FIRST NATION BUNK BED PROGRAM

After several months of planning, I am pleased to report the First Nation Bunk Bed Program is launching.  Here are some of the reasons why we have begun this good work.

Recent studies established that “living conditions for First Nations people rank 63^rd in the world - comparable with developing countries - and are the root causes of poor health.”   The Canadian Department of Indian and Northern Affairs has reported that “overcrowding, mould, and unsafe drinking water help spread communicable diseases at a rate 10 to 12 times higher than the national average. Over 40% of homes are considered inadequate shelter.”  Living conditions in First Nations communities in Canada are comparable to many lesser-developed countries.

Since 2005, FTC Canada has been supporting First Nations children and families in Northern Ontario through the distribution of food and supplies and operating a summer day camp. It is a natural progression to consider other ways to help children in the North. 

Sometimes, as many as twenty individuals will live in one home together, which obviously does not provide adequate sleeping accommodation. Family members must take turns sleeping in the few beds they have. Unfortunately, many of those lacking a bed at night are children; who are often found wandering around the reserve in the middle of the night. 

It is an established fact that a lack of proper sleep for children is detrimental to their development and health. Changes in sleeping habits can impair a child’s learning, memory and ability to concentrate. To try to address the problem of a serious shortage of beds we developed the First Nation Bunk Bed Program. This will go a long way to providing proper sleeping accommodation for many children living on First Nations reserves in Northern Ontario.

We are preparing to deliver 100 beds to two Northern Ontario reserves by the end of January 2011.  Volunteers have already offered to go to the reserves to assist in assembling the beds.

The communities are excited about getting the beds. One mother stated how wonderful it would be to have all her children sleeping at the same time, in the same place, at the proper hour of the day.  One Chief related how these beds will go a long way to help change the social dynamics of the community.

CLICK HERE to learn more about how to provide a bed to First Nation children.

Ken Dick, C.A.

President

MEDICAL-DENTAL: TEAM TO GUATEMALA

I can always be sure when returning from a Medical-Dental Team excursion, that I will be asked several times, “When is the next trip and where is it going?”. Because of the preparation time required, we are careful to leave sufficient time between travels to Central America. My answer in February, as we returned from El Salvador was, “Sometime later in the year”!

Dr. Tony Brown (Medical Advisor) and I had to make two major decisions. One, where do we go next, and two, when do we go? It did not take long to decide we should return to Guatemala. Why Guatemala?

The medical/dental needs in Central America are everywhere and unlimited opportunities to share our expertise are welcomed in several countries. Since 2007 we have taken teams to Honduras, Guatemala (2008), Nicaragua and El Salvador. In making the decision to return to Guatemala we talked to the people who partner with us in that country, reviewed recent events that have impacted the people there, including floods and earthquakes and looked carefully at the current political situation and safety factors. There was nothing to keep us from going to Guatemala and plans are under way for a team to be there November 6-14, 2010.

We are often asked if we have problems finding people for the team? No is the short answer. Since our first team to Honduras in 2007, our roster of medical professionals and other support staff has been growing. Our largest team, 30 strong, went to El Salvador in February 2010. This we have discovered, is a level at which we can operate efficiently.

Dr. Tony and I will be visiting Guatemala at the end of September to visit communities where the teams may visit and scout out suitable locations to run our clinics.

If you are a medical professional and would like to get involved please contact me at ken@ftccanada.ca. By the way, there's a good chance we may be in El Salvador, April, 2011.

Ken Dick, President

NORTHERN ONTARIO: NEWS FROM MISH ADVENTURES

Up to 50 children a day arrive at the Mish Adventures home base by bus each day! And they arrive to a host of great activities; from swimming to volleyball and of course, eating food!

The weather in the North has been ideal; never too hot and never too cold!

A youth camp has been added to provide the older youth with activities that don’t include running over or into the smaller children! About 10 to 15 youth have participated and we have enjoyed afternoon canoe trips to explore the islands and games like Capture The Flag!

