Missionaries find inspiration in Haiti

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A group of Western New York missionaries are home after seeing shattered Haiti first hand.

Despite witnessing the destruction and devastation, there's a silver lining to their story.

Help for Haiti is coming from across the globe, including Western New York.

Missionary, Bill Hilchey said, "We sent a team of ten medical people. It was made up of doctors, nurses, paramedics and we went to a border town near the Haitian border."

Friday night, a group of 30 missionaries from the Chapel in Amherst returned to Buffalo.

The original mission focused on the Dominican Republic.

Then came the devastating earthquake.

"The people are in such desperate straights. There's no food, there's no water, there's no shelter, there's no nothing," Bill expressed.

14 hour days were the norm. The group was miles away from the most devastated area, Port Au Prince.

"I think the biggest problem was getting the people across the border. They're getting there by bus, ambulance and by helicopters," he explained. "We were involved with people from all over the world. But they were doing about 30 amputations a day. We had multiple fractures and all types of trauma."

From what these missionaries report, there are enough doctors.

However, there's a shortage of nurses. There's frustration they can't do more.

They also found inspiration in the devastation.

Bill exclaimed, "The strength of the people we are helping. What they go through every day and how they endure it. That's a blessing to us."

One missionary was also able to bring his new son, Isaac, home from Haiti.

Darrick Castronova said, "Our adoption took two years, once we were identified with our son. It was a long process but he is the joy of our lives."