February 2011

Returning from a recent trip to Haiti, I reflect on both the Haitian resilience and the uphill battle that lies ahead. A year after the devastating earthquake that shattered so many lives and shook this already troubled country, it still is hard to look at the rubble, collapsed buildings and tent camps. The images of an area so totally and horrifically destroyed are difficult to see and describe, even a year later. 

As my aircraft approached Port Au Prince I felt a sudden sadness. My last trip to Haiti was before the earthquake, and I didn’t know if I was prepared for the devastation and the impact on people’s lives. As we filed into the immigration hall, however, a cheery Haitian band was playing. The Haitian spirit is alive and well, though the subsequent drive through town to the CBM office showed the first taste of the grimness of the situation.  

The earthquake itself killed about 230,000 people, left about 300,000 with disabling conditions and displaced millions. It decimated government agencies and services.  Then the cholera epidemic struck, which has killed more than 3,000 people and, more recently, the government elections were disputed and political riots erupted. It’s just one thing after another. 

I wonder when the Haitians will ever get a break. They’ve experienced much despair and destruction. The government, local and international organizations are trying hard to make progress, and CBM is supporting an incredible array of work. 

Despite the tragedies they have encountered, the Haitians are wonderful people with great spirits. There are thousands of local people working hard under stressful situations with little resources to do what they can to put their country back together and to help their fellow citizens. The local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), many of which were destroyed and had to rebuild themselves after the quake, have continued to provide services for children and adults with disabilities. 

The CBM-country coordinating office is doing a fantastic job providing support to partners on the ground and helping Haitians make great strides under difficult situations. CBM’s office in Haiti is staffed with an excellent team of individuals. It is, as always, a pleasure to meet the competent and caring people that make up our expatriate and local staff in our different offices around the world.   

Following the initial emergency response phase, CBM and its partners formulated a strategic plan for moving from the relief stage to development and working to make sure that plans and projects will lead toward good redevelopment in Haiti, specifically for people with disabilities. CBM’s focus turned to five core areas:  health care, inclusive education and child protection, advocacy and accessibility, Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) and disaster preparedness. 

Out of the rubble, Haiti can become a better place than it was before the quake. We are helping that happen by working closely with numerous Haitian Disabled People Organizations (DPOs) and the State Secretariat for the Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities on an advocacy project to advise and ensure that rebuilding efforts are accessible to people with disabilities. For example, while in Haiti I attended an education workshop that brought together government officials, special education and regular education agencies, the Disabled People’s Federation, and other partners to map out a viable plan to ensure that children with disabilities go to school. 

CBM also is working directly with our partners to ensure that the needs of children and adults with disabilities are met through medical services, rehabilitation services, education and child friendly spaces in slums and tent camps. A year later, more than 1 million Haitians remain displaced as a result of the earthquake. 

Life was difficult in Haiti before the earthquake and it is more difficult now…many children lost one or both of their parents, people with disabilities are neglected then are often forgotten about, tens of thousands of people injured during the earthquake face a long road to recovery, and many have become disabled due to the lack of proper healthcare following their injuries. 

Returning to the United States from my recent trip to Haiti, I am still troubled by all that remains to be done. Millions are still displaced; more than 90 percent of the rubble still needs to be cleared, and basic services still need to be restored.  However, I am hopeful at the progress that has been made. I am hopeful of the  commitment of so many people and organizations to transform Haiti into an inclusive society--where all people have equal rights and are empowered to improve the lives of their families and communities, including people with disabilities.  

Together with our Haitian partners we are working hard. Your support and partnership is critical to the ongoing progress in Haiti and in other troubled areas around the world. 

CBM is committed to Haiti for the long-term. We have been in Haiti for more than 30 years, and we will be there for the years to come to support persons with disabilities, making sure their needs are met and ensuring their voices are heard in decision making about Haiti’s future. 

 By: Karen Heinicke-Mostch, Director of International Programs for CBM-US

February 2011

In the days following last month’s devastating earthquake in Haiti, one could not help but be overwhelmed with sadness. Images of broken bodies, ruined homes, and shattered lives covered our television screens. I must admit that even though I am a man of faith, I couldn’t help but ask the question “why?” How could something this terrible happen to a country already plagued by suffering?

You see, I believe that God’s love is a powerful, all-encompassing love. He performs miracles each and every day. And though the situation in Haiti is devastating, that’s exactly what He continues to do—perform miracles.

Unbelievable compassion and generosity has poured in from CBM friends around the world allowing us to serve those in critical need of help. CBM was in Haiti in the days right after the earthquake, providing for victims’ immediate needs. But our work didn’t end there. Now, over a month later, our work is really just beginning.

One group of people in particular need of help is children. In fact, experts estimate that 50% of those injured in the earthquake are children. Like me, I know you’ve seen the disturbing reports of the increasing problem of child trafficking Haiti. Amid the chaos in this country, children are more vulnerable than ever before.

The sad truth of the matter is that children with disabilities—both those with pre-existing disabilities and those with new disabilities as a result of the earthquake—are even more at risk. 

