Dear friends,

Leogane, Haiti is another town that was devastated in the earthquake this past week, and is also the site of the Notre Dame Haiti program for the elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis. I had the opportunity to visit Leogane during my time working for the program and also with a group from Pitt med school who travelled to Haiti over spring break of our first year. I have recently received an e-mail from a friend named Precene who is in Leogane which said "Dear friends, After that tragedy, we can say that Leogane is destroyed about 90%. For now we have many problems. Wedon't have potable water, no food. No schools, all churches are gone. We have nothing. I am living in a camp with about 1000 people, we have onely some scheet. Please do things for us!"

I have since found out Dr. Ralph Pennino, chief of plastic surgery at Rochester General Hospital in Rochester, NY is heading to Leogane, Haiti this coming Wednesday. Dr. Pennino runs a non-profit called InterVol with the mission of "serving others through the recovery and redistribution of medical supplies and equipment; bridging local hospitals and medical professionals with other countries and care-giving organizations in areas of need; and providing international educational support." As you can read in Dr. Pennino's email below, InterVol has had a benefactor donate the use of their 2 corporate jets to ferry medical supplies and personnel to Santa Domingo. From there the US Southern Command has agreed to bring them to Leogane.

I contacted Dr. Pennino to see what medical supply needs he may have and if he is accepting donations. The answer is a resounding yes, and he sent me a list of the supplies he is in most need of for the airlift. I just wanted to pass on his message to those in the medical profession and others who might be interested in what he's doing. For anyone who might be interested in donating supplies, his first airlift will leave the states this coming Wednesday, but as he explains in his message, they are starting to fill 40 ft. shipping containers that will go out when the ports are open, so supplies can be collected on an ongoing basis. I have attached the list of supplies as an excel document, and also have copied the list directly into the message below as well.

Dr. Pennino is also recruiting volunteer doctors, nurses, allied medical personnel to work on the USS Comfort. The commitment would be for two weeks. All types of docs/nurses are requested. Also, ideally looking for teams of surgeons and OR nurses who have worked together as well.

You can read his email below for more information, and can also contact him directly by email at ralph.pennino@rochestergeneral.org.


Also, please feel free to share this information with anyone you would like to share it with.


sincerely,
nicole shirilla
Univ. of Pittsburgh MS-III


(You can see a video that was aired on CNN about relief efforts in Leogane here. Also, ABC news did a story about Fr. Rick and St. Damien's Children's Hospital in Port au Prince. Video here.)


Medical Supplies Needed

Bandages to include:
Bandaids
Gauze
Kling/Kerlex
Ace Wrap
Antibiotic ointment
Hydrogen Peroxide
Alcohol wipes
Hydrogen Peroxide
AdhesiveTape/OR Other Tapes
Hand Santitizer

Other:
Sterile Gloves
Unsterile Gloves
Drapes
Gowns
IV Solutions
IV Tubing
Angio catheters all sizes
Central Line Kits

Medications:
Antibiotics
Analgesics Tylenol/ Advil
Sedatives
Benadryl
Local Anesthetics
Antiemetics
Anit Diarrheal
Splinting/Casting
Splints
Casting material
Slings
Other:
Baby Bottles
Formula
Infant Rehydration (Pedialyte)
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Feminine hygiene supplies
Water purification tablets

helping fr. rick

Dear friends,

Some of you have asked how you can help support Fr. Rick Frechette directly.

I sent him an email asking him what is the best way, and heard back from Robin Schwartz, the home correspondent for the children's hospital and the organization that supportss it, NPFS ) that the best way to get money directly to Fr. Rick is:

1) through his "Compassion Weavers" website via the "paypal" link at www.compassionweavers.com

2) By check payable to "St. Paul's Benevolent Institute" and sent to :

Fr Richard Frechette CP
8980 SW 56th St.
Miami, FL 33165

NBC had a story about St. Damien's children's hospital last night.

Keep praying,

love,
nicole

Please, please pray for the people of Haiti

Many of you have heard about Fr. Rick Frechette in Haiti... this is an update from Friends of the Orphans regarding their programs and sites in and near Port au Prince:

Full article and way to donate to relief efforts can be found here.

On Tuesday, January 12 at 4:53:09 PM (EST) a 7.3 magnitude earthquake hit 10 miles Southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Supported by Friends of the Orphans, Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos/Nos Petit Frères et Soeurs (NPH/NPFS, Spanish and French for "Our Little Brothers and Sisters") has many programs in Haiti. The St. Damien hospital in Tabarre, (15 miles northeast of the epicenter) is not the hospital that has reportedly collapsed but the perimeter walls of the hospital, neighbor Kay Germaine complex and neighboring St. Francisville center perimeter walls have all collapsed. Also all of the walls in the hospital are cracked resulting in major structural damage and minor injuries.

