Family Health Ministries

"My Good Friend Carmen"

2010-12-08T10:38:00.003-05:00

I just wanted to introduce you to my neighbor Carmen. She lives two houses over from me. I first met Carmen, I believe back in 2002, when I came down to Haiti with David Walmer and his Duke class. Carmen lives directly across from the Hospital St Croix. In 2002, we stayed at the Hospital Guesthouse and every monring and afternoon our little group would pass Carmen in front of her home. We would always say, "Bon jou or Bon swa" depending on the time of day to Carmen as we passed her home. One day she started yelling at us "BON jou, BON swa that is all you foreignors say don't you know anything else?"(translated to English) Of course, we didn't. We went over and tried to speak a little more with her. I asked to take her photo and she said yes as long as I made her a copy. I promised to make her a copy but could not promise when I could get it to her. She agreed. I am happy to say the photo was delivered to her about 3 years later. She was pleased to get it and happy I didn't forget. We have been friends ever since. I will get these photos to her in January 2011. If God wills. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"Need a Vacation, How About the Hotel Cyvadier Jacmel, Haiti"

2010-12-08T10:30:00.003-05:00

"The New Shelves Are In Place"

2010-11-30T23:15:00.002-05:00

Just a little update. I finally have shelves in my cabinets and now I have been able to start organizing the kitchen a little better. Thanks Suzi for getting the cabinets for me. Everyday the place gets a little more comfortable. Peace, Love, and Joy.

"Kodenn Tomas Gave His All For Dinner"

2010-11-30T23:06:00.003-05:00

"Election Day 2010"

2010-11-29T10:08:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, was elections day. Here in Leogane it was quiet. Saturday night before the election was really quiet. At 9:30 PM the streets of Leogane were deserted and the restuarant Mesaje, which usually has music blairing until 1:00 AM in the morning, was closed up tight. It was a little unnerving.

I got up and went to St Croix Church as I usually do on Sunday morning. At the end of the service they always do general announcements. Father reminded everyone they should be sure to go and vote. He told them what I say to people when they say they are not going to vote. Father said, "If you don't vote, you are letting someone else vote for you."

I spoke to a couple of my friends who went to vote and they said it went smoothly. However, that is not the case in other parts Haiti. There has been a request by 12 of the 18 canidates for president to throw out yesterday election. There are stories of people arriving at voting locations and being told they were not register there and they were sent to another locaton only to find out they are not on the rolls at the new location.

I spoke with several friends in Port Au Prince and they said where they were things were quiet.
Let's continue to pray for the election process in Haiti. Peace, Love, and Joy.

"Happy Thanksgiving!!"

2010-11-27T11:35:00.002-05:00

Hi Everyone, I hope you all had a very blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends. I am sorry I haven't made an entry in a while but I was travelling back and forth to Port Au Prince, Leogane, Fondwa and out to Jacmel so kind of hard to keep up with things. Also, the Internet isn't working at my house anymore so that adds another obstacle to blogging everyday.

I did have turkey for Thanksgiving. Delson, the doctor who works with Family Health Ministries in Leogane, was given a turkey from a friend of his. Usually, the turkey would be saved to be eaten in December around Christmas. However, Delson said I have several Americans staying here at my house so I am obligated to give them turkey for their special day.
I thought that was kind of him. The meal was delicious it wasn't like home but special in its own way. I am thankful for all of you and all my friends in Haiti. Peace, Love, and Joy.

"Brazil Beats Argentine"

2010-11-13T17:37:00.003-05:00

"Happy Birthday to Me!"

2010-11-13T12:15:00.004-05:00

Yesterday, I celebrated my birthday (50Th to be exact) with my friends Emile, Denis and Napeau. The guys treated me to lunch and bought me a birthday cake. We had a great time. After lunch we headed to Cite Soliel Christian Church for a soccer match between the fans of Argentine and Brazil. These are the two most popular soccer teams in Haiti. Last night Brazil took the match up 2 to 0. Everyone had a great time. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"St Antoine School Fondwa, Haiti"

2010-11-11T09:11:00.003-05:00

The classroom building built by Dave Williamson and volunteers is still standing after Hurricane Tomas' winds came through the community of Fondwa last week. The building has eight classrooms (Preschool 1 through 5Th grade are housed in this building). The temporary secondary class rooms were destroyed by the strong winds (see middle photo). However, they have managed to use part of that structure to have classes in for now. They have also set up tents to use for classrooms. Even with the set back the school is up and running. When I arrived yesterday classes were in session and lunch was being served to the students. A "little wind" isn't going to stop the children of Fondwa from learning. Please consider sponsoring a child or a teacher through Family Health Ministries (http://www.familyhm.org/) to ensure the children of Fondwa have the opportunity to attend school and the chance to change their lives and the lives of their families. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Hurricane Tomas Strikes Leogane, Haiti"

2010-11-11T09:07:00.004-05:00

Hurricane Tomas passed through Leogane last Thursday. In Leogane we didn't have strong winds but a lot of rain. The rain started at about 3:30 in the morning and I got up and looked out to see if there was flooding. No sign of flooding. At 5:30 am I checked again no sign of flooding. At 6:00 am I heard a lot of noise outside and there the streets were covered in water. My neighbor Carmen was evacated from her home as the water was entering her small home. She is doing fine and has returned to her home. The hospital was flooded and patients and equipment were moved up to the second floor. The water came quickly and was gone after a day and a half. Just a lot of clean up to do. No matter what happens the people of Haiti keep on going. They are survivors and they do what they do best and that is going about the business of living. My one friend, Cine who lost his leg after earthquake, said. "I can choose to lay down and die or to get up and live. I choose to live." May we all have that same drive. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"Electricity and a Drill That's All You Need"

2010-11-08T00:17:00.003-05:00

Tonight we had electricity after supper so I asked Peter if he could come with his drill and install my towel racks for me in my bathroom. He said, "Yes." To make a long story short Peter could not come over but he said I could use the drill. So, I went and picked up the drill and came back to my apartment and got to work. In Haiti, when you have electricity you have to work quick because you never know when it will go out. Well the job is done and I think the towel racks look nice. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"A Woman's Work Is Never Done"

2010-11-08T00:07:00.002-05:00

"We're Survivors"

2010-11-06T14:49:00.002-04:00

Hurricane Tomas passed by Haiti. Here in Leogane we have heavy flooding over some of the streets. Today, the sun is out and a cool breeze is blowing and the water is going down. Thank you God. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

Update on Camp Adjacent to Matthew 25

2010-11-05T11:52:00.009-04:00

Another update from guest blogger Janet.

Those of you who have visited Matthew 25 House since the earthquake will be interested to know the status of the soccer field camp adjacent to the guesthouse.

At the peak there were 2200 residents; now there are 711. Today, all received a donation from Food for the Poor of rice, oil, flour, packed by the now 11 workers employed by Matthew 25 to run the camp. At the peak there were 22 workers. The camp has composting toilets, their own water filtration sytem, and a school for 259 students.

The tents are definitely flapping in the wind, but in general, people are going about their days in a normal fashion, particularly now that it has stopped raining. School holidays were called nationally for Thursday and Friday of this week.

Report from Hurricane-Tomas Land

2010-11-05T10:12:00.002-04:00

Greetings from Janet Portzer in Port-au-Prince. Missy is still in Leogane and doesn't have Internet access so I'd thought I'd give you all a report.

We are not yet experiencing anything other than light rain and light winds. We don't think the storm is really here yet, or that it is on either side of us, because here at Matthew 25 we don't have any flooding either. Last night included only gentle rain and wind, too. A sick child from the adjacent tent camp came in for the night with his sisters as a precaution. The rest of the tent dwellers are doing okay.

