"Our final full work day at the clinic..."

Today we concluded our final "official" work day at the clinic...we had another productive day as far as the volume of patients that were able to be seen...

I was thinking back about some of the people that we treated today and and in the past few days...a few that stand out to me...a 15 yr. old young man came in today and had a skin problem that I can best describe as "seriously painful" to even look at....it covered both of his legs and and arms and looked like the worst case of "enfentigo"(sp) gone bad...he looked so miserable and yet sat through all the poking and jabbing with such a peaceful spirit...I pray that God will touch his body and rid him of this painful condition quickly.....


Another one that comes to mind was 70 yr. old lady that tested positive for T.B. She still has additional testing that she needs done at a local clinic closer to Port Au Prince that may be able to change that diagnosis, however it was so difficult to just have to notify her of the positive preliminary test results...(and even in that, she just took it in stride and was trying to figure out how she could get to the clinic....what a warm spirited woman...)


Finally on a lighter side....a patient we had yesterday came in with a deep laceration on his hand due to a piece of ceramic tile slicing it....our translator, Bianca was asking about the injury and the young man said it was "not so bad"....so according to Bianca, Haitian' tend to "embellish" their stories a little...so when he said it wasn't so bad, she assumed that it was a "very minor" cut that had this big bundle of gauze wrapped around it....well, when we took the bandage off and the cut was about 2" long and layed open with some of the "meat" sticking out a little...."SHE FREAKED"....it was so funny! She kept looking at it like it would somehow attack her...Deb and I couldn't stop laughing.....She kept saying, "it' not suppose to be that bad...it' not suppose to be that bad!...." Her youthful innocence was such a refreshment for us.... :)

In addition, I wanted to share a few other photos of some of the inner actions inside the clinic....




Oh yeah, Matthew and I made our third consecutive trip walking from the clinic back to the house...it was a killer, but we survived... :)

"Another good day at the clinic...."

It' not hard to get motivated when you see all the people walking up the mountain heading to the clinic...we had as many people waiting to be seen today as we did yesterday...they come and wait to be seen, and for the most part, they do this in near 100 degree heat....hour after hour they wait....and after that, they enter into the clinic...(if they are fortunate enough to be seen.....) with a smile on their face...just grateful that they can receive some help....(so very humbling to witness first hand this type of patience, grace and humility....) :)

(Above) Knowing that they will be there most of the day, they come ready to make a day of it....and that means a "Haitian cook-out"...(actually these are venders that sell the food to make what they can....not sure what they are eating, but it involves alot of deep frying...)

I love the candid shots I am able to get from the people as they wait to enter the clinic...but my favorites are the ones of the children...the expressions make me wonder, "what are they really thinking about all of this..." Is this an expression of "worry"??....

Or maybe "determination"?! Either way, they have a unique and wonderful spirit of hope that just shines thru each one of them....young and old.

Regardless, I am pretty sure I am probably the only one of my "family" group taking this trip seriously..... ;)

On a closing note, Matthew, Deb and I made it up the mountain walking yesterday....(that' Matthew "pluggin" away....while I am taking pics and "pacing myself"....) and then Matthew and I did it again today...(glutton' for punishment I guess....) I would love to call it training for the upcoming mini-marathon...but Matthew informed me that the "mini" was much more draining than the mountain....(now that' just not good news at all....) :(

"Wow, what a crowd at the clinic today..."

We knew today was gonna be a "big" day when we looked out to the clinic this morning and seen how far the line was...when we got up there, we were told that it was the most people that have ever shown up at the clinic at one time... :) We were able to see and treat many, many people today....

We also had a wonderful surprise this morning when a lovely friend showed up to translate for us today...Bianca is a high school junior and is amazing! She speaks 5 languages fluently and has such a sweet spirit...she is such a blessing to have around! :)

This little guy had us in stitches today...he simply lit the up the clinic!

Many of the children waiting to be seen....makes it worthwhile to know how these people love to have us come and always make us feel blessed well beyond what we do for them....

I am not sure how many we were able to see today, but I am looking forward to tomorrow and the blessings we will receive...please continue to pray for our entire team, that God would be visible to the people of Haiti by our lives....and that we would bring the unrelenting spirit of the people of Haiti back home with us to share.... :)

"The first day of clinic...."

We made the trip up to the clinic today and it was nice to see some of the new construction that has gone on....(I couldn't help but laugh at Matthew' "first" trip down and up the mountain...he took a beating in the truck...) ;)

We were able to see 126 patients today....(first day is usually a slower one..) hopefully that average will increase the rest of the week...didn't have any "severe" cases which is always good...

The kids are still out of school for now...(since the earthquake, the gov't wants all the schools to be open at the same time...not sure how that will work given the damage to some of the schools closer to Port Au Prince....) hopefully they will be able to return soon...it always makes the clinic more enjoyable to hear the kids outside when we are inside the clinic....

"Yes, I even have time for Katie Couric...."

I know sacrifices have to be made for the good of the cause, so when I "had" to make time for Katie Couric....(hmmm, "Nightly News" lookout...) well, I guess it was just the least I could do....(she was with us on the flight from Miami....not exactly, she was in 1st Class...) ;)

I can't begin to explain what has happened down here after the earthquake....driving to the house from the airport and seeing all the damage, and yet the people of Haiti are so reselient(sp)

they are making the best of what they have available...the blue tarps in "makeshift" villages all over the place....and they have developed them into mini communities....with food markets all around them....such a wonderful spirit! :)

We have the rest of today to just "rest" and then we'll get after it tomorrow....we'll have 25 down here this week so we should have plenty of stations set up and even an optomologist as well....

Time to get a little rest....we'll update more later.... :)