen on Friday and see how they were doing.  All of them were doing better indicating that it was just the Grip going around during the rainy season.  After I got back I had several more students and staff come for assistance.  There are so many issues that are from basic things like not drinking enough water.  There is a lot that can be done for basic health education.

Wednesday was a day for sorting and packing.  I had the opportunity to leave a few things in a large tote on my last trip.  This trip I have filled that tote as well as my second suite case with items to leave.  I now have almost 90 pounds of items waiting for me on my return so I can get more needed items down there without carrying things back and forth.

One of the Restavek came to the school for help in the afternoon.  He had been sick for several days.  He had pneumonia.  I found enough antibiotics and did my best to explain through a translator how to take them.  It was children’s concentration so he has to take a lot of it each time.  I hope that he understood the instructions for the medications and the importance of taking it all and not saving some for later.  I hope he is doing better now.  I made arrangements for someone with the Restavek Freedom Foundation to check on him in a couple days.   

So, strangely familiar to my last trip, I got a Facebook message on Wednesday night.  It asked if I was available for another Ambulance transport with Hero Ambulance.   There was another sick baby that was in need of help.  After some details were worked out I was on my way with Edmond to meet the ambulance.  We met up by the overpass and then headed out of Port-au-Prince (PAP).  We met up with the organization that requested us and did an intercept in the parking lot of a gas station in Mariani.  We found Dalia and her frightened mother.  Dalia was a 21 day old, 4.5-pound little girl who was severely dehydrated, malnourished, anemic, and septic.  We loaded her into the ambulance and after a quick assessment, we were off.  Setting around a gas station after dark drawing attention to yourself is not the best of ideas.  Sometimes you felt like you were going to hurt her just trying to hold on to her with all the BIG bumps in the road.  She was stable enough that trying to start an IV on scene was not in anyone’s best interest and trying on the road would be impossible.  After about a 45-minute transport back into PAP we arrived at St. Damion’s Children’s Hospital without incident.  As much as I would like to know that outcome, it will be impossible to get any further information on her.  But I think with the appropriate care she will survive.

This is Dalia in the ambulance during the transport back to PAP.

Thursday morning it was off to the airport to head home in front of the storm.  At that time Hurricane Matthew was an unnamed tropical depression which quickly changed.  At this point I really wish I would have known and been able to stay.  There will be so much to be done after the storm clears.

It has taken me a couple days to write this post.  I apologize.  I have been glued to Facebook trying to get any news I can about Haiti and the effects of the hurricane.  The last category 4 hurricane that hit Haiti directly killed 8,000 people.  At this point it raises a lot more questions than it answers about the future for me.  I would really like to go down in a very short amount of time and help with the disaster relief work.  I am not sure how that will all come together at this point but I am looking into it.  I will keep you posted as things progress.

The calm before the storm.  One of the last few nice days before Matthew.  Before so much devastation and before so many lives lost. 

Thank you for taking the time to read about the latest adventures with Kelby’s Kids.  I am so blessed to be able to serve with you and for you as your representative to Kelby's Kids!

Better by the Dozen

Well the clock just struck 12 midnight so it’s officially day one of my trip to Haiti. 

I really should be in bed but there is still so much to do. I feel like I am missing something, and with only 130 pounds of luggage I am sure I am. 

My alarm will go off at 7 am and I will start toward Detroit making the traditional stops along the way, including the never missed send off lunch with Mom and Dad in Midland before arriving in Detroit tonight for my 8 am Wednesday (21st) morning flight to Port-au-Prince. 

Although this is my 12th trip to Haiti it almost feels like the first. This will be the first official trip of Kelby’s Kids since completing the process as a non-profit, charitable organization.

I want to give you a quick update on how things are going since we are over half way through September.

As you have seen, September is “Partnership of Support” month. I am working toward raising the first level of support needed for operations in Haiti. I need $1,500 in monthly support pledged before I can stay in Haiti full-time and cover all of my day-to-day expenses. 

If I am not fully funded I may have to make trips back and forth at first (which won’t be cost-effective). I am excited to let you know that I am at $375 per month already! I believe the remaining $1,125 per month can be pledged by the time I’m ready to go.

If you are interested in monthly support through my website, PayPal has an option to easily make your gift recurring. (My other giving option — Stripe — will soon have that feature available, too!). With automatic monthly payments you won’t have to remember every month to send your support. 

You can also set up free BillPay through your bank. They’ll automatically take care of the transaction every month for you. Or an additional option, if you don’t want to do electronic transfers and don’t want to write a check and use a stamp every month, is to give quarterly, bi-annually or annually. 

So if you want to write a check for $500 every year just let me know and it will go toward the goal of $41.67 in monthly support.

I know that this trip is going to be as much of a blessing as all the rest and that there will be many unexpected things along the way, as is common in Haiti. So make sure that you don’t miss out on the adventure. Be sure to sign up on my web site for email notifications of blog posts. You can also follow along on Instagram @KelbysKids. And now you can also follow along on my brand-new Facebook page — @KelbysKids. Be sure to like my page so you can get the latest stories as I won’t be posting as much on my personal page about the trip.

I will be spending most of this trip at Christian Light School (CLS) (See last blog post for more details about CLS). We will be meeting to settle all the details of this partnership. The biggest job on this trip will be to get the clinic back in shape and ready to be up and running upon my return. 

Although I have no doubt that as soon as I arrive there will be a steady follow of kids who all have needs as they have not had much of any medical care for some time. With only 500 kids to care for, that means I’m only seeing 100 kids a day on the school days. So it should be a relaxing time! 

I will also be doing some networking in the area and looking for a few other places to serve with — once I have everyone happy and healthy at CLS. It will also be a time to get to know the neighbors in the area I will be living! 