Missy reports that the streets are flooded in Leogane, but that is not really unusual in a heavy rain. They have received some heavy bursts of rain, unlike us here in PAP.

Yesterday was a great day. I visited 8 employee homes and took lots of photos. I was very encouraged by all the progress. The employees who received emergency funding have made great progress on their homes. Everyone is in a safe dwelling except Aliette, who is in a constructed tent that looks to be well-built, but still with tarpaulin walls. I look forward to sharing all the good news as well as the ongoing needs.

Today the Blanchard Clinic is closed so I'm staying with a few other people who have had planes cancelled - 5 guests in all, plus the irrepressible Nancy Hibbard and her staff here at Matthew 25. Everyone is in good spirits, enjoying an unexpected, free day.

Missy was to come into PAP and spend some time here with me, but hasn't felt good. Instead, I have spent my time with Denis as translator and Emile, our driver. Both have done a great job of getting me around - and they are fun to be with, too.

Pray for the people in the camps, please.

-Janet

"Six Grade Class Says We're Ready for the National Exams"

2010-11-03T21:50:00.003-04:00

A look at the tent being used for the sixth grade classroom. It's a full classroom. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Introducing the First Grade Class 2010"

2010-11-03T21:40:00.004-04:00

They are just so cute. I love when you enter their class room they all stand up and say "Bonjou". The temporary classrooms look great.

"It's Electric"

2010-10-31T11:13:00.002-04:00

Just want to report last night at about 11:30 the electric came on to my apartment. I haven't had electricity for over a month. I was sitting on my bed with my headlamp on doing work on my computer when all of a sudden I heard a loud noise. I thought we were having an earthquake. Then papers started flying and I realized the fan was working. It took me a few seconds to realize what was happening. Then I jumped out of bed and started dancing around my room giving praise to God for the electricity. After praising God, I quickly plugged in my computer, cell phones, and the charger for my camera battery. I needed to act quickly because I didn't know how long the power would last. I am happy to report it is still on. I hope to get the water pump reconnected so I can pump water later today if we still have power. Just another day in Haiti. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"School Photos"

2010-10-30T10:48:00.005-04:00

"The Gang Says 'Hello Annick!"

2010-10-25T21:58:00.003-04:00

"Health Cluster Meeting Leogane"

2010-10-25T20:24:00.003-04:00

Today I called Napeau, Blanchard clinic administrator, to check on him, his family, the Blanchard staff and the Blanchard community. They have not had any cases of cholera reported at the clinic. The staff and their families are all well. I called and spoke with Sister Melicia and Sister Claudette in Fondwa and everyone is fine there. Tomorrow I will head up to Fondwa to visit with Sister Simone at the school. Here in Leogane no reported causes of cholera. There was a possible cause yesterday in Leogane but it turned out not to be cholera. Praise God.

I went to a health cluster meeting today held at Hospital St Croix. It was not as informative as I had hoped it would be but at least they are working on a plan. I am impressed with Dr Stephan, NPO/Health Cluster Coordinator, Leogane. He has sent out a lot information about cholera and doing a good job of keeping all the medical facilities and other organizations informed on what is happening. Today, when I went to make copies of a brochure about cholera he had sent out I saw people from other organizations doing the same. So information is getting out to the public which is always good.

Please continue to pray for the people of Haiti. Pray that this cholera out break will be stopped and the loss of lives will not increase. Pray for the public health workers, nurses, doctors and those carrying for the sick in St Marc. Thanking you in advance for all your prayers. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Cholera Public Service Announcement"

2010-10-24T13:07:00.002-04:00

I am sure most of you have heard that cholera has taken over 200 lives in Haiti so far. There have been six confirmed cholera deaths in Petionville. One case has been reported in Carre Fou so it is definitely on its way to the Leogane area. We have a suspected case in the hospital right now. Today in church we had a public service announcement made about cholera and how it is spread and ways to prevent it. Remember, "wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands." I spoke with some of my friends in Port Au Prince and they said they had the same type of announcements in their churches too today. Please pray that everyone pays attention to the things that stop the spread of the disease. Pray that clean drinking working is available to all in Haiti. Pray for the medical communities that will be caring for the sick. Pray for the effort to get the word out about cholera and how to stop the spread of the disease. Pray that all in Haiti know that God loves them and are continuously uplifted by God's unending love. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"Baky"

2010-10-23T22:01:00.003-04:00

This is a photo of my cat Baky. I just found out from my brother that Baky had died. She had been missing for several days and he found her today. She was a very special cat. I got her from Fondwa, Haiti when she was about six weeks old. The staff at Hospice St Joseph in Port Au price just loved her. They were always looking out for her. Baky loved to soak in a sink full of water.

I will miss her. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Just Washed My Hair"

2010-10-23T12:38:00.005-04:00

Today, I washed my hair and I have left it down to dry so of course there is a lot of discussion about my hair. There have been offers to get me some hair grease to put on it since it doesn't have the shine it used to have (all right it wasn't a shine but dirty oily hair). Of course, I just say give it a couple of days and it will be oily again. Geniene, the head cook at the hospital guest house, took the photos of me. Peace, Joy and Love. Missy

"Welcome to the Oloffson Hotel, Port Au Prince, Haiti"

2010-10-23T10:18:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I had a busy day. I went to work at the clinic in the morning. Then I caught a ride with Dr, Merisier to Port Au Prince. I was dropped off at the Mega Mart Parking lot where I met up with Emile, who was waiting for me in the Family Health Ministries (FHM) van. I called Peterson, a Haitian artist, and asked him to meet me at Mega Mart so I could put the down payment on an order that FHM was placing with him. (By the way if you want to purchase some beautiful Christmas ornaments check out www.famlyhm.org ). After Mega Mart, Emile and I headed off to buy filing cabinets for the Blanchard Cervical Cancer Clinic and for the Fondwa School. We got a great price $210 US dollars each (usually runs around $350). We loaded up our purchases and were off to the Oloffson Hotel where I was meeting a friend for lunch. Emile dropped me off at the Oloffson and he headed back to drop off the filing cabinets at the Blanchard Clinic. I had a wonderful lunch with Renate and Williams. When you get to Port Au Prince be sure to check out the Oloffson Hotel. It is just a lovely relaxing place. Sometimes you might even catch me waiting tables (especially if I have brought a large group to eat there.) Well, after a big day in the city I had to head home just let me say it was an adventure but thanks to God I arrived home safely. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Lunch at the Historic Oloffson Hotel"

2010-10-23T10:11:00.003-04:00

You need to remember when ordering at any restaurant in Haiti you always need to decide on several choices in case your first choice is not available. In some restaurants it's just wiser to ask what they have instead of looking at the menu. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Are You Hungry Now?"

2010-10-21T21:51:00.003-04:00

Just a look at lunch at Cafe Missy.

Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"You Call That a Smile"

2010-10-19T21:02:00.001-04:00

"Now That's a Smile"

2010-10-19T20:54:00.001-04:00

"Mesi Bon Dye" "Thank you God"

2010-10-19T14:26:00.003-04:00

I just want to give a shout out of praise to God. Today, Albert, Peter's friend, came with a generator so we could pump water up to my reservoir on the roof. I haven't had water in my apartment in over a week. We thought it would take about 30 minutes to fill the reservoir. This was not the case. The pump was 220/50 hrtz and the generator was 120/60 hrtz and Albert didn't have a plug adapter to use the 220 outlet on the generator. So we thought all was lost. However, Carlos, a gentlemen down the street who is an electrician, came and said it's not a problem he could make it work. Carlos stuck two pieces of electrical wire in the 220 outlet and wired it to the extension cord and before you knew the pump was running. Twenty five minutes later the reservoir was full. It only cost me 150 gds for diesel, 2 ice cream cones 40 gds, 100 gds for digicel phone card and three hours of time. This is life in Leogane. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"A Look at Apartment Living"

2010-10-17T12:58:00.003-04:00

"I'm Cooking with Gas Now"

2010-10-17T12:42:00.004-04:00

I bought my stove in Port Au Prince yesterday with the help of Emile (FHM employee and my friend). We carried it up the stairs to my apartment with out any difficulty. It's wasn't very heavy. I want to send out a "big thank you" to the "October Leogane Medical Team" who funded the purchase of the stove. I look forward to having you all over for coffee next year. I am looking forward to making coffee at home. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Cite Soliel Christian Church Soccer League"

2010-10-15T22:16:00.007-04:00

Well, tonight was the big match up at Cite Soliel Christian Church. It was the married men playing against the single men's team. The two teams have met before and the married men won. Tonight, the married men won again. The married men's team coach is Napeau, Clinic Administrator for Blanchard, first row far right in photo. Other Family Health Ministries employees on the team are Denis, Annaus, and Emile. So you can probably imagine which team I was cheering for at the match. Everyone had a great time. Well, need to head off to bed getting up early tomorrow morning to go shopping for a stove. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Water Pump Specs"

2010-10-15T11:11:00.001-04:00

"Ice Cream Anyone?"

2010-10-11T09:57:00.004-04:00

Well, the guest bloggers have headed home so its just me again. There is a local restaurant in Leogane that I visit very often with guests and the food is very good. The restaurant opened in May of this year and as of yet doesn't have an official name. I have suggested a possible name of "Cafe Missy" since I bring so much business to the place. However, I haven't heard back from the owner. The restaurant is planning to serve ice cream in the future that is why they have the painting of the ice cream cone. Just picture "Cafe Missy" painted beautiful just above the big ice cream cone. When you come to Leogane let's be sure to do lunch or dinner at "Cafe Missy." Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"Medical Team was a Success."

2010-10-11T00:01:00.004-04:00

Well, the medical team left today. I spoke with Nicole early this morning and they arrived at the airport safe and on time. So, I believe they all have arrived home by now. I just want to say thank you to all of them for a great week. Thanks everyone. I will post a picture of the stove when I get it. Remember, coffee at my place next year. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

Day Four at Leogane

2010-10-07T20:30:00.002-04:00

Day 4 greeted us with clouds which was not bad. Temperatures were in the low 90s instead of the high 90s. Nice!! We arrived at the clinic and were greeted by 132 friends! Young, old, women, children, men shouted hello, waved and welcomed us. What a wonderful way to come to work!!

I worked intake and did vitals today. It is a joyous experience because you get to meet and talk to almost every person who comes to the clinic. Our Haitian brothers and sisters come and wait with patience, kindness and humor. Their composure and easy going nature is something to behold. In the 90s and in very close quarters, perspiration is constant... nonstop. I knelt to do a blood pressure with sweat rolling off my face and forehead. As I put the cuff on this gracious, older Haitian woman, she took her white cloth and wiped my forehead and face and thanked me for being in Haiti. As I finished her vitals, she wiped my face again, patted my hand and again thanked me.

This wonderful woman caused me to pause, look and reflect. Nineteen of us had spent 3+ days together with the purpose of providing healthcare to the Haitian people. Many from NC, some from RI, one from MA, one from NY had come together with purpose. As I glanced around, I saw my wife Melissa and Jan doing more vitals, greeting mothers, babies, older folks, all. Meredith was doing triage with Johanna and translators... though he did not need the translators as his Creole is "li bon." Dale was fitting his umpteenth pair of glasses reaching a total for the day of 51 pair!!! He also helped with vitals for Dr. Delson Mersier's patients.

Continuing my glance around the clinic I saw Nancy and Wally working in the pharmacy. Susan, Cathie and Brian were part of the pharmacy team as well. Denise single handedly ran the laboratory. While I could not see the providers, Dr. Lisa, Dr. Andrea, Dr. Jeff, Dr. Jim and Dr. Nicole all provided excellent healthcare to our 132 guests. Nicole and Missy, with Family Health Ministries, provided wonderful guidance and coordination during the trip. The sights, the sounds, the pace, the essence of the clinic was overwhelming in the very best of ways.

The apostle Paul wrote many wonderful letters. A favorite of mine is Paul's first letter to the church at Corinth, the 13th chapter. Paul speaks of the gifts of faith, hope and love. This wonderful group of people has been privileged to see, feel and experience the faith, the hope and especially the love that Haiti gives to the world. Faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.

Making a difference amid the destruction

2010-10-06T13:53:00.002-04:00

The good news: Haiti is better off than I suspected.
The bad news: It's still bad.
I expected to see whole blocks leveled in Port au Prince and Leogane. News reports suggested tha, but I haven't found it. Most buildings remain standing, though many are clearly uninhabitable.
The cities look much like they had before the January earthquake, punctuated, of course, by remaining damage from the January earthquake - collapsed buildings that remain where they fell, piles of rubble and tent cities that have grown up on virtually every vacant piece of land, including stadiums, park areas and street mediums.
The Haitians are handling the quake's aftermath with their usual grace, dignity and good humor. They meet us with smiles and pleasant conversation.
Our Leogane medical clinic hasn't been as busy as we'd expected and hoped. That's perhaps a testiment to the attention the entire quake disaster area has attracted from medical groups. Another volunteer medical group has set up a quarter mile down the dirt lane from us, that group has another clinic elsewhere in town and the downtown hospital is also operating a clinic.
Today was busier then Monday and Tuesday. We saw about 100 patients. We treated diabetes, eye problems, rashes, cold symptions, sore muscles, small babies and a 100 year old woman.
We hope they left feeling better. They seemed thankful for the attention.
For my part, I feel lucky to be making a modest contribution in a land humbled by nature. The strength and resilience of the people we've met has been a powerful lesson.

"Just Checking In"

2010-10-06T13:16:00.003-04:00

Hi all just wanted to let you know I have my apartment complete with twin bed. I bought 3 five gallon buckets yesterday for the house. I need to get back to work. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"The Van is Coming"

2010-10-06T13:11:00.001-04:00

Wednesday Update-We are busy!!!

2010-10-06T12:06:00.004-04:00

Bon jou-I'm Dale Young, the guest blogger of the day. I'm on the trip with a group from Westminster Presbyterian in Greensboro, NC. This is my first trip to Haiti and I do not have a medical background but as I learned about this opportunity to serve others, I felt a strong calling to come here even prior to the earthquake.
We have a great group of folks who have quickly bonded and as a team. It is clear everyone on the mission team wants to help and word of the clinic is spreading in the village. Today has been our busiest morning of the week and as of 11:00 we have already seen 81 people.
Even without a medical background, there is so many opportunities to serve on this trip, I'm primarily fitting people for reading glasses and filling small plastic bags with vitamins, ibuprofen, etc. If you are considering the trip and do not have a medical background-please do not hesitate as there is plenty to do for everyone.
The people of Haiti are beautiful, they have been through so much but there is clearly a great deal of strength and love that is inspiring. I thought this trip would be a reality check, but truly underestimated how rewarding coming to Haiti would be. We have members on the team who have been here on many trips, including coming on short notice after the Earthquake. I can truly appreciate how Haiti gets in your heart and the desire to serve these wonderful people. I miss your family very much, but being here is truly an honor to be here with such a great team and to serve these wonderful people!

