The day started with Jones, his brother and his friend picking me up from the guesthouse in Tabarre. We headed to Bernard Mevs hospital and gathered up more people to come help with the mobile clinics. I had been storing medications at a room in the hospital. We picked up translators and 3 Haitian doctors came to help and an EMT who ended up helping in the pharmacy. I picked up 3 bottles of children’s multivitamins from the pharmacy. We headed out for a mobile clinic in Carrefour in a pickup truck. We had a bumpy, but fun and insightful ride getting to see interesting sites through downtown. We drove past many people on congested streets, most seemed to be selling some sort of product from fruits and vegetables to clothes and other misc items. It seems one can find most any retail product needed on the streets. We stopped off to pick up water and food for a couple of the docs. Once we got to the school we set up the clinic in the different classrooms. It was spacious which was nice allowing us to set up 3 rooms for the pharmacy and patient care. Some classrooms were filled with patients waiting on benches. Many people were there waiting patiently to be seen. I later learned that Jones stood on the roof and announced on an amplifier that we were coming to provide medical care, in a community without access to regular care, it was clear why there was such a massive turnout for the clinic in high demand. The volume o patient’s was so much greater than the church based mobile clinic and the flow was a challenge with so many patient’s. I had to make sure everything was in order and ensure the doctors had all the supplies that they needed plus get the medications set up in an orderly way in pharmacy and then staff the pharmacy with the help of the EMT, it felt like such a huge task. At times it seemed overwhelming with 3 different providers writing scripts and volumes of patient’s lining up in the hall. The pharmacy was set up in a classroom on the top floor. There was a gorgeous view of the ocean from the upstairs windows, but there was not much time to enjoy it. Filling orders for medications was a very involved task. Each person had to be educated on the proper use of the medications which had to be done through translators with instructions (i.e. dosing, etc.) written in Creole by the translators which was time consuming. I tried to designate some others to help with logistical efforts such as signing in patients. The doctors flowed through the patient’s seemingly quickly, much more so than we could fill the orders which created long lines and a loud environment with people waiting in the all. We had to set up boundaries greatly limiting the number of patients with a goal of no more than 2 at a time in the make shift pharmacy so that we could focus on getting the medications dispensed and patient’s informed on proper use of them and how to refill those given for chronic conditions. The hardest thing was interpreting orders and the handwriting from different providers. Some of the instructions were written in Creole, calculating pediatric doses and putting the appropriate amount of medication together then teaching the parent or guardian how have children take medications was also difficult. Sometimes I had to get creative with suggesting things that they could use to give the children meds because they may not have measuring instruments at home. I’d try and at least demonstrate a visual amount on what to give using a syringe, and we had extra syringes so we also gave those out to administer medications. If there were medications we did not have, we’d write the instructions out and send patient’s to the pharmacy to buy medications. We worked until it was dark. Jones wife cooked for us in their house walking distance from the school which was nice as I was hungry.

Woke up to french toast, fruit and coffee. I hung out with my Dad briefly at the guest house. I went to the hospital and bought some medication (metronidazole) (to treat a variety of common infectious diseases seen). It was challenging to set up everyone, the medications and supplies to get everything to the church where we were holding the mobile clinic. We had to use two different cars to transport everything. We headed to the church and set up everything. Patient’s started arriving and it began to get busy. I saw patient’s leave and I was questioned about the price of the clinic from someone. I found out that offerings of money were being collected from patient’s for the clinic. I was very disappointed to learn this and I spoke with Pastor Luke who I had worked with to arrange the clinic. Pastor Luke suggested that they were taking this money up as an optional offering for those receiving care from the clinic. I had the translator help me to relay the message that it is not okay to charge patient’s (as that it not something we discussed). I had translators stationed at the front door for the rest of the clinic day to ensure that patient’s did not pay any additional fees. I had to trust that this was being done, but the experience was quite an eye opener as the things I need to be aware of that can potentially happen with mobile clinics. I had been told previously that the patient’s in Haiti feel like the services had no value if they were offered for free. It made me think throughout the trip that perhaps we should start charging minimal fees per visit in the future like 75 gourdes per visit and a less amount for return visits. That would be less than $2.00 US dollars per visit, but in some places this would be cost prohibitive like in a tented camp. So perhaps in the future, we’ll it suggested donations per visit and not required payments. These are things to be discussed with the Haitian clinicians in planning strategies. I received a text message from Jones the school director in Carrefour about the clinic planned for the next day saying that 400 patients were expected the next day for the school based mobile clinic. It felt like, in spite of challenges, particularly unanticipated one’s that came up, the clinic turned out to be a success by the day’s end. Getting that text message at the end of the day was an eye opener. Plans will need to be put into place about crowd control and limiting volumes of patient’s seen per mobile clinic visits. Measures will have to be applied to avoid burnout on the Haitian clinicians who have been generously donating their time for clinics around their other obligations. A number of us went out to dinner after the clinic; we caught a taptap to Mucheez, one of my favorite pizza places. Afterwords the Haitian doctors and I spoke about more mobile clinics.

