Let me take a step back....I think we skipped a day!! I just want to touch base a little about the team that went to do the clinic yesterday. This was a highlight of their trip. Many have not ever experienced this before so it was an entirely different perspective on what we do here. Let me set the scene for you.....small village but has a compound that has an orphanage, a school and a hospital on the property. The hospital is used for many different things and on Monday our team was doing an eye clinic there. Another team was doing a medical clinic as well. The team in the eye clinic had the opportunity to help with exams and learn about their history and their medical issues. The setup of the clinic is in one room....but the same room is shared with the operation room. You walk in and see operation table there...the instruments laid out on the try....unwrapped and definetly not sterile.....benodine open and sitting there....I think you can get the picture! Not exactly were any of us would even want to be seen let alone have surgery. There was a women who came into the clinic that really took the heart of our team. She was in her early 40's and had cancer in her eye. It apparently was so severe that it not only was taking over her eye, but her brain as well. It will eventually result in her death it was so severe. The team was shocked at the response of the young lady. She was completely calm and okay with her condition. Thats the thing about Haiti.....in the midst of the horrible living conditions and poverty...the people are content and are still filled with glory of God. They are praising him openly in the midst of their storms. It really put a new perspective on our team.
Before the team left, an image that they will never forget came in.....a lifeless infant. The child was near death....and at times our team were saying to themselves...."she is gone." She was so dehydrated and weak that they really thought they lost her. They had the opportunity to pray and even consol the mother during the ordeal. The barrier in language did not matter. The baby was given an IV and her lifeless body started to come back. The mother got up on the bed with the baby and lay with her. Kari was able to go over and even with out the language, offer her that mother to mother touch and she blessed her tremendously in their hour of need. Needless to say, an emotional day for all. Highlight.......hearing the baby crying as they left!!!
Okay....lets jump to today....sorry if I am rambling....it is 1 am and just trying to update everyone while I have a minute.
Today was our last on the work site....so we knew it would be alot of work. I want to give a big round of applause to everyone...but especially the women on the worksite. They worked extremely hard. The haitian people were definetly impressed and wanted to know if all american women were so strong and independent!!! Our men, worked non stop...only to stop to drink water from early morning to lunch...and then until we left in the evening. I will speak for everyone.....WE ARE TIRED TONIGHT!!!! I think everyone will need at least a day off to recoup when they get home!!!Wish we had a few more days to knock out some more. But we accomplished WAY more than we expected and the roof is almost ready to go on!!! Can't wait to see the finished project and can't wait to get back home to plan the trip for the next phase!!! I have the dates for the next 3 trips tentatively on my calendar so my mind is already spinning about those trips!! We have a list of needs from the village and the school that we are going to work on ideas to come up with to accomplish those goals as well!!!
Half of our team went to the Liberty School today! They blessed them tremendously by organizing and helping out with the much needed projects there. The afternoon was filled with water play!!!! The girls had the chance to teach the kindergarten class and the kids are already asking when will they be back!!!!
That will have to be it for now....its super late.. We will try to post some more pics and another blog or two in the morning. Thanks for your continued pray