That’s why I’m so proud of the work CBM is doing in Haiti. With long-time partner in Haiti, Centre d’Education Specialise, and ChildFund, an organization with extensive experience in creating child-centered spaces during emergencies, CBM-US is leading a project to create 10 child daycare centers for vulnerable children. These centers will target 10 affected communities in the capital of Port-au-Prince and will enroll 1200 children with disabilities and injuries. Here, children will have a safe place to stay and will receive education, rehabilitation, and psychosocial support. 

These daycare centers are much-needed for children with disabilities, but they also provide an additional benefit to their mothers as well. Just the knowledge that their children are in a safe place is a true blessing for these mothers. Now, they are free to look for work, finding ways to earn livelihood and slowly piece their lives back together.

CBM will work closely with the Haiti Ministry of Health and other government agencies to assure the children’s whereabouts are known, keep their parents involved, and make sure the children don’t fall into the wrong hands. Through our medical assistance, counseling, coordination with appropriate government agencies, and rehabilitation we hope the children will be able to pursue rich, full lives.

I hope that you’ll continue to join with us in praying for all of those affected by this unimaginable tragedy. I also hope that you will follow our progress in the months ahead. There is much to do, but I know that through your continued partnership we can make a real difference for the people of Haiti.

 

 

January 2011

Over Christmas, I was blessed to be able to spend time with my children and grandchildren, time that is invaluable to me especially in today’s increasingly hectic world. I was also able to indulge in one of my favorite past times—basketball. As anyone who knows me can tell you, I am an avid basketball fan. Perhaps it stems from my Kentucky roots. Having come from a state where college basketball rivalries are the number-one topic of conversation, I naturally have a love of the sport. And though basketball is entertaining to watch, the sport also provides some valuable lessons on leadership and teamwork—lessons that are applicable in the larger world around us. The late great UCLA basketball coach John Wooden once said, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” I can’t help but think that this statement is especially true of CBM’s (Christian Blind Mission) outreach to the most vulnerable group in the world—people with disabilities living in dire poverty—especially our work in Haiti.

            For more than 100 years, CBM has changed the lives of people with disabilities in the poorest countries of the world because of our donors’ belief in us and our mission. Despite the ever fluctuating economy, our donors have continued to unselfishly extend their generosity and compassion. Because of this, 10 million people have received sight-restoring cataract surgery with millions more—mothers, fathers, children, grandchildren—directly benefitting. Families living in 99 countries worldwide have been given a chance to start a business, to grow, sell and store food, to keep their children safe from disease and malnutrition (and the disability that they bring). And, in one year of service alone, CBM donors make it possible for millions of people to walk, see, hear, or live full, productive lives. That’s pretty incredible, isn’t it?

Yet in addition to these services, CBM donors have also extended their support to help people with disabilities in the wake of devastating natural disasters like last year’s earthquake in Haiti and flooding in Pakistan. Since the earthquake struck in January of 2010, CBM and its partners have worked to not just rebuild Haiti, but to continue making it a stronger, more sustainable society where people with disabilities are fully included. We’ve assisted more than 63,000 survivors, many of whom suffered debilitating injuries that could have led to life-long disabilities if not for the intervention of CBM Haiti staff. With our partners, we’ve faced enormous challenges including the overall lack of infrastructure, political instability, the cholera outbreak, and the riots after the recent elections. But despite these challenges, CBM remains committed, just as it has for over 30 years, to building capacity and long-term sustainability in Haiti.

            That’s where I find Wooden’s quote so profound in relation to CBM’s work. Long after the cameras have gone, we remain in Haiti, quietly determined to ensure that people with disabilities receive the support they need. Even though there has been some recent criticism from the international community and from locals in Haiti that non-profit organizations have been slow to spend money to help, CBM is committed to wise investment. We do not spend our donors’ contributions unless we are confident that the funds are going toward a project with measurable impact and long-term benefits. From building a school for children with disabilities to lessening the spread of cholera in Haiti, every life we touch is possible because of our donors’ generosity.

            As we look toward the new year ahead, my promise to our donors is that CBM will remain a vigilant steward of your trust. We will continually evaluate our projects to ensure that they are making the greatest impact for those people most in need. Thank you for the lives you’ve touched. I look forward to what we will accomplish together in 2011.

May you experience God’s richest blessings.  

July 2010

Every year, CBM compiles a comprehensive report of achievements from the previous 12 months. This year, as I read through this lengthy document, I could not help but be immensely proud of our work. In light of last year’s recession and financial uncertainty, we were challenged with the seemingly insurmountable task of providing critical services to more than 23.7 million people—a substantial increase from 2008. Yet despite the bad economic times facing our country last year, which resulted in lower income for CBM, we did not have to make the difficult decision to stop funding critical projects in the developing world. This was truly an amazing accomplishment—an accomplishment made possible through the ongoing generous support of investors like you, coupled with a short-term reduction in some of our own key infrastructure expenses, such as not filling open staff positions. Among our many successes in 2009 are:

· +920,000 eye operations were performed.

· +380,000 people received Vitamin A tablets.