Leoganne Clinic Day One (Mon)

2010-10-04T20:38:00.011-04:00

I am the guest blogger for the day, Brian, from Greensboro. Today we started bright and early, we started walking to the clinic at 7:00 am. The walk is about 2 miles through Leoganne, down a dirt road or two, full of pot-holes and ruts, mudpuddles from last night's rain. One part of the road is a major highway that we have to walk along, being careful to not step into the road due to trucks, tap-taps, Moto's, etc whizzing by. You will definately get run over is you're not careful. We arrived at the clinic to find perhaps 30 people waiting on our arrival. We had to finish setting up and organizing but that went smoothly considering we're a mass of various occupations and experience levels. No electricity, therefore the heat was overwhelming; the Haitians were so patient. Through Triage, into see the MD's, the orders for medications came through the window to the pharmacy where I was working. I've always been a Pharmacist want-to-be so this was my opportunity. Worm pills, anti-biotics for various infections, a few IM injections........we filled about 50 prescriptions. Beanie Babies for all the kids; everything excites them. I didn't see one person loose their temper or become frustrated despite the incredible heat and humidity. Somewhere along the way a generator appeared and we had a ceiling fan going.........probably one of the highlights of the day. The day ended early due to fewer patients showing up after lunch (Peanut butter, Squirt Cheese, Bananna). Missy, our team leader, suggested that we walk "250 yards" to the Johannatier Project which is a German Compound for people suffering PTSD. One of the biggest things they do is to manufacture prosthetic legs for those that lost a leg during the earthquake. They do this on-site, free of charge. Quite impressive to see. It was located on the back lot of a cement manufacturing plant. Who would have thought???? Oh, the walk wasn't 250 yards, it was more like 2 miles. This is of course in the heat of the day, blazing sun, after having walked perhaps 2 miles earlier to the clinic. Gosh it was hot. On the way back to the Guest House (it's really a closed-down hospital in Leoganne) we stopped at a little cafe and had cokes, beer, or passion fruit juice to drink, and fried plantain to snack on. We sat there long enough for the heat to die down, then walked the remainder of the way to St. Croix Hospital Guest House. Both going and coming, everyone was dripping with sweat, scrubs totally drenched. Along the way in the morning, the throngs of people sitting on the side of the road almost always say "Bon Jour". They are very kind. In the afternoon the greeting becomes "Bon Soir". You probably say this 100 times along the walk. When I say people sitting on the road, I mean SITTING BY THE ROAD. HUNDREDS of people. Unemployment approaches 70%; the poverty is absolutely overwhelming. Once you get used to seeing such hopelessness you start noticing that Haiti is absolutely paved with plastic and trash. It's EVERYWHERE. Why? Because there is no trash removal anywhere. When the Haitians are finished with a drink bottle, down it goes, where ever they may be standing. It's the norm. Every now and then, along the road, someone sets fire to the trash, therefore the air quality is horrid. It's a combination of burning trash, charcoal, and sooty exhaust from big trucks and buses. So all in all, Day One was a success. We treated fewer than the number we planned on but everyone left with a smile. Memories are being made, from both sides; we the volunteers, are probably making more. Who gains the most? That's everyone's own perspective; the patients aer just as happy as the staff. Everyone wins. Will there be memories made tomorrow? No Doubt! Stay Tuned for more.

Brian from Greensboro, NC

Leogone adventures

2010-10-03T22:07:00.003-04:00

I'm guest blogger, giving heroic Missy a break. The group started bright and early, in order to make it to Sunday services at Blanchard, where we were wowed by the electric guitar and amazing singing of the choir. This made it that much more difficult to wind our way to the front of the church, full of 1000 Haitians, to sing our hymn. Denise took the lead to keep up our tempo, but we didn't get much of the church to join in. They were so gracious.
We had a tour of P-A-P today including what's left of the Palace en route to Legone. It's relatively much quieter up here and the St Croix hospital where we're staying is just starting to be functional. After unloading and reloading all of the supplies we walked the 1/2 hour to clinic. There we were greeted by children running up with hugs and smiles. The group quickly dispersed to wash down tables, unload the pharmacy and cuddle some newborn kittens. Tomorrow is day one of clinic. Peace, love, joy and shout out to Will, Andrea

"Leogane Medical Team Arrives Safely to Port Au Prince"

2010-10-02T17:10:00.002-04:00

Just a quick note to say the medical team has arrived safely to Port Au Prince. Emile, the driver for Family Health Ministries (FHM), Patrick, a staff member at Matthew 25 Guesthouse, and myself where at the airport with two 15 passenger vans and a Landcruiser to pick them up. The pick up went smoothly. One team member thought it was very hectic and I informed him today was a piece of cake. He said, "I would not want to see a bad day." Well, need to get back to work. I'll try to send photos tomorrow. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"Domino's Pizza 30 Minutes or Less"

2010-10-01T00:09:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to give a shout out to Domino's Pizza, thanks for the delivery. The pizza was warm and it tasted great. They make the 30 minute delivery promise here in Port Au Prince but there are some reasons why the pizza may be late. (check out the photo below.)

2010-10-01T00:06:00.001-04:00

2010-09-30T23:42:00.000-04:00

2010-09-30T23:26:00.001-04:00

"Missy in the Big City with Friends"

2010-09-30T08:26:00.002-04:00

"A Look at the Candidates"

2010-09-30T08:10:00.003-04:00

I am sorry I haven't posted anything for a few days but I have been in Port Au Prince and didn't have Internet. Just a look at a couple of the men running for president. I believe there are 18 people running for president and at least two of them are women. I know this because I saw their posters around town. Mr. Baker was a presidential candidate in 2006 I don't know how he is doing in this election. If the election is decided by the most billboards and posters then I would call Mr. Celestin the winner. It should be interesting to see how it turns out. Please pray for the election process in Haiti pray that a person is chosen that will place God first in their life and will seek justice for all who live in Haiti. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Strike a Pose"

2010-09-24T01:04:00.007-04:00

"Presenting Our Newest Arrival"

2010-09-24T00:51:00.003-04:00

I am happy to present our newest arrival born September 23rd, 2010. She weighs six pounds. Her APGAR score a 10. Mother and baby are both doing well. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"Pran Photo M, Souple"

2010-09-23T07:43:00.005-04:00

I went out for a walk yesterday, just to get to know the town a little better and to meet more of my neighbors. As I was walking this little boys says, "Pran photo'm, souple" in English, "Take my photo, please." I didn't even have my camera out of my backpack but he new "a blanc" (foreigner) walking around town must have a camera. He was very correct in assuming this because most do carry a camera everywhere they go. They were very happy to get their photos taken even though in the photos they don't look happy. These two little boys will be starting school on Oct 4th, I can't wait to see them in their uniforms. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"Aren't They Cute?"

2010-09-22T19:51:00.004-04:00

I just had to get a picture of this for the blog site. The women in the clinic were looking at me like why are you taking so many pictures of that cat and kittens. But aren't they so cute. There are six kittens in all. I hope these photos brought a smile to your face. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"One Bedroom Apartment Available in Leogane, Haiti"

2010-09-21T18:43:00.005-04:00

Just a quick update on my apartment. I stopped by the apartment this morning on my way to work and it is coming a long nicely. Mr. Charlemange, the owner, was there and quickly showed me around the apartment. He said he was sorry it wasn't ready on time. I had not really expected it to be ready in eight days so I wasn't disappointed with the delay. I have lived in Haiti long enough to know nothing gets completed on time. He asked me if I had found someone to rent the downstairs apartment. I said, "No, but I would keep a look out for someone to rent it." So. if anyone is looking for an apartment in Leogane, Haiti just let me know. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"New Home Construction in Leogane, Haiti"

2010-09-20T16:03:00.008-04:00

This little house, one bedroom and bath, is near completion. I love the columns in the front of the house. I believe the house will have Electrique de Haiti (EDH)
well, when the electric company is giving electricity. In Haiti electricity is not a certainty like it is in the States. People who can afford it have a generator as a back up plan. However, many families turn to candles and kerosene lamps when it starts to get dark or they simply call it day at nightfall and head to bed. Have a blessed evening. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood"