We are waiting for confirmation regarding the Fr. Wasson Center in Petionville and there are several people on their way to assess the situation. Unfortunately all the phone lines are busy which makes communication more difficult.

We have no news from the St. Helen orphanage in Kenscoff, (11 miles east of the epicenter) which is located at an altitude of 6,600 feet. More than 350 children live at this location.

We will post information as we receive it. Please pray for our NPFS family and the team that is en route to Haiti.




Here are two videos I wanted to share-- the first about the work of Fr. Rick Frechette, and the second about the children's hospital that he founded, St. Damien's.

advent thoughts from the sisters of life

I recentely received this Advent meditation from the Sisters of Life, and wanted to share it with all of you. Hope you have a blessed day today!


During Advent, in contemplation of Christ’s entrance into the world, one finds light in many unexpected and hidden places. The extraordinary is clothed with the ordinary, full of the mystery of the light that is Christ. We begin with the Holy Spirit, who will always point the way to Christ. We begin with a quote from Cardinal O’Connor, who spoke so beautifully of The Holy Spirit, Our Lady and the mystery of the Incarnation.

“The first Pentecost took place within Mary and the result of the first Pentecost was the conception of Christ in the womb.”

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you. The child to be born will be called the Son of God.” When Mary accepted Gabriel’s message with her “yes”, she received the Holy Spirit, and this moment, the first Pentecost, was the moment of the Incarnation. From that moment, when she received the Holy Spirit and Jesus Incarnate, she would see everything in light of Christ. Cardinal O’Connor continues, moving from Pentecost Sunday to the time of the Annunciation…

“So when we find them on Pentecost Sunday they’re still locked together in an upper room. It’s not until the Holy Spirit comes down upon them that they receive the courage and strength the fortitude, the perseverance and interestingly we are told in confirmation, in the sacrament of confirmation, the gift of reverence. That’s the gift that Mary received when the Holy Spirit came upon her. Henceforth nothing would again be casual or small. Everything with light invested overspilled with terror and divinity. So the apostles received that same gift of reverence…”

The Sisters of Life wear a medal of the Madonna of the Streets. On the back of the medal is inscribed the words “and nothing would again be casual or small,” a line from a poem by Father John Duffy on the Annunciation, The words speak of the moment that Christ came into the world and changed everything! He is the light that shines in the darkness!

“Once Mary conceived the Word beneath her heart, she comes to recognize as never before that not one thing had its being but through Him…nothing will ever again be casual or small, but everything with light invested…”

This mystery is meant to be carried out in us, the mystical Body of Christ. As Mary and the Apostles received the Holy Spirit, we can call on the same Holy Spirit to enlighten us and show us Jesus, growing in our hearts. We can utter our “fiats” many times through the day and His light will grow within us until we become so transparent that His light bursts through and touches the lives of those we meet. We nurture Him within us through prayer, little sacrifices, and especially through gratitude. When we receive Christ in the Eucharist, we carry him ‘beneath our hearts’ just as Our Blessed Mother carried Christ beneath her heart. By regularly receiving the sacraments, especially the sacrament of the Eucharist, we are strengthened and we come to see with the eyes of Christ, with His heart. The extraordinary is found in the ordinary.

What a wonderful season is Advent, the expectation, the silence, the growth. May we all be touched by the Holy Spirit and come to see that “nothing would again be casual or small.”

welcome clare!!

Welcome to the world little Clare!!! Clare is the beautiful daughter of my best friend Katie and her husband Craig, born yesterday right around 10 in the morning. I got to see her last night, and she is so precious... her eyes are bright and she is so alert!! I didn't have my camera last night, but will post a picture when I get one... she is just so beautiful!



Also, wanted to share something that I received an e-mail about this morning. It is news too good not to share...

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” — Matthew 19:26

(You can read more about Abby's story here.)

grace

(i especially love the last minute or so of this video when mother teresa shares a message i think i need to be reminded of everyday of my life--)

"psalm 139" sung by sweet adele in malta!

I have been so blessed to be in Malta the past few days, meeting my new friends Maria, her husband Ivan and their children Tommy and Adele.

Last night Adele sang for me this song ("Psalm 139" by Danielle Rose) and is is just too sweet not to share... enjoy!