Haiti Jan. 9, 2013

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.