What do crew members aboard the USNS Comfort do after they have worked countless hours to touch thousands and thousands of needy people with medical care in Haiti?
They raise their hands and volunteer to help again.
As the Command Chaplain on board the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) I have the distinct honor of organizing volunteers for something commonly referred to as a COMREL. One of the Navy's many acronym's, a COMREL is simply a community relations project. Such projects will be undertaken in all 7 nations visited during Continuing Promise '09.
The COMRELS in Haiti gave us our first glimpse of how these projects will make a difference.
COMREL #1 was conducted on 16 APR in partnership with Angel Missions Haiti and the Emmanuel Christian School/Haitian Christian Outreach. Under the tireless leadership of Vanessa Carpenter (aka "Mama V"), Angel Missions plans to open a new, badly needed, surgical center in a building on the grounds of the school. The project, in Port au Prince, involved painting 5 rooms (OR, recovery, etc.) as well as common area and stairwell walls. In the near future, the surgical center will become a hub of activity in a neighborhood underserved by medical care. In addition, Angel Missions plans to cultivate a list of US doctors who will give time--rotating monthly to perform surgery on needy Haitians. This COMREL provided a significant step towards this goal by helping to prepare the facility and we were able to deliver 10 boxes of medical consumables as well.
Ask any one of the 17 Navy, Army, or Air Force volunteers about the highlight of the day and they will tell you that while the painting was good----greeting and handing out candy to the 500 kids at the school was fantastic! All of us who participated will forever carry the sound of the children's laughter and the sight of their beautiful smiles in our hearts and minds. COMREL #1 confirmed what we all knew--we have fallen in love with the winsome spirit of the people (especially the children) of Haiti. We were also deeply inspired by the vision and compassion of people like Pastor Roro Eustache of the church school and Mama V of Angel Missions Haiti.
We left COMREL #1 knowing that the impact on the neighborhood will be very positive because of the meaningful interaction with we had with the kids, school teachers and administration who thanked us profusely. It was an honor to serve in this setting!
COMREL #2 took 29 Comfort crew members to the General Hospital in Port au Prince on 17 APR. The COMREL involved improving the overall condition of a small park just inside the main gate of the hospital. The first aspect of the project included trash collection/minor landscaping. This not only enhanced the appearance of the park but also increased safety as syringes and broken glass were carefully collected as we worked. This will be particularly important for the many children who use or pass through the park. The second part of the project involved painting the outside wall around the perimeter of the park (green and white) for the purpose of re-beautification.
All told 145 man hours were given in a spirit of joy. And again, the highlight involved getting to know local folks who gathered to watch and join with us in the work! Everyone that I spoke with (through the help of gifted translators) said that they were extremely thankful for out help--- and that the COMFORT had come to Haiti. They expressed a hope that COMFORT will return and stay longer. Through our presence and our words we indicated that ours is a CONTINUING promise-- and that we care.
CDR David G. Oravec, USNS Command Chaplain
They raise their hands and volunteer to help again.
As the Command Chaplain on board the USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) I have the distinct honor of organizing volunteers for something commonly referred to as a COMREL. One of the Navy's many acronym's, a COMREL is simply a community relations project. Such projects will be undertaken in all 7 nations visited during Continuing Promise '09.
The COMRELS in Haiti gave us our first glimpse of how these projects will make a difference.
COMREL #1 was conducted on 16 APR in partnership with Angel Missions Haiti and the Emmanuel Christian School/Haitian Christian Outreach. Under the tireless leadership of Vanessa Carpenter (aka "Mama V"), Angel Missions plans to open a new, badly needed, surgical center in a building on the grounds of the school. The project, in Port au Prince, involved painting 5 rooms (OR, recovery, etc.) as well as common area and stairwell walls. In the near future, the surgical center will become a hub of activity in a neighborhood underserved by medical care. In addition, Angel Missions plans to cultivate a list of US doctors who will give time--rotating monthly to perform surgery on needy Haitians. This COMREL provided a significant step towards this goal by helping to prepare the facility and we were able to deliver 10 boxes of medical consumables as well.
Ask any one of the 17 Navy, Army, or Air Force volunteers about the highlight of the day and they will tell you that while the painting was good----greeting and handing out candy to the 500 kids at the school was fantastic! All of us who participated will forever carry the sound of the children's laughter and the sight of their beautiful smiles in our hearts and minds. COMREL #1 confirmed what we all knew--we have fallen in love with the winsome spirit of the people (especially the children) of Haiti. We were also deeply inspired by the vision and compassion of people like Pastor Roro Eustache of the church school and Mama V of Angel Missions Haiti.
We left COMREL #1 knowing that the impact on the neighborhood will be very positive because of the meaningful interaction with we had with the kids, school teachers and administration who thanked us profusely. It was an honor to serve in this setting!
COMREL #2 took 29 Comfort crew members to the General Hospital in Port au Prince on 17 APR. The COMREL involved improving the overall condition of a small park just inside the main gate of the hospital. The first aspect of the project included trash collection/minor landscaping. This not only enhanced the appearance of the park but also increased safety as syringes and broken glass were carefully collected as we worked. This will be particularly important for the many children who use or pass through the park. The second part of the project involved painting the outside wall around the perimeter of the park (green and white) for the purpose of re-beautification.
All told 145 man hours were given in a spirit of joy. And again, the highlight involved getting to know local folks who gathered to watch and join with us in the work! Everyone that I spoke with (through the help of gifted translators) said that they were extremely thankful for out help--- and that the COMFORT had come to Haiti. They expressed a hope that COMFORT will return and stay longer. Through our presence and our words we indicated that ours is a CONTINUING promise-- and that we care.
