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GCOM Haiti Missions, March 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Thursday, March 18th- Thomazeau Clinic
We left early at 6 this morning to make our way to the remote village of Thomazeau, about 4 hrs away. Bobby forewarned us that the GCOM team which served there last month had some trouble, as they were the first to serve the people of Thomazeau and quickly ran-out of supplies... Riots ensued afterward, and they had to leave quickly. We were hoping for a more subdued experience... wishful thinking?
The scenery of the countryside on the way to the village was pleasant and refreshing break from the fumes of the city. The trek was rugged, rocky dirt roads and a small tributary to cross. I was in the back of the tap-tap again, and could only catch glimpses of the beauty surrounding us...
People were already lined-up in droves when we arrived (they must have known we were coming)... I wondered if we'd be able to see everyone that day! We set-up inside two cement and tin-roofed school rooms which were significantly hotter than outside... We were sweating like dogs! Every drop that Dave and Brad squirted in our mouths must have come out on our clothes!
Triage was outside, partially shaded by a tarp awning. Brent, Brian, Angie and Denny were as tough as nails working all day in the heat of the sun! Annaliese and I did a lot of wound care. She took marvelous care of a little boy with a bad burn on his leg, most likely from a cooking fire or hot water. We saw a lot of this among the children. Other previously small wounds had become chronic and festering due to lack of clean water and basic wound care supplies. I did a lot of teaching with these patients in proper wound care, and we sent most families home with little neosporin and bandaid kits we had prepared the night before. The crutches donated by my hospital came in handy for a woman with a larger ulcer/wound on her foot.
A whole host of pregnant women came through, far more than our previous clinics (it must be in the water)! We found quite a few mothers who could not express milk and needed formula for their babies. Yet another woman came through with a child she found in a dump area... we gave her an entire can of formula... wish we could have brought the entire grocery store shelf with us that day... there were so many needs.
We handed out hygiene kits to every family that passed through as well... greatly needed in this area were there were no signs of modern civilization for miles. Remarkably, our day ended "on-time" and we saw every person in the village without any riots breaking out!
The scenery of the countryside on the way to the village was pleasant and refreshing break from the fumes of the city. The trek was rugged, rocky dirt roads and a small tributary to cross. I was in the back of the tap-tap again, and could only catch glimpses of the beauty surrounding us...
People were already lined-up in droves when we arrived (they must have known we were coming)... I wondered if we'd be able to see everyone that day! We set-up inside two cement and tin-roofed school rooms which were significantly hotter than outside... We were sweating like dogs! Every drop that Dave and Brad squirted in our mouths must have come out on our clothes!
Triage was outside, partially shaded by a tarp awning. Brent, Brian, Angie and Denny were as tough as nails working all day in the heat of the sun! Annaliese and I did a lot of wound care. She took marvelous care of a little boy with a bad burn on his leg, most likely from a cooking fire or hot water. We saw a lot of this among the children. Other previously small wounds had become chronic and festering due to lack of clean water and basic wound care supplies. I did a lot of teaching with these patients in proper wound care, and we sent most families home with little neosporin and bandaid kits we had prepared the night before. The crutches donated by my hospital came in handy for a woman with a larger ulcer/wound on her foot.
A whole host of pregnant women came through, far more than our previous clinics (it must be in the water)! We found quite a few mothers who could not express milk and needed formula for their babies. Yet another woman came through with a child she found in a dump area... we gave her an entire can of formula... wish we could have brought the entire grocery store shelf with us that day... there were so many needs.
We handed out hygiene kits to every family that passed through as well... greatly needed in this area were there were no signs of modern civilization for miles. Remarkably, our day ended "on-time" and we saw every person in the village without any riots breaking out!
Wednesday, March 17- Battle with "Le Croix Rouge"
Today we set-out to work in an area that suffered significant damage. I had the opportunity to sit next to the driver in front. For the first time, I was able to see the damage and destruction of my beloved Haiti in full-view. In the back of the "tap-tap" one is almost "sheltered" from the realities outside, as we only had tiny air-vent slits to peer through. It was an overwhelming scene, that brought me to the brink of tears, especially as we passed through areas of Delmas, an area I was familiar with from my previous trip. Delmas was nearly unrecognizable! Buildings pancaked, crumbled, or on the verge of toppling. These homes, schools, churches, places of business once ebbing with life, were now mass graves with people yet to recover from the rubble.
