Dispensing care in the name of ....

Here we have a contrast of medicine - on the left, medicine dispensed by the witchdoctor in the name of the enemy. (you can see him in the doorway doing that very thing.) The picture further down - care dispensed in the name of Jesus. As one of the doctors said, "Jesus always answers our prayers. We just aren't always happy with the results." That's become very apparent to me this week as we've watched people preparing for grief, living with pain and living out their grief. We should add that there's much joy, too, with the doctors healing and relieving pain. 

We have heard that Dessalines Hospital was one of three hospitals that took in patients from the earthquake - because it was one of the ones left standing. It's a commitment to get here so people were really desperate to get help. Dr. Junior, the resident Haitian surgeon, said they saw 250 patients per day. They had to turn people away and he didn't sleep for 72 hours at one point. As to relief efforts now, most of the relief is going to Port-au-Prince. These rural and outlying areas, so in need, are not the focus of the craziness in PAP. And yet, this hospital is such a bright spot for this place. We learn more as we go, of course.

Today I hope to get to the hospital and be the official photographer for the medical team that's here. Pictures of them in action. These wonderful people, so used to sterile conditions, smooth-running schedules, great communication, and usually great results from their efforts are being challenged to say the least. There are seven on this team of which five have done medical missions before. Their heart is for this. They belong to a group from Michigan called Southwestern Medical Clinic - http://www.swmc.org/ - what a great organization! This group has docs all over the world. They say they're the largest medical mission group. 

Later - after the hospital…

The two of us have been to the hospital today. I am now officially the group photographer. You know this is a task I don't mind at all. I think I got all of them in action. Two new babies today. The little dehydrated baby is still alive, not sucking. There's no mother around, so how will this baby survive? They don't want them to go on formula (like the Americans) because it's $10 a can. They want to find someone in the family who will nurse the baby if the mother can't. Christie, the nurse, was able to be in the OR for a C-section. Very primitive, she said! I watched one of the docs do minor surgery on a guy's toe - the guy on the crutches, red shirt below. Another guy came in because his live-in woman bit his finger-tip off. That's what they say they do here - mutilate each other when they're mad. That's a new one to most of these guys. There was a little boy who came to get a cast off this afternoon. He was one of the miracles from the earthquake, buried for 3 days. He's been sent up country, here to Dessalines, to live with relatives. There's another young woman here who was visiting this evening. She was in the FOHO (Friends of Haiti Organ.) house which collapsed and killed three FM missionaries. We don't know the details yet, but she evidently jumped from one building to another. 

Tomorrow, we head out into the boonies to do a rural clinic. We're stocking up on meds tonight. Some will be the doctors, some will be the pharmacy, Greg and I will get lunches for our 10 (2 surgeons have to stay at the hospital to do surgeries) plus translators and drivers. Greg will probably dispense meds and solve problems. I will take pictures! All this could change as plans are continually in flux! 

We are so sorry we are unable to download more pictures. Again, there are restrictions due to the bandwidth here. The picture here is of the physical therapy clinic.

Below, you can see Greg in his element...
Thank you for your prayers AND comments! They are a blessing as well as Skyping with our kids, grandkids and my mom!

Greg here: I don't have cool photos to add, but Chris said we are limited anyway. Where to start? It does not seem to matter if you have been before or not. Each experience is unique. There is so much to do and not much to do it with, or even know where to start. There is the mission housing which is incredible yet when you build with wood in the land of termites, it doesn't last. Changing out a door frame that is built into the masonry took the better part of a  day. Then to work on areas in the hospital (like the OR) has to be done when the docs aren't busy, but when you are here with a medical mission team and they are doing toe amputations in the PT room because there is only the one OR.....well you get the picture. Conversation is the next thing. Everyone speaks Creole and those words just don't come to my mind. The sounds of this place are so different than at home....here, if you sit outside there are voices coming from everywhere. It is amazing how many people live right around here. It never seems to really quiet down and tonight is Friday night. I think I can hear music from at least 3 different locations and still in the mingle of it all are voices and conversations.
Every day  brings new and mixed emotions. One day it is so hot you struggle to have the energy to finish your project and the next you want to hire about five local guys and work with them so you can get more done. The mission is well-stocked, but as you can imagine, there is no Home Depot anywhere so it is a big process just to get a door knob or battery to replace the bad one hooked to the solar inverter. And here we are in the middle of all this connected to the internet. I guess the big question  is  "will Haiti ever get better?"....then  I ask "better" through whose eyes? Mine, the missionaries, the Haitian people, or is there a bigger picture in all this? Oh well.....that is a question for another day.