Helping Hands Foreign Missions set up makeshift medical clinics for four weeks.

A Helping Hand

Posted March 12, 2010

ANDREW BUCKLEY ADMITS he was skeptical when a friend, Kasey Towson, asked him to join her for a weeklong medical mission trip to earthquake-ravaged Haiti. What could he, a 29-year-old Regions associate with no medical training, possibly do to help? He wondered, too, how much good a few people could truly do in such a short amount of time in a country where millions are suffering.

But Buckley’s desire to help overcame his doubts, so he traveled to the Haitian capitol of Port-au-Prince with Helping Hands Foreign Missions.

Helping Hands, which was founded by a pair of married doctors, Drs. Richard and Brenda Kowalske, from Gainesville, Georgia, set up makeshift medical clinics in Port-au-Prince for four weeks.

The team treated people with stomach pains, fever, headaches and wounds. Some of the children were ill from eating dirt and rocks. One patient suffered from skull fractures, a broken leg, and an emotional wound they couldn’t possibly treat – the loss of 15 members of his family.

“The non-medical team members, Andrew and Kasey, filled critical roles,” says Helping Hands staff member Aaron Reignier. “Kasey dispensed medication, as instructed by the doctors, and with the help of a translator, instructed patients on its use. Andrew’s role was ‘registration and triage.’ He stood at the head of the line, and with the help of a translator, gathered information from each patient. He weighed them, recorded their blood pressure, and referred critical cases directly to the doctors. In the midst of such a tragedy, this was not an easy task.”

“You’ve got 200 people, all begging to see the doctor,” Reignier says. “He really had to take the brunt of all that pain.”

They witnessed evidence of lingering fear from the earthquake too, particularly on the days they set up their clinic next to the Presidential Palace in Port-au-Prince. Patients were afraid to stand near the walls for fear they would crumble again.

Buckley discovered that just listening could sometimes help. “They just seemed like people who needed someone to talk to,” he says.

“Given the enormity of the tragedy, the conditions in Haiti were relatively peaceful. I didn’t see any anger or violence,” Buckley remarks.

The children seemed particularly resilient.

“They were not complaining. Some were even smiling,” Towson observes. When they were asked about their situations, they began to open up. “Some were buried under their house for three days or had lost both their parents.”

Buckley discovered that the simplest things could brighten a Haitian child’s day. They smiled with delight when he snapped their photographs with his digital camera, or when he handed out juice boxes from his personal stash. Towson remembers an instance, too, when Buckley turned a simple medical supply into a toy. “He blew up a surgical glove, tied the end and drew a face on it. That child held on to that balloon from 8 that morning until 5 that afternoon.”

Helping Hands volunteers and staff members helped fill non-medical needs, too. They used tarps and ropes to create shelter for the homeless, and distributed rice, bread, and beans. They found a temporary home at a church two hours from Port-au-Prince for about 50 orphans whose orphanage was destroyed in the quake. They had been sleeping on the ground with no shelter.

The mission team stayed in tents with no electricity or running water. They heated food with portable cans of cooking fuel and washed with cold water. “Our ‘shower’ consisted of a five-gallon bucket of water and a cup,” adds Buckley.

Still, he realized that their living conditions were relatively luxurious to many of the Haitians. Reflects Buckley, “The experience gave me an appreciation for our country and for comforts I took for granted. It gave me a lot of perspective.”

Although Buckley’s first reaction to seeing the devastation was “This is hopeless,” by week’s end, he realized that when people are suffering, helping hands of any kind—even if those hands are “untrained” and can only be there for a while—can be a real blessing.

For more information on Helping Hands Foreign Missions, please visit www.helpinghandsmissions.org. To visit the blog that was kept during the Haiti mission trip, visit http://helpinghandshaiti.blogspot.com.

ANDREW BUCKLEY is with Regions Real Estate Capital Markets in Atlanta, Georgia.

comments (40)

Thank you for going and helping the people in such dire straits...just your kindness and caring will go along way the the Haitians. God Bless you and Kasey.

Fran Nolin

Great story of how you don't have to have specialized training to be a blessing to others. You just have to be willing to show you care. What a cool, selfless act of compassion!

Ken DiFatta

Thank you for touching the lives, hearts and souls of these in such need of kindness and mercy.

Sharon Johnson

After reading this story I simply wanted to say "Thank you Andrew". After the earthquake I could barely watch the news for a few minutes without crying and feeling helpless. Watching children scared, lost, without family, food and shelter. My husband would tell me to turn the news off, it would upset me so. I couldn't – I felt somehow by watching it I put a "face "on all those unknown children. Well, time has passed, things in Haiti have got better, but they will not be "back to normal" for years to come. My Prayers to all those who lost and continue to lose. My prayers to those who continue on, and who will continue on....

Francine W`atkins

God bless you for your kindness.

brenda h

I just finished reading the article on Andrew and Kasey going to Haiti. It points out the difference that caring can make to others no matter the location. There is something on television about a smile being universal and easily understood no matter the language barrier. The same goes for love and caring for others; although nationalities are different, an act of compassion is still the same. Kasey and Andrew demonstrated this in Haiti. Look around your area and see areas that you could volunteer your services to lend a helping hand. Thanks to Kasey and Andrew. God bless you both.

