Sunday, October 31, 2010

Thomas the hurricane

It is hard to believe it is the end of October already. Halloween- All St. Day- Day of the Dead- Its a 4 day weekend here in Haiti. Monday and Tueday are National Holidays. Fiona and I will have to have our own Halloween party...or hurricane party. Somehow seems more fitting.

One more day..until the end of official hurricane season, yet here we are preparing for hurricane Thomas’ arrival on Tuesday. We are tracking the storm closely and doing everything we can think of to be prepared for high winds and rain. Today is a beautiful sunny morning and there are 4 of us in the guest house for the weekend. Our discussions center around the pending storm and all possible effects. We know we will be fine here but our thoughts and hearts are with the thousands of people that continue to live in tents. We heard the problems they had during the freak storm we had over a month ago and that one lasted just about an hour or so - this one could be so much more devastating. Voila is one of the three cell phone services here in Haiti. Everyone has a cell phone and this company has been sending messages to the people to prepare for pending storm. How does one prepare for that when you live in a tent? When one has no resources, one turns to prayer. So whatever beliefs you have, send a prayer for the safety of the Haitian people during the storm.


The team we are expecting to arrive on Tuesday was able to ship by air cargo a lot of supplies needed for their 2 week trip. About 55 boxes, bags, and w/chairs arrived Tuesday night in 3 separape shipments. I arrived Wednesday morning to begin my lessons in Haitian bureuracracy. These items were shipped to me personally, with the hope that I could arrive at airport and pick them up as if they were like all other luggage being brought in.....I knew it wouldn’t be as simple as that. For most all items sent to Haiti usually shipped by container on a boat or even by Fed ex or DHL, one needs to have a broker to deal with it. We hoped by having it shipped to me versus Healing Hands for Haiti to bypass this step. And in fact, one of the 3 shipments was addressed to me and at my personal address. The other two identified HHH first on the shipping invoice. They told me for that reason, I would need a broker, but for now I could get the one shippment. My paperwork and the rest of the day involved no less than 15 people, 6 offices and multiple trips to some of those offices. After 6 hours on Wednesday, I was told I could come back on Thursday to verify shipment. After 6 hours on Thursday, I was finally able to see the supplies, count it - and finding 1 missing- but I could not take it. There was apparently more paperwork and verification and the 1 peice of missing equipment to deal with. On Friday, along with the broker to aid the process this time we returned to find out that after all of the paperwork was done, handled by all of these people, stamped, signed etc etc one of the numbers was wrong and did not match the number it was supposed to match. I would have to start over- to say this was disheartening is an understatement but after some words and a bit of a wait, somehow and a talk with the ‘director’ of something to waive some fees, they allowed me to load the equipment without changing all the paperwork. It seems small miricles do happen and I am not questioning it, just accepting it. I will have to return on Wednesday to begin the paperwork of the other 2 shipments and with no expectations of less than what the past week entailed. Beuroacracy at its most primitive form. Only the first form was generated via computer, the rest was done by hand. One form typed on an old and partially broken typewriter, by a man typing with one hand. I believe brokers earn their salary 10 fold in dealing with this process. It takes a lot of patience at the very least. It seems that a lot of people are employed through this process however so maybe that it is more important then efficiciency of a computerized system. We are so used to instant graitification that few people can deal with this kind of system. We’ll hope for the best of luck to receive remaining shipment of goods in a timely manner but I can’t let my expectations be too high. And no doubt, the process will be affected by the hurricane status.


For now, we'll do what we can to prepare for the coming week.







Sunday, October 24, 2010

News of the week...

Fiona and Gracie

a little light reading by the pool?

Ti poul...after it was suggested to name them breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack, we decided to name them Wings, Legs, Tete and Wishbone. (Mark is the mama)
reflection of gecko
ti poul
It was a lovely day today in so many ways but having a day off is certainly a reason to just enjoy the sunshine and pool. The weather held quite nicely through out the week and having Fiona here working with me now is a pleasure as well. Fiona is a nurse from the UK that HHH has hired to help in the clinic as we re establish our programs. We spent many hours over 4 days flushing out all the bits and pieces of each program and the work that HHH does...we put together power point presentations of each to get a picture for the HHH board members to assist in funding all the different aspects of HHH Klinik Kay Kapab. We were pretty proud of ourselves (and exhausted as well)!

Team Portland team members held a Haiti dinner and silent auction. Authentic Haitian style food was served, art from Haiti was in the silent auction. While I haven't heard the details, I did hear it was a success and raised about $3000 to help the team bring rehabilitation care to Haiti next February. Way to go Team. We owe a debt of gratitude to our friends and families for their ongoing support, generosity and love that allows us to continue to help our Haitian friends and colleagues provide care to those disabled by stroke and injuries sustained in the earthquake.

