The 3rd Utah team arrived last Thursday and on Saturday they left very early to drive to Jacmel. They were scheduled to do two outreach clinics upon arrival - The teams was split in have with 10 in Jacmel and 10 in Casse, a bit east of Jacmel. Planning was interesting in that 2 different groups were involved but with only some minor political threats planning went forward. The team requested well in advance that the clinics were to see people with neurological or orthopedic problems- ie stroke, amputations etc that we see everyday in the clinic. Contacts were made to have some medical MD's and others to join the teams as well. The day arrived and the team going to Casse was required to cross a river 3 times - due to all of the rain the river, normally easily walked across was now filled with water high enough to require large 4x4 trucks - the river came into the doors...once team arrived at clinic site, all but 4 opted to return to Jacmel. The guides and security were concerned the river would continue to rise, causing dangerous conditions in crossing. Four of the team members plus a couple of additional volunteers including a Haitian MD saw some of the many patients waiting to see the team. They spent the night in a church/ school, sleeping on the cement floor. They arose early and saw more patients until the trucks were able to return to pick them up mid morning. The team in Jacmel saw about 120 patients in good time with the extra hands available to help...including Dr. Tiffany from Canada and Sarah, a mid-wife living, working and teaching in Jacmel.
Tiffany is helping set up a medical network in Jacmel. She was part of the Coast to Coast team in 2006 (Portland and Canada joined forces that year for a 30 member team during the election of Preval). Tiffany introduced me to Sarah and when team Portland did their outreach clinics in Jacmel in February, Sarah was able to join us and help a bit in the pediatric clinic.
Team Utah was able to enjoy the rest of the weekend on the beach and visiting Basin Bleu- the beautiful blue pools of water formed by a huge waterfall, the likes which would rival many of the waterfalls in the Gorge. (East along I-84 from Portland towards The Dalles).
This morning it was time to get back to serious work...a group went off to the Carfour area to an Orphanage in the mountain called Rivier Froid (Cool River) run by a nun name Sr. Teresa. A big-hearted wonderful person with a big personality that wants to save her neighborhood - her orphanage doesn't just limit itself with the care of a few disabled children but any and all that live on that mountainside that needs help will see Sr. Teresa. I can only describe her orphanage as one of the poorest interms of support that I have seen, the ground the children sit upon, uneven, hard scrabble dirt. A tarp is brought out to cover in event of rain however I'm pretty sure the ground becomes a river flowing downhill itself with any amount of rain. A hard place that is a place of love for the less fortunate to come to for care and respite and a place some call home.
Some of the team went to Mefibochet, the orphanage of Madame Leonette- another wonderful Haitian woman wanting the best care available for children she has found throughout the country. I've written about Medibochet before and I'm very happy that through friends in the US we were able to make make connection and add them to our list of orphanages for teams to visit and provide opportunity for education and assistance.
One of the things I'm most excited about and proud to be a part of is the opportunity to provide nursing students with rehab education. We have a group of about 30 students from 2 schools here today and another 30 planned to come from 3 other schools tomorrow to learn from the speech pathologist to recognize, evaluate and provide care to people with swallowing difficulties due to strokes or other problems such as CP. The Portland team offered a seminar on stroke and diabetes. With a future rehab center planned for HHH, having future nurses with some background in rehab will be invaluable.
What this means is that my work here is coming to a close soon. This Utah team is the last team until mid September. I've spent much time on the computer planning with teams over the months; Its been a great pleasure to meet everyone and make new friends, exciting and fun to have reunions with people on Team Minnesota, Canada and Utah. Its amazing to share time with people that feel the same passion for HHH and for Haiti.
To witness the awe and excitement and nervousness of team members coming for the first time reminds me of my first trip. To see people working together to have a positive influence and leaving behind a group of people who appreciate what they have brought to Haiti is inspiring. I see teaching/ education by the teams as the most sustainable and important thing we as teams can bring to Haiti and leave behind. Its all nice to return with our souveniers of the beautiful Haitian art but it is more important to return home with the ability to bring awareness to our family, friends and coworkers to what Haiti is all about...
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