Want to help or learn more? Visit www.heartlineministries.org, see the Facebook group We Support Heartline Ministries, or visit midwifejonna.blogspot.com.

Texts, messages and Tweets from Joanna Howard to her mother, Ellen Howard in Bandon:

• Jan. 12, I am OK and safe, please be praying. I have no idea how bad the damage is in Haiti. The clinic building where I live is pretty bad. I will be staying at another house for now.

• Jan. 12, There are continuing to be aftershocks, nothing too intense though. I am emotionally wiped out but so glad that I am OK. Pray for the Haitians. I bet a lot of people are hurt that can't get any help.

• Jan. 12, There are dead people left in the streets, hardly any public transportation, and people on foot trying to get out of the city or something. I am back at our makeshift clinic tonight. People are still coming in alive that have been pulled out of their houses. I am holding in there. I am so broken over what has happened and the devastation.

• Jan. 13, 8:36 p.m. — The last 24 hours have been surreal. At 2 a.m. — I went across the city to help some other missionaries with a makeshift clinic in front of the house. By the time the sun came up, people started coming who were trapped in their houses all night. These people have horrific wounds. I stayed till about 2 in the afternoon, mostly suturing headwounds. I have never seen anything quite like this.

• Jan. 14, 10 a.m. — Today is really hard. People are desperate, we are running out of supplies for the makeshift clinic. We are contacting foreign aid organizations for supplies. We have five Haitian doctors with us. There is so much devastation, we are having to send some people away because there is nothing we can do for them. I am taking care of a girl who has internal injuries and has been trying to find someone since Tuesday to help her. We can't do anything medically for her either. … I am mentally at my best when I am helping out. I also sent a baby home to die. … I am blessed I get to help out. Please don't worry. I am OK compared to so many others here.

• Jan. 14, 2:48 p.m. — The U.S. Embassy is getting missionaries out through the Dominican Republic. I am relieved to hear that you guys are doing okay with me being here. I still don't really understand the reality of what I am seeing. I am right in the middle of it.

• Jan. 15, 9:45 a.m. — After talking and praying about it this morning we have decided to temporarily turn the women's center into a surgical clinic. We have four hard core doctors already that will arrive by Monday. We have a lot of work to do to get this thing set up. Please be praying for us in this new chapter of disaster.

• Jan. 16, 3:41 p.m. — Thank you guys all for your support and prayers. What has happened here is so devastating. We are still discovering how bad it is. Please pray for us as we start serving people's medical needs at Heartline. We are planning to start seeing the wounded on Monday. We might move the team into Simone Pele mid-week if needed. The majority of our patients will come out of that area.

• Jan. 17, 7:59 p.m. — All of our doctors have arrived. We will start seeing patients in the morning. Please pray for courage and that everyone will work well together and for our safety.

• Jan. 18, 8:48 p.m. — Wow very crazy and exciting day here, we saw and treated maybe 25 people today. I have started training in anesthesiology. We did some amazing things today. More doctors arrive tomorrow. Please continue praying for us.

• Jan. 19, 8 a.m. — Getting ready to head back to the clinic. I am encouraged by how we have been able to help people so far. Please pray for strength, courage, wisdom, and organization for our whole team today.

• Jan. 19, 5:58 p.m. — I am relieved that we are able to physically help people who would otherwise not get help. There are SO many people wounded in Haiti. The hospitals that are still standing are incredibly overwhelmed. … There are many people in Haiti who have received amputations this last week, and many more who will need them. … It is overwhelming to think about what these people are up against now. Haiti was bad enough before. One thing I know though is that haitians are tough people. … Please continue to pray with me for Haiti.

• Jan. 19, 8 p.m. — OK, today was intense. We finished off an amputation. This kid has his arm cut off by a machete yesterday. Pretty intense. We saw a couple critical patients today, don't know if they will make it through the next couple days. I think everyday is going to be insane like this for a while.

• Jan. 20, We had an amazing 6 a.m. — Alarm clock this morning, another quake. I have no idea how big it was, not like the first but big enough to freak out our patients. Please pray that it won't be too crazy today.