Team 13

Bonjou from Haiti January 8, 2012
Our arrival on January 4th was uneventful from the logistics point of view: O'Hare was ready for all missioners who were eager and on time, all perfectly packed and organized luggage (none over 50# and all inventory accounted for) was waiting for us at the Louveture International Airport along with Willem's robust embrace, many friendly porters, lots of muscle and elbowing, a bit of chaos from customs to the parking lot... but in comparison to previous years...all without a glitch! It was dark with a lot of airport traffic leaving PAP, so Willem took a less familiar route up the mountain. Laborers at construction sites were evident, vendors were packing up for the day, less rubble was obstructive and new sidewalks with new drainage ditches were a happy site. At first Brian and I almost felt like we were about to embark on a Caribbean vacation with 26 best friends but the drive through PAP quickly sobered our meandering thoughts. Garbage and broken buildings were our first jolt, and then came the pass by the first of still many tattered, worn-out and forlorn tent cities with so many families still displaced. Two years of living in conditions without safe shelter, sanitation, clean water or regular food. It's hard to observe so closely this heartache and uncertainty of humanity. There are still many reminders of the ravages Haiti has endured.

The rooster calls, blasts of dogs barking and the aroma of Haitian coffee and breakfast are a certainty early each morning, so there is no chance of over sleeping. An orderly line of hopeful patients snaking around the clinic has been our view from the binoculars each morning, motivating us to organize and get up to the mountain quickly. Many of the team are taking the 30-45 minute trek by foot, experiencing both the rigor of the villager's daily walks, a sweaty start to their day but a burst of energy from each smile and enthusiastic greeting received. Children peek out of door frames and run out to the road, waving and grinning, peeping past their strewn laundry amidst roosters, wash bins and water buckets. It's an emotion that's hard to describe...the joy of a child, the pain of poverty, both at the exact moment. It's the same emotion we feel at the clinic...the joy of helping a person out of their physical suffering from injury and infection, worms, scabies, hypertension, seizures and so many other medical problems while at the same time feeling their pain, knowing their hardship. It's a human experience that will never be fully describable.

We had 3 days of intense clinic, with all 28 of us working in synch: doing our medical passion; passing out health packs, Crocs and salt; filling hundreds of prescriptions while providing education to each patient...an efficiency that is truly amazing! The school children will return from their winter break today so we are also readying ourselves for applying fluoride varnish to all 600 student's teeth over the next 2 days.

Thank you for thinking of us and praying for us through each day. So much more work today, so don't stop yet ... more stories at the end of the week.

Blessings to you!
Sue, Brian, and Team