January 18, 2010
Medford pair keep watch on 5 clinics
in Haiti
By KIM MULFORD
Courier-Post Staff
There is a Haitian saying that Frank
and Leslee Jacobs are keeping close to
their hearts: Kris kapab -- God is able.
Since the earthquake struck Haiti, the
Jacobses have been praying for their
friends and staff on the devastated
island.
Since 1998, the chemical salesman and
his wife have operated Hope Alive!
Clinic Ministries from their Medford
home. The nonprofit mission runs five
clinics in Haiti, one just six miles from
the epicenter of the 7.0 earthquake.
"We wake up during the night and
we'll just start praying with each
other," said Frank Jacobs, who took
the day off from work Friday to help
Leslee answer the phones.
"We pray that God will ease their
suffering and give them strength," he
said. "That God's will be done; that
he'll protect the workers down there,
and -- this is the hardest thing to pray
-- that through all this, he would be
glorified. I don't know how he can be
glorified through this."
They haven't heard anything yet about
the condition of their clinics, which
are staffed by Haitians. They spoke
Tuesday to one administrator who
said he and his immediate family were
OK, but their house was gone.
"We were overjoyed to hear his voice,
but to hear him talk, he was just
beside himself," said Jacobs. "It must
be so bad down there."
The ministry takes volunteers to the
clinics every March, and has nearly 40
people signed up to go this round.
The mission is asking for portable
generators, laptop computers, cash,
as well as simple items like pain
relievers, vitamins, topical ointments,
dry foods and prescription antibiotics.
All donations go directly to Haiti;
Jacobs said he and his wife do not
draw a salary from the nonprofit.
"If I could get in there, we'd be right
down," said Jacobs. "Our plan is to go
in March and just continue like the
second shift and treat the spiritual
needs, the medical needs and their
nutritional needs."
He expects there will be many orphans
and desperate poverty. But on a news
broadcast Friday, Jacobs saw Haitians
dancing and singing praise songs.
"They're an outstanding people," said
Jacobs. "I don't know where they get
their strength."
Pastor John Megaw, who leads Come
Alive! Church in Medford, said he
went to Haiti with the Jacobs' last
March and was struck by the long lines
of people waiting at the clinics for
simple necessities like food and
medicine.
He can't imagine what it's like there
now.
"When a disaster happens, it shines a
light on the problems that have always
been there," Megaw said. "If there's
any silver lining, it's that the world's
attention is back on Haiti and there's
help coming."
Reach Kim Mulford at (856) 486-2448 or
kmulford@courierpostonline.com
Additional Facts
HOW TO HELP
To learn more, call (609) 914-1385 or
visit www.hopealiveclinic.org
Frank and Leslee Jacobs operate Hope Alive!
Clinic Ministries from their Medford home.
(SCOTT ANDERSON/Courier-Post)
Clinic Ministries from their Medford home.
(SCOTT ANDERSON/Courier-Post)
