Major Evelyn Chavez (left) treats 11 yr. old Rosier for burns she received when bumping into a cooking fire.

Tens of thousands of earthquake victims are living in a camp of temporary, makeshift shelters near The Salvation Army’s main compound in Port-au-Prince, Haiti because their homes were completely destroyed or remain dangerously unstable.

With the massive population living almost on top of one another in these tent cities, the cramped quarters pose additional threats to its citizens, such as increased risk for disease and injury.

The Salvation Army’s Major Evelyn Chavez, who has been recently serving as a hospital chaplain in Haiti, said they are beginning to see more patients with maladies related to the way of life that has resulted from the earthquake aftermath.

Rosier, an 11 year old girl, came to the clinic for treatment after being burned by the fire her parents were cooking on.  Major Chavez explained that  the overcrowded sites within the tent city must accommodate multiple purposes – a family may be using the space to cook, while children run around and play in the same area.  Unfortunately, Rosier  bumped into the cooking area and suffered burns beneath her arm, on her chest, and on her back.

Major Chavez and medical personnel cleaned and bandaged Rosier and asked her to return everyday for a fresh dressing to prevent infection, which Major Chavez described as “a real challenge.” When attending to the girl’s second and third degree burns, Major Chavez said, “Rosier cried a little …but she let us do what we needed to do and was very brave.  She is such a sweet little girl.”

She went on to describe the other challenges she and the medical staff faced as recovery slowly marches on:

“Besides the concerns for new injuries like this, we are seeing more and more people beginning to dig in the rubble piles along the streets.  There is potential for injuries as the people are working without the proper tools and passing concrete down to each other.  We’ve seen a few injuries from people stepping on pieces of metal, etc. while trying to clear rubble.  The other medical issue we’re seeing is babies and some adults coming in with bronchial infections and extremely high fevers.  We know this is from breathing  the dust and smoke.  Especially in the little ones, they just aren’t strong enough to have any resistance.  Many of them are undernourished and slightly dehydrated so that adds to their susceptibility to infections.”

However, Major Chavez said they are “blessed with a good supply of antibiotics” that will help her and other faithful Salvation Army workers do their best to meet human need in Haiti.

For more information about The Salvation Army’s ongoing relief efforts in Haiti, visit our national website at www.salvationarmyusa.org, or our Haiti Division website  at www.salvationarmyhaiti.org.

If you would like to support our relief efforts in the devastated country, you can contribute a financial donation through:
•    Text messaging “HAITI” to 52000, and confirming with “Yes”
•    www.salvationarmyusa.org
•    1-800-SAL-ARMY
•    Mailing a check or money order to:
The Salvation Army World Service Office
P.O. Box 630728
Baltimore, MD 21263-0728
*with designation “Haiti Earthquake.”