Yet Haiti continues to press on... I saw lines of women carrying huge bags of rice on their heads coming-out of an aid delivery depot. Merchants peddling their wares on the streets, music sounding from public tap-tap radios, and children playing in the streets. Yes, they are still under a lot of stress. Yes, they are still morning the loss of loved ones. And yes, they are filled with uncertainty about where they will live and get their next meal. But I know many (not all) put their faith, hope and trust in God.
I heard it from the drivers radio as we approached the tent city we were to work in... Hundreds of people were calling in to the radio station just to praise God at the top of their lungs! "Benisse Soie Eternelle! Benisse Soie Eternelle!" ("Praise God! Praise! God!") they would repeat over and over again, thanking Him for sparing their lives and for His daily blessings. I also viewed a gentleman reading his Bible on he side of a dirt road. The Haitians' faith truly is the personification of I Timothy 4:10: "This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers."
When we arrived at the tent city, we had trouble finding a safe area to set-up. We noted a tent from Le Croix Rouge (the French Red Cross) that appeared to no be in service at the time. Perhaps they were out of supplies? After asking permission from the village leaders, we set-up within an abandoned UNICEF tent. A touch of hostility began to arise as we prepared our things. Our team waited patiently in the tent to see what would transpire. The villagers were voicing their contempt for us, as they thought we would be charging for our services. Where were they getting that silly idea from? When they realized we were there to help for free, they provided us with security personnel to keep things in order.
About midway through our workday, a French doctor came charging-over from the Croix Rouge tent about cut off poor Kristin's head, yelling at her in french! Apparently, they had been charging for their services and we were now taking away their business! Someone talked to her, and she soon left, but we were greatly disturbed by this. I'm not sure that I'd ever trust my donations with that organization again!
I delivered a number of Rocephin shots (one to a brave little 7 year old girl who was by herself!), did a lot of wound care, and helped make a make-shift sling for a woman whose collar-bone was displaced. One of the security guards had just gotten into a tussle and had me dress the injuries to his eyebrow and hand. I did a little pharmacy work and collection of histories as well when things got backed-up in those areas. It was VERY hot in the tent, even with the windows open for ventilation. The watering-team kept us well-hydrated once again! Brad, Denny, and Kristin faithfully prayed over each person before exiting the tent... A few people came to faith in Christ that day!
About midway through the day, an older woman arrived with a tiny infant who had insect bite marks all over its body and was rather dehydrated. She had found the baby in a pile of garbage just a few days before and was trying to care for it, but had nothing. We gave her formula and a make-shift bottle, prayed for her and the child, and thanked her for what she was doing for that precious little life... Bobby, our amazing team leader, could identify with this child. He too was found in the garbage by a Jamaican orphanage matron. She raised him until the age of seven, when he was adopted by a Christian family. Now he's pastoring a church in Indiana and has been leading teams to Haiti through GCOM since 2004! He is living proof that every life is precious and has a divine purpose, weather born in wealth or the depths of poverty.
Our MOST MEMORABLE (probably for the whole week), was our little 18 month old boy, brought in with his mother, who had a factured right femur (thigh bone). His cast rested from the top of his right hip to his toes and had been on him for TWO MONTHS!! It was absolutely filthy, wrapped poorly, and this growing child risked losing his leg if it stayed on much longer! It was frustrating to think that all this time, the Red Cross stationed in this child's village could have done something were it not for the fact that they were demanding payment from patients who had NOTHING!! Jason, Nicole and I tried our hardest to pull the thing apart with pliers, scissors, and our bare hands with no success. Jason was determined to get it off, so we packed-up our things and brought mom and baby along with us.
We stopped at a hospital, that strangely enough, was quite empty despite the needs outside their doors (i believe it was a for-profit hospital, but regardless, it was frustrating to see this). We asked for a cast saw, and after a bit of waiting, an OR nurse brought one over. Jason and Nicole did a marvelous job sawing it off... i tried to help by holding the baby and cast still. We were so relieved, and so were mom and child! We sent them home with some money to catch a taxi. (Jason and Nicole, my heroes!) ; )
Today's patient count: 400+
Yet Haiti continues to press on... I saw lines of women carrying huge bags of rice on their heads coming-out of an aid delivery depot. Merchants peddling their wares on the streets, music sounding from public tap-tap radios, and children playing in the streets. Yes, they are still under a lot of stress. Yes, they are still morning the loss of loved ones. And yes, they are filled with uncertainty about where they will live and get their next meal. But I know many (not all) put their faith, hope and trust in God.