CDR David G. Oravec, USNS Command Chaplain
Spanish translation:
Una Promesa Continua para traer Comodidad, Esperanza y Ayuda
¿Qué hace la tripulación a bordo del USNS Comfort después de haber trabajado innumerables horas para tocar miles y miles de personas necesitadas de atención médica en Haití?
Levantan las manos para ser voluntarios de ayudar de nuevo.
Siendo el Pastor a bordo del USNS Comfort, yo tengo el honor de organizar los voluntarios para las obras llamadas COMREL. COMREL, una de muchas siglas usada en la Armada, significa un proyecto de Relaciones con la Comunidad [“Community Relations” en Inglés]. Estos proyectos serán llevados a cabo en las 7 naciones anfitrionas que visitaremos durante Promesa Continua ’09.
Los COMRELS en Haití nos dieron nuestra primera visión del impacto que harán estos proyectos.
El COMREL # 1 se llevó a cabo el 16 de abril en colaboración con “Angel Missions” Haití y la Escuela Cristiana Emmanuel / Alcance Cristiano Haitiano. Bajo la dirección de Vanessa Carpenter (alias "Mama V"), “Angel Missions” planea abrir un nuevo centro quirúrgico en un edificio en los terrenos de la escuela, un servicio muy necesitado. El proyecto, ubicado en Port au Prince, consistió en pintar 5 salas (salas de cirugía, recuperación, etc.), así como salas comunales y las paredes de las escaleras. En un futuro no muy lejano, el centro quirúrgico se convertirá en un centro de actividad en un barrio con poca atención médica. Además, “Angel Missions” planea cultivar una lista de médicos Estadounidenses que rotaran mensualmente para proveer cirugías a los Haitianos más necesitados. Este COMREL dio un paso importante hacia este objetivo, ayudando a preparar el edificio y también pudimos donar 10 cajas de medicina consumible.
Pregúntele a cualquiera de los 17 voluntarios de la Armada, el Ejército, o la Fuerza Aérea sobre los acontecimientos del día y le dirán que pintar fue buena obra, pero saludar y repartir caramelos a los 500 niños en la escuela fue fantástico! Todos los que participaron en el proyecto siempre llevaran el sonido de la risa de los niños y el recuerdo de sus hermosas sonrisas en sus corazones y sus mentes. El COMREL # 1 confirmó lo que todos ya sabíamos - que nos hemos encariñado del espíritu de la gente (especialmente los niños) de Haití. También estamos profundamente inspirados por la visión y la compasión de la gente como el Pastor Roro Eustaquio de la escuela de la iglesia, y por Mama V de “Angel Missions” Haití.
Hemos dejado COMREL # 1, sabiendo que el impacto en el barrio va a ser muy positivo debido a la significativa interacción que tuvimos con los niños, los maestros de las escuelas y la administración, los cuales nos agradecieron profusamente. Fue un honor servir en este ambiente!
¿Qué hace la tripulación a bordo del USNS Comfort después de haber trabajado innumerables horas para tocar miles y miles de personas necesitadas de atención médica en Haití?
Levantan las manos para ser voluntarios de ayudar de nuevo.
Siendo el Pastor a bordo del USNS Comfort, yo tengo el honor de organizar los voluntarios para las obras llamadas COMREL. COMREL, una de muchas siglas usada en la Armada, significa un proyecto de Relaciones con la Comunidad [“Community Relations” en Inglés]. Estos proyectos serán llevados a cabo en las 7 naciones anfitrionas que visitaremos durante Promesa Continua ’09.
Los COMRELS en Haití nos dieron nuestra primera visión del impacto que harán estos proyectos.
El COMREL # 1 se llevó a cabo el 16 de abril en colaboración con “Angel Missions” Haití y la Escuela Cristiana Emmanuel / Alcance Cristiano Haitiano. Bajo la dirección de Vanessa Carpenter (alias "Mama V"), “Angel Missions” planea abrir un nuevo centro quirúrgico en un edificio en los terrenos de la escuela, un servicio muy necesitado. El proyecto, ubicado en Port au Prince, consistió en pintar 5 salas (salas de cirugía, recuperación, etc.), así como salas comunales y las paredes de las escaleras. En un futuro no muy lejano, el centro quirúrgico se convertirá en un centro de actividad en un barrio con poca atención médica. Además, “Angel Missions” planea cultivar una lista de médicos Estadounidenses que rotaran mensualmente para proveer cirugías a los Haitianos más necesitados. Este COMREL dio un paso importante hacia este objetivo, ayudando a preparar el edificio y también pudimos donar 10 cajas de medicina consumible.
Pregúntele a cualquiera de los 17 voluntarios de la Armada, el Ejército, o la Fuerza Aérea sobre los acontecimientos del día y le dirán que pintar fue buena obra, pero saludar y repartir caramelos a los 500 niños en la escuela fue fantástico! Todos los que participaron en el proyecto siempre llevaran el sonido de la risa de los niños y el recuerdo de sus hermosas sonrisas en sus corazones y sus mentes. El COMREL # 1 confirmó lo que todos ya sabíamos - que nos hemos encariñado del espíritu de la gente (especialmente los niños) de Haití. También estamos profundamente inspirados por la visión y la compasión de la gente como el Pastor Roro Eustaquio de la escuela de la iglesia, y por Mama V de “Angel Missions” Haití.
Hemos dejado COMREL # 1, sabiendo que el impacto en el barrio va a ser muy positivo debido a la significativa interacción que tuvimos con los niños, los maestros de las escuelas y la administración, los cuales nos agradecieron profusamente. Fue un honor servir en este ambiente!
CDR Oravec, I met you aboard the ship in Baltimore. I am so glad you are keeping a blog about your amazing experiences. I wish I were there painting and handing out candy with your crew!
ReplyDeleteSincerely,
Kathleen Hosie