April13

I am home now. Such a procrastinator I am! I finally decided to posts my email updates home or I might never finish this. Thank you to everyone who helped me go to Haiti or who prayed for me. It was such an emotional and valuable time. I will never forget my fellow believers in Haiti; they were such a joy to serve with. My heart yearns to go back and yet I must wait to see what God has planned for me...

March 3

My friend and translator Wilmy, gave me some Haitian souvenirs because I haven't been able to do any shopping. That made my day.
I also got to hold and love some babies today. The children are awesome. When we first arrived at the camp they were shouting 'les blancs'..the whites. They were excited to see us.
We saw 306 today. Tomorrow I am going to Chambrun...so I can say goodbye to some people...and get some white Haitian rocks for Warren!

March 1

I am really trying with God's help to be a servant. It's hard to serve without recognition, but that's what God wants. So, I was on the bus today- running the pharmacy there. We had such a small area and it was on an incline that we decided to keep the pharmacy on the bus. We also forgot the chairs and table...ugh! Somehow chairs just showed up. I don't know if they were brought there by our crew or if they belonged to people in the camp. Anyhow, once things were organized, they ran pretty smoothly. Nick and John did very well considering they had no medical background.
I am missing Tim a lot! I can't wait for Friday, yet I can't allow myself to dwell on it because I still have work to do.

February 28

Church day today! Always fun to go worship with the Haitians. I love their energy. The kids remember my name and I gave out Canada pins. There are so many children that I have to wait awhile until there was a managable crowd before giving them out.
The team went to the epi centre today, but I did not...I'll tell you why when I get back. Instead I helped hand bomb baby food from a truck into the school. Then I left with the pastor to go to a church where he was overseeing an exam. This was for seminar on trauma counselling. I helped hand out the exams and then just waited. While I was waiting a young guy started talking to me. After a while I realized that he was talking to me about having an arranged marriage with him. He wanted my email, I told him I was married and he'd have to talk to the pastor about the email address (aka invisible brick wall).
As we left the church where the exams were, the pastor saw an IDP camp with children that he wanted to distribute food to. He talked to the leader of the camp, a Haitian police officer, an was assured that everything would be orderly. So the pastor and I got out and I handed the baby food to him and he was the one to hand it out. Aside from a little shouting which is very normal here, it went very well. Felt good.
I thank the Lord for giving me an opportunity to serve. It was a great day.

February 27

Well, my team left this morning. I felt a little displaced and I cried this morning. I haven't cried much, but I just couldn't help myself. They were such a good team. Norman even gave me his stethescope. Don't know if I spelled that right...
The new team took awhile to get going. It was 10 before we got going. Then it was chaos again as they tried to figure out where everything was. I am told that i'll be at an IDP camp on Monday and that they'll be leaning heavily on me for that.
I paid Kitsia, the pastor's sister, for some mangoes and now I have them! So good!!!

February 25

I am struggling today. We had an extrodinarily hot day @ the IDP camp. It seemed I just couldn't stay hydrated. At on point I became dizzy and realized that I really needed to hydrate. We all sweat so much that no one had to pee all day, not that there was anywhere to pee. When I got back to the house I was a little nauseous, totally fatigued, and sore from the food loading the night before. It was all I could do to finish dinner and a banana (for electrolytes). I went straight to bed for a nap and only got up when my dry mouth woke me up.
Now I an sitting on a couch, feeling very weak. I cried yet I can't pinpoint why. Seen too much this weak I guess.
I became a doctor today. I triaged patients and treated them. I of course knew when I was out of my league. One man came in complaining of back pain and pain and cuts all over his body. He had been beaten and robbed of his only possesstion...a bicycle. All he needed was pain relief and ointment for his wounds. I prayed for him. That really broke my heart.

February 26

Another eventful day in Haiti! We went to another but larger IDP camp today. I was so pleased to see that I'd be working in an area larger than a postage stamp. There was a large tarp covered area there, although it was really dusty. We saw about 300 people. I got to hold a little 5 day old baby. What a little angel. She was ok, but I wanted Norman to check her out anyway.
I actually drank enough water/electrolytes today. The electrolytes made a huge difference. I actually feel pepe right now! Big difference today.
I though I was going to have tomorrow off...but no. The Canada team is leaving tomorrow and I thought therewas a gap between teams. Oh no, they just pulled up now... Guess i'll be working tomorrow.