I woke up to breakfast, fresh fruits mango and pineapple with coffee, always nice to awaken to food. After getting dropped off at the hospital to meet volunteers for a mobile clinic, through divine intervention more doctors stepped up to serve. There were many challenges, a test of faith. I started the day with what I thought were not enough doctors. We left the hospital with 2 Canadian doctors and a Haitian doctor. The local staff had their own jobs which have to be worked around. We packed up medications and all of us into a small jeep, it was tight fitting. I had to lay across people to fit in, but this is often the reality for Haitians, many people on public transportation compressing into tight, crowded spaces and riding on many bumpy, unpaved roads. I was so happy to be getting started with the mobile clinics, thanks to God, somehow all the logistical matters weren’t relevant. James, the translator followed us on his moto and we got separated with routine police stops and heavy traffic. We all connected at the church at Delmas 31 where we were holding the clinic for the next two days. There was much construction going on in the church. The church workers helped us create provider, pharmacy and patient waiting areas with tables and chairs. They signed in patients as they came through the doors and sent them upstairs where we were stationed. An announcement was made at the church the weekend prior I understood by Pastor Luke about the clinic so that’s how people were aware of the free health care being offered. We set up medications, supplies, equipment and a plan. Patients began to flow in, the church family helped with keeping order and flow which was awesome. By the end of the day I had 6 doctors who voluntarily showed up to serve. Haitian doctors came as they could. We even had a Dean of a Medical in Canada help out for the day. It was like watching my dreams for mobile clinic success unfold, a testimony of God’s faithfulness when we carry out visions He gives us. Patients were triaged and sent to the different providers. Trying moments came up with not having some of the medications available that I had requested initially. Lesson learned about the importance of double checking medication orders before cashing out. One pastor helped me get a ride to the pharmacy at the hospital. We hired a driver from the street. There was miscommunication about which pharmacy to go to first (I had a backup plan to go to a local pharmacy 4C if the hospital pharmacy couldn’t meet our needs). We finally got to the hospital after we stopped by a store to pick up refreshments of mango juice and cookies for the group. The driver wanted to charge extra for going to the other pharmacy first, but I was not in agreement with this plan so he agreed to take us back for the price we settled on. I got the meds needed from the hospital pharmacy and we returned to the clinic where they had continued to see patients through the afternoon and the order flowed well. We went out to eat as a group downtown at a local restaurant which was good; I ordered spaghetti, a popular dish in Haiti and had good peach juice. I heard traffic had issues with something about Aristede being in town, we didn’t have issues. It was after dark after we returned to Bernard Mevs and then to the guesthouse with my Dad.