2010-09-18T22:02:00.003-04:00

I was up early this morning to get my laundry out on the line to dry. The good news I didn't have to wash it by hand last night. The guest house has a washing machine and I jumped on the chance to wash my clothes in a washing machine. After getting the laundry on the line, I went over to see how the apartment was coming a long. They were putting in the metal doors today and also the bathroom sink. The drum for the water supply was placed on the roof today looks like approx 400 gallon drum. I think that will last me for a few days. The neighborhood is starting to talk about the new Blanc who is moving in on the street. On my street, there is the Hospital St Croix, Masaje (a nice little restaurant on the end of the street). The Immaculate Conception Pharmacy, Carmen's house (a friend I have known since 2002), a little grocery store, another small pharmacy and then Proch's Pharmacy, which would be similar to Walgreen's in the States. Just two blocks down the street is the boulanjri, our local bakery. You don't need directions to find it just follow your nose. Those of you planning to come on future trips with Family Health Ministries to Leogane can bank on a trip to the boulanjri. If your not signed up check out the Family Health Ministries website http://www.familyhm.org/ to get on a trip. The electricity might go off soon so I need to run. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

"Hanging Out at the Clinic"

2010-09-17T23:31:00.005-04:00

Junior says "Hi' to all his friends in the States. Junior is always eager to get his photo taken. He has such a great smile. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"House for Sale"

2010-09-17T00:14:00.002-04:00

Today, I went walking around Leogane just to get out and see the community. I walked the streets doing my best to stay out the way of the motto drivers. They sort of drive where ever they want on the road. You also have to keep an eye out for the tap tap drivers too. The reason I am walking in the street is because there aren’t a lot of sidewalks in Leogane. Anyway, as I was walking around I noticed this house that didn’t look like the typical house in Haiti. It looked more like a house you would find in the States. I saw a sign in front of it that read “Affordable Homes Around the World.” The sign also read “simple, effective, attractive, and Green.” When I saw the word “Green” I thought it meant energy efficient but after looking in the windows of the house I think it just meant the house is green. (See photo below). Of course, I was curious about the price so when I returned back to the guest house I called the number on the billboard to see if the house was indeed affordable. The price tag was 120,000. I asked if it was in Haitian Dollars and the man said “no, US dollars. If it had been Haitian dollars it would cost $15,000 US. This doesn’t really seem that affordable for Leogane, Haiti, but the man assured me it was a good price. I don’t think it’s going to be off the market anytime soon. I will let you know when it closes. Peace, Love, and Joy. Missy

"House For Sale"

2010-09-17T00:10:00.002-04:00

Dr. Livingston Full Time at Hospital St Croix

2010-09-14T22:25:00.003-04:00

Dr. Livingston is the newest resident at the Hospital Guest House, where I am staying while waiting to move into my apartment. His job is to keep the guest house free of little rodents. He must be doing a good job because I haven't seen any so far in the guesthouse. Suzy Parker, the guesthouse manager, wanted to name him after a doctor because he lives in the hospital. One visitor wanted to name him Stanley but Suzy didn't think he looked like a Stanley. So we put our heads together and came up with Dr. Livingston. He comes when you call him by name. OK, he just comes because he thinks we will feed him. We like his new name. I shared his name with Genny and she thought it was nice too. As I was walking out of the kitchen I heard Genny calling, "Dokte Livinggston". Have a blessed night. Peace, Love and Joy. Missy

BON DIMANCHE!

2010-09-14T00:56:00.000-04:00

The Apartment is Looking Good.

2010-09-11T21:15:00.002-04:00

I went over to look at the apartment today and things are moving a long nicely. Yvelande was eager to show me that all the rooms had been painted. They also had started the work in the bathroom and the kitchen area. She is staying on top of things over there. Tomorrow, she is going to Port Au Prince to pick out the ceramic tile for the bathroom and pick up the bathroom fixtures. I will try to get some pictures tomorrow. Have a blessed evening. Peace, Joy and Love
Missy

Down Payment Paid on Apartment

2010-09-11T14:25:00.005-04:00

Well, the down payment was made yesterday. When I arrived to give Yvelande the down payment for the apartment Mr. Charlemagne (her father) a long with her younger sister and brother were there to greet me. She had work already underway when I arrived. Mr. Charlemagne gave me a tour of the apartment and told me exactly how they would finish it out for me. He said, "Nou pral fe li bel pou w!" translated "We will make it beautiful for you!" When I went upstairs I noticed on the wall they had painted "God bless you." I will always remember that under the paint is my first blessing for my new home. According to Mr. Charlemagne the apartment will be ready next Saturday. I will keep you posted on the progress.
Have a blessed day. Peace, Joy and Love Missy

It's a girl!

2010-09-11T13:56:00.007-04:00

Yesterday, we had a new arrival at the clinic in Leogane. She was born at 10:36 am in the morning. I know the exact time because I was there when she was born. I assisted Diane with caring for the new little baby girl. She is healthy and has a very good cry. She weighed 6 lbs and 12 oz. and has a full head of hair. Her aunt brought a beautiful pink crocheted outfit to put on her. After, Diane had dressed the baby she took her to make an introduction to her mother. Her mother was beaming with pride. Mother and child are doing well. May God's love and protection surround them all their days of their lives. Peace, Joy, and Love Missy

I have an apartment!

2010-09-09T22:19:00.006-04:00

Well, I did it. I made a promise on the apartment. Tomorrow I go to pay the first month's rent. The apartment still needs some work before it is move in ready. For example, the bathroom fixtures are not installed Yvelande promised to put them all in before I take possession of the apartment. I think it will be nice. I like the location very convenient to everything. I have good neighbors beside me and across the street. When we finalized the deal I asked if we could close in prayer and Yvelande said yes. How many times have you ended a rental agreement in the States in prayer. Please pray that everything goes according to God's will. Yvelande says it can be ready in eight days. I'll keep you posted. Peace, Joy and Love, Missy

Why I keep coming back to Haiti

2010-09-09T00:51:00.005-04:00

This is why I keep coming back to Haiti to see peoples lives changing for the better. Annaus is a proud father, this year his baby girl started preschool. Even though the photo doesn't show it Anaika is excited about school. Family Health Ministries helps to change lives by providing jobs. Annaus thanks for all your hard work and your beautiful smile. Peace, Joy and Love, Missy

God's Words of Encouragement

2010-09-07T19:47:00.007-04:00

Thanks to Kathy I have a picture of me to post on the blog site. All my training paid off and now I can make blog entries. Thanks to Janet Portzer's Blogging Institute. Just remember I will keep at it as long as I have Internet and electricity. Last night I was feeling a little stressed so I got my Bible out and turned to the Psalms I opened to Psalm 4 which was just the words I needed to hear. There I was sitting on my bed trying to wind down for night and as I read through Psalm 4 I felt a sense of Peace surround me and the last verse I read "I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." Amen. Peace, Missy

Needed Leogane Apartment Guide

2010-09-06T21:43:00.004-04:00

This is my first attempt at posting several pictures on one blog entry so I don't know how it will look when I am finished. Today, Kathy and I went out to check out possible living quarters (sorry military term) for me. This was one of the apartment sites. I really liked the bright colors very cheery. I remember this building when it had a really good restaurant and served the best milk shakes in Leogane. This is where I had lunch after I walked from Fondwa to Leogane both times. We looked at several other apartments but nothing definite. Please pray that God will help me see the place that is for me. Peace, Missy