You may have read that Cholera is now the big news in Haiti. The last case was reported in 1961 but it seemed like just a matter of time before it struck again. This time it is mostly in the Central part of the country although there is rumor that there is a few cases in PaP (reportedly from persons coming into the city during the incubation period and before symptoms appeared). We are gearing our staff up- providing education to what Cholera is. Certainly, the situation in the tent communities around the city a ripe place for epidemics like Cholera and TB and typhoid. Awareness, education and vigilance are key components that we can do for now. We have read that the Ministry of Health suggests that the Cholera is under control as many organizations jumped into the fire so to speak to help contain, prevent further outbreaks and treat the huge numbers of patients exhibiting the signs and symptoms.

We received 2 containers of supplies this week and seriously have supplies stacked everywhere with more expected on Tuesday from Canada. Our new van arrived as well- its a beauty and I drove it home after our dinner out at the Oloffson on Wednesday night. I can't wait to drive it again. I wonder how long the new car smell will last....

I got new batteries for my apartment~ For weeks now, when the city power when out at night about 8 pm, my back up power ie batteries to inverter were so weak it caused my inverter to beep for hours every night. My fans would go off and on every 2-4 seconds all night long. If my light was on, it flashed like a cheap neon sign at the corner bar....reminding me I probably should go buy a drink.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

More rain coming...

A busy week and weekend was highlighted by a visit to the 3rd annual Haitian Art Fair held at the Sugar Cane Museum. This was a surprise and delight to see so many booths of art, food and clothing displayed for sale of course. I was quite indecisive about what to purchase and seriously controlled any impulses. I did however buy 2 things before leaving...a Christmas gift for one of my sons and a pair of sandals. I am proving to be the flip flop queen of shoe styles. It is all I wear but I'm no where near the number that compares with the shoes my kids have. I suspect my son will be very surprised and delighted with the christmas gift.

We opened the clinic on Wednesday, 13 October- 9 months after the earthquake made it impossible for us to continue therapy in our former clinic. We decided to keep the name Klinik Kay Kapab after a brief discussion as to mark it as a new beginning. The clinic doctor and nurse saw 5 patients that had received spinal cord injuries in the earthquake. They are all living in community, all in tents. They have received wheelchairs, walkers (if needed), mattresses and medical supplies and medications to aid in their survival. Most are doing pretty well considering their living situation, a testament to the amount of education that they received by numerous individuals that have cared for them over the months they were hospitalized. One of the greatest issues facing survival for these patients is financial- they have been unable to return to previous employment- one is a nurse, one is a teacher for example. Transportation from their homes is extremely difficult- they may have to be carried down stairs or rubbly path, as w/ch accessibility remains an illusive dream throughout most of Port au Prince. They are dependent on their families for their very basic survival needs of food and water. Healing Hands for Haiti Klinik Kay Kapab can now be a source for their therapy and medical needs.

Rain: Lets hope the rainy season stops soon. Last night it rained so hard our living room was basically flooded as the roof continues to leak even after repairs were made. There were other areas of leakage but none as severe. This is certainly a minor inconvenience to those of us living in the guest house. For people living in tents it is much more - Tents fill with mud and water- belongings and the fortunate ones having a mattress become soaked. Everyone is forced to stand and hold their valuables close for protection as best as they can until the storm passes.
As I write this the thunder is becoming closer and louder and I will escape to my room before the rain begins.


Sunday, October 10, 2010

Camille prepping in the kitchen
Our new BBQ

Mike and Camille

Me :)

Mike monitoring the situation...yep its working!

10-10-10-TIH


We need to celebrate this special day. There are 10 people (blans) here today. Noel says he will go to the lotto today- with these numbers how can we miss the 'big' one!

Actually, the team that is here now is out for the afternoon and so Mike will BBQ brats for Camille, Fi and I. We have some good french bread, corn on the cob and avocado and chips.
We'll have our own little festivities to mark this day.
Today we went to Giants...the big new supermarket. You have to remember where we are in terms of supermarkets and size- but it is big and it does have a large variety of food stuff!

My son left on Wednesday morning. This kid has been to a lot of places including Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Africa and Japan yet it was just as hard to say good bye. We had some fun. Monday night we went out to the Oloffson Hotel where he met Richard, the leader of the band, RAM. On tuesday night we went to Magdoos for Camille's birthday. This is a Lebanese restaurant in P-V. Camille had a very large birthday candle. Before we finished, it started to storm- thunder and lightening and hard rain. It continued and we were finally forced to go out into it to get into the car. The streets were running with water and Al was driving. Since it was so hard he took us home rather than have me drive which was nice for the other passengers including Andy. It never ceases to amaze me the amount of water that flows in the streets.