I had breakfast with French toast, fruit, coffee. I spent half of the day at Bernard Mevs helping out in triage. Disturbing and memorable cases included: a 13 year old girl being carried by presumed family members who’d been shot randomly in the buttocks on her way to the store in Cite Soleil (a place we’ll do mobile clinics within); and an elderly woman brought in on the floor of the back of a taptap (mini-truck) seizing uncontrollably in my arms, possible poorly controlled blood glucose levels- she lost consciousness and was sent to the ICU. It’s all preparation for the kinds of possible cases to be encountered in mobile clinics. I was Blessed by the Lord’s awesome Grace to get transportation (which can be hard to come by) and made arrangements to pick up the medications ordered from Sophia Pharmacy in Petionville. He added extra meds free and I bought extra medications and inhalers at the hospital. My Dad came with me to stay the night at the guesthouse after we hung out at the hospital that evening. An ICU nurse Sarah, an EMT Nathan and Haitian medical students expressed interest in mobile clinics. Earlier that day I talked to staff /others about doing a book on recovery from trauma. The idea is inspired by all of the many Haitians I have interacted with who have shared some of their devastating losses from the earthquake of parents, siblings, friends, homes, businesses… The strength and resilience they have had is remarkable. It would give those interviewed for the project the chance to share their stories and inform others on how to recover from traumas, share coping mechanisms and survive major losses in life. I would like to end the book with the success stories of mobile clinics and how those who have endured such a magnitude of losses found the strength to give back and help others through mobile clinic work in Haiti. Sadly, it seems like a normalized issue to have suffered major losses in the 2010 quake, so probably not something that many Haitians take time to discuss with one another which can be cathartic and therapeutic. This would be a long-term project to be developed through interviews with a focus on healing as the mobile clinics become more established.

Breakfast started with fresh fruit, juice, chocolate chip pancakes and coffee- very nice. We were picked up by Ricardo, he drives for Bernard Mevs and he took us to the hospital. My Dad was greeted by Toni, the chief medical officer who was concerned about needing his help with fixing possible broken respirator. This is why he is in Haiti to help repair broken medical equipment and teach the locals how to do so through his organization BETA. With already limited equipment, it is critical to have someone available to repair things, otherwise when the machines malfunction patients can die. My Dad made progress meeting with folks. I helped out in Triage clinic which at that hospital includes diagnosing and treating. Myself, a translator & Pierre an EMT made plans for mobile clinics. We enjoyed a flavorful Haitian lunch provided by the hospital; I chose the plate with vegetable mix, rice, and black bean sauce. I made some arrangements with a friend’s brother who runs a pharmacy in Haiti to collaborate on possibly cheaper medications for mobile clinics. The goal is to find a local pharmacy where we can purchase medications regularly for mobile clinics in Haiti. This may require getting meds from different pharmacies as not all of them offer low prices on all the meds or even have all the medications in stock. He came and met with me at the hospital and I provided him with a list of medications, again to try and get the cheapest deals so he will get back to me with prices. I was impressed that he spent two hours getting there to meet me on a taptap (local mini-truck) and he was so willing to come back. That, to me, is the kind of service that makes one want to engage in long-term business interactions. There are more doctors and a pharmacy tech possibly interested in mobile clinics. I went to dinner at the UN restaurant with my Dad and volunteers from Bernard Mevs. Gideon dropped me off at guesthouse after.

I tried to arrange a ride to Port au Prince Fellowship church with John who I knew from Walls guesthouse. His car broke down so he was unable to take my Dad and me to church. I spent most of the day at the guesthouse on the rooftop in the sun trying to arrange transportation as I really wanted to take my Dad to the mountainside to see a nice part of Haiti. My friend Claudel came and met me, we caught a motorcycle to the hospital. Jones came with his friend and picked up my Dad and I. We went to Hotel Montana, a beautiful venue perched up top of a hill overlooking the city with a great view. I, the driver and Jones ate from the buffet where they had an array of tasty Haitian food with salad and desserts. We headed back to the guesthouse after an interesting ride through town filled with the sights and sounds of the city at night. My Dad really liked the guesthouse. They had dinner for us waiting; he had a plate of chicken and rice with black bean sauce. The Haitian ladies make sure the food here is delicious! We talked on the roof and then headed to bed. We both had our own rooms due to low volume at the time which was real nice.