Packing To Go

2010-09-06T20:44:00.008-04:00

This was what my room looked like the night before I left for Haiti. It is so hard to decide what you need to pack. It was even harder this time because I will be staying a year. I packed several skirts (purchased at Goodwill and the Red, White and Blue Thrift Store in Pittsburgh, PA). The plastic coat hangers didn't make the cut not enough room. I will try to get someone from an upcoming team to bring them down. I packed several bars of soap, a lot of shampoo and conditioner (imagine that), and plenty of toothpaste. After all was packed, I left for Haiti with two carry on bags (one so heavy I could barely lift it up into the overhead-bin) and two check bags weighing 56 pounds and 68 pounds. Needless to say on my departure American Airlines made an easy $100. Peace, Missy

Office Tour

2010-09-03T12:27:00.003-04:00

I am still learning the ropes at the FHM Office. Yesterday, Justin showed me around the office and went over some office procedures. Thanks Justin. This is my third blog entry, I'm on a roll I bet I will have my certificate in blogging before the week is up. Thanks for all your prayers. Peace!
Missy

"Blogging 101"

2010-09-02T13:52:00.008-04:00

Today I am working at the Family Health Ministries Office in Durham, NC and I am learning how to blog. I am enrolled in Janet Portzer's beginning blog class. "Blogging 101".
The requirements to complete the course I must
re size a photo and make a blog posting. This posting is my final exam. Wish me luck. I am submitting my assignment now. I hope to be able to blog while in Haiti if I pass this class. Also, I will need electricity and Internet. I look forward to sharing the coming year with you. Your sister in Christ, Missy

Return to Haiti

2010-09-02T11:20:00.005-04:00

Hi Everyone,
Just a quick update. I have accepeted a position with Family Health Ministries as their new "In Country Manager". I will be living in Haiti and I leave this coming Sunday 5 September to return for my new position. I am looking forward to the upcoming year. Peace, Missy

Preparing for our last day of clinic!

2010-04-23T09:10:00.002-04:00

Today is our last day of clinic. We are going to see patients until about 2pm, and then load up a 10 passenger van with 11 people and all of our luggage to drive into Port au Prince...Hatian style! We are spending the night in Port au Prince at the Blanchard Clinic so we can be near the airport for the early flight out.

It is definitely a mix of emotions leaving this place. We have only been here a short time, but I'm sure the impact will last much longer. There is such despair and devastation mixed in with beautiful landscapes and smiling children. Kathy told me about the hospital Family Health Ministries is trying to build here, so hopefully many of us will return in the future to work there for some time!

Medical care is currently relatively available to Haitians with all of the relief organizations here, but they will not be here forever. That is why it is so important for Family Health Ministries to build a permanent hospital that will provide a constant source of care for the community.

The people on our team have been amazing. We have all learned from each other. We spoke tonight, while we sat on the roof of the clinic across from one of the tent villages, how we hope this is a new beginning for Haiti. The earthquake has drawn such international attention to a place that is, and has been for some time, in desperate need of change.

Thank you for reading. I hope this provided at least some insight into our lives this week and what is being done in terms of relief work. God Bless!

A New Day

2010-04-22T21:52:00.003-04:00

When we gather for breakfast, the first thing we ask one another 'how did you sleep?'. It's different every night. Some managed to keep their mosquito nets on, some had a beer and needed to get up too many times, some had minds and hearts full of stories and trouble leaving the day. The air is so still when the electricity stops in the room where the women are sleeping. The men are on the roof in tents, deciding if opening the flaps for air is worth the risk of mosquito bites. Either way, some are lying awake desigining the next and most perfect anti-mosquito device.

We ended the day again with thoughtful questions about hope, and the future, and the Kingdom of God. We talked about slavery, and resurrection, and our individual moments in clinic. Patients told us why they were there alone, and who they had lost. 'New Mother'is the name given to the relative caring for a baby who's mother had died in the Event. Sometimes she is called 'Good Mother'. It's a new title that will be forever in the history of Haiti, a generation of children will have New and Good mothers, some of them very young and very excited to have this child to raise. Others are older siblings with an amazing burden to care for little ones, not able to go back to school or pick up where they left off in early January. We asked 'Do you still have your house?' Most say no, but they are living in the 'Citi' which is the general name for all of the tent cities.

Most of us went on an evening walk down the road in front of the clinic. More pictures of ebullient children requesting 'photo! photo!'. Jason likes to linger and learn about whatever he can describe in French. 'Bon Soir', 'Salud' 'Hey you!'

More Ciaka stew with 'boys' tonight (you'll have to ask about that when we get home!) Fresh limeade and cherry juice from Delson's orchard. We are spoiled with this delicious food and drink!

Tomorrow we have clinic only in the morning, with our bags packed before everyone arrives. We will pack up as many supplies as we can for Blanchard, and pile into the van for the first leg of our trip home. We have started to talk about getting a pedicure at the Miami airport where most of us will layover for 4 hours. Maybe even a margarita? Whatever we do, it will not be what we have been doing. There isn't much that is like what we all have all done, and seen, and felt, and smelled and wondered.

Fondwa

2010-04-21T22:07:00.002-04:00

Today after morning clinic, we drove into Fondwa to visit the orphanage. Fondwa is up in the mountains, and we had a beautiful day for the trip. After parking in the town, we hiked down to the orphanage where we met up with Sister Carmelle. She showed us the buildings that were destroyed in the earthquake, and I believe that it was an emotional experience for us all. We went down to where the school used to be, which is now composed of tents since the buildings were destroyed. Sister Carmelle told us that some of the children walk for 4 hours each way to come to school each day which was amazing to us all! The children seemed in good spirits for the most part, but the stress and grief that they must be living with are unimaginable.

The sisters were kind enough to provide a fantastic lunch for us, and we spent time visiting and talking for much of the afternoon. Unfortunately, one of our group members, Katherine, had some knee pain walking down the steep hill into Fondwa...but she did get to experience a motorbike ride to get back up! I think it was a very exciting experience :)

We are all tired from a long day of both physical and emotional encounters; however I think that we are only able to see and do many things because of the close ties that Family Health Ministries has with the Haitian community. People have been kind enough to invite us into their lives and share their stories, and this week has provided many experiences that we will never forget.

April 20

2010-04-20T22:08:00.002-04:00

Clinic ran smoothly again today. We are estimating that we saw another 80-90 patients. Again, we encountered many stories about the devastating effects the earthquake has had on the Haitians' lives, and it is extremely humbling to see what they are going through.

This afternoon, we had a chance to go on a tour of the nursing school field hospital which is closeby to the Leogane clinic that we are working out of. It is a huge tent in which they have a pediatric nutrition room, an OB/GYN room, and even an OR. We also had the opportunity to meet the dean of the nursing school. Someone in our group referred to her as the "Florence Nightingale of Haiti." She is a strong woman who has a vision for Haiti and only wants the best care for the people of this country. I think she was inspiration to us all.

Each day, we have the opportunity to gather and talk at meals and in the evening. We discuss the events of the day, and attempt to process what we are seeing and hearing. There is no doubt this week is an overwhelming experience where we are seeing things that were previously unimaginable; however we have also had the grace to see smiling faces that give us hope!

First Day of Clinic

2010-04-19T18:30:00.003-04:00

Jean, Ray, and Bill getting a breather before we open the doors.

Today was our first day of clinic. We think that we saw somewhere between 90-100 people. The word of us having 2 Pediatricians on the team must have spread around town, because there were lots of children and babies. It was a good day, and we all were learning our place in the clinic--be it triage, seeing patients as physicians or handing out meds in the pharmacy.

Many people have incredibly sad stories from the earthquake, and several of the babies were at clinic with other women because they had lost their mothers and fathers. We are trying to help as best we can by treating current medical conditions, as well as handing out basic supplies, such as toothpaste and soap, that our team brought from the states.

After clinic, we went on a walk through part of Leogane. Many of the children followed us around and wanted to take photos. Everywhere you go, there are piles of rubble built up on the sides of the roads and houses are crumbled. There are tent villages set up all over.