I heard it from the drivers radio as we approached the tent city we were to work in... Hundreds of people were calling in to the radio station just to praise God at the top of their lungs! "Benisse Soie Eternelle! Benisse Soie Eternelle!" ("Praise God! Praise! God!") they would repeat over and over again, thanking Him for sparing their lives and for His daily blessings. I also viewed a gentleman reading his Bible on he side of a dirt road. The Haitians' faith truly is the personification of I Timothy 4:10: "This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers."
When we arrived at the tent city, we had trouble finding a safe area to set-up. We noted a tent from Le Croix Rouge (the French Red Cross) that appeared to no be in service at the time. Perhaps they were out of supplies? After asking permission from the village leaders, we set-up within an abandoned UNICEF tent. A touch of hostility began to arise as we prepared our things. Our team waited patiently in the tent to see what would transpire. The villagers were voicing their contempt for us, as they thought we would be charging for our services. Where were they getting that silly idea from? When they realized we were there to help for free, they provided us with security personnel to keep things in order.
About midway through our workday, a French doctor came charging-over from the Croix Rouge tent about cut off poor Kristin's head, yelling at her in french! Apparently, they had been charging for their services and we were now taking away their business! Someone talked to her, and she soon left, but we were greatly disturbed by this. I'm not sure that I'd ever trust my donations with that organization again!
I delivered a number of Rocephin shots (one to a brave little 7 year old girl who was by herself!), did a lot of wound care, and helped make a make-shift sling for a woman whose collar-bone was displaced. One of the security guards had just gotten into a tussle and had me dress the injuries to his eyebrow and hand. I did a little pharmacy work and collection of histories as well when things got backed-up in those areas. It was VERY hot in the tent, even with the windows open for ventilation. The watering-team kept us well-hydrated once again! Brad, Denny, and Kristin faithfully prayed over each person before exiting the tent... A few people came to faith in Christ that day!
About midway through the day, an older woman arrived with a tiny infant who had insect bite marks all over its body and was rather dehydrated. She had found the baby in a pile of garbage just a few days before and was trying to care for it, but had nothing. We gave her formula and a make-shift bottle, prayed for her and the child, and thanked her for what she was doing for that precious little life... Bobby, our amazing team leader, could identify with this child. He too was found in the garbage by a Jamaican orphanage matron. She raised him until the age of seven, when he was adopted by a Christian family. Now he's pastoring a church in Indiana and has been leading teams to Haiti through GCOM since 2004! He is living proof that every life is precious and has a divine purpose, weather born in wealth or the depths of poverty.
Our MOST MEMORABLE (probably for the whole week), was our little 18 month old boy, brought in with his mother, who had a factured right femur (thigh bone). His cast rested from the top of his right hip to his toes and had been on him for TWO MONTHS!! It was absolutely filthy, wrapped poorly, and this growing child risked losing his leg if it stayed on much longer! It was frustrating to think that all this time, the Red Cross stationed in this child's village could have done something were it not for the fact that they were demanding payment from patients who had NOTHING!! Jason, Nicole and I tried our hardest to pull the thing apart with pliers, scissors, and our bare hands with no success. Jason was determined to get it off, so we packed-up our things and brought mom and baby along with us.
We stopped at a hospital, that strangely enough, was quite empty despite the needs outside their doors (i believe it was a for-profit hospital, but regardless, it was frustrating to see this). We asked for a cast saw, and after a bit of waiting, an OR nurse brought one over. Jason and Nicole did a marvelous job sawing it off... i tried to help by holding the baby and cast still. We were so relieved, and so were mom and child! We sent them home with some money to catch a taxi. (Jason and Nicole, my heroes!) ; )
Today's patient count: 400+
Tuesday, March 16- Basketball Court Clinic, PAP
Again, another morning greeted with the songs of roosters, birds, and cows (i LOVE the coutnryside). Christine lead devotions this morning before we headed out. (So our routine each day was largely the same, up at 6 leave by 7, clinic from 10 to 3pm...)
