Day 3 - Sabbath

The church we went to before heading to the beach...

The Caribbean Ocean

Tent City right as we leave town.... Sign says We Need Help.

Today was Sunday, the day of rest. After yesterday I already felt like I needed it. There is so much to take in. We got around pretty late this morning and left at about 8:30, we were on our way to church. On our way out there we passed tent cities and the worst one we had seen yet. Each tent city has a leader and depending on the leader's ability will depend on how well the people in that tent city will do however some tent cities do not have a leader or are fighting about who the leader is and they seem to be doing worse. This tent city did not have a leader and so was not being provided food or water. Its alot like tribes and with Haiti not having their government to help them out Im afraid the division among the people is just going to get worse. Along the way we also passed the Mass Grave, Its marked with only one symbol that represents the resting place of 250,000 people. You can see the mounds of dirt they had piled on top of the dead, one pile after another and above all the symbol they had decided to place for those who have gone before us is a cross. I thought there is no other symbol more important than that one. As you continue to drive down the road a little ways you start to get this horrible smell, Our team called it Zombie swamp. Zombies in Haiti are very real and are still practiced today. If someone becomes too rich or annoying than the family or whoever can pay the Voodoo priest to preform this ritual, A man from Harvard named Wane Davis went to Haiti to study this process and best describes it like this..."The bokor creates a highly toxic mixture that includes poisonous plants and animals. Dumbcane is added because it harms the larynx, making breathing difficult and vocalizations impossible.The poison is mixed with food to be ingested or placed over an open wound to ensure it gets absorbed into the victim’s bloodstream. The person will lapse into a deep coma-like state so life cannot be detected, then buried before being “resurrected” by the bokor. The victim is aware of what is happening, but cannot react. The zombie is “resurrected” by being force-fed a mixture of sweet potatoes, sugar cane and Datura stramonium, referred to as zombie’s cucumber. The potion causes disorientation and hallucinations. The bokor gives the zombie a new name and a new life. Confused, the victim follows and totally obeys the bokor and his or her new master. There’s no antidote for the potions and zombies require little food. Salt is withheld because it’s believed that it can bring back the ability to speak and taste. Voodoo beliefs play an important role." For the shorter version, People are poisoned than buried alive in "Zombie swamp" than unburried the next day only to be taken back to the village in order to be slaved and worked to death, they are given very little to eat and live only about a couple of years after this incident. Voodoo influences the whole country no matter your religion, its something we had to face almost everyday. I could not help but to think about those who were alive underground as we passed, my heart ached for those we could not see but God could. He knew and was with each one of them personally. We continued on and finally made our journey to this little church in Achai. Although It was not very big, the people's hearts were Huge. And even though we could not understand the sermon it still refreshed my soul especially interacting with all the children. After church we headed to the beach and was able to swim in the Caribbean ocean. I could not believe such destruction and such beauty were on the same camera! I at first had mixed emotions, I didnt come here to enjoy my time at the beach while others were about 30 min away suffering, but after walking down the shore I quickly was able to enjoy my time but was definitely ready to get back to work. We arrived back at the tents and had our meeting, tonight's blessing ICE!!! Tomorrow I am going to an orphanage with 500 children with disabilities, I look forward to being in my comfort zone...... We have had a couple of aftershocks while being here so far, I quickly understand why everyone lives outdoors.

Day 2

Rubble everywhere

The presidential palace

We saw this imagine several times spray painted through out Haiti

Church downtown, It looks destroyed but as you drive by you can see they still gather and worship inside what is left

Last night I did not sleep well but got up around 6 this morning and started getting ready for the day. Jeanne and I were the first dropped off at our satellite clinic in Bon Repo. We set up our pharmacy and began to see patients, we both had our own translators. Today was only a half day but between the two of us from 9am to 2pm we saw 110 patients. We were very busy, I saw things from Staph to high fevers. I am very nervous about seeing patients for the fact that I do not know enough medically to make confident decisions and am glad tomorrow is our sabbath day off. I learned alot of things today such as the difficulties we are going to face in trying to take patients to the hospital. Alot of hospitals are shutting down and the general hospitals are too expenisve. If you go to a general hospital the only thing free is the bed and a dr. to look at you otherwise you have to pay for sheets, pillows, food, and anything that you use or may need. I hope we do not have to face an emergency situation where we have to try to get a patient into the hospital but I have a feeling we will be facing alot of that. After work we went through downtown Port-Au-Prince. They say about 70% was destroyed from the quake but it looks so much more than that, we are able to get out at the presidental palace. Most of the rubble is still there and whatever rubble they have removed is being tossed in the ocean. Its hard not to think about the bodies still trapped underneath. Trash is everywhere piled up in the streets and pigs are the animal I see the most. As you drive down the street you randomly see people going to the bathroom and children bathing in the filthy streams. I am in shock with the unsanatary conditions and cant imagine the diseases that will arise because of it. When we get back from our adventure through downtown we have some rice and our meeting. I am very tired tonight, the heat is beginning to get to me however as I sit here and listen to my music I begin to hear the rain beating against my tent. I foresee another sleepless night as I begin to think about those living out on the streets and the shelters that will not hold up during the night. I begin to think about the children who are given alcohol as a sleep aid and the amount of people who have not eaten in days. The suffering I've witnessed today is nothing I have ever experienced before but I know that God has not turned his back on Haiti.

