Tuesday, November 9th, 2010--Restoration

Today was the sunny day after the storm.  Today I saw maybe 35 patients before lunch and only 4 or 5 after lunch, Then I got to do one of my favorite things--play soccer with the kids.  Kids, in this case, because they are all 15-20 years younger than me. I can't really compete with them one on one with touch on the ball or passing, but I play more physically than they expect me to, and I make them pay when they ignore me.  I get five shots on goal, 1 goes in.  they argue about everything, every goal, every out of bounds.  It's just part of the fun.  I may be breathing just a little harder than these boys, but it is giving me joy.
This morning when we told the rest of the team about Jeff, I stressed to everyone that although we may have seen a more difficult side of Haiti through our experience, they could not let that define their experience.  The people of Haiti have suffered much.  They suffer everyday.  Most of the people we see here have lost family in the earthquake.  Probably all have lost family members before their time, but no one hangs their heads, or if they do, they do it privately.  What we see when we look at them is joy. They are happy to be alive, happy to be here.  Most of them have houses and possessions that most of us wouldn't take if it were given to us, yet the Haitians we see can still find the joy.  chache lajwa--look for the joy.  That's what I want to do this week.  Look at the people who should be scarred and see the joy radiating from their faces.  this is different than I saw in January.  Then, most of the people we saw were just in shock.  They could not function really on a human level.  The light was gone.  those were some dark days.  I am glad to see the light is back.
Today I saw more ear infections and pneumonia than I see in a week at home.  I don't know why it is, but even simple illnesses are more severe here.  Overall, though the patients I've seen so far are healthier than the ones in the last 2 trips.  That probably has to do with a medical team being here nearly every week since January instead of only 4 times in the year.  Sabine has a story to tell.  I will try to get her to tell it.

Doug