And then there is always the unknown like the many adventures of my last trip! 

Sadly, I recently learned that our baby Boo Boo has died from complications of his premature birth (see the blog post from May 26, 2016). In a county where one out of every five children dies before the age of 5, the statistics were not in his favor. 

But being a 26-week preemie hardly ever looks promising anywhere! It was a blessing and privilege to be able to be a part of his care during his transport to the children’s hospital and giving him the best chance possible. God chose a different way to make his tiny body healthy and strong and I look forward to the day I can see him again and give him the big hug I wanted to that day but couldn’t as he was too frail to hold. 

Thank you again for your support and encouragement. This last month has truly been a blessing from all of the support that you have shown to me and to Kelby’s Kids. I look forward to the future with great anticipation as we see what you and I can do for Kelby’s Kids! 

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

Help Me Bring Hope Through Good Health

Dear Friends and Family,

So much has happened in the last couple months that I need to update you so we can move forward in this journey together!

I want to start by letting you know that due to some exciting events recently, I have named September “Partnership of Support” month, so that there will be no delay in the work of Kelby’s Kids in Haiti. Let me explain!

After my last trip in May, I had looked at partnering with a large organization just outside of Port-Au-Prince. After starting the hiring process, it became obvious that I needed to stick to my original plan to be an independent ministry, to be the most effective in the work to which I feel called, the children of Haiti. I again went in search of the best place where I can best use my skills …

This summer was a busy one. I was able to spend almost 700 hours at kids’ camps, serving the needs of the kids who come for hopefully one of the best weeks of their summer. During this time I was also able to continue moving forward with the legal requirements for Kelby’s Kids, Inc.

I am very pleased to announce that Kelby’s Kids has been granted 501 (c) 3 status by the IRS! That means that I am now the President of Kelby’s Kids, a tax-exempt, non-profit, charitable corporation! It’s kind of scary when I think about it! But, I know that God is faithful and will go before me in this journey. 

It’s not as big as it sounds at this point, but my hope is that some day we can be doing great things for the kids in Haiti. Right now it’s still just me using the skills that God has given me to serve others, like I have been doing for years, but now I am dependent on your partnership for it to continue.

In the last several weeks I have been drawn back “Home.” I have contacted the director of Christian Light School (CLS) who has been a long-time friend and place to visit or stay on many of my trips to Haiti. It’s the neighborhood I stayed in on my first trip and 9 out of my 11 trips to Haiti. It will be where I stay on my 12th trip and will be working for the start of Kelby’s Kids in Haiti. 

In partnership with Christian Light School I will be serving the 260+ students at the school, providing for their medical needs. In addition, CLS has a restavek program. Restaveks are child slaves in Haiti. CLS has convinced the owners of these restaveks to allow the children to come to school a couple hours in the afternoon. These children have no medical care provided by their owners.  I will also be working with the children from their Little Angels feeding program for 3 and 4 year olds from the community at the school. 

In addition I will be going into the Ravine with the baby feeding program.  Every day the workers go out into the ravine and feed all the babies and provide them with vitamins. I will go out with them several times a week to address medical needs for the most vulnerable in this community.  There are also satellite schools that CLS works with, and I can serve them occasionally as well.

So from the start I will have over 500 kids who receive 98% of their medical care from me.  Once I get all the untreated and chronic medical issues under control, I will look to branch out in the area and find other ministries to partner with.

Due to recent events in Haiti, medical care in this area is very difficult to come by. The interim president has stopped paying the doctors of the public hospitals, which caused them to go on strike, closing all public hospitals in Haiti. This leaves only the private and charitable organizations to care for all of the medical needs in Haiti.

Needless to say they are all very overwhelmed. The clinic in this neighborhood that I worked with a couple trips ago closed when Dr Ed’s health was failing. This is the one where I was able to do some dental work and actually pulled some teeth. CLS had a small clinic, but had to close it sometime ago due to a lack of medical staff to operate it.

So with very limited income in this area, medical care is all but a dream. I am excited to be able provide hope to these kids by providing as much medical care as possible to the kids of this community!

In preparation for the privilege to serve these kids, I will be making a trip to Haiti on September 21st until the 29th. I will be finalizing details of my work with CLS, getting the small clinic on the campus ready to open again after several years, making a list of equipment, supplies, and medications that I will need, and finalizing the place I will soon call home! If everything comes together as planned, I will be looking at a move date around the end of October or first part of November….

There is one remaining detail.

People have been very supportive thus far in this process, and for that I am truly grateful. I have had some fund raisers and many donations. I have been able to cover all the costs for the process of becoming a non-profit. I have some start up funds and maybe a little extra for a special project with a particularly sick child.

But, at this point, I have almost no foreseeable sustainability (sufficient monthly support). In a few short months the money will be gone and I will be out on the street, and the kids will be left with no medical care again. I need to know that I can continue this work indefinitely with your partnership; together we can serve many children!

Many people assume that with my retirement comes a pension. But this is not true. It will be a decade before I will be able to draw anything from my pension. So when I retire it will be with zero income.

I am confident that others believe in this calling I have to serve the children of Haiti. So the challenge for September is the Partnership of Support. I need to raise monthly support from people willing to look at long term partnership. I need a minimum of $1,500 a month before I will be able to leave for Haiti long term. This will cover housing, food, transportation, and other monthly or utility type bills. I figure I will probably need an operating budget of around $2,500 a month for long term operations.

This will be for basic care. It will not provide an excessive amount of supplies, medications, and equipment. Any additional or extra money will go toward increasing the effectiveness of the medical care for the kids. As support continues to increase, I will be able to cover things like ER visits, blood work, X-rays, and possible hospitalization if needed. I currently only have $110 in monthly support pledged. That means that I need an additional $1,390 in monthly pledges before I will be able to make the move to full time work.