Today we set-up shop near the airport again, in an abandoned Red-cross tent next to a basketball court within a chain-link fence. We were more organized with our routine today, especiall now having Nicole's index cards and pens to write with. However, we failed to load our most important supply bag... our MEDS!!!! Thankfully we still had some tums, rocephin shots, vitamins, some PO antibiotics, and IV fluids. We rallied some money together to purchase monistat, and just made-due with what we had...
More foliculitis, bad dental carries, PID, GERD, a couple dehydrated cases, infectious diseases, and some old wounds and fractures from the earthquake. It was hard working that day as our resources were more limited and the heat was more intense as our location was in full sun. We looked-out for each other, offering each other breaks, and had a fabulous "water team" keeping us hydrated (thanks David and Brad!)
We wrapped-up early, around 2 as we ran out of supplies, probably saw around 350 patients... We got to engage in "play therapy" with the children and teens of the neighborhood. The guys played a few intense games of basketball, and I got the kids to teach me a few of their group sing-song games...
"Des pommes, des pommes, des ananas, des biscuit, des biscuit de chocolat... a que ses bon pour la sante!" See video.
Its amazing to see the children of Haiti who have virtually nothing, sometimes no pants or shoes, singing and playing joyfully... We have a lot to learn from them.
We swung-by the airport to pick-up Annaliese (premed student from WA)... and now our team was complete! I was thankful to find my lost suitcase had finally arrived! Annaliese brought with her a donation of $4000 worth of medicines! What a blessing! God just kept providing for our team!
Upon our return to the orphanage, we learned that their water supply had run dry! Our cold showers turned into cold BUCKET showers only adding to the pleasures of our experience... how exhilarating! (I personally love "roughing it" myself). Some of us got smart and warmed a little water on the stove for their showers...
Sadly, we learned, that while at dinner, Pastor Brad's camera, camcorder, and other valuables were stolen from his tent by unknown persons in the village. I was encouraged by his resolve to trust God through this troubling situation and not allow this circumstance to dampen his spirits... I won't soon forget this...
Another revival this evening and encouraging team meeting. Our meetings were always an outpouring of encouragement and love to each other, as we went around the room giving thanks and praise to each other for their service, and ultimately praising the Lord for how He blessed us that day. I've never worked with a more unified team in my life!
Today we set-up shop near the airport again, in an abandoned Red-cross tent next to a basketball court within a chain-link fence. We were more organized with our routine today, especiall now having Nicole's index cards and pens to write with. However, we failed to load our most important supply bag... our MEDS!!!! Thankfully we still had some tums, rocephin shots, vitamins, some PO antibiotics, and IV fluids. We rallied some money together to purchase monistat, and just made-due with what we had...
More foliculitis, bad dental carries, PID, GERD, a couple dehydrated cases, infectious diseases, and some old wounds and fractures from the earthquake. It was hard working that day as our resources were more limited and the heat was more intense as our location was in full sun. We looked-out for each other, offering each other breaks, and had a fabulous "water team" keeping us hydrated (thanks David and Brad!)
We wrapped-up early, around 2 as we ran out of supplies, probably saw around 350 patients... We got to engage in "play therapy" with the children and teens of the neighborhood. The guys played a few intense games of basketball, and I got the kids to teach me a few of their group sing-song games...
"Des pommes, des pommes, des ananas, des biscuit, des biscuit de chocolat... a que ses bon pour la sante!" See video.
Its amazing to see the children of Haiti who have virtually nothing, sometimes no pants or shoes, singing and playing joyfully... We have a lot to learn from them.
We swung-by the airport to pick-up Annaliese (premed student from WA)... and now our team was complete! I was thankful to find my lost suitcase had finally arrived! Annaliese brought with her a donation of $4000 worth of medicines! What a blessing! God just kept providing for our team!
Upon our return to the orphanage, we learned that their water supply had run dry! Our cold showers turned into cold BUCKET showers only adding to the pleasures of our experience... how exhilarating! (I personally love "roughing it" myself). Some of us got smart and warmed a little water on the stove for their showers...
Sadly, we learned, that while at dinner, Pastor Brad's camera, camcorder, and other valuables were stolen from his tent by unknown persons in the village. I was encouraged by his resolve to trust God through this troubling situation and not allow this circumstance to dampen his spirits... I won't soon forget this...
