Update and a Plea

Update on STARFYSH...

Although we do not expect to receive official non-profit designation until later in the year, I am excited that in the very near future we will FINALLY be able to publicly launch STARFYSH. The formation has been, at the same time fun and tedious as we walk the good and necessary path of defining for everyone (including ourselves) just what it is we feel God is calling us to do. I tend to want to sprint to next steps, but have in this process learned the virtues of patience and pace. Exercising restraint is tough, especially when great things are just around the corner. Having said this....

Plea...

We have identified and defined several worthy (and strategic) projects with which we will launch STARFYSH. Pressing needs, most of them. One, however, I believe could be met very quickly if folks out there are impressed to help...

There is a small mission hospital on the island of La Gonave, in Haiti (It's the hospital I have gone to work at over the past 20 years or so). It is the only hospital available to the 100,000 people on the island, but the hospital is in severe need. As I type, most patients are cared for in military tents that were provided following the earthquake (see photo). Even though the hospital building did not collapse there are concerning cracks throughout and tremors continue to be felt. Thankfully, a non-profit in Scotland has laid plans to rebuild the hospital. This is a blessing, but this will, of course take time to complete.

In the meantime there are serious deficits in their abilities to give care, one of which is a functioning xray. As some of you know, about a dozen years ago I oversaw the effort to get their current xray facility, so for me this has sort of come around full circle. The bottom line is, they need xray and they need it quickly. No hospital, even in Haiti, can function well without it. Life-saving and limb-saving care depends on accurate diagnosis and fact is, without xray, patient care is severely compromised.

OK so here I go again.... we've researched it and can get a new xray unit delivered and installed fairly quickly. World Medical Mission, the medical arm of Samaritan's Purse, has a gentleman (Bill Wright) whose expertise and life calling is the installation of appropriate xray equipment in third-world mission hospitals. How's that for specific? Bill said he would put on his docket as soon as we can give him the call. (I have known Bill for a long time... he is the guy who installed the original xray 12 years ago).

Bottom line... $10,500 will do the job of getting a respectable level of diagnostic capabilities for the hospital.... remember, the only hospital for 100,000 precious people.

Know that I am a bit nervous about throwing out this plea so soon after you all came through in magnanimous fashion for the tarps project. And if this one is too soon, or not for you, that's cool. I just know (from experience) that there's always somebody (or somebodies) out there that a need like this will resonate with.

You can send it to either me, Steve Edmondson, or Starfysh. Full disclosure though, Starfysh has not yet received 501(c)3 status yet and so I cannot yet assure the deductibility of your gift.

Send to: 3725 Oak Creek Court SE Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546

As with the tarps effort (500 now-dry Haitian families!), I will keep you all posted on our progress. Also, if you feel comfortable spreading the word about this in your networks....

Thanks, all, for your patience and long-suffering with me. I know I must sound a little (or a lot) whiney at times, but oh well... when people are hurting, we are a bit more apt to swallow our pride.... And man do I have a big lump in my throat.

Love you all.

Steve