While the news in Haiti flooded with updates, both tragic and optimistic, many of us feel removed: you go to school, you work, you have a family, and you have obligations. What on earth could you possibly do?
Sarah Wimmer, a young woman and paramedic from Arizona, is giving us all a very hands-on tutorial in giving and love with her relief efforts in Haiti. (Sarah Wimmer pictured below, top left.)
The 7.0 quake on January 12th and its whopping 28 aftershocks have leveled the city of Port-au-Prince and left no running water or electricity—this much is widely known. Not spoken of largely, however, are the conditions that the locals are faced with and the challenges that face those who are coming from across the globe to help.
| "Sarah Wimmer, a paramedic from Arizona, said that [a child who she is helping to care for,] Mystil’s wound was healing well, and that he was receiving some physical and emotional therapy. When his stitches are removed, he will be sent home to his parents, who are living outside their cracked house, but he will be considered an outpatient, Ms. Wimmer said."—NY Times article featuring Wimmer |
When Sarah arrived in Port-au-Prince, there was not only no water or sterile conditions to care for civilians, but also only access to very primitive means of surgical procedure—hacksaws and alcohol were common in surgical prep, and regardless of degree of expertise, many were not prepared for the hardships these people are forced to endure. Sarah left with the Transformational Development Agency Wednesday, January 20th, with the blessing of her family, employer and friends.
Sarah boldly took a stand for the people of Haiti: she requested and was granted time off for her noble journey, and with a team of fifty doctors and nurses, this Arizona paramedic dove headfirst into the mission to bring hope to the Haitians.
Working with an orphanage (Harvest Missions/New Life), which helped children even before the earthquake, Sarah is caring for and restoring to health children of Haiti’s devastation.
“Our clinic of 20 kiddos is a "post op" of sorts for the Miami University UN Hospital at the airport.” says Sarah in recent correspondence home. “[We’re helping] orphans and the families that do not have a place to go, but still require medical care. I have a burn baby now, and have seen 2 1/2 year-olds with amputated limbs and fingers, femur fractures and broken arms.” Sarah knows there’s still much work to be done, and prays that she will be kept where she is most needed.
Sarah returned home this week to Arizona, but is making preparations to return and stay for possibly an entire year. Sarah is This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to help continue her work in Haiti; in part from the help of readers such as yourself.
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