Another revival this evening and encouraging team meeting. Our meetings were always an outpouring of encouragement and love to each other, as we went around the room giving thanks and praise to each other for their service, and ultimately praising the Lord for how He blessed us that day. I've never worked with a more unified team in my life!
Sunday, March 14th- Arrival in Haiti
Upon arrival at the Air France ticket counter in Miami, I learned that their luggage policy was even less accommodating, making no special allowances for relief supplies, etc. "That will be $100 for each additional bag (i had two, a suitcase and the crutches), and $100 for each overweight bag!" I managed to shuffle the weight of my supplies around so that I had only 1 overweight piece... Even then, I still would have had to front $300! I prayed, and prayed again... "God, you know that the Haitians need everything that I'm bringing... please make it possible for me to bring them now."
Garry and his friend David had brought me to the Miami airport and were trying to negotiate things in Creole with the Haitian attendant at the ticket counter. She stood firm, and I was preparing to "pay-up" or send back some of the supplies with Garry, when I turned around to find him talking to a guy waiting in line to check his bags. Garry spotted him and his team sporting "Yele Haiti" t-shirts, Wycliffe-Jean's aid organization. Apparently, volunteers from "Yele Haiti" just need to bring their personal belongings as they have all their logistics ready and waiting for them in Haiti! So, our new friend Gregory, aggreed to check in my extra pieces with himself and another team members! He even paid took care of saran-wrapping my crutches for me! My bags went for free again! God certainly provides a way!
I met 5 of my team members in the waiting area... Jason a Nurse Practitioner; Bradley a pastor; Erick an inner-city school teacher; Sarah-Jane an E.R. nurse; and David a Pilates instructor... all from Nashville, Tennessee. When I learned of the troubles they went through to get Miami, my struggles seemed rather miniscule! Jason had flown-in on his own. The rest, after numerous flight cancellations and rebookings, were told upon arrival to the Nashville airport, that their flight was delayed and the soonest they could make alternate travel plans to Haiti would be the following Thursday, unless they could find another way to get to Miami! Having only 12 hrs to spare for a 1000 mile drive, the four high-tailed it to the rental car counter and drove practically non-stop with mounds of luggage in a tiny rental car from Nashville to Miami! I can hardly comprehend what they did to get to Haiti, and there's many more stories like theirs from my other team members!
I sat next to a native Haitian on the flight to Haiti, who studied film in L.A. and was now working for the department of disabilities in the Haitian gov't. He saw me attempting to make sense of the creole medical dictionary I was studying, and offered his help. He was their during the earthquake, and told me of the sheer horror of the situation... He had just left his office not 15 min prior to the cataclysm. He got out of his car and was overwhelmed with terror as he saw buildings crumble on either side of him, and people scrambling to save their lives! The most horrifying 35 seconds of his life!
I caught a glimpse of the "sea" of tent-cities scattered throughout PAP as we made our decent. I braced myself for a very different and sobering experience in Haiti. What a joyful surprise to be greated by the vibrant music and smiles of Haitian band of singers clad in bright yellow "Western Union" t-shirts! They sang and played just as joyfully as they did when I arrived in Haiti last June! (see video). Throughout all their losses, one thing that remains with the Haitians is their astounding resilience and joy for living!
It was a bit chaotic getting our luggage, as the airport terminal was damaged and they didn't have a vendor belt. we basically waited in a semicircle in a warehouse-type building as they hand-delivered our pieces from the trucks. One of my bags was missing, expected to arrive with a freight Monday morning. We waited just outside the airport for a few hours to pick-up a few other team members. While waiting, we got to interact with some of the street kids lingering outside our tap-tap vehicle. Some of these kids are as young as 4 years old, and wander the streets independently or w/ siblings... We gave them some water and some gummy candies we had handy.
Our drive up to the orphanage was long and tiring... about 2 hrs of bumpy, rocky "tap-tap" travel on hard wooden benches, with luggage about to topple on some of us, and dust and exhaust getting into our noses and eyes. The laughter and antics perpetually emitting from Erick and others, made the ride fly by!