February 24

I am running out of battery power on my phone which is sending this by internet. Don't panic Tim...it's free! We went to an orphanage today an treated 200 kids. We wormed everyone and all the children got vitamins and stickers. The highlight for me was an 18 month old girl who had a fungal infection on her head and the doc wanted me to treat her right away. So while Mindy held her I applied the cream to her head. The massage must have felt good, soon she was sleeping against Mindy. What a delightful child! Can I bring her home Tim? Kidding.
We also packed a van with food for distribution @IDP camps. Each bag was about 35 lbs and we had to form a chain gang of sorts that we passed to each other. It was quite a sweaty affair! In the end we loaded about 15.7 tonnes by hand.

February 23

The aftershocks were reported as 4.7 richter. We were all sleeping when they happened, and we definitely felt them. I woke up to the bed shaking really hard for what seemed like forever. There were a few shocks after that and it was hard to determine if they were shocks or just my bunk mate Mindy turning over. After that my dreams were filled with quakes. Don't worry though because the house we're staying at was inspected and there was no structural damage from the quake. The team was divided in half today and my team did clinics at Chambrun again. I think I am now a certified pharmasist! I have spent 3 days dispensing medication, giving medication by needle and helping with iv starts on babies. It is a fast paced day, but I am really enjoying myself. We only treated 120 patients today so we were done early and had the opportunity to go to the village of Chambrun to distrubute food. When we arrived the village started to congregate and they were told to form lines. I have never seen a line so compact! They were back to chest, packed like sardines. I climbed into the truck to bring the 45 lbs of food to the back where it was being handed out. The people started carrying them on their heads back to their homes. That's quite a mental picture for me. Now were are hanging out and I am writing an email to you! Some of the team (men only at this point) have gone to see the Jesus film presentation. I am somewhat jealous... Maybe I'll get a chance yet. My french is improving and I am able to carry on conversations although not as well as I'd like.

February 22

Today we went to the clinic and we saw and treated about 220 people. It was controlled chaos at times, but it was a great day. Who would have thought that I'd come to Haiti to be a phamasist. That's where I spent most of the day, dispensing medicine and running urine and pregnacy tests. I got to hold a baby as her mother left the clinic to go produce a urine sample for me. She was so precious, loved being able to hold her. We also saw some children who were so sick that they would have died within 24 hours had they not recieved medical attention. One little boy was in such a dehydrated state that he needed an iv immediately. I helped find a vein and then held him while the iv was started. It was so rewarding to see him standing next to his father later that day as he couldn't even open his mouth a few hours earlier.

February 21- part 2

Sunday, Feb 21We went to church today in Chambrun. A bus ride in Haiti is always an adventure...we picked up so many people on the way that we were packed in like sardines. There's a couple with a small child who captures my attention. She is beautiful and dressed to the nines for church. The congregation was already singing when we arrived. They are so enthusiastic. They are loud and they clap and dance. There are hands and hearts uplifted. Even the children worship. I am struck that these people have nothing and yet they worship with a fervor, children included. Mel sticks out like a sore thumb with his rigid Mennonite posture while all the kids around him are dancing. After the service we have the opportunity to give each of the children a candy. That is very fun and it made us quite popular. Afterward the children crowd around wanting to talk with us yet are very shy and many don't even speak French - only Creole. They are lovely children. I show them a picture of my family on the camera and can't remember the word for husband so I call Tim 'mon amour'. They laugh. I take pictures of the kids and then show them on the LED screen. They love this and I have tons of wonderful pictures of the children. After a quick lunch that we eat in the clinic out of the eye of the people, we are on our way to the epicenter of the quake. As we make our way to the center the damage becomes progressively worse. Were there are only a few buildings that appear to be damaged beyond repair on the outskirts, the center is total devastation. Ruble is everywhere, some buildings are missing entire stories, some are missing entire sides, some more still are totally unrecognizable. These people have lost everything and many still have loved ones buried in the buildings. We visit the capital building which is now and IDP camp. It is a place filled with despair. There's a stench of fecal matter and unwashed bodies. People are everywhere, they have no privacy. One woman is bare chested as she washes herself. Rape is prevalent in these camps. They have no security. We stop in front of the palace and exit the bus with our assigned buddies in order to view the devastation of the palace. It is only a few moments before we are called back to the bus because we are attracting too much attention and a following. We are yelled at in animosity and also asked for money. I am frightened. It bothers me a great deal that some are so angry with us. The bus progresses toward the water. As we get closer to the water we enter an area that is the worst of the slums. Sewage is in the streets and there is no power. The complete and utter desperation of the situation has affected me deeply. I am grieved. The people are trying to find a new normal. They are working, cooking, washing. Back to the palace... we pass a long line up of people waiting to get drinking water. That image is stuck in my mind. I am struck by the thought that there is no way to rebuild. It is not worth it. 90% of the buildings must be torn down before they can even be rebuilt. It is a mess I wouldn't even know where to start. How does on help in an effective way? Can I make a difference? I know I can because God has called me. I must remind myself of this constantly and pray for his power. That was a rough day and most of the team was in tears at some point. My heart aches