Judy Bates

Thank You.

Purvis Chaney

GOD BLESS YOU!!! WHAT A WONDERFUL GIVING EXPERIENCE.

WANDA

Any help to people in need is a blessing to them and to you. Thanks for taking your time to help others. Blessings.

Shelia

So often, when we see such devastation, our intentions outweigh our efforts. We imagine helping, intend to donate, plan to volunteer, but unfortunately we sometimes let our own lives get in the way, and our plans never come into fruition. Thank you for not letting your own life interfere with helping the lives of others. I admire your efforts, and this story has inspired me.

Gwen Cole

What a blessing to those in need. I was on a church mission trip to Haiti several years ago and saw that their needs were so tremendous back then. I can only imagine them now.

Bobby Garrison

What a great story!! Thank you Kasey for having such a beautiful spirit to want to help the Haitians who are experiencing such extreme hardships. Thanks to Andrew for accepting the challenge to show courage and compassion and to reach out to the Haitians. I admire you both. God bless you and keep you. Let us all remember just how truly blessed we are.

Doris

Great Mission! God chose people with a caring heart and a committed caring attitude to work through them. Thanks to Andrew and Kasey, you all not only made some people accommodated, some kids happy and content, but also some readers who get the first dibs on knowing what it truly means to be a blessing to someone else while getting blessed!! Hats off to you all and anyone who takes out their time to help mankind. Willing spirits as God's chosen angels........

valerie

How wonderful. I loved the story and even more your willingness to go and help. Not only were you in an unfamiliar place but you were carrying out tasks that were outside your normal realm. God Bless.

Denise

Thank you for your time and efforts in Haiti. You will be blessed for kindness shown.

Ellen

Amazing! What a wonderful and selfless way to help those in need. Thank you.

Kim Wilson

This is a great story and a good story to share with so many others who would have love to be there to help so many people on need.

Vernett

Andrew, Thank you for your work in Haiti. I have traveled there many times working in orphanages, doing research and spending time with family and friends. Now in Indiana, I was born in Florida were I met my Haitian husband. Traveling to and working in Haiti before the earthquake was physically and emotionally exhausting. I can only imagine the emotional rollercoaster you have been on! I left the country three days before the earthquake in January and my husband is currently in Haiti distributing aid. I have learned the language and fallen in love with the culture over the past nine years. On behalf of my family, thank you for caring enough about a very resilient, loving nation of people! You took the time and effort to go beyond the comfort and security of this country to make an impact in the lives of others and it is appreciated!

Becky Spears

GOD will forever bless you!!

Beverley Anderson, Tampa Florida

I am glad you were able to help. I am sure they appreciated all the help you gave. God Bless.

Kimberly Coke

This is a wonderful story it just goes to show that a little love and willingness goes a long way.

Kellie M.

Great story. great organization www.helpinghandsmissions.org Awesome- Andrew you were able to be there and lend a hand.

Vasan Serca

This story makes me very happy!

cfp

Amazing! God Bless!

Julie

In cooperation with our great slogan this year I want to make sure I say, "THANK YOU" to you Andrew. You are helping out a noble cause and continuing the Values we hold so dear like Doing what's right and reaching higher! Kudos to you young man

anthoney zimmerman

Truly a blessing 2 help others.Thank God 4 Jesus!!!GODS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT!!!

Adrienne Flowers-Underwood

Taking a trip for the sole reason of helping others is very inspiring and selfless. Your story made me stop and think about all I am thankful for as well as creating awareness for the importance of giving back.

Melanie Seibold

Very wonderful to know how great and powerful people can be, even when they don't think they are capable of helping! In such a dramatic time of need helping hands from all overflowed for the nation of Haiti. It's good to know a genuine love still exists!

Mandy Monk

Thank you and God bless you.

Nancy

What a exceptional and uplifting story!

Candace

Thanks for going to Haiti helping out the people in such a need. My heart was reallly touched while reading your story. I would love to go and do something for someone in need as the Haitians. I pray that God will richly bless people such as yourself for taking the time to lend a hand to others. I love you for that. We need more people to open their hearts and hands to help someone else.

CHRIS

Thank you for the great example you have set and the way you have certainly "raised the bar" in your service to others. It is great to work for a company whose employess lives its mission in their everyday lives. Thank you for your example and know you have inspired me to also do more.

Derek Starr

This was a very good story. It was good to know that this young man took time to help others, especially when he felt he wasn't qualified. Thank you for saying yes to your friend and letting the people in Haiti see the wonderful side of our country.

Beth Sands

Thank you for being the amazing person that you are. This world needs more people like you.

melissa jimenez

It's so nice to know that it's still some great people in the world. What you did was truly amazing. May God bless you.

Tracy Williams

Andrew, God will bless you for your faith & obedience. Matthew 25:34-40.

Charlita Cloman

This must have been an awesome and very rewarding experience!

Vanessa Updike

That was a really good thing that they did in Haiti.. Very touching story

Audrey A Hudson

Thank you for taking the time out from your busy schedule to help these people in need. Blessings will come to you for extending your hand to them.

Michelle J

Yet another lesson showing how getting out of our comfort zones can bring real blessings to all involved - even to the giver. Thanks for the example, Andrew.

Ken McMahan