I was thrilled to see Carline, Garry's older sister (my sister too), and Djanna, her beautiful little niece who traveled and worked with us throughout the week! She was one I thought of the most when I heard of the earthquake... I PRAISE GOD for sparing her life and that of her entire family!
Upon arrival at the orphanage, we set-up our tents (some of us slept on spare bunk beds in the orphanage), ate dinner, had a group meeting, went to church, and then came back to organize our medical supplies before going to bed (probably around 11pm).
Garry and his friend David had brought me to the Miami airport and were trying to negotiate things in Creole with the Haitian attendant at the ticket counter. She stood firm, and I was preparing to "pay-up" or send back some of the supplies with Garry, when I turned around to find him talking to a guy waiting in line to check his bags. Garry spotted him and his team sporting "Yele Haiti" t-shirts, Wycliffe-Jean's aid organization. Apparently, volunteers from "Yele Haiti" just need to bring their personal belongings as they have all their logistics ready and waiting for them in Haiti! So, our new friend Gregory, aggreed to check in my extra pieces with himself and another team members! He even paid took care of saran-wrapping my crutches for me! My bags went for free again! God certainly provides a way!
I met 5 of my team members in the waiting area... Jason a Nurse Practitioner; Bradley a pastor; Erick an inner-city school teacher; Sarah-Jane an E.R. nurse; and David a Pilates instructor... all from Nashville, Tennessee. When I learned of the troubles they went through to get Miami, my struggles seemed rather miniscule! Jason had flown-in on his own. The rest, after numerous flight cancellations and rebookings, were told upon arrival to the Nashville airport, that their flight was delayed and the soonest they could make alternate travel plans to Haiti would be the following Thursday, unless they could find another way to get to Miami! Having only 12 hrs to spare for a 1000 mile drive, the four high-tailed it to the rental car counter and drove practically non-stop with mounds of luggage in a tiny rental car from Nashville to Miami! I can hardly comprehend what they did to get to Haiti, and there's many more stories like theirs from my other team members!
I sat next to a native Haitian on the flight to Haiti, who studied film in L.A. and was now working for the department of disabilities in the Haitian gov't. He saw me attempting to make sense of the creole medical dictionary I was studying, and offered his help. He was their during the earthquake, and told me of the sheer horror of the situation... He had just left his office not 15 min prior to the cataclysm. He got out of his car and was overwhelmed with terror as he saw buildings crumble on either side of him, and people scrambling to save their lives! The most horrifying 35 seconds of his life!
I caught a glimpse of the "sea" of tent-cities scattered throughout PAP as we made our decent. I braced myself for a very different and sobering experience in Haiti. What a joyful surprise to be greated by the vibrant music and smiles of Haitian band of singers clad in bright yellow "Western Union" t-shirts! They sang and played just as joyfully as they did when I arrived in Haiti last June! (see video). Throughout all their losses, one thing that remains with the Haitians is their astounding resilience and joy for living!
It was a bit chaotic getting our luggage, as the airport terminal was damaged and they didn't have a vendor belt. we basically waited in a semicircle in a warehouse-type building as they hand-delivered our pieces from the trucks. One of my bags was missing, expected to arrive with a freight Monday morning. We waited just outside the airport for a few hours to pick-up a few other team members. While waiting, we got to interact with some of the street kids lingering outside our tap-tap vehicle. Some of these kids are as young as 4 years old, and wander the streets independently or w/ siblings... We gave them some water and some gummy candies we had handy.
Our drive up to the orphanage was long and tiring... about 2 hrs of bumpy, rocky "tap-tap" travel on hard wooden benches, with luggage about to topple on some of us, and dust and exhaust getting into our noses and eyes. The laughter and antics perpetually emitting from Erick and others, made the ride fly by!
I was thrilled to see Carline, Garry's older sister (my sister too), and Djanna, her beautiful little niece who traveled and worked with us throughout the week! She was one I thought of the most when I heard of the earthquake... I PRAISE GOD for sparing her life and that of her entire family!
Upon arrival at the orphanage, we set-up our tents (some of us slept on spare bunk beds in the orphanage), ate dinner, had a group meeting, went to church, and then came back to organize our medical supplies before going to bed (probably around 11pm).