We are looking forward to the rest of the week and getting the opportunity to meet more of the people from Leogane. Thanks for reading, and please keep us in your prayers!

We made it to Leogane!

2010-04-18T20:16:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that we have made it to Leogane safely. There were a few moments at the airport and on the drive here that were questionable, but sure enough, we are doing fine! I hope to be posting pictures during the week.

Today, we arrived in Leogane around 2pm. We spent the day setting up the clinic, packaging vitamins and other medications that will be handed out to patients throughout the week, setting up tents on the roof that some of us will be sleeping in, and enjoying meeting each other!

I think that I can speak for everyone in saying that we are very glad to be here and offer any help that we can. There is obviously a lot of devastation everywhere we look. It was overwhelming on the drive from PAP to Leogane to see the extent of the damage. I expect to learn a lot this week from everyone, and hopefully we'll all be able to keep friends and family updated throughout the week!

!

2010-03-25T17:21:00.002-04:00

To date BUMC has treated 460 patients in 3 1/2 days! We have all been truly blessed by the people of Haiti this week.

Our medical student, Melannie White, has met all the requiremets for graduation. Our outstanding med student has treated 7 wound care patients & given multiple IM injections.

On Wednesday we saw 60 patients in the morning then toured Port au Prince in the afternoon. The fact that we survived the car trip is a feat in & of itself. Our first stop was Doctors w/o Borders orthopaedic hospital. This is where we incurred our most interesting site yet--Haitian clowns to cheer the patients up. They were quite comical & Missy almost joined their entourage!

From there we went to the Matthew 25 guesthouse where we enjoyed ice cold 1/2 L Coca Cola's in LARGE glass bottles--mmm mmm good! We spent quite a bit of $$ at Matthew 25 buying gifts for "family" (mostly for ourselves:).

Afterwards we toured Port au Prince where we saw the heavily damaged Presidential palace and many churches that had collapsed. The most touching moment we experienced was the Holy Trinity Music School that was practicing in a make shift building for a performance this Sunday, Palm Sunday. It was truly moving--such beautiful music amongst such devastation.

On our way back to Blanchard we drove through Cite Soleil, the poorest area in the city -- thousands upon thousands of tents, trash, etc. There were several pigs & goats having dinner amongst the garbage.

Once back at the clinic, aka our home away from home, we enjoyed dinner, conversation intertwined with Office Space jokes. Missy does great impersonations!

Thursday we saw all the patients that came to the clinic which was about 130. Currently we are sitting poolside at Visa Lodge enjoying our graduation dinner. We have outgoing Chief Resident Dr. Tony & incoming Chief Resident Dr. Jim & our secoond medical student soon-to-be Dr. Melannie! As an aside, Steve needs to grow a little taller for the next visit..ha ha :) See Steve for details.

Dr. Kris has seen several interesting gyn cases throughout the week, at least 60. NP Ruth has seen all patients big & small. Triage & pharmacy specialists Steve, Mollie, Melannie, Early & John have held the hands & filled the medicines of all 460 patients. Although Dr. Jim would say he has seen 459 of the patients himself.

Our translators have been fabulous & we have grown close to many of them. We will miss them when we leave. God Bless them.

Pictures from Week Three

2010-03-23T16:29:00.005-04:00

Dr. Tony "operates" and some of the week three team wave from FHM's van.

Week Three Rocks!

2010-03-22T20:03:00.002-04:00

Week three at Blanchard University Medical Center (B.U.M.C.) is underway and going well! CEO, Missy, and Chief of Staff, Dr. Tony, are teaching their second class of medical students. Requirements to graduate are 3 IM shots, 2 wound care procedures, and surviving 1 week at the B.U.M.C.! Oh, and we have legal staff now, too -- Madame Philip (Mollie) and a pharmacy consultant -- Madame Chris (Early).

This week's team is made up of 3 docs, 2 nurses, 1 medical student (the entire graduating class!) and 4 non-medical support staff. We had a successful first clinic today seeing 132 patients and 10 follow-ups. Because we are on our third week, we are able to provide a continuity of care for our follow-up patients.

Food's great, weather's great, and everyone is doing well! Electricity is sporadic, so communicating by email is difficult. In other words, no news is good news!

Dr. Jim, Dr. Tony, Dr. Kris, soon-to-be doctor Melanie, Ruth, Missy, Early, John, Steve, and Mollie all say hello and that they miss everyone at home!

Bon Wuit! Bondye Beni'w...

Friday Message from the Medical Relief Team

2010-03-12T14:52:00.005-05:00

On Friday, the team is finishing up, seeing about 1000 patients during the week. By now, most are sleeping on the roof, seranaded by the beautiful music from the adjacent church.

Yes, the team picture shows what happenes when everyone puts their camera on automatic and then rushes to get in the picture. That's Tony Mango scooting in front of Suzy who is completely blocked from view.

Note all the children's pictures hanging from the walls. Jeanette and Jill worked hard to make sure the waiting kids were entertained.

Duke Student Trip

2010-03-11T22:22:00.003-05:00

Thank you to Duke University for providing the Family Health Ministries (FHM) clinics in Port-au-Prince and Leogane, Haiti with “Networks in a Box!” This system allows FHM to access internet and phone services as if they were located at Duke University. Since the network is linked through Duke, it will be able to provide this Duke Global Health site with access to all library resources that are available through the university. Thank you to Louis Fox for his consultation services, Bob Johnson setting up and configuring the system, and the Duke Global Health Institute for their collaboration. Mesi anpil anpil (thank you very very much in Creole!)

2010-03-11T21:54:00.003-05:00

Dean Hilda Alcindor

On Wednesday, the group toured the MSF field hospital, Hopital St. Croix, and Leogane's nursing school. Pictured above, Hilda Alcindor, is the dean of the nursing school and has been coordinating care of the injured and homeless since minutes after the earthquake. She was kind enough to invite those members of our team with medical expertise to scrub in on surgical procedures in the new field hospital at the nursing school compound (which has air conditioning!)

Duke Student Trip

2010-03-11T21:45:00.002-05:00

Enjoying sodas and beers at Masaje after a long day of painting and reorganizing the clinic - followed by an afternoon tour of the town

Duke Student Trip

2010-03-11T21:31:00.003-05:00

Painting the clinic on Day 2 (Tuesday)

Day 4 - Internet Access again

2010-03-11T19:30:00.002-05:00

We have a little bit of Internet access again - and are all doing well. One of the joys of a trip like this is meeting really interesting people. One of us is quite the gymnast and climber...

Brief Updates from the Duke Student Trip - Apologies for the Delay!

2010-03-11T19:14:00.008-05:00

Sleeping on the roof of the Leogane Clinic

After arriving safely in Leogane on Monday evening, we set up this tent on the roof of Dr. Merisier's FHM clinic and Genevieve, Jessica, Laura, and Hannah moved in for the week!

More team pics - Day 2

2010-03-09T15:04:00.006-05:00

Doctor Dorothy with patients, sharing her knowledge with Sophia, UNC medical student. Also pictured - Dr Cullen, Dr. Doug, and Nurse Susie with translator friends

Missy and her look-alike

2010-03-09T14:59:00.003-05:00

Dave and Alex brought several bags of incredibly cute toys for the children. And wasn't Missy surprised to find a small look-alike?

More Pictres - Day 2

2010-03-09T13:37:00.002-05:00

The Blanchard Clinic in the sunshine. Note the patients in the clinic both upstairs and dlownstairs. Patients are waiting in the seating area on the outside

Pictures from Day 2 - Medical Relief Team

2010-03-09T13:24:00.006-05:00

Jill and Toni in the pharmacy (left), Sophia with a patient (middle), Greg in triage with his patient (opposite Greg) and his translator (left)

Day 2 for the medical team and the student team

2010-03-09T11:23:00.002-05:00

The FHM medical team saw 179 patients their first day, and are on-target as I write this to see 200 today. The team is doing a great job together. We have been taking lots of pictures but our internet connection is quite slow, so we won't be uploading any soon.

