A New Day

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.