Please seriously consider partnering with me in providing much needed health care to kids in Haiti.

Statistically one in five kids in Haiti will die before the age of 5. I know there are a lot of places where you can spend your hard-earned money, but I hope that you will consider being a part of changing and saving the lives of these kids. I can’t do it alone, but TOGETHER we can make a difference and bring Hope through good health!

Until No Child Dies,

Kelby

Fundraiser This Saturday!

I am so excited about this event! It's growing by the day and should be a great time. You'll find many different ways for you to support the ministry of Kelby’s Kids — and also get a great meal and some nice things for yourself, too!

There will be games, outdoor activities on the lake, a dunk tank, a barbeque dinner, and a DJ.  You will be able to participate in a silent auction, gun raffles, and opportunities to partner with Kelby’s Kids on a regular basis.

I am hoping this benefit will be a great kickstart to my financial needs in Haiti.  So come out and have a great afternoon with your family and friends and support the much needed medical care to the children of Haiti!

Pampered Chef + Kelby's Kids Fundraiser!

If you've been wanting to refresh your pantry's supply of Pampered Chef items, now is the time! All proceeds from this flash sale will go to support my work in Haiti.

You don't have to be a local to take advantage of this fundraiser. All the items can be shipped directly to you.

Hurry! The event ends August 6.

Thank you for your support!

https://www.pamperedchef.com/go/BoGRli

My May 2016 trip: Part 3

I think we were a distraction during classes at the school we visited

(If you missed the parts 1 and 2 of this story, you can read the beginning here and the middle here.)

Mission of Hope is in a town called Titanyen. And I thought it wasn’t going to be feasible for us to get there during this trip to Haiti. Although I was pretty sure the organization was near where we were headed (to get blocks), you wouldn’t believe my excitement as we drove by the Mission of Hope offices on our way to get the bricks! In fact, it was just two driveways away from the concrete plant!

I asked Arnel, the driver, if he had ever heard of Mission of Hope. He said “yes” and told me he thought it was a great organization. So we made plans to stop there after we were done with getting blocks.  

Mission of Hope is a large organization. They operate a clinic there at the place where we were, and they also operate daily mobile clinics in the region. They serve many needs for the children and people of Haiti. When I stopped by I met Dr. Jennifer. She runs the clinic on the grounds.  

After about a short three-minute conversation, Jennifer phoned another worker named Chris. (Chris is in charge of the American medical staff.) He was off-site doing a mobile clinic. 

Someone besides Chris answered the phone. Jennifer said she needed to talk to Chris straight away — “it’s an emergency,” she exclaimed! When Chris finally got on the line, Jennifer spoke loud enough so I could hear as she told Chris, “God has sent us the paramedic we need and he is sitting right here in front of me!”

It was an encouraging reminder of the great need for medical care in Haiti. 

Jennifer handed me the phone and I talked with Chris. Since a face-to-face meeting would be difficult to arrange at that time, we agreed to start communicating by email.

As we headed back to Port-au-Prince, I had been very encouraged by my “chance” meeting with the Mission of Hope ministry.

Thursday, May 12

Arnel told me he had to be finished transporting me around by noon. So we headed out to the two places I still really wanted to go to.  

He also told me we needed to make plans to return to Titanyen to get more blocks on Friday. Here was my chance to attempt to meet Chris at the Mission of Hope clinic! So I emailed him to see if it might work.  

Our first stop Thursday morning was to “Ayiti Air Anbilans.” It was the very first air ambulance service in Haiti. 

My visit to Haiti Air Ambulance. Been there, got the t-shirt!

They are probably not an organization I would directly work for, but I definitely could see using their services while serving other medical organizations. 

In reality, Ayiti Air Anbilans is the kind of place paramedics have to go to when visiting Haiti. Not going there would be like a firefighter going to New York and not stopping by a FDNY station. 

My next stop was to Hero Client Rescue. They operate with Hero Ambulance Service in Port-au-Prince. They provide 911-type emergency calls to anyone. Their services include rapid response medical, security, ambulance transport, remote rescue, and international evacuation services for their members anywhere in Haiti for a weekly or monthly membership fee. This is an organization that I would like to work with in the future.  

I was able to meet with the gal who heads up the organization (Stacy). And later that night we connected on Facebook and continued our conversation. (She described the work she’d done that evening with a shooting victim and a Moto accident victim.)  

By day’s end I was also able to make contact with Chris from Mission of Hope and we scheduled a meeting for Friday morning.

Friday, May 13

Arnel surprised me with the news that he didn’t think we’d be able to go to Titanyen to get block today. I was looking forward to meeting with Chris at the Mission of Hope, so this potential development was disappointing to say the least. 

It turns out a flat tire on the truck was keeping us from getting there. Let’s get that thing fixed!

After fixing the tire and crawling through a couple traffic jams, Arnel dropped me off at Mission of Hope — and I was only 90 minutes late. Not too shabby for Haiti.

Chris and I had a great meeting. We talked about what my tasks might look like if I partnered with them. It was such a blessing the way the meeting happened and how things came together.  

By evening-time I was back at my apartment and chatting with Stacy from Hero Client Rescue. 

She invited me to go out for a ride. But as the next day (Saturday) would be my last day in Haiti, the chances were slim that it would happen. 

Then, an emergency happened. Stacy sent me an urgent direct message — “I need your help!”  

What?! Right now!?  

“Yes! I have to do a neonatal transport and need your help!”  

We coordinated a pick-up point near my apartment and my Haitian friend (Juloveney) walked with me there. He recommended I not use my phone in public because it was potentially unsafe to be seen with it. Other than that, he said it was perfectly safe to be where we were.

