Bassmaster Classic 2010

This just seems like such an insignificant topic right now, but I just had to mention that Tommy and I spent the weekend in Birmingham, AL at the Bassmaster Classic. Attendance has become an annual tradition when the Classic is close enough to home that we can drive to and fro over a weekend.

The weather was phenomenal, but I hear it was pretty awesome at home too. We both just love Birmingham and we had a great time. Two of our friends (Ben & Betty Hamilton) went this year too. It was the first Classic for them, but I think they might go again! Betty took the picture you see (she's a great photographer). That's Tommy and I with a friend who fished in the Classic this year. His name is Mark Menendez and he's a professional angler from Kentucky - and a wonderful person to boot.

I was rooting for my fav angler, Michael Iaconelli, but he didn't win. Snif, snif. He had a very honorable finish though - 4th place. I was also cheering big for the only female angler in the field, Pam Martin-Wells, and she really blew many of the guys away with a nice top 20 finish. Pam is a super nice lady and super talented competitive angler. She bragged about how supportive her husband is of her fishing job, and I pretended that was me for a minute - - up on that stage thanking my husband for sitting around at the ramp all day, doing the laundry and grocery shopping, restocking my tackle and cleaning my boat... while I fish tournaments for a living... but I will digress now, since he'd probably never, ever do that for me!

I was very fortunate to fish the ESPN Women's Bassmaster tournament on Lake Guntersville (that's in Alabama) a few years ago (that's where I first met Pam). I remember the incredible feeling of fishing in a huge tournament with only women. That's just something you will RARELY see, anywhere. It was beyond a WOW moment that I will never forget.

Our first local tournament this year is in March (less than 2 weeks after I return from Haiti). I am looking forward to it so much. I have fishing withdrawal over the winter since I am not a winter angler. I just hope the weather is above freezing in March! This is KY so you never know about that!

Three Weeks From Today!

I'll be going to the KY Baptist Convention in Louisville on March 10 (three weeks from today) for our pre-trip mission team meeting, then it's off to Haiti early the next morning.

Here's another blessing to report: A few of my amazing family members have donated the funds for my airfare to Haiti as of today! Thanks to each of you, and thank you Jesus! If you've already sent a check to KBCDR on my behalf, don't worry, your donation will still help fund the trip.

I am still waiting for a detailed list of supplies, so there's still an opportunity to contribute is some way if you'd like to help. All team members will also take funds with them to be converted into Haitian currency for the purchase of supplies while we are there. The last medical team was able to buy infant formula and Pedialyte while they were in Haiti, so cash contributions will be accepted as well. I will accept donations for the next three weeks (even small ones are welcomed) and a list of those will be provided to the KBC for documentation purposes. Any funds not used will be left with the mission house we are working through in Haiti. None of the contributions will be used for administrative costs or otherwise - all of it will go straight to relief efforts in Haiti.

The last update I received on the most frequently seen medical needs that we will be treating are: infected or untreated wounds, infected fractures, profoundly dehydrated infants and children (vomiting, diarrhea, and inadequate hydration and diet), emotional decomposition, undiagnosed and untreated pathology (most Haitians do not receive health care under normal circumstances), breathing disorders and violence related wounds. Our team was reminded that health concerns are continuing to change as the response continues. Missionaries from KY Baptist Disaster Relief expect to have response teams going to Haiti for a long time. Make sure to let me know if you're a baptist interested in going to Haiti on a disaster relief team (medical AND non-medical volunteers are needed).

I've spent today gathering scrubs at Goodwill, and searching for a few large suitcases that can be left in Haiti. Let me know if you've got an extra laying around. The larger the better, as these will be used to pack supplies in.

I am now off to play with Ethan, and Thomas The Train!

Mission To Haiti - How You Can Help

Haiti Medical Mission Trip confirmed dates - March 11-19, 2010

Many of my friends and family have contacted me asking how they can help to support local efforts to send aid to Haiti. So for any of you interested... and this might be a long post... and I will update it as needed... here's the scoop.

