I was told to have no expectations and go on this trip with an open mind. I really have no idea what to expect, even if I try. I have never been out of the country prior to this trip.
As we walk out of the airport, Haiti hits me head on. The warm weather, the faint smell of charcoal in the air, car horns blasting, and most of all, the overwhelming number of people all speaking loudly in a language I don’t know. I instantly feel very vulnerable. Stimulation comes at me from every angle. It is all I can do to keep moving and not just sit down to take it all in.
The translators from Haitian Christian Mission are with us, guiding us toward the vans waiting to take us to the mission. I don’t know it at this point, but I will come to know the translators as my guardian angels acting not only as my link to this unfamiliar land, but also as protectors from any naive cultural mistake I might make.
We make it to the vans and pile in for what will be one of many very close, very bumpy rides. The ride through Port-au-Prince brings all the images from the television to life. The devastation left in the earthquakes wake is still present a year and a half later, not only in the piles of rubble, or tents pitched along the side of the road, but in the eyes of the people who watch us intently as we pass by. The sharp realization that I know nothing about loss and suffering compared to the people of this country tightens my chest and takes my breath away.
Already my perspective on the concerns of my everyday life has changed and I have been in Haiti for less than an hour. I start to worry I am in way over my head. I take a deep breath and start to pray. It is this technique that carries me though the rest of the week as I am pushed to grow in more ways than I thought possible.
The first day of clinic at the mission I am thrown into the role of triage nurse. I am physically shaking as I sit down with my translator and he calls the first name. Sure--it’s simple--take a set of vitals, talk with the person for a minute, get the chief complaint, and send them to the line to see the doctors. It sounds easy enough, but it is made complicated having to work through a translator.
I get to know and trust the translators I work with very quickly. They help catch the little things that could be the difference between diagnosing a cold or something more serious in the early stages.
It’s intimidating seeing so many people so quickly. The doctors only have limited time with each person. I feel responsible for getting them enough information to help them make a quick, yet accurate, diagnosis. I am still feeling a little timid when a man sits down with his 2 year old son. The boy is asleep, it’s very hot outside. Most of the kids, even if they are sleeping, stir or fuss when I take their temperatures. Not this little guy. He doesn’t move. I learn though my translator that he has had diarrhea and a fever for the last 5 days. I take his temperature, 104.6 degrees. I take them back to see Doug (the pediatrician with our team) right away. He is severely dehydrated and an IV is started in him right away. Maybe I know how to triage after all.
When we don’t have clinic at the mission, we head out to towns that have no means to seek out health care, so we take it to them.
The most memorable trip is our journey to Jacmel. This is a town way up in the mountains. It takes us over 5 hours to get there, so we are up and on the road before the sun comes up. I squeeze into the back seat squished in the space between the two actual seats making it 4 people in a row meant for 3. To say the road is bumpy is an understatement. All things considered, my heart is filled with joy as we drive through the beautiful Haitian land. The scenery is breathtaking.
It is uncomfortable conditions such as the back of the van that push me to dive in and get to know the members of the team really well. We bounce feelings and emotions off each other, share stories, laugh, cry, and before I know it I am developing friendships that will last long after the smell of burning trash leaves my nose.
 |
| 4 people in a row meant for 3 |
By Friday we have really figured out how to work together well. It is our busiest, most successful day. It is a mobile clinic in a smaller farm village. We see almost 200 patients. They are all