The ambulance soon came whirring my way, and I jumped in.  

It was at that point I learned we were on our way to a small hospital to provide emergency care to a premature baby — born at just 26 weeks!

This is me assessing Baby Boo Boo before we loaded him into the ambulance. It's not the best picture — but the most important to me from this trip. Notice that my finger would go from the bottom of his chin to the top of his head. He was so tiny and so precious.

Some of my readers might remember a Facebook notification I sent, asking for prayers. I sent that message from the back of this ambulanceon the way to get this baby.

I was a little nervous but I soon learned we were the only option this little baby boy had of living! We were his only chance. 

We arrived at the hospital and got a full report of the situation. As we were preparing the baby for transport, the hospital went dark. The power went out! And there were no emergency lights. 

After a few moments, the hospital staff started pulling out their cell phones and using them for light. (I’m guessing this wasn’t the first time they’d experienced a power-outage.) 

We continued our work.  

The baby hadn’t been named yet so we called him “Baby Boo Boo.” 

We loaded him into the ambulance and we started the trip to the children’s hospital in Port-au-Prince. 

The bumpy ride to Port-au-Prince is rough for anyone, but especially for premature babies. It was providing too much stimulation for Baby Boo Boo. It was caused additional stress on his already-stressed body and he was having to work harder to breathe.

We finally arrived at the hospital. But the drama wasn’t over. 

Over the phone, the hospital had agreed to accept the baby for treatment. But when we arrived, they started debating whether they’d admit him or not!

The health care system in Haiti is “broken” at best.  

The doctors at the government hospitals are on strike. So, the private and charitable hospitals have nearly been crippled with an overload of work.

But, they finally decided to admit Baby Boo Boo, and we rushed him into NICU. 

His heart rate started to fall to a dangerous level. We thought we might lose him!

But by the time we handed him over to NICU staff, his heart-rate bounced back. The NICU staff assured us that they would take care of Baby Boo Boo. And we left the hospital.

On the way back to the apartment I learned that if I had said no, Hero Ambulance would have had to refuse the call to transport Baby Boo Boo. And the baby would have most certainly died in that small, country hospital. 

By night’s end I was totally drained from the stress and the emotional roller coaster of everything. So much so, I didn't even feel either of Haiti’s earthquakes that night — a 2.8 magnitude at 9:00 pm and a 2.7 at 3:30 am. (Stacy messaged me about the earthquakes and I thought she was teasing me. You know, just to add more drama to the night’s events.)

Saturday, May 14

I was able to go out to the Providence University of Haiti to meet with the Dean of Students. We talked about the possibility of using their nursing program to do some speaking and training on emergencies and disaster issues.

This is the school where my buddy, Juloveney, attends. He’s in his last year of nursing school. He was a great companion on this entire trip and he hung out with me in the evenings so I wouldn’t be alone. He also helped me continue to learn Creole. But after nightfall I needed to start packing for my trip home. 

Meet Juloveney. He's a nursing student in Haiti.

I packed my bags to leave Haiti. One with stuff to take home. One with stuff to leave in Haiti. 

No, it wasn’t stuff I planned on leaving for someone in need. It was my stuff. It might sound pretty simplistic, but I felt that by leaving one bag there, I was making a significant step in my preparation for transitioning to full-time work in Haiti.

Sunday, May 15

I was to the airport by 8:00 am. 

Not that I need another reason to convince me to stay in Haiti, but, while sitting at the gate I started reading Facebook posts about the snow in Michigan.

It really was an amazing trip.

Many things were made a little clearer. And I feel like I have a better road to follow.  

Speaking of roads, my driver, Arnel, didn’t know how to get to many of the organizations I wanted to go to. So I didn’t even get to many of the places I thought I needed to go. 

But I got to one that I didn’t think I would get to.

My original desire to work with a different organization each day of the week changed with the hours I spent in traffic. Spending 6+ hours on the road every day would not be an effective way to work. 

I am feeling drawn to Mission of Hope. And I’m seriously considering a full-time partnership with them. That was hardly on the radar when I left for Haiti.  

And since I’m talking about my feelings …  when Larry and Jayme left, I really didn’t enjoy being by myself. The community of Mission of Hope would help with that, too. 

I’m also concerned about being on my own until my Creole improves. Working with a translator every day at Mission of Hope would help me increase my language skills.

Almost at the end!

In my first blog post “Heading out the door,” from May 4, I stated that I would probably be doing the least about of medical work of any trip thus far as it was a fact finding trip. 

With the Moto accident on the mountain and, especially, the neonatal transport, I feel like I have done some of the most important medical work of all the time I’ve spent in Haiti.  

Baby Boo Boo update! It is with a happy and blessed heart that I received word a few nights ago that he is “thriving” in the children’s hospital right now!

Each of you who pray for me and support me, played a part in Baby Boo Boo’s success! I hope you know that. Helping kids through Kelby’s Kids wouldn't be possible without you.

I want to thank you for your support thus far!

(And thanks for reading this HUGE update!) 

I’m humbled to serve the littlest of Kelby’s Kids, because Kelby’s Kids are God’s kids!

_____________________

If you’re not following my Instagram feed, go there now for photos and more. Sign up for my newsletter so you can get these stories delivered to your inbox when they're posted here on the blog.

—Kelby

My May 2016 trip: Part 2

(If you missed part 1 of this story, you can read it here.)

Where was I? Oh yes. The beach.

We were hoping to get to the beach on Sunday … but it was not meant to be! The weather was not looking good for it. And although it did not end up raining that day, we did not end-up going to the beach.

Monday, May 9 

We were blessed with another sunny day so we were set to head up the mountain to LaFond. This started with a quick trip to Rebuild Global to pick up the founder and one of their interns. 