Most folks who go on a mission trip (medical or otherwise) are required to pay or raise funds for (at least) their air-fare for the trip. This is true in my case. My air-fare to Haiti is nearly $1,100. The KY Baptist Disaster Relief organization will be helping to cover most of my in-Haiti expenses (can be over $100 per day) since I will be traveling and working with Southern Baptist relief operations. We will also be gathering supplies to take with us to use in the medical clinic while we are working there.

There are MANY ways you can support this medical mission trip to Haiti! The MOST important way is to pray for the people of Haiti, and pray for our team members! The devastation is beyond belief, and there's so much help needed. Just pray that we can do much good in Jesus' name with the scant resources available. And pray that the people of Haiti will be receptive to the message of our LIVING and LOVING LORD. If you'd like to read more about the last KBC medical mission trip to Haiti, please go to www.greatcommissionkentucky.com. You might have to scroll down a few posts but there's some interesting and detailed information on there from the last teams.

If you're interested in helping financially, you can contribute to the cost of my trip by making a check payable to Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief (KBDR for short), and putting my name and Haiti trip in the memo section. The funds you contribute will go directly toward my expenses, and if there's any extra, they will help cover one of the other missionaries' expenses. You can mail contributions to me, or directly to the KBC (addresses below at the end of this post). KBC will provide a contribution receipt to you for tax purposes.

We will be receiving a detailed list of needed supplies in another week or so. I will post those details as soon as I have them. In the meantime, here's a list of general medical/supplies that we've already been told to bring:

BP cuffs & stethoscopes
Thermometers
Small battery powered flashlights
Wound care products (we should get a detailed list soon)
Medical gloves
Antibiotic ointment (and the like)
Hand sanitizer (must be at least 60% alcohol)
PPE (disposable gowns, shoe covers, masks, etc.)
Mosquito repellent

Keep in mind that we leave any and all extra supplies and equipment in Haiti! Donations of equipment/supplies that we do not have room for on this trip will be sent on subsequent mission trips.

Contact me if you have questions, or would like to donate in any way. Thanks to all of you for contacting me to ask how you can help. And thanks for your prayers!


Karen Hall, RN
P.O. Box 567
Campbellsville, KY 42719
270-465-0332 (home)
270-403-4409 (cell)
karenflys@aol.com


KY Baptist Disaster Relief
Attn: Cindy Henderson
P.O. Box 43433
Louisville, KY 40253-0433
Phone: 502-489-3401

Shots Anyone?

Thank goodness I was up to date on most of my immunizations... but I still needed a couple of shots in preparation for Haiti. Thanks to Ruthie (our famous public health nurse here) I now have two band-aids that verify I have current protection against Tetanus and Hepatitis A. She's such a good shot-giver (and a sweetie to boot).

I still have to go to the doc for a script for the Typhoid vaccine, plus scripts for some other meds that I have to take with me to Haiti (in case of certain bacterial infections like Malaria, ewww). So hopefully I can squeeze in a visit next week...

My mind is full of planning, and I am making lists of course. OCD comes in handy when you're trying to get a trip like this organized. OCD also comes in handy when you're a quilter. Well, maybe not always. I've found that being quite obsessive about details does actually PREVENT action sometimes, especially when quilting. It's weird, and if you lean toward being a little obsessive yourself, well, you understand.

I'm Going To Haiti!

It's been so long since I posted (I had good intentions, really I did)... and a lot of water has run under my bridge since last summer when I started this blog... but I wanted to try my hand at blogging again... so here I am!

I've been interested in mission work all my life, and last summer I attended a disaster team training session hosted by my church (Campbellsville Baptist Church) so I'd be ready for the call when it came. And it came. Today. I am going to Haiti to help on a medical mission team with the KY Baptist Convention. We're tenatively scheduled for March 11-19, and we'll be serving in Port Au Prince. Although I've been a nurse for over 18 years (has it really been THAT long?), this will be the first official mission trip I've ever been on. I am feeling pretty blessed right about now.

The next couple of days will be filled with trying to get the needed vaccines, and some more basic information so I can properly prepare... so more to come when I have more info! In the meantime, all prayers are welcomed!