Monday, March 15th- Airport Clinic
Woke up around 5am to roosters crowing at the top of their lungs, and after a tumultuous night's sleep, trying to find a way to keep warm as I hadn't come prepared for the chilly mountain nights at the orphanage (probably went to as low as 55-60 degrees). We had breakfast together... Toasted flour porridge, cereal or PB sandwiches and a strong cup of Haitian coffee got us rearing to go for the days work. We met for morning devotions led by Bobby, our team leader. We loaded all of our supplies on top of our big red "tap-tap" truck, and about 20 of us crammed into the back, leaving around 7:15 for a nearly 2 hr drive into town. On our way, we stopped at the grocery store to buy bread to make PB sandwiches and ice for the Tang we would hand-out at the clinic.
We set-up shop about 20 min from the airport in the "tent church" of a small village. School had not reopened, yet we found young students sitting on the wooden benches working independently on their homework... they are eager to learn in Haiti!
Our first clinic day was a bit disorganized as we were learning how work with the limited space and logistics we had. We forgot to grab paper and pens to write with, so I cut-up some computer paper I happened to have in my backpack and scrounged-up some spare pens. We wrote each patients' name, chief complaint, vital signs, and the practitioner's Rx for that patient on each small slip... No need for massive, over-flowing patient charts here!
The patients waited patiently in line as the translators, Christine (L&D nurse from NY) and I took down their name and cheif complaint. I enjoyed practicing a bit of my French in this role! Brent (aka. "Alabama") and Denny (from NY) then took vitals in triage. Jason, our N.P. and head-honcho, and Andrew (ER tech and med student from Texas) were our practitioners performing assessments and writing prescriptions.The patients then visited our little pharmacy table, manned by Pastor Jeff & Angie (amazing couple from WI) SJ, and Erick. Kristin (student from Minnesota), Brandyn (from NY), and David prepared and served each person with a PB sandwich and "tang" juice. Then each patient was prayed-over by Pastor Brad, Bobby, and others.
We saw around 250+ patients that day, most of which had complaints of indigestion/acid reflux, dizziness, poor appetite, pelvic inflammatory disease symptoms, and dry eyes. Some came through with boils/abcesses some of which we treated w/ shots of Rocephin.
One patient I will never forget was a sweet old lady of 85... It's by God's grace that anyone should live to age 85, especially in Haiti where the average life span is 40 years! Her family/neighbors somehow managed to help her walk to the clinic... they must have carried her part of the way, because she was so weak from dehydration, and on top of that had painfully swollen legs and feet she could barely walk on! SJ put an IV in her and gave her a liter of fluid. She had no shoes for her swollen feet, so Christine graciously gave her her socks... She didn't put them on to walk though, and we couldn't bear to see her go bare-footed! So Christine, myself, and one of the translators carried her back to her tent. The trek to her tent was so difficult to pass through, we're not quite sure how she made it to us in the first place! Tents are erected side by side w/ barely any space in between to walk, and some areas were rather steep. Thankfully, we managed to get her back safely without tripping over tent poles! When we got her seated in her chair, she blessed us and kissed us, then lifted her hands and began to praise to God! Christine and I were on the brink of tears watching her there, as she reminded us both of our grandmothers... We were so thankful to have the opportunity to take care of her, our Haitian grandmother : )
After seeing probably everyone who lived in that village, we wrapped things-up around 3pm. On our way back we dropped-by the airport to pick-up Nicole (PA student from California) our second practitioner, Brian (premed student from NC), and Travis (student from Texas). We chowed-down on croissant sandwiches from Epi D'or as none of us had eaten all day (our routine each day). A few of us got motion-sickness on the ride back up, and SJ was rather dehydrated from the heat of the day. She ended-up getting a liter of IV fluids when we returned...
Our cold showers were rather refreshing after a long heated day... After dinner, the majority of the team left for revival a revival service after dinner that evening... Nicole and I stayed behind to organize our medical supplies for the following day... One thing we certainly were not lacking in were gloves, PPE, and peroxide!! (methods to eradicate disease in Haiti perhaps?)
We set-up shop about 20 min from the airport in the "tent church" of a small village. School had not reopened, yet we found young students sitting on the wooden benches working independently on their homework... they are eager to learn in Haiti!
Our first clinic day was a bit disorganized as we were learning how work with the limited space and logistics we had. We forgot to grab paper and pens to write with, so I cut-up some computer paper I happened to have in my backpack and scrounged-up some spare pens. We wrote each patients' name, chief complaint, vital signs, and the practitioner's Rx for that patient on each small slip... No need for massive, over-flowing patient charts here!