We were on our way to deliver 40 pairs of shoes from Duex Mains to schoolchildren in LaFond.  

It was about a 10 mile round-trip to Rebuild Global and it took us three hours and 45 minutes to drive it! Traffic in PAP continues to get worse and worse.  

We then headed to Petit-Goave where we would meet a pastor who’d drive us up the mountain.  We also changed trucks for the remainder of the trip. The last 14 miles to LaFond would take us 2:45. This time it wasn’t due to traffic as we only met 1 other truck on the entire trip. This time it was because of the shape of the roads.  

The “road” on the way up to LaFond.

The roads were steep, rocky, muddy, and rough. We also had to forge through four streams along the way. This is why a trip on Saturday wouldn’t have worked in the rain. The water was way up and we would not have been able to pass or been at risk of being washed downstream (insert water/road photo).  

Moto’s (motorcycle taxis) are the main source of transportation up and down the mountain. They carry everything; people, goats, bundles of 10 ft. PVC pipe, and anything else you can think of.  

Shortly before we reached the top of the mountain, we came upon a group of people standing by the side of the road. The pastor in our truck knew just about everyone up and down the mountain, so when we stopped, I thought it was so he could visit for a bit. 

I heard the word “Moto” and thought it was a Moto stop. Meanwhile, the pastor was talking to the group of people, I spotted a small boy down by a little hut on the bank on the side of the mountain (he probably had not seen many white people) and I began playing peek-a-boo with him. Jayme then asked me to get out of the truck. I asked what was going on and she said that there had been a Moto crash. 

A Moto with three men on it had gone over the edge and they were injured! I was told that one of the men was bleeding badly and had already been taken away before we arrived. (I am not sure where the bleeding passenger was taken. The translator told me there were no nearby hospitals or clinics!)

I sprang into action to inspect the situation. 

The driver of the motorcycle had a lot of pain in his right leg as well as in his chest. His leg had soft-tissue injuries but was not fractured. It appeared he’d taken the handle bar directly to the chest. His lungs sounded good and he did’nt appear to have any fractures. 

The other passenger had a lot of pain in his right foot. It could have been fractured. He also had a laceration to his right ear. He didn’t look too good. He had been knocked out in the accident, the translator told us.  

The embankment had about a 30 foot drop. I am not sure how far down they had gone through the trees because someone had already carried them all back up onto the road.

Since there wasn’t a clinic nearby, I ended-up providing the pre-hospital care, the in-hospital care, and the post-hospital care — this was my first true field emergency experience in Haiti.   

We gave them Tylenol and the driver stated that he had someone coming to get him. We loaded the passenger into our truck and took him home — farther up the mountain. 

This was certainly a new adventure in expanding my experiences of medicine in Haiti!

After we took our passenger where he wanted to go, we carried on to our final destination. When we arrived we were greeted by a beautiful sunset. It was a nice reward as we finished out a 10-hour trip (which was only a total of a 60 miles away). 

The sunset that met us at the top of the mountain in LaFond

It was a very cool temperature on the top of the mountain (which was 3,000 feet above sea level) and was a nice break from the heat of Port-au-Prince. It lead to a chilly night, though. It was probably the first time I have ever really been cold in Haiti!

Tuesday, May 10 

it was a beautiful day and the view from the top of the mountain was breathtaking. 

It might not be the most exclusive in Haiti but the school we visited had an incredible view from the playground.

We followed a trail to the school and distributed shoes to a bunch of the kids. They were excited to get nice, new shoes to wear to school. Some of the kids wanted to remove them so they wouldn’t get dirty! They may have never had a new pair of shoes in their life.  

It was great to be a part of the first distribution of shoes for Rebuild Globally!

A group of 6th grade boys before getting their new shoes

After. Steppin' out!

We didn’t stay long because we needed to start the trip back to PAP.  

On our way back, as we were driving through a market near LaFond, the passenger from Monday’s Moto accident noticed us. He walked up to our truck, smiled, and gave me a fist bump and a thumbs up. It was nice to see him and know that he was OK! (It had been a little un-nerving for me the day before to know that he had a loss of consciousness but wasn’t going to get a CAT scan.)    

Wednesday, May 11

Larry and Jayme left for the airport at 7:30 in the morning. I was on my own for the rest of the trip. 

My driver, Arnel, was going to take me to the organizations that I wanted to look at as I worked to find places to partner with. But it was his second job and we had some things that would need to be done for Friends Of Haiti Organization (FOHO).  

Firstly, he needed to get a load of cement block to the FOHO property so they could continue to build the wall around their property. So we got in the truck and started driving.

We drove. And drove. And drove. I started to wonder where in the world we were headed just to get blocks! 

Then, all of a sudden, I knew where we were! It was near one of the ministries I wanted to visit! It was the Mission of Hope …

____________

Tune in next time to hear how the rest of Wednesday (and beyond) went!

If you’re not following my Instagram feed, go there now for photos and more. Sign up for my newsletter so you can get these stories delivered to your inbox when they're posted here on the blog.

—Kelby

My May 2016 Trip: Part 1

A kid in a village just outside of Port-au-Prince

It’s been a week since I’ve returned from Haiti and I’ve had a little time to process the events of the trip. I’m attempting to describe 10 days in Haiti with enough detail that you can get a glimpse into what happened — and the direction I’m taking — without making it too long of a story. So, you won’t want to miss these next few days of posts! Grab a cup of coffee and get comfortable. Here we go with today’s installment! 

I wanted to go back to Haiti since my last visit in November of 2015.  But it seemed that nothing was working out. I contacted my friend Larry (he travels to Haiti a lot). He was planning a trip in May! It was during the same timeframe I was planning on!

