Travelers log - Day 5 in Haiti

Wade playing with a small patient.

Nick and Dale taking blood pressure readings.

Kathy taking temperatures.

Angela and a patient.

Pastor Mike giving an injection.

The majority of the day was filled with clinic work again. 222 patients were served today.

Since the government has not re-opened any Haitian schools, we decided to turn patients into students during their wait at the clinic. While Sonya took temperatures and moved people through the line, Kathy weighed in the patients and taught them English while they waited to see a physician. From young children to seniors, they were enthusiastic about learning and showing off their knowledge of the English language.

Kathy used some of the ESL books to show the children photos and pronounce the words. Some of the kids even began picking up how to sound out the words themselves. Their smiles lit up the room when they were successful in repeating their newly learned words.

The highlight of today was visiting with Evenson Jean, the young boy we have pledged to support. He is growing up so quickly! The medical team re-examined the external mass on his chest to check for any changes in it and were happy to report that it appears to be stable. To date we have raised over $1,000 toward his procedure. We hope to raise the additional $2,000 so that we can have the mass removed and he can move on with his life. He smiled broadly when we gave him some Girl Scout cookies to take home and share with his family.

We hiked up and down the mountain on our return trip to the guest house, taking a "short cut" through the dry river bed to a very steep trail. Visualize an indoor rock climbing wall and you'll be close. The Haitians that we passed chuckled at our progress and sweaty faces. It was very humbling to see little kids with buckets of water or rocks on their heads racing past us on their way to the top.

Following our "hike", we walked into the town of Petionville. We visited an outdoor market, a small grocery store, a barber shop and a discotheque. We sat at a bus stop enjoying cold drinks, watching life go by in this tiny "cosmopolitan" town. Streets were lined with small businesses, and walled properties. Small busses and "tap taps" (taxis) packed with passengers buzzed around. It was interesting to see how different this town is compared to Gramothe.