The patients waited patiently in line as the translators, Christine (L&D nurse from NY) and I took down their name and cheif complaint. I enjoyed practicing a bit of my French in this role! Brent (aka. "Alabama") and Denny (from NY) then took vitals in triage. Jason, our N.P. and head-honcho, and Andrew (ER tech and med student from Texas) were our practitioners performing assessments and writing prescriptions.The patients then visited our little pharmacy table, manned by Pastor Jeff & Angie (amazing couple from WI) SJ, and Erick. Kristin (student from Minnesota), Brandyn (from NY), and David prepared and served each person with a PB sandwich and "tang" juice. Then each patient was prayed-over by Pastor Brad, Bobby, and others.
We saw around 250+ patients that day, most of which had complaints of indigestion/acid reflux, dizziness, poor appetite, pelvic inflammatory disease symptoms, and dry eyes. Some came through with boils/abcesses some of which we treated w/ shots of Rocephin.
One patient I will never forget was a sweet old lady of 85... It's by God's grace that anyone should live to age 85, especially in Haiti where the average life span is 40 years! Her family/neighbors somehow managed to help her walk to the clinic... they must have carried her part of the way, because she was so weak from dehydration, and on top of that had painfully swollen legs and feet she could barely walk on! SJ put an IV in her and gave her a liter of fluid. She had no shoes for her swollen feet, so Christine graciously gave her her socks... She didn't put them on to walk though, and we couldn't bear to see her go bare-footed! So Christine, myself, and one of the translators carried her back to her tent. The trek to her tent was so difficult to pass through, we're not quite sure how she made it to us in the first place! Tents are erected side by side w/ barely any space in between to walk, and some areas were rather steep. Thankfully, we managed to get her back safely without tripping over tent poles! When we got her seated in her chair, she blessed us and kissed us, then lifted her hands and began to praise to God! Christine and I were on the brink of tears watching her there, as she reminded us both of our grandmothers... We were so thankful to have the opportunity to take care of her, our Haitian grandmother : )
After seeing probably everyone who lived in that village, we wrapped things-up around 3pm. On our way back we dropped-by the airport to pick-up Nicole (PA student from California) our second practitioner, Brian (premed student from NC), and Travis (student from Texas). We chowed-down on croissant sandwiches from Epi D'or as none of us had eaten all day (our routine each day). A few of us got motion-sickness on the ride back up, and SJ was rather dehydrated from the heat of the day. She ended-up getting a liter of IV fluids when we returned...
Our cold showers were rather refreshing after a long heated day... After dinner, the majority of the team left for revival a revival service after dinner that evening... Nicole and I stayed behind to organize our medical supplies for the following day... One thing we certainly were not lacking in were gloves, PPE, and peroxide!! (methods to eradicate disease in Haiti perhaps?)
Saturday, March 13- Travel Day #1
I had an overwhelming amount of supplies donated by my church and hospital, all of which were important and could not be left behind. I called Southwest ahead of time to see if they would make a special allowance for the 4 pieces (3 suitcases of supplies, and a pack of 4 crutches) I needed to check in. The representative I spoke with said there was no way she could help, that I should have requested the waiver a month in advance... I sheepishly approached a serious-looking woman at the ticket counter on Friday 3/13, asking for a "break" on at least one of the extra pieces I was bringing to Haiti. As I waited for her to return from speaking with her manager, I prayed, and prayed. To my utter astonishment, the woman returned with a huge smile on her face and said, "On behalf of Southwest Airlines, we want to thank you for your service to the people of Haiti! We're happy to take care of your luggage today!"
"Thank you," I said. "So how much will it be?"
"Oh! There's no charge! We're checking it all for free!"
Wow! I was amazed! 4 checked pieces, with two overweight at no charge! What a miracle! Thank you Lord! I stayed overnight at Garry's friend's house before traveling to Miami the next morning.
"Thank you," I said. "So how much will it be?"
"Oh! There's no charge! We're checking it all for free!"
Wow! I was amazed! 4 checked pieces, with two overweight at no charge! What a miracle! Thank you Lord! I stayed overnight at Garry's friend's house before traveling to Miami the next morning.
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