I woke up to tasty fresh fruit, toast, cereal, juice and coffee. My friend Jones came to get me with his cousin. Jones is a school director in Carrefour, about an hour or less from Port au Prince at a school where we have done a mobile clinic and will do more community based clinics. The area I was told only has one maternity hospital so limited access to medical care and needs for care are extensive. We went to Bernard Mevs trauma hospital, our meeting place, to pick others up who’ll help with mobile clinics. We headed to Sophia pharmacy, in Petionville, run by the family of the pharmacist Martin at Bernard Mevs. We discussed mobile clinics, plans, I gave him a list of medications and they will provide a quote for prices for mobile clinics. He agreed to help out with clinics and work on quote for medications. I’ve learned networking across the regions with individuals at all different levels in developing countries is part of the key to success. We headed to Epidor, a popular bakery with good food, to pick up lunch for carry out which consisted of pizza, pastries and bottled water. We headed back to Bernard Mevs to talk and make plans for mobile clinics. While meeting, I heard the loud screaming wales of a grieving companion over the passing of a young appearing man who I heard died of TB and HIV just days after being admitted. Interesting and disheartening to see such expressions of pain. When I asked an employee standing by why no one was attempting to comfort her as she just laid in corner near the middle of the hospital in distress, I was told this is a part of the process when someone dies. My friend Windy who died at age 26 from lymphoma had been in that room, where people who are terminal are reportedly sent about a month or two prior, not long before my arrival. It’s sad to reflect on such loss, especially knowing the heartache of those left behind to mourn. On the other hand, these are the elements that motivate me to do mobile clinics in places where people otherwise may not get care to alleviate some of their suffering, and ideally get them connected with further resources for treatment when needed. We continued planning, specifically to have the mobile clinics begin this week in a large inner city church and a school, next week a tented camp. The other goal is to do an additional mobile clinic at an orphanage we previously served in. These venues enable us to work with community leaders to provide relatively secure environments and promote safety. Mobile clinics operated through Global Mustard Seed Missions will be limited to these four types of venues in the future. That night, I went to dinner with a group from Bernard Mevs including my Dad. We went to the UN restaurant which is an open air place with big TVs where people go to socialize and eat. My Dad had a chicken gyro style sandwich and I had a mozzarella & tomato panini with plantains and RedBull. We headed back to the hospital after and then a driver took me back to the guesthouse.

Highlights- waking to breakfast tropical fruit mmm one of my fav treats, mango, pineapple, coffee and juice prepared by ladies at the guest house. Each morning they had an assortment of selections ranging from an scrambled egg mix to cereal, french toast, pancakes, Haitian pourage among other flavorful items. As it would take a bit of planning to get the mobile clinics running with the local clinicians, I headed to the hospital after being picked up to help out in triage. Triage here meant diagnosing and treating, when appropriate discharging generally after prescribing patient’s medications they paid for in the pharmacy. If necessary fluids would be given or additional testing sometimes with labs. There was a small space with one bed, one chair for patients, one bench and a few chairs for staff with a small desk. So patients would at times need to be triaged on the bench in the entrance of the hospital grounds, privacy was not possible in most cases, nonexistent. You just have to get used to everyone sharing everything, space, materials, instruments and time. It is always humbling and puts life in perspective realizing how incredible seemingly fortunate we are to come from an area where there are generally abundant resources. Highlights- treating a young volunteer to cover both typhoid and malaria as she presented with symptoms of both and much of the care given is done empirically. Another case that stands out is a severe trauma that I treated with a lady who’d been driven inside the hospital gates who’d been hit by a truck reportedly, her leg disfigured and a bloody seen it was no time to react just act, the closest thing available to splint her dismantled leg was a cardboard box torn into pieces.

I enjoyed a good meal of Haitian food a vegetable plate so flavorful.
By God’s design, I made 3 connections for mobile clinics 2 ER women docs and a medical students. There was a going away party in the cafeteria at the end of the day for Kim, a volunteer RN who was leaving to return to the states to start an NP program.
It was sweet to see all the support she had it seemed like all the Haitian staff came and they had pastries including patties and cake. I ended the night at the guesthouse talking to Nick, an engineer who’s volunteering at Heartline ministries long-term.