So, we made plans to travel together. Larry’s friend, Jayme, was also going to go with us. We each had our own agenda for the trip with a common goal of serving the people of Haiti. 

Larry made his first trip to Haiti in 1973 as a child. Larry’s family is close friends with my family and for all my life I’ve been hearing about the stories of their family serving in Haiti. In fact, I believe his stories helped ignite a desire in me to serve in Haiti. It was truly a privilege to finally get to Haiti with a member of the Osborne family.

Thursday, May 5

We arrived in Port-au-Prince (PAP) and it was hot, dusty, noisy, and the traffic was crazy. But it felt great to be back in Haiti!  

First stop, Friends Of Haiti Organization (FOHO) — it’s where we’d find lodging during our trip. FOHO shares property with one of the Free Methodist Churches in PAP (FOHO has purchased a larger piece of property on the outskirts of town — more on that in a moment). This was my first experience with the organization.   

Friday, May 6

Our first full day in Haiti. We went to an organization called Deux Mains.

Duex Mains — an organization Jayme’s partnered with to make shoes for schoolchildren in LaFond — is an 100%-Haitian employee-owned-and-operated footwear and fashion company in Port-au-Prince. 

They make the neatest shoes! (Check out their website)

These are some of the shoes Deux Mains makes. Deux Mains is supported by an organization called Rebuild Globally.

The soles are crafted from car tires. The insides are made of goat leather. The outside canvas-like material is made from recycled plastic bottles. Instead of people sending shoes to Haiti from the U.S., it’s the hope of the organization to create awareness about the opportunities for others to purchase shoes directly from a Haitian company — helping Haiti create a sustainable economy. (We made plans to head to LaFond the next day and deliver 40 pairs of shoes from Deux Mains.) 

We visited the new FOHO property and Larry shared the vision for it. When you buy property in Haiti, the first important task you undertake is to secure the new investment by building a big wall around it.

Saturday, May 7

We woke to a heavy rain. It didn’t take long to learn our plans of going up the mountain to LaFond were not going to happen (we’d have to postpone our delivery of the 40 pairs of shoes). Some of the roads were washed out or under water. Later on, I would better understand how much that would impact the trip.  

So, Saturday was pretty much a wash. Literally! 

We wanted to head to the Providence University of Haiti. But, while on our way, we quickly learned the road to the school had washed out as well. 

So, instead of traveling that day, we invited several Haitians over to our apartment in the afternoon. We had a great time (we made sloppy joes for dinner). None of the them knew what sloppy joes were — but they were a big hit! There were no leftovers!

Sunday, May 8 

We woke to a bright and sunny day, despite the weather forecast calling for rain (rain we definitely didn't need). We walked to the nearby Free Methodist Church to attend a worship service, but the service was in Creole and I couldn’t understand most of it. After a bit, we headed to Quisqueya Chapel. It’s a church where many Americans attend — and it’s all in English. While there, I ran into Sherri — a woman who runs Christian Light School. It was nice to see her because I’ve worked at her school during several of my trips to Haiti.  

After church we headed a little past the outskirts of PAP where Larry needed to deliver some things he brought from home for some friends. 

In all my trips to the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), I have never been to the beach! I was really hoping today’s schedule would allow for it … 

____________

WIll I make it to the beach? 

What happens on my way up the mountain on Monday?

Answers to these questions and more coming soon!  Tune in next time for Part II of the recap of my May 2016 Haiti trip!

If you’re not following my Instagram feed, go there now for photos and more. Sign up for my newsletter so you can get these stories delivered to your inbox when they're posted here on the blog.

—Kelby

I was not ready to leave Haiti

I enjoyed my time there and would have been content to stay longer!

While sitting at the airport in Port-au-Prince, looking at Facebook, I saw posts from home about the snow on the ground. It made it all the more tempting to simply sneak out of the airport and not get on my plane! 

But I ended up boarding the plane on Sunday and I started my trip home. I finally arrived at my house in Reed City about 7:30 Monday night. My phone came alive with texts and facebook messages welcoming me home. It has been such an encouragement to have your support in this endeavor.

The many comments on Facebook after transporting our little Boo Boo Friday night were such a blessing. I know that with your continued support and encouragement will help make my ministry in Haiti possible in the future!

I am sitting at work now and I have much to do as I move forward. I really need to put my trip into a complete story for you — with pictures.  Give me a couple days for that. (I’ll also give you an update on little Boo Boo as well.)

Until then,

Kelby

Stories from Haiti: 5-13

"I am in the back of an ambulance in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on my way to a small hospital to pick up a 26 week premature infant to transport to the NICU in Haiti. Please say a prayer for me."

"Well, I just got back to my guest house. What a night. I went and visited Hero Ambulance service yesterday as a possible place to help out in Haiti. I was messaging the director about some future possibilities. There was a pause in the conversation and then she came back with "I need your help".  She said she had to do a neonatal transport. Do without hesitation I said yes. She picked me up on the corner and we were off. A mom had delivered at 26 weeks. The baby was breathing on its own and needed to get to the NICU at the Children's Hospital.  When we arrived he was on oxygen and had an IV in place, which was surprising. The power went out right after we walked into the hospital.  We moved him to the cot and down to the ambulance. He was difficult to assess and care for on the bumpy roads while trying to keep him warm. Despite the horrible traffic and roads we got little baby Boo Boo (he hasn't been named yet so that's what we called him) there alive and doing fairly well.  Not sure what his long term outcome will be but he is in the place to give him the best chance!  Thank-You for all your comments, encouragement, and especially your prayers for me and little Boo Boo."