Swimming lessons are offered and of course we have the lifeguards to run “free swims”. This ensures not only essential skill development but a safe and fun waterfront for the children.

Because swimming is our #1 fun activity we hosted a Beach Day at the community beach half way between our home base and the main reserve. Most of the day was spent in the water of course! We added some volleyball and naturally some food! Lots of hot dogs roasted on an open fire! Of course everyone wants to have another Beach Day!

The staff get their recreation in the evening and the soccer and baseball games inevitably draw in members of the community who want to “hang out” and enjoy some fun with us.

The staff work hard and they share their care and concern for the children freely. Children here notice unconditional love maybe more so than children in other parts of Ontario and it impacts attitudes and is demonstrated in improved behaviour.

This is our last week here and already we are starting to regret the time when we have to pack up and head back to Southern Ontario.

FTC Canada would still welcome your gifts to help support this program. Please click here to go to the First Nations page.

CONORD HOSPITALITY COO, NICK KELLOCK

Nick Kellock, COO, Concord Hospitality Enterprises on Share Day 2010 with FTC Canada and Concord Share Day activity across North America.

DR. ANTHONY BROWN REFLECTS ON HAITI

Dr. Anthony Brown has been featured prominently in post about our medical-dental teams as he is the FTC Canada Medical Team Advisor, working closely with Ken Dick, President of FTC Canada.

This video was taken shortly after Dr. Brown returned from Haiti. He was there with a team that was assembled just days after the huge quake rocked Port-au-Prince on January 12, 2010.

It is a trip that really had a deep impact on team members and some of that can be seen and felt in Dr. Browns stories.

MEDICAL-DENTAL TEAM IN EL SALVADOR

In December 2009, Dr. Tony Brown and I visited El Salvador to search out 5 communities that would benefit from the visit of an FTC Canada Medical-Dental Team planning a trip there for early February 2010. It was not difficult to determine where some of the greatest needs existed. Three communities had been impacted by heavy rains in November 2009 - rain so intense, over a short period of time, that it caused landslides. Landslides that killed!

Many people lost their lives. In one community there was a vacant piece of land where once a house had stood. The large boulders rolling down the hill had destroyed the home, and two crosses erected on the vacant property were a reminder to the community that a grandmother and her young granddaughter were also crushed and killed.

Of the five communities we visited with our medical-dental team in February 2010, three of them had been traumatized by the landslides.

Our trip to El Salvador was a return visit, having spent a week there in October 2009 treating hundreds of people. One notable return visit was to a community of settlers in San Salvador, the capital. A poor community with homes made of whatever material was available, usually tin and cardboard and sometimes wood.

During our February trip over 4,000 people received primary medical attention and hundreds received restorative dental care.

This was our largest team ever – 30 Canadians, supplemented by local doctors and dentists.

Has it been a busy few months? It sometimes sounds trite, but it is true - “it’s what God has called us to do”. I am grateful to the medical and dental professionals and support staff that give of their time and contribute financially to make good things happen for people who otherwise have little or no access to medical and dental treatment; whether in Haiti under emergency conditions, or on a planned team visit to Central America.

Not forgetting, that we would be unable to assist those children and their families without the valuable partnership and support of our donors and prayer partners.

So, have the past several months been normal? Not really. But, we wouldn’t want it any other way. When children and families are being helped, we know God is pleased!

If you have any questions or comments, please get in touch with us.

Ken Dick, C.A.
President, FTC Canada

HELPING HANDS: FTC CANADA IN HAITI

We trust you have had a chance to read previous blog posts about Haiti. If not, please take the time to read about our emergency medical trip to Port-au-Prince.

Prior to the massive earthquake of January 12, 2010, FTC Canada was partnering with Mission of Hope and others in the country of Haiti. Since that fateful day, FTC has sent medical support, food and supplies and funds to support our partners there.

We have created a report which tells you how we have lent "helping hands" to those children and families most desperately in need in Haiti.

Please click the button to view the report (PDF 2.0MB).