Friday, we had a meeting to go to on the other side of town. We left the workshop at 11:30, plenty of time to get out to Santos 19 in Croix des Bouquets before 1 pm. right....
Well at 1 pm we were stalled on the road, most likely due to the car over heating in the stop and crawl traffic. After determining, no flat tires and all fluids intact, we were able to start the car again and head out, only with the heater full blast with hot air to try to keep engine cool. We finally arrived about 2:15. almost 3 hours after we had left downtown and I would guess travelled about 10 miles. Time and distance here do not correlate and when people ask why, you can only respond by saying TIH (this is Haiti) and we are on Haitian time. Most everyone realizes and expects you to be late. When you have a morning appointment, they will expect you before noon-ish; an afternoon appointment - well sometime before they leave for the day.

The best news is that we are planning to open the clinic on Wednesday October 13. We have patients scheduled to see the Dr. We have been working towards this day since May. It will be exciting and most likely confusing and I really should have bought a bottle of champagne at the store today.

Tuesday marks the 9 month anniversary of the earthquake. Some of us will take a moment to realize how far Haiti has come and how far it has to go to return to the pre quake status but with the hope of improving it as progress continues in all its baby steps. Preparations are underway for Presidential elections. There are 19 candidates- including 2 women. This person is going to have tremendous pressure from the constituents of all parties. Once again the Lavalas (Aristids party) appears to be out in the cold. This is a large body of the population, most at poverty level. The government has denied them voting rights as they have in other elections- last years senate race for example. Many people lost their identification and voters' card and the government says they are doing their best to help people gain their voting rights prior to the elections, word is that they won't be prepared with polling sites or with completion of cards. People report waiting in line all day to be told they can't get a card. If people are denied to vote in this election, they will cry fraud and be inclined to protest who ever is 'elected'. What a job this will be. Mr. Preval hasn't been seen as very effective, certainly since the earthquake there is a lot of criticism of him. TIH...Haitian time folks. He doesn't have time to make any progress. The next president will be under a microscope from the Haitians and International governments and organizations. It would be my hope that with such scrutiny, there won't be the graft and corruption and maybe there won't be at first....but TIH- With a senate also slated to be held with one third of the senate to be replaced it will still take time to think about the plight of the people. The very basic service have to be restored; infrastructure, jobs, housing, education, health services...How will the people view it to be valid? They will think if their choice for president is not elected, will they see interference from International governments? Will they feel further despair or hopefulness for a better future? It remains to be seen. TIH.




Sunday, October 3, 2010

October 3, sunny warm sunday morning, crickets chirping, fan whirling at ceiling and not really helping cool my office but then it also doesn't make paper airplanes of all my paperwork on my desk. I woke up at 5:45 wondering who I had forgotten and where were they...luckily, I hadn't forgotten anyone.
Gracie went out and tried to play with the pig again this morning- she tries so hard to get the pig to play only to be very much ignored. The pig freezes until she goes away. Its funny to watch her jump and pounce and swat and circle but after 10 minutes she gives up. The pig just isn't as much fun as an empty plastic soda bottle. Crazy Hen won't play either- she just flies away.
We had a team turn over this weekend with about 25 people here last night- about a dozen leaving this morning and 7 coming in this afternoon. It will be a busy week again. Some of the team will go up to Cap Haitian for better part of the week and the rest will stay here to teach a care givers class to parent of children with hydrocephalus and some will visit orphanages over the course of 2 weeks. The schedule is a transportation maze with people going in different directions. With a lot of patience, people will get to where they need to be and we'll pull it off but it will be a challenge.
We had a troubadour band play for the team last night as a send off for the team leaving and a welcome to the team that arrived yesterday. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and the music very much.

I had a huge surprise on thursday- sitting in my office and talking on the phone trying to conduct some business and looked up to see a very familiar face...my son, Andy walked into my office. I was literally speechless for 10 minutes. Its very comforting to say the least to have him here, to meet the people I work with. Of course he is learning Haitian time as he has waiting for friend of Ewalds to pick him up to show him the 'night life' in PaP. Manno says at 6:30, I'll be there in an hour and 4 hours later shows up. He's visited a couple of nightclubs and danced the night away with some very aggressive women from the sounds of his stories. Not sure a mother is supposed to hear those things but its Haiti and the reality of what its like. I don't know if this aggressiveness is particularly new since the earthquake and the desperation people have but I suspect its not new but more so in terms of aggressiveness. He might go to the beach today with Manno and hang out with me for the next few days before he has to leave on Wednesday morning. The staff is thrilled that he has come to visit his mom almost as much as she is.

Since our wild cyclone weather of a week ago, we've just had a bit of rain here in Port au Prince. Apparently in the south they have had some heavy rain causing flooding and mudslides and loss of 7 lives. We have to be thankful for a relatively mild hurricane season with so many people in tent cities. We don't know what tomorrow will bring but for today, I will enjoy the peacefulness of this sunday morning sunshine and visiting with my son.