Still can't believe what happened last night! It’s hard to believe that the youngest patient of my career was in Haiti. Then, to top it off, there were reports of an earthquake last night. I didn't feel anything and I can't find it on any earthquake sites but who knows — just another night in EMS on a full moon ... Haitian style!

I will try to post an update from the airport tomorrow but be sure to watch for the complete story a few days after I get home.

Thanks again for all the support and encouragement you have provided.  It has truly been a blessing to me during this trip.

Humbled to serve,

— Kelby 

My days in Haiti have been good!

Today began when I couldn't sleep past 5:40 a.m.  Too much light. Too much noise. Too much to think about.

So, it’s hot, it’s only 8:00 a.m., and my deodorant is already failing me!

My driver tells me he doesn't think that we can leave town today as planned (I had an appointment at  Mission of Hope today). But then he tells me we have a flat tire anyway! So we shall see what happens!

I am really hoping to make it to Mission of Hope. They have a great ministry to the Haitian people and I think they could be a great fit for me. But we shall see what today holds.

I am also working on volunteering for a shift with Hero Ambulance on Saturday. I think it will be an incredible experience. They do local emergency care and they have a service which provides care to members all over the country.

Life is good and I love Haiti!!

(It's hard to believe I’m only here for two more days.)

—Kelby

Larry and Jayme just left for the airport

I’m all on my own in Haiti until Sunday!

(This should be a good time to help me improve my Creole. My driver speaks a little bit of English and I speak a little bit of Creole. So this should be interesting.) 

Everyone here at the guesthouse is wonderful and I know they will take good care of me.

I went up the mountain (finally) on Monday and Tuesday. What an experience! I can't possibly type about all of it on my phone — so you’ll have to wait for those stories until I return home. What I can say is this: it's a whole ‘nother world 3,000 feet above Port-au-Prince!

It's time to really buckle down and visit as many ministries and guesthouses as possible within the next couple days.

Please pray that things will go well and that these next four days will be very productive in my search to discover where I need to be.

Til next time.

Kelby

First Day of Life in Haiti

So far, things are good in Haiti! 

I arrived with Larry and Jayme — with no problems. We met Jayme’s friend — a police officer — at the airport, and we walked right through customs! Once outside the airport there was a change in plans and Larry and I got being picked up by a bishop for the Free Methodist Church. It was nice to have this little bit of unexpected, special treatment on our arrival.

Yesterday while we were out, we stopped by an organization called Rebuild Globally. They make shoes and sandals. Their project uses all local materials and all Haitian workers. The soles are made from the side walls of old car tires and the inside of the shoes are made from goat leather. The outer part of the shoe is a canvas material that’s made from recycled plastic pop bottles (really cool). They were very nice shoes and they’re made for school children to use with there uniforms.

We also got to stop by the guest house used by International Child Care Ministries.  It was a very nice location which could be a place of short-term lodging for my first couple months of full-time ministry.

On our way up the mountain to LaFond to do some work in a mountain village, we planned to stop by a university to learn about their nursing program  BUT, it's been raining all night and, on last report, many of the roads are either flooded or washed out. So, these plans are up in the air at this point. As a friend of mine on Haiti said, “you wake up and plan your day and by the time your feet hit the floor it's all changes.” So we shall see what this day holds.

Thank you, again, for your prayer support. The trip here was almost flawless. We are safe, I am healthy, and things are going fairly well considering how things go in Haiti!

Blessings on your day,
Kelby

Heading Out the Door

My bags are packed and I am about ready to head out the door! 

I am so excited to be able to share with you the latest in the journey of Kelby’s Kids. I will be leaving for a 10-day trip to Haiti on Thursday, May 5. 

On this trip I will be spending the majority of my time in Port-au-Prince. I'll be making a quick trip up to LaFond so I’ll get to see some countryside and get some fresh air.  They even say it’s high enough in the mountains it’s kind of cold. I am guessing it will be about perfect! 

Sadly, I won’t be doing very much medical work on this trip. The purpose of this trip is to make as many contacts as possible, and network with people who are currently working in a variety of ministries in Haiti. 

I will be looking at several organizations to look into their operations to help me determine the best ones to partner with on a full time basis. I'll also be looking for a place to stay during my first few months there. I need to determine the most-effective area to create a base of operations. 

These are all pretty big issues and I’m a little anxious about all of the details coming together. I sure would like to see a clear path as to where I’m meant to serve! I would appreciate your prayers as I seek out the places where I am being called to live and serve.

I am also making progress in the move towards incorporating Kelby’s Kids. I am mid-way in the process to become an official incorporated, 501(C)3, tax-exempt, non-profit organization. By the end of May I should be legally recognized as a non-profit organization by the IRS. That’ll allow folks like you to make charitable contributions to “Kelby’s Kids” and get a tax write-off for doing so. 

It’s almost hard to believe how much has come together in the last several months.  This dream that I have had for many years is becoming a reality. I am truly blessed to be able to share this journey with you — and for the support and encouragement you provide. 

As access to technology allows, I’ll attempt to send updates while I am in Haiti. And then I’ll I give an overview of the trip once I return to Michigan. You can follow along on the website and instagram (or, if you sign up for our email notifications, you can receive them as soon as they’re published).

Safety, good health, and God’s direction are always key prayer concerns as I work to be the hands and feet of Jesus to the children of Haiti. I’d appreciate your prayers. 

Thanks again for the part you play — and for praying for me as I’m on this trip.  

This is the time

I am excited to let you know that things are really ramping up and the time has come where you can get involved in Kelby’s Kids!

First and foremost I would ask for your prayers.

I have many big decisions coming up in the near future that will have long-reaching impacts on my ministry.

I ask that you would pray for me:

• for wisdom as I make decisions about incorporating as a 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry

• as I prepare for another trip to Haiti

• I’ll make wise decisions in determining the organizations I will partner with

• I’ll find a good place to live that can also be an effective “headquarters” for me to operate from

The next way that you can partner with this ministry is your financial support of the start-up process. I am currently looking for one-time gifts to cover the following start up costs:

• IRS fees for filing for 501(c)(3) status. Up to $900.00

• legal fees for filing required documents. Up to $3,000.00

• two more fact-finding trips to Haiti. About $1,200.00 each

There are two ways to give through this web site on the donation page. You may use Stripe or Paypal for online gifts by credit card. Or you may send checks to the address on the [donation page]. All of these funds will go to an independent bank account and used exclusively for receipted ministry expenses. (This details will change slightly when I have the official 501©(3) designation from the IRS.)

In the near future I will be sending out a mailing with complete information of how Kelby’s Kids started and where it is heading in the future. I will also be providing many options for ways to partner with Kelby’s Kids and to be involved in providing for the children that this ministry serves. If you would like to receive this mailing, subscribe here.

You’ll be given the option to give us your mailing address if you want to receive a paper copy of our first outreach. After the initial mailing, most information will be available exclusively by email or the website and Instagram account.

Thank you for your interest in and support of my ministry! It’s a tremendous encouragement to me as look to increase the effectiveness of my work with Kelby’s Kids!

That Ship Has Sailed

Well, it’s official. The maiden voyage of Kelby’s Kids is in the books!

I was able to return to Haiti on November 8th for 10 days. It felt great to go back!  

I worked in some medical clinics, I helped out in an orphanage, and was able to hold some babies! I was able to spend time finding new ministries, meeting new people, and seeing old friends.

My first stop was to Nehemiah Vision Ministries (NVM) in Chambon. They have a large, new clinic and provide most of the medical care in the area — seeing 40-60 patients a day, 5 days a week. They also have a school, malnutrition program, church, and they'll be expanding their medical services in the near future. Their ministry is a very valuable asset to the community.

I was able to travel to Dessalines to the Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage (EGO). They are doing a wonderful work with the children in their care and have a lot of cute babies that are always available to be loved on. EGO has a clinic and it’s open two days a week to serve the community.  I was able to work with Dr. Jim in the clinic one day while he was on a construction team from Canton, Mich.

The bearing’s been set and the sails hoisted! This was the first of several trips to find organizations to partner with as I transition toward full time work with Kelby’s Kids. 

It is my hope to be back in Haiti in the next couple months to continue the process. Thank you for your interest and support of my work as I work toward this calling.

–Kelby

(To give you a visual sense of why I have a heart and passion for Haiti, I’ve uploaded a few photos from the trip to my Instagram account. Be sure to follow me on Instagram for a photo journal of the ministry experiences of Kelby’s Kids.)

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ There’ll be so much to do when Kelby gets back to Port-au-Prince, the last thing we want him to worry about is if he’s got enough medicine and formula and supplies for his patients! ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ So, today, we're announcing a summer goal to raise $5,000 to Stock the Clinic!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ To kick things off, we have an anonymous matching donor who'll match up to $500 if we can raise $500 THIS WEEK! ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Go online now and donate to Kelby’s summer goals campaign. (Link in bio.) The first $500 in giving will be DOUBLED if you donate before midnight on July 4!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Let’s stock the clinic! Give today.

Here is a quick update from Kelby's Kids: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #missinghaiti #missingthelittleones #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Get caught up with the latest from Kelby's Kids during these unprecedented times were all experiencing at: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #onedayatatime #missingthelittleones #lessthan6feetfromcute #kelbyskids🇭🇹

I am going to miss these kids!! I'm back in Michigan. After my flight was canceled I wasn't sure if I should stay in Haiti for all of this or come back to Michigan. It was a very difficult decision to leave. I know that no matter where I am, I will wish I was in the opposite place as things continue to unfold. I was able to get a repatriation flight back into the U.S. Please continue to pray for Haiti as things continue to unfold with COVID-19. It's difficult when you have family in 2 different countries during a crisis like this. #prayforhaiti #missingthelittleones #stopthespread #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Get the latest on what happening with Kelby's Kids in Haiti during this world crisis with my latest update at: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #stuckonthisisland #stilllovingpeople #careingforthelittleones #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Find the story on this cute little peanut and many more with the latest update from Kelby's Kids at: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #soprecious #miracleoflife #lovingonlittleones #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Find out what made this patient unique at the maternity clinic. Also see the many of new babies that have been born through the program in the latest update "New Year and New Life" at: http://www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #lotsofnewbabies #lovingonlittleones #kelbyskids🇭🇹

A year end gift? Often time people think that things aren't expensive in a 3rd world country... I seen this box in the store before I left and then again here in Michigan and thought it was a good reminder. As you can see this box is $3.64 here. In Haiti it was $1,325.00 HTG or $14.72 USD. That is more than 4 times as much. If you would like to support the work of Kelby's Kids with a year end gift go to: www.kelbyskids.org/support For more information. #idontbuyfruitloops #start2020strong #savinglives #kelbyskids🇭🇹

Merry Christmas from Kelby's Kids! The latest update is at: www.kelbyskids.org/blog/ #blessingsatchristmas #kelbyskids🇭🇹

WILL YOU LOOK FOR ME?? If you use bill pay or mailed a check in the last several weeks please check your account and be sure your donations to help this little angel are still being processed. We are realizing a lot of mail was returned during the time the post office accidentally closed our P.O. Box. Assure your financial institutions the problem has been corrected and donations can still be sent to: Kelby's Kids P.O. Box 57 Reed City, MI 49677-0057 #thankyou #helpherthrive #youmakeadifference #kelbyskids🇭🇹