February 21

It is a beautiful but extra humid Sunday morning and we are getting ready to go to church. Church is about 30min away in Chambrun where we have the clinic. It is a hot and dusty and bouncy ride there. I am looking forward to the service and hope there will be animated singing. Yesterday we started out by rescueing our luggage from the UN compound. What a relief to finally have all my stuff. Then we made our way to Chambrun to start doing clinics. However, we had to unpack all the supplies we brought and it was pure chaos. There was so much stuff we couldn't even move without bumping into someone or something. I felt really out of place for awhile because I am not familliar with drugs, but I soon found my grove and even started writing instructions in French for the medication. We only saw 22 patients yesterday, but we expect 300 on monday because they will be advertising the clinic. Yikes!

February 20

Well good morning! It's 6:30am here in Haiti and the rooster crows as I write this. I am safe. I am doing well. We arrived last night and I was pleasantly stunned to find that the place where we are staying is a very nice house! It looks almost colonial, and has tile floor throughout. There are two rooms of bunks and each room has an ensuite bathroom. one room is for men and one is for women. Some of the men are also sleeping on bunks on the deck. In the evening we went onto the roof to check out the lay of the land. You can see much destruction from this vantage point, but surprisingly there are many many homes that seem unaffected. When Tim wrote 'that tropical wretched place' he was right. There's beautiful blooming trees and palms and mango trees right next to piles of ruble. We of course are staying at a place that is not near the real destructive area. On the way to the home we passed a huge hotel that took up a whole city block. It was completely flattened. We are picking up our luggage this morning. The UN flight that we were on wouldn't allow us to bring all our stuff. They said we wouldn't clear the mountain if we kept all the weight on board. Mel and 3 others also had to take a later flight and arrived 2hrs after us. Mel says that that was a great adventure. Speaking of adventure. You've never, ever met crasier drivers. Lanes mean nothing, lights mean nothing... Monika, Mel wanted to thank you for your cards. They are a highlight for him, he says they're great. He wished you were here. Tim, I really miss you. You are never far from my mind. I wish we could share this adventure together. Thank you for letting me go.Kids, I can just imagine what you would be thinking if you saw all this. I love you. Lori, using your travel mug everyday as I drink my little piece of heaven! Miss you too. Today we are going to Chambrun (north-east of PAP) to do our first day of clinic. I am looking forward to it. Ready to get busy!!

Friday, February 19

We also glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope - and hope does not disappoint. Romans 5:3,4

Rough start to the day. Slept later than we should have...thought it was an hour earlier than it was. Almost missed breakfast, then had to wait until after orientation to shower. I felt grody!

While in orientation Lindsey was saying how bad things are in Haiti. Even seasoned relief workers are saying that it is the worst they have ever seen. Makes you wonder what the means. Am I up to the task? I am reminded that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So far everything is done army style...hurry up and wait. Hurry to the airport...wait. Hurry through customs...wait. However, the driving is very exciting to say the least! Many gasps have slipped out of my mouth already. The ride to this different airport was hair raising. Just as crazy as the night before, but now with rush hour traffic conditions. Weaving in and out of lanes, buses, trucks, motorcycles - anything. People are trying to sell things at red lights, U-turns are done anywhere. The sights energize me. I am in the middle of a surreal experience and can't believe I'm actually here. There's lots of street fruit vendors, garbage on the side of the road and then we crossed a bridge and a section that was pristine rain forest. So beautiful. Lush green trees in bloom with orange flowers. The river was covered with swampy plants. It was as if some exotic creature would rise out of it at any moment.

When we arrived at the airport to catch a UN flight to Haiti we were dealt a blow. Our luggage would not be on the flight. It was a stressful time as we tried to determine the things to pack in our carry-ons to see us through until tomorrow evening. It's very disconcerting to leave your things behind not knowing if you'll actually see it again. I did rescue some Starbucks coffee though. Priorities!

Now we've just found out that they need volunteers to stay behind because there'd be too much weight in the plane to clear the mountains at take-off. Drama. Four of our team members - Bryan, Mel, Mindy and Irene are staying behind. The good news is that they'll be catching a flight only a couple hours later. This trip has more twists than a great novel!

Again a surreal moment as we boarded the UN flight. Who does that?! I felt like some sort of fake dignitary. I tried to see the damage from the sky, but was unable to see much. There were a lot of tin roofs and ramshackle buildings, but it wasn't until we were on the ground that we really saw the devastation. One huge hotel was flattened, quite shocking. The expanse of the hotel was about one city block, and it was completely destroyed. It's hard to gauge the damage because many homes seem to be intact, yet their neighbours homes are destroyed.