A progress report -
The last two members of the medical relief team, Jeanette and Janet arrived in PAP on Monday afternoon. The student team were supposed to be on the same flight, but got delayed because of mechanical problems in RDU, so they arrived late in the afternoon and immediately sped out to Leogane.

What does an airport look like that has survived an earthquake? The first thing we noticed were all the tent cities around the airport, and that there were many helicopters plus a Brazilian military jet - not common sites before the EQ.

The new jet bridges and escalators are in use and everything looked fine when we first deplaned. But when the passengers come down the escalator to the arrivals area, they see that all the walls and glass are cracked on the outside of the main terminal. The main terminal is noInstead of entering, everyone boards a bus and is taken to the cargo terminal.

There makeshift immigration and customs process people through. Everything works! Getting out of the terminal with a baggage cart is a real feat, as the roads and sidewalks have all suffered.

More on the medical relief team:
Many of the people are sleeping on the roof, and several people have brought large tents. Because of all the rebar sticking up through the roof (for a once-anticipated third floor), there are plenty of places to stake their lines. And the stars are so beautiful. It's cool enough that we have to wear sweaters.

Fortunately we had a little bit of electricity and we quicklwere able to blow up all the air mattresses. Each night, the team sets up their bads and mosquito nets, and each morning they "break camp" into a storage room.

The woman cooking and serving the food is doing a marvelous job. Last night we had spaghetti, hot dogs, carrots, tomatoes, and mango. Delicious. This morning it was fresh bread, bananas and clemintines or something very similar. The coffee is strong and dark. Peanut butter supplements the meal.

Everyone seems to be thriving. Toni, Tony, Susie, Jeanette and Jill are all working in the pharmacy. Greg, Alex, and Sophia are doing both vitals and triage. Our four docs are consulting with each other as they see patients, and everyone has seen children at the end of the day.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, we will take some time and travel around downtown Port-au-Prince. Here in Terre Noire, close to the Blanchard Clinic, there are neat piles of rubble, but otherwise not many signs of the earthquake.

Leaving for Haiti

2010-03-07T08:23:00.005-05:00

Family Health Ministries 2nd of 7 medical relief teams began traveling early Sunday morning, on their way to the Blanchard Clinic in Port-au-Prince. Traveling during spring break for many colleges and universities is challenging - lots of overbooked flights and crowded planes.

Two team members, after getting up at 3:45 am, were bumped from the RDU to MIA flight and had to spend the morning in the Admirals Club, waiting for another flight. The two also will have to spend an overnight in Miami before flying on to Port-au-Prince in the morning. Ironic that in traveling to an earthquake zone that the problems occur in the US.

Team member Jeanette (above right) spends her time catching up with friends.

The good news is that FHM's second team heading for Haiti this week will be on the same flight to PAP on Monday morning, simplifying transportation from the airport to the Blanchard Clinic.

Medical Relief Team to Blanchard (March 7, 2010)

2010-03-05T14:17:00.006-05:00

Missy Owen, nurse volunteer, will be in Haiti for 6 weeks, leading FHM medical relief teams. Missy previously served for two years in Fondwa, Haiti, with FHM as a missionary.

She then lived in Port-au-Prince for another year as hospitality director at Hospice St. Joseph. Missy is uniquely qualified for her role as medical relief team coordinator, as she knows PAP, speaks Kreyol, and has significant medical experience in Haiti and around the world.

In the photograph above at the FHM offices in Durham, Missy is supervising the packing for the various teams, inventorying medicines, and completing the planning for the 6 teams.

Following the medical team's exit on March 7, another team, this one from Duke University, is leaving on March 8. This team is lead by David Walmer, FHM's founder and chairman, and instructor in Duke's Global Health Institute course, "Healing in the Developing World." Co-leader if FHM employee Hannah Meador.

Finishing Up

2009-10-10T22:42:00.003-04:00

After a long day traveling back to Port-au-Prince and Matthew 25 House, we went for lunch at the famous Oloffson Hotel. The electricity failed which meant no fans. The service was very slow. But we enjoyed being together.

At our final evening's time together, Butch commented on what he had heard Delson say (Dr. Delson Merisier, FHM's ob/gyn and medical director in Leogane). Delson was so pleased that we had been able to help so many people. Butch pointed out that helping others is really at the core of who Delson is. Delson had sent family, employees, and patients to the clinic because it was a great opportunity for them to get healthcare at a great low cost, even if that meant he was giving up paying patients.

We leave at 7 am tomorrow for the airport and the trip home. Thanks to those of you who commented. We hope all our readers enjoyed our blogging.

Enjoying the Haitian Seacoast

2009-10-09T21:19:00.002-04:00

We're having so much fun - it's cool and we have airconditioning (that we're NOT using) and hot water that everyone says is toooooo hot. Quite a switch. So, we're sending you this picture of what we can see from the balconies of our rooms.

Last Day at the Clinic

2009-10-08T12:21:00.012-04:00

"Dr. Jackson" hard at work.

One of our most beautiful patients... a princess indeed!

David taking a break in the pharmacy.

Melissa and Nichole... smiling... almost done with the 570 patients who were seen at the Leogane clinic.

Wisdom, beauty and grace.

Three generations seen at the clinic.

We spent three and a half days treating nearly 600 patients at the Leogane clinic. Men, women, children, young and old all tolerated the lines and the heat. Patients and providers alike went home hot and tired but feeling better for the experience. Our last day was a bit slower in pace allowing laughter, photos, more time with each other and the joy that comes with getting to know each other. Some things are the same in every languag

Melissa and David

Cultural Exchange

2009-10-07T16:17:00.010-04:00

Greetings from Haiti!

Since my arrival I have been asked several times if this is what I expected. Well I think it is unfortunately as I expected. It is very hot! There's no beating that. There are mosquitoes everywhere and despite the bug spray I still manage to get bit. Also, I did not think I could understand the languages used, but I have actually been able to communicate with patients pretty well. But all that aside the way of life here is not the picture I had before I set foot on solid ground at the airport. I fully expected to see sadness where there is a bright spirit and laughter. The people here are so alive and yearn to enjoy life just as we do. I tell myself in the morning and on the walk back home that I am lucky in life and that I should be truely grateful for what I have.

Now- as for my cultural experience I have found that there are many differences as far as priority is concerned. I help fit reading glasses at the clinic and see only a fraction of the patients seen each day. On the first day many came in only for glasses that were comfortable and improved their ability to see. However, a young man came in dressed in his Sunday-best looking for glasses that made him look smarter. He definitely needed them, but he wanted to make an impression with his accessory. This small encounter made me think about my priorities. Is my image to the world that important? And how do people perceive me?

Yesterday my interpreter and I had a few minutes between patients and he asked what I do for a living. I told him about being a student and working at a pet store. His head tilted to the side as I explained that in the United States many people have animals such as dogs, cats and hamsters in their homes. He didn't really understand why some one would keep a "tail-less rat" in box at home, let alone buy one.

Front the second story of the clinic (which is actually just an open floor with a roof and no walls) you can see for miles it seems. In the distance there are blue and gray mountains and just at the edge of the gate there is a dirt road where on occasion a motorcycle or taptap will rumble by.

Waiting in line with the heat and heat was difficult for the patients seen throughout the clinic. Here a line of men and women wait to see Nicole- our general physician.

A man waiting outside the clinic with an elderly woman. He say I had a camera and waved.

Working with an interpreter to focus each participant's concerns and find the right physician.
Bon soir! Julia Greer