· +1.1 million eyeglasses were dispensed.

· +165,000 people were enrolled in empowerment activities including self-help groups

· +64,000 children were enrolled in education programs.

· +675,000 people have had their sight restored through a cataract operation.

· +480,000 received medical treatment for hearing problems.

· +17,000 hearing aids were distributed.

· +96,000 people received support through CBM’s Community Mental Health programs.

· +66,000 people benefited from vocational training and employment programs.

· +2,600 doctors and more than 3,100 nurses/assistants received critical medical training.

· +16,000 teachers learned how to fully include children with disabilities in the classroom.

When we look at these statistics, we must not forget that behind these numbers are real people—men, women, and children who desperately need our help. Children like Hans.

Tucked deep inside the vast slums of northern Lima, Peru, amid endless rows of ramshackle houses, filth and trash, Hans lives with his family. Born with Cerebral Palsy, or CP, a group of chronic conditions affecting body movement, muscle coordination, and often mental capacity, Hans spent most of his days in isolation, lying in a simple plastic tub watching.

Having a child with a disability makes life for families already existing in extreme conditions of poverty even more difficult. With few resources, Hans’ parents did not know what to do to help him. The harsh truth is that people living with disabilities in the poorest countries of the world have little access to rehabilitation and other services. In fact, 98 percent of children with disabilities in the developing world do not attend school. The mortality rate for these children under the age of 5—like Hans—is as high as 80 percent.

Yet in just a short amount of time, Hans’ life has completely transformed. One of CBM’s Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers found him and began at-home physical therapy sessions. She enrolled him in a local preschool, and with the assistance of a special chair provided by CBM, Hans now sits upright at the table with the other school children. This child, who could once do little more than lie on the floor, now is considered the brightest in his class.

Hans is one of the more than 23 million people with disabilities annually whose lives have been changed for the better thanks to the generous gifts of CBM supporters. I’d like to ask you to take a few moments to review what we accomplished this year (LINK). Here, you’ll find other inspiring stories and view real evidence of the monumental impact your investment with CBM can make.

 

 

 May 2010

Special Guest Blog from Loretta Dodgen, Chairman of the Board, CBM. In February, Dodgen traveled to CBM project sites in Peru with CBM-US CEO Ron Nabors.

Before I traveled to Peru this past February, I had a heart for CBM and our vital work with the most vulnerable group of people in the world. However, it wasn’t until I visited these projects in person that I truly grasped the profound impact CBM—through donor investments—makes on lives and the breadth of the services we provide. My experience wasn’t just about people with disabilities, however, it was about CBM workers – people who have given their lives to provide support and encouragement to those who are less fortunate. Seeing their commitment and dedication was a life-altering experience for me. I was overwhelmed.

In the slums of Lima, Peru, where hundreds of thousands of families live in crushing poverty, CBM ministers to those with disabilities. In an area without running water, life is unimaginably difficult. Yet for families who have disabled children, life is more than difficult—it’s heartbreaking. Our first stop in Lima was to the home of Maria Jesus. Her father works hard to earn about $46 a week and spends almost 10 percent of his earnings on purchasing safe drinking water for the family. To make their already difficult existence even harder, their young daughter, Maria Jesus, suffers from cerebral palsy low vision, and epilepsy. With barely enough resources to provide food and shelter, Maria Jesus’ parents desperately wanted to help her, but did not know how. They feared Maria Jesus would spend her days in darkness and isolation, refusing physical touch.

However, thanks to intervention from CBM Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers, Maria Jesus’ life has been completely transformed. These amazing workers have provided therapy and sensory stimulation for the little girl who now loves to be held and is learning and thriving. What’s more, Maria Jesus’ parents also have found support. Her mother attends a local support group for mothers of children with disabilities and feels more confident in caring for her daughter as a result. I felt so blessed to have spent time with this family. To see this type of transformation first hand was a true testament of CBM’s life-changing work.

In addition to helping the individual, our CBR workers and international staff make an even greater impact by helping to change entire communities. Working hand in hand with local Disabled Persons Organizations (DPOs) as well as local governments, they ensure the full inclusion of people with disabilities into communities and societies. I’m both inspired and proud of the incredible dedication of our CBR workers who often travel miles away from home to serve people with disabilities living in remote communities. At times, they work in situations where their own lives are at risk, yet they go to work every day, and they go joyfully. That’s powerful work that brings about powerful change.

Now, as I lead CBM’s Board of Directors, I have taken some of the resilience and determination that I witnessed in Peru and am using it to help enhance awareness of this important organization so that we can continue to reach those who are most in need. It’s not an easy task. In fact, it’s one that requires a significant amount of determination and prayer. We as Americans are bombarded by images of suffering both within our own country and overseas. I know that these are all important causes. Yet when I’m asked why I choose to spend my time working with an organization that focuses its resources overseas, my answer is simple: in the United States, even the poorest can find access to services needed. But for people with disabilities living in the poorest countries of the world, help is nonexistent. They literally have nowhere else to turn. We have a responsibility as Christians and as citizens of the world not to ignore them. Please join in my quest to help.