After spending the morning in the lounge with a free breakfast, feeling thankful to God, we were off to Haiti. Flight was smooth slept through most of it. How pleasant to arrive in such a warm, sunny climate. The airport was looking nice and had been rebuilt since my last visit. I was happy to be back, but sad over the recent loss of my friend Windy who went home at just 26 less than a month before my return. It was disheartening to know he’d died after suffering a bout with what was said to be leukemia, possibly lymphoma, a disease that wreaked havoc on his body from a lack of health care access. He endured a lot of pain and fortunately for him he was a strong believer and is home in God’s kingdom. He story gives hope to anyone with a dream like my visions for mobile clinics in Haiti. He had a dream, a big project, to have a school started in Cite Soleil an area deemed to be perhaps the most dangerous in the world. Slums so extremely impoverished, I recall heartbreaking visions of poverty, one infant so grossly malnourished after her mom was feeding her what was believed to be flour water and oil cause she didn’t have resources, one story of numerous in this crime ridden area. Windy’s vision was to start a school here and with the help of many volunteers it has come to fruition, creating a beacon of hope in the area along with the churches and scattered clinics all bringing hope in promising ways to deserving communities. Windy introduced me to the 1st orphanage where we did a mobile clinic. He had a unique way of engaging the children, teaching them and educating them that was endearing. He completed Haiti’s first paramedic training program to become an EMT. His legacy of service and captivating energy will live on in the school he dreamed of which even has a clinic developing in Cite Soleil. Accomplishments in his short life exemplify what Christ can do with one. His zeal and passion are motivating forces behind my trip and vision for mobile clinics in Haiti. As I exited the plane into the airport, it was so refreshing and brought joy to be created by a serenade gentleman singing songs in the airport. I could not think of a warmer, friendlier greeting to make me feel welcome. My heart smiled ready to begin another journey, feeling like it was with a nod from God.

I was greeted by a customs agent, a lady who remembered my from the last trip, what a hard ordeal it was trying to get medications through customs on that visit. I somehow knew this trip would be different, easier in some ways. I got all my luggage and had just enough cash, $2.00 to rent a cart for luggage. Great, I forgot to bring cash! Oh the minor details and there is no ATM in the airport. All good, after getting through customs, thank you Jesus, uneventfully, I proceed outside and am greeted by friendly gentleman trying to help with luggage. I repeatedly explain I had no cash, one man was sweet enough to help regardless, these are the loving qualities I’ve come to love in Haitians. He and another man helped me find the guy Phillip, we’ll known there as he often comes to pick people up who are coming to work with Project Medishare at the trauma hospital. We headed to the hospital about 10 minutes away. It felt good to be back. The poverty that used to stand out more around the airport is no longer as noticeable to me, my focus is different now, and perhaps more geared towards seeing the possibilities. It seems fewer people are living in tented camps by the airport, maybe displaced to elsewhere or on the streets or maybe even in housing. I was excited to pull into the hospital and find my fabulous Dad there who was socializing with other volunteers. I had a tasty meal from the hospital I missed this delicious Haitian food, rice, beans, sauce and plantains was just what I needed. Phillip enjoyed my chicken. The hospital changed a lot, felt different I heard they got rid of 40 people on staff with budget cuts, sad. My Dad’s tool room that he assembled was torn up no longer organized, its hard to keep things maintained with so many people going in and out. He was short on tools. I stayed until evening hanging with plans to return in the morning. I got a ride to the beautiful guest house I was staying out through Heartline Ministries in Tabarre, about a 20 minute ride from the hospital. To wrap the night up I had talks about getting medications in Haiti and connections on how to do so among other topics with volunteers, including Kim, Ryan and Nick.

Yeah, excited this time and not as many bags which made it easier turned out to be a big Blessing as I got to pack an extra bag with no charge so able to send more goods like supplies to Haiti. Off to Haiti flight went well and I was able to hang out in the airline lounge with a pass in New Jersey airport so that was a nice start to the trip. During the flight I read in the Bible about faith out of Hebrews 11 and felt that was to be the focus of the trip. I had a talk with a young man next to me who inquired about the Bible I was reading. He didn’t have a religion he identified with and we had a good discussion about God. Interesting he flies planes and rents them we talked about him flying medications to Haiti which wouldn’t be so far since he lives in Florida. I gave him a card and hoped to connect on that in the future, God willing, as it’d be a good way to get medications in Haiti for mobile clinics. I pondered on the readings, faith with works was the message and I believe that God is going to use my Dad for his mission work and myself for mine to make a difference in Haiti. My Dad is there to fix biomedical equipment in the trauma hospital Bernard Mevs and work on training people to do so as well. I’m going to help with mobile clinics to be sustained and run by local Haitian clinicians after my departure with help provided in getting medications and equipment. All of these goals will be challenging and hard requiring faith to press on through the obstacles that will no doubt arise. I was happy to have learned from a message through a friend that picked my Dad up that made it safely to Port au Prince. Yes, this trip is off to a good start.