Vwazen Nou is a faith-based organization dedicated

to excellent, Christ-centered healthcare in Haiti. Our

organization has trained and equipped twenty-two

Haitians to provide free, basic health care for

chronically ill patients in their community.

Additionally, Vwazen Nou is supports a feeding

program that provides over 160 schoolchildren with

daily meal, the result of which is the prevention and treatment of many illness related to

malnourishment. Vwazen Nou has partnered with Partners in Health, Doctors without Borders ,

Family Health Ministries , Pro-Famil, and the Grace Network of Churches to provide services in

and around Port-au-Prince. Vwazen Nou

does not solicit donations in Virginia, but

any donations received are tax-deductible.

Correspondence may be sent to

Vwazen Nou, c/o Drew and Katie

Thach, 109B Hammond St.,

Charlottesville, VA 22903.

For more information, please e-mail VwazenNou@gmail.com. Anna Butt has made serving the

Hatian people her life's work. In particular her specialty has been in the care and training of local

health workers, and empowering Hatian communities to assume the medical care of one

another. On the afternoon of the earthquake, Anna and her companion Sarah were at the church

with the health workers for a training meeting. Sarah had just finished teaching on Post

Traumatic Stress Disorder when the shaking began. Everyone ran into the courtyard and

managed to avoid serious injury as parts of the building fell around them. The cement roof over

the new sanctuary swayed back and forth but did not fall. As injured people poured into the

courtyard throughout the evneing and night, Anna, Sarah and the health workers treated injuries

using the meager bags of medicines that were given to the health workers at the end of last

week’s clinics. Anna used the light from her PDA as a flashlight. About 150 people spent the

night in the courtyard, treating wounds, singing hymns and praying. All of the health workers

were present and survived, with the exception of Danard (Saniva’s husband).


A letter from Anna:

Hello dear friends, family and those who I probably do not know, but who have cared and prayed for Haiti, Sarah, and I. I wanted to add on a bit to what Meredith has written. Thank you Meredith for keeping everyone up to date on how to pray an mourn. First, thank you for your love and prayers. It is through them that I stand here today. As I’ve witnessed suffering and tragedy through events like this earthquake, working in the PICU with suffering children and families, chaos in Nepal, and all the other symptoms of this broken world that weave their way through life, I’ve come to find that there is only comfort in the reality that God was, God is, and He is to come. He is the Word made flesh, Emmanuel. He is living among the Haitians and they have, DO and will know His goodness, even in the most tragic of times. As the injured poured into the church courtyard after the initial quake, our church members who were present maintained a steady stream of praise through song and prayer. I thought much of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It seems counter-intuitive to thank God when you’re on the bring of death, but He IS good and His love DOES endure forever, and that is worth praising no matter the circumstance. Because of your prayers and love, we knew the peace and grace of God. I would be amiss to not acknowledge the fear and depth of pain we all experienced and continue to experience. I still feel like the world is trembling beneath my feet. I still imagine Pastor Bienne being crushed by his home, and I hear the wailing of Saniva as she came back with news that the building Dane (her husband) had been in was flattened to the ground. Seared in my brain is the image of turning the corner to Se Tata’s house and not being able to see her roof, and then seeing three stories flattened into one. Sarah and I mourned for the days of our evacuation and will continue to, but we mourn with the hope of the reality of our Savior, God made flesh, Emmanuel being among and rescuing our friends each day. Some things that I want to rejoice over:
* Our supplies to care for the community were in no way meager — Jessica Pritchard had been collecting free supplies from UVA hospital and we had just finished preparing 22 bags of first-aide supplies to give to the (Haitian) health care workers the next day. We were able to immediately hand them out after the quake and care for many, many critically wounded community members.

* This was the only day I had put in my computer, PDA, and first-aid kit in my backpack. (Note: Anna was able to use the light from her PDA as a flashlight.)

* The quake happened at 4:55 PM. If in the middle of the night, the death toll would have been over twice as high and we would have died.

* Ricardo was by Sarah’s and my side the whole time and shielded our bodies as the quake occured.

* We had sweet time with the L’Amerique family all Sunday afternoon. The Haitians and especially Pastor Bienne and Se Tata had been specifically praying for a Godly spouse for me and had asked for it for 2010! They both got to be a part of my engagement to Patrick and the celebration surrounding it.

There is so much more, and I look forward to sharing the details as time allows. I wanted to close with two passages that were given by Se Tata and Pastor Bienne. In Se Tata’s last prayer service, she taught on Psalm 40:17. The French (version) says that “God thought of me.” We have all been “thought upon” by God; chosen, loved and raised up for a purpose. Bienne preached at the New Year service the most powerful sermon I’ve heard from him on Jeremiah 10:23. He focused on the reality that we cannot and should not direct our own lives. It is God who is in control, and as we submit our lives to Him, He will transform us and this can transform nations. I propose that the best way we can love the Lord and love our Haitian family is to live 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. Through this I am confident that God will meet His people. Love and peace to you all, Anna

USAID map of the quake
USAID factsheet

Podcasts related to Haiti:
Progress and Obstacles
Devastation Emerges
Haiti Relief Efforts One Week After Quake