All apprehension about our 'house' has disappeared. We pulled into this large house which is gated and there is razor wire along the walls. The house itself appears to be colonial with a tropical twist. There are tile floors throughout and it is clean. There are two large rooms for the team. One room for the men and one for the ladies. Both have an en suite bathroom complete with two private toilets. There's also a roof top that you can go up to and see many beautiful sunsets, and the surrounding neighbourhood. There are mango trees all around and other trees in bloom. It is overcast tonight, yet it is still warm and muggy. It is not unpleasant and I am enjoying the people and the camaraderie.

I think about Tim and the kids often and I hope they are proud of me.

Thursday, February 18

Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! Psalm 27:14

What a brutal night! Such a late bedtime and I could not sleep! The pillow was too fluffy, the fan too loud, my lips too dry, my hands too dry, and my mind way too active. I thought it was too late to read before bed, but I think that was a mistake. One chapter would have helped me shut off my brain!

I feel I should describe the luggage scene in more detail... When we arrived at the hotel we brought all the luggage into the lobby. There were duffel bags, physician boxes, extra food, and carry-ons. We basically took up the whole lobby. Then we started to weigh the bags. Anything over 50lbs was opened and random items stuffed into another bag. It must have looked like pure chaos! Our team has over 20 bags and we aren't even a complete team yet.

We are now on our way to Philadelphia from Seattle where we'll meet up with the rest of the team. Besides the excruciatingly early start, it's been very smooth. We had to take 2 shuttles to the airport due to the amount of luggage and we're expecting a hefty bill for all that luggage. However, US Airways waved the luggage fees even though there were so many bags and most of them were overweight. I can just see Mom smiling. She prayed we would find favor with all those we encounter and we did! Praise the Lord!!

The flight to Santo Domingo was very crowded. My bum aches just thinking about it! There was a flight attendant guy who cracked me up! He was a tall black man (Leo) who really thought he was all that! He would think I was calling him cute when I was actually calling a 5 year old cute. Both my flights today were separate from the others form my team. Lindsey says that it's because my flights were booked separately because I am spending a 2nd week in Haiti. It's a little disappointing, but I feel like I am fitting in none the less.

Leaving the airport in the Dominican is like stepping into another world. I was really glad that Lindsey speaks Spanish! The heat and humidity struck me right away, goodbye winter. When we left the airport to the waiting bus the smell of diesel reminded me of Germany Teen Missions 1988. Funny how smells bring you back. We have so much baggage now with the whole team that it is obscene! The bus had to be loaded through the windows. By the time we got all the baggage in we had to cram in like sardines. As Lindsey put it "Welcome to Latin America". My seating position in the bus was that of a virtual cannonball. I was sitting on the manifold with my knees up around my ears. Sometimes I would put my legs on the dash like I was reclining, other times I was nearly hugging Bryan in order to not topple as the crazy driver took a corner.

It was my observation that you honk to change lanes, but lanes themselves are merely a suggestion. I saw a group of people at a gas station sitting in a circle of lawn chairs. That seemed weird to me. The drive from the airport was about 45 minutes.

Now we are at a Dormitory...a conference center of sorts. We had to unload all our luggage as we couldn't trust that our stuff wouldn't just disappear. I wonder how much weight we keep shifting around.

Wednesday, February 17

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine... Fear not, for I am with you. Isaiah 43: 1,5

What an eventful day! After a flurry of activity getting ready for the last 3 days straight we were finally at Power to Change Headquarters. Everyone was on time which was nice since I was chomping at the bit to go. We all gathered for prayer with our families and then loaded what seemed like a gazillion pounds of luggage into a trailer towed behind a 15 passenger van. Everyone seemed excited and there was a lot of amicable chatter. Eventually the van grew quiet as the group started to peter out...until it was decided that a late night snack was in order. Lindsay got very excited about the possibility of Jack In The Box! So off we went searching for the elusive junk food. Somehow we ended up in the Boeing compound. That is a huge complex! Just trying to find our way out was a challenge. After a long search with many u-turns we finally reached...McDonald's. So anticlimactic!

When we finally reached the hotel in Seattle it was time to weigh the bags. Mine was 56lbs! After much shuffling it was decided that my bag should be made much heavier and therefore we'd only have to pay for one overweight bag. Now it weighs a whopping 69lbs! The guys were quick to remind me that I would be carrying that one.

Now it is very late and I have to wake up in 4 hoours. Must sleep...