Day 1 Arrival

The view from our tent onto the back field

My tent is the green one to the very left....

This morning I woke up and took my final hot shower at the Miami hotel. I was worried about time so I decided to wait and eat until I got into the airport. When I finally found my gate the only thing I saw was a pizza hut so I had a small personal size pizza and a Dr. Pepper. I had some time to kill so I called my friend Megan and my mom. Next thing I know they are loading the plane so I stuff my pizza and took my drink onto the plane (First Huge Blessing, Only bottle I had to hold water in for days and only food I had until late night) I loaded onto the plane unsure of who my members of the team were but I had yet to worry. The plane ride was amazing I didnt realize just how clear the Ocean is and to watch the beauty of Haiti as you fly above is incredible. However as you land you begin to see the destruction everywhere and see the true heart of it all. As we landed and I was lead out, I could no longer understand anyone, there was a huge language barrier so I just began to walk knowing I first needed to get my luggage so I wasnt worried yet. I think mostly because I could see 2 huge planes that said United States of America written on the side so that brought me comfort. So I decided to follow the crowd which lead me onto a bus that took us to another part of the airport. When I walk in all I see is hundreds of suitcases and luggage stacked in the middle of the room, I was no longer in America and I immediatly wanted to organize the system. I had 50lbs I was already carrying and another 80lbs of luggage somewhere in the middle of the room in a huge pile that everyone is climbing on top of and digging through. I search and search and climb and sweat and push and finally find 1 of my bags, I fall to it and begin my massive search for the next bag which seemed like forever before I was able to get both bags in hand. As I turn towards the exit which is right behind me I begin to get nervous, I still dont know who my team members are. As I make my way through the exit the only thing between me and the city is a gate where a massive amount of people are surrounding the outside of it as the people behind me are pushing me closer trying to make their way out however I refuse to go through the gate into the city without knowing who I am suppose to be with so I begin to back up searching for any sign, finally there it was, a man holding up PID. He grabs my things as we head out into the city and I meet my first team member Jeanne, a retired Army RN and EMS Director. She leads me to a small red blazer and we are off to our main clinic in Blanchard. As I am looking through the window I am in absolute shock at what I am seeing, I soon realize that everyone lives outside even if they have a home they are too afraid to stay in it. My car would not have made it through all the rubble we had to drive over to get to the clinic however we finally make it and I begin to unload all my medical supplies when I meet a girl named Marcie who speaks some english. She immediatly begins teaching me the language creole, the language barrier was going to make things a huge challenge. I was soon able to see how the clinic worked and immediatly realized I would be seeing my own patients. Are they Crazy came to my mind. It was very overwhelming so I decided to take a breather and walk around the clinic where I met a little boy who the only thing he could say in english was the chorus to Amazing Grace, it was a blessing. As soon as he was finished we left and headed for our sleeping destination. When we arrived I began setting up my tent. I had noticed a boy (learning later his name is Samuel, he had a horrible eye injury from the quake ) was watching me. Even though we couldnt understand each other he could see I was struggling and came over to help me put it up. About an hour after we finished the rest of the team showed up, they were on a different flight. They got settled in and we began our nightly meeting, which was a blessing that every night we would sit and debrief about the day. We were told about past patients, One being a 16 yr old girl whoes parents thought she was pregnant so they were beating her, they just couldnt afford another mouth to feed. Well turns out she had a massive tumor wrapped around her kindneys, infact shes never had sex before. There was another woman who had cancer that they told her she would die from it because in Haiti there is no treatment for cancer and she simply smiled and said "Thats ok, I just came here to get soap for my son" and the stories go on and on. After we all debreif than we go over our schedule for the next day which tomorrow I work at a satillite clinic at Bon Repo with Jeanne. Its Saturday so we will only work 1/2 day until 2pm. I am beyond nervous! We than had dinner, rice... My huge blessing for today, I was able to email Megan and Chelle, Now sitting in my tent listening to music as it begins to rain........