This last week it has been confirmed that cholera has broken out in rural areas outside of Port Au Prince. Cholera is an intestinal infection caused by bacteria in contaminated water and food. Officials are unsure of the source, but are attributing it to flooding caused by all the rain Haiti has received the past couple weeks. Cholera’s main concern is dehydration. Clinics and organizations are working hard to supply infected regions with rehydration kits and water purifiers. Cholera is normally not a deadly infection, but because of the lack of access to clean water and medical attention, cholera is a great concern in Haiti.
While it is pressing and in our thoughts and prayers, those of us living at Foursquare Base Camp Haiti, have not been directly affected by the outbreak. We are constantly aware and careful of all food and water that is brought into the Base Camp. Safety is always a concern, and we do all we can to insure that those living here, as well as teams that come and serve, are safe and healthy. We use purified water, as well as water filters, for teams if they travel away from Base Camp. These filters eliminate 99.9% of all harmful water borne bacteria. If anyone becomes sick, we are diligent about looking after him. If we have any concerns, we will take him to a medical clinic just minutes away. Currently, we are on schedule for all teams that are on our calendar, and we have no worries for health or safety. We appreciate your concern and prayers, but would also like to put your mind at ease about the current situation.
-Rachael
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