Who knew we would need to come back to the big city to get cooled off? After the rain last night the humidity dissipated and the breeze was actually quite chilly. I believe everyone slept very comfortably and some even needed to get under their top sheet. Not only that, but the clocks actually did fall back here in Haiti, so we got an extra hour! Read More
Last night we devoured dinner quickly and tackled the med inventory with what appeared like great ease. We had an invitation to venture out to the bar, but by the time we had finished our work, the effects of the week had clearly taken their toll and the group turned in early…after storing all the supplies, that is. Read More
Turns out last night we were all so exhausted, we just had dinner, enjoyed the cool breeze on the roof for awhile, played cards, checked out the orphanage boys for any concerns…no scut work. We knew there would be plenty to do today, so it was a good night for a break! Read More
Last night dinner was indeed delicious…rice with black bean sauce and another favorite, Legume…oh so good! We again tackled the nightly work with ease and efficiency. We have definitely developed a process and have found our groove with this necessary work. Once finished many of us retired to the roof as a group for the first time this week…there was finally a breeze and stars. We even had a natural light show with heat lightning all around us. Unfortunately, that breeze was not constant and the night proved to be a hot one again. Sleep doesn’t always come easy in these conditions, despite the fatigue.
I awoke this morning and went to the hilltop to post yesterday’s entry and was greeted by the neighborhood children requesting photos. A nice way to begin the day. When I returned, we learned clinic would be right here at the church again, so we ate breakfast and trekked down the hill ready to get busy. We were uncertain how long clinic would be today since it was our 2nd day here. It became quite clear that it would be a long, hot day right from the get go, and when we finished at 1:30, we had seen another 122 patients. That is nearly 500 patients in 4 days with one more clinic in Madame Bernard tomorrow.
We have definitely made an impact and have identified several patients in need of more definitive care on the mainland. In some cases this may in fact be life saving care. So, for every patient in need of more extensive care, we will see 50-100 who just need general care, and oftentimes just reassurance that nothing serious is wrong. No matter the issue, we strive to gain every patient’s confidence and trust…sometimes we succeed better than others (so true no matter the setting), but I believe the ledger is tilted in our favor and that bodes well for the success of our mission on this island.
After we hauled all supplies and ourselves back up the hill, we were treated to a delicious lunch of traditional Haitian pumpkin soup…despite the heat of the day, it was devoured. It may actually have restorative properties…or maybe that was the special surprise Big Boss and Big Boss Lady had in store for us…
In nearly 9 years this is the first time we actually went on a recreational excursion…and it definitely did not disappoint – swimming, snorkeling and just cooling off. The heat of the day just melted away. Talk about your own private island…there is no room for anyone or anything else, including any more sand! This is it…
I think the team has earned this…just hope it doesn’t take another 9 years to see it again. What was most interesting was the sea floor just covered in beautiful starfish, as if expecting our team’s arrival!
We are all back “home” now and rinsed of sea salt. We have the same work to do tonight in order to be ready for our last clinic. It is again breezy and we just hope it will continue thru the night. As usual, dinner smells delicious and I think the solar power kept the beverages “cold” today, so we should be fortified for the remainder of our work in this little corner of paradise.
That is all for now. Stay tuned for another chapter tomorrow, and as always…
Love to All,
The Team
Last night we powered through the work quickly and moved on to our favorite part of the trip…eating of course and building social connections with our Haitian friends!
We played some cards and Boaz seems to have filled in nicely for Wilson, when it comes to winning…and of course, it goes without saying JennyMa continued her winning ways too. We were serenaded by Flito – aka”Big Fish”, Felix – aka “Bieber”, and at times Boaz – aka “Pitit”… I think we have the makings of a Haitian boy band – “The Backwater Boyz” maybe!
It was touch and go with the generator but before we all turned in it seemed to find it’s stride and kept fans running throughout the night. However, I think on Ile a Vache it is possible to reach 110% humidity, so sleep did not come easy for some…difficult to sleep when every part of you feels damp.
This morning we were prepared for our return to Pointe Est…this time by land rather than sea, and since it is quite a bit farther east than yesterday, we decided to make the trip all at once. This meant loading the truck down with as much of our supplies as possible and as many people as we could fit – inside and out. It also meant that some of us got to go old school again – that’s right, Motos!!
And we even had a new rider after all these years…go Carey!!
Have no fear…as always, our drivers are extra careful with us and we all made it there and back safely. In fact, those of us on Motos probably had a more comfortable and cool ride…especially the ride home…
Good thing there was heavy road equipment right there to help pull our transport out of the mud!
Back to clinic though: …we were open for business for about 4hrs before our last patient was seen and we had provided services to 110 souls. This is upwards of triple the number we saw last year when here – they were clearly ready for us. The clinic was very hot and muggy with the sea breeze blocked by other structures, but it ran very efficiently – our patients were very appreciative and never unruly…a refreshing change from yesterday’s beat down.
Once the last patient was seen, we did it all in reverse…except for a brief side trip to our building site…that’s right…PLUMBING!!
The fill is compacted, trenches for PVC have been created and the drains are being set. The additional steel for the concrete pad is nearly complete and we expect a floor to be poured in the next couple weeks. Every day we are seeing more progress, and I am told the most difficult and time consuming step in the process – the foundation – has been completed. Once the floor is poured, I’m told we will see walls going up in very short order…I hope you can feel my excitement and that it’s contagious!!
Today, some of us cooled down at “short beach” while others crashed back at the guest house with a cold soda and cards…with a couple followup appointments from Monday’s clinic mixed in, of course – Go Team!!
I think we are all winding down from the hot day, awaiting dinner which is sure to be delicious. We are now more than halfway through our week of clinics and have cared for over 360 patients thus far. That is another 360 chances to connect with this population! Our potential for success is great and continues to grow!
The breeze is blowing and the night seems to be getting set up for a cool one…fingers crossed for a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow we are either in Madame Bernard or back here at the church. Either way, we expect another large crowd. We will need our rest to finish the week strong.
Will update again tomorrow with events from our day!
Love to All,
The Team