Amid violence, Grace Children’s Hospital, one of the ministry partners supported through the Gardens of Hope campaign, is performing miracles in Haiti’s capital.
FAITH GREEN TIMMONS
Michigan Conference Communications
In recent years, over 19 hospitals in Haiti have been forced to close, leaving open only two to serve the urgent needs of people throughout that beleaguered island nation. The closure of these hospitals has had a devastating impact on the community, with many people left without access to essential healthcare services. New details, in and out of the country, are so scant as you read this, there may be only one medical facility in operation, one funded and supported by United Methodists throughout the denomination.
“It’s been difficult, but, amazingly, we have been able to remain open,” said Len Middleton. He is the treasurer of Grace Children’s Hospital (formerly known as International Child Care), which is an Advance project under the General Board of Global Ministries.
Grace Children’s Hospital is also one of the ministry partners receiving support from the Michigan Conference’s Gardens of Hope initiative, which aims to raise $200,000 to support life-changing ministries in Haiti that plant seeds of hope for a better future.
Watch this video to learn more about Grace Children’s Hospital and the Gardens of Hope campaign.
Never has Middleton’s statement been more accurate. As of this week, federal cuts here in the United States are threatening to permanently close another nonprofit medical provider within weeks. “We are still treating the children,” Middleton explained, “and it’s been difficult getting supplies in and out, given how the violence is affecting flights, but giving through the Gardens of Hope campaign is one way we’re able to get resources to Grace Children’s Hospital in Haiti.”
This Advance project is among the first and oldest, demonstrating The United Methodist Church’s longstanding commitment to this critical endeavor. Grace Children’s Hospital was founded in 1967 by a United Methodist couple. The hearts of James and Virginia Snavley went out to the children they met, many of whom were suffering from tuberculosis. Their loving efforts to treat illness and meet needs have since grown into a significant ministry with deep ties to The United Methodist Church.
As health needs have transitioned, their organization has expanded, treating HIV/AIDS, other serious illnesses, and severe injuries. One of the reasons the facility and staff have survived the current crisis relatively unscathed may be due to the number of Haitian adults born in the hospital, along with the fact that the hospital’s only focus is on treating the children brought to them, not engaging in the conflict.
Much like human trafficking, conscription into violent groups is often forced. Governmental collapse created a power void and political vacuum that armed gangs are attempting to fill. They are capitalizing on the opportunity to recruit and use children in dangerous roles such as lookouts, couriers, and laborers. These children are often threatened with devastating consequences if they refuse to comply. That adds to the already severe economic, ecological, political, and social challenges that the deeply impoverished nation has faced for decades.
Fear of retribution if they resist is a bond shared by many young people. Another commonality is their experience of being cared for by Grace Children’s Hospital at some point in their lives. That fact, along with the prayers of the faithful, may explain why this United Methodist-related health ministry remains relatively untouched by the destruction that surrounds it, even as ongoing attacks cripple Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. In devastating news, the only other area hospital was destroyed, and a new wing, which the unrelated facility attempted to add, was burned to the ground.
Alarmingly, at a time when the state of the region is widely reported to be robbing children and families of any semblance of security, Grace Children’s Hospital lacks one of the most basic diagnostic tools needed, an X-ray machine. Sadly, the hospital has little way of confirming injuries like broken bones or certain illnesses.
“Grace needs a portable X-ray machine that would be about $140,000. We can also use funding for medical supplies and have a way to get them into Haiti,” said Middleton. “Giving to the Gardens of Hope campaign will help us get the equipment and medical supplies to support the work of the doctors and nurses who are treating the children. We hear the population has left Port-au-Prince for the countryside, and our Community Health Clinics are seeing more patients, but the information is not easily tracked like at the hospital,” he explained.
What Grace Children’s Hospital is accomplishing daily is nothing short of miraculous. With a skeleton crew consisting of a small staff and a few pediatricians, they are seeing an average of 2,300 new patients a month, treating roughly 7,000 people per month in the outpatient clinic, administering over 10,000 lab tests every 30 days, and consistently treating over 1,300 kids infected with HIV/AIDS, while immunizing over 1,000 children. This is all made possible by the consistent giving and support of local churches in The United Methodist Church, and your contribution, no matter how small, can make a significant difference.
Give now to the Gardens of Hope campaign to support Grace Children’s Hospital.
Before the current crisis in Port-au-Prince, Grace Children’s Hospital saw about 200,000 patients annually. The present violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of children and their families, creating insurmountable challenges that stand between them and efforts to obtain treatment. Many have vacated the area, venturing to overcrowded sites with inadequate access to food, clean water, and healthcare. The hospital’s work is more crucial than ever, and it urgently needs your support to keep its mission alive.
A true testament to the life-giving impact of Grace Children’s Hospital is that government officials renamed the commercial district, historically known as Lower Dolmas. People now refer to this urban extension of Port-au-Prince using the medical center’s acronym, GCH. The area once functioned as a critical economic and transportation corridor with vibrant markets and businesses. Today, little of its diverse neighborhoods, which once ranged from working-class to middle-income, remain — except for the hospital itself. It seems needed now more than ever.
“Please pray for the health and safety of our staff at Grace,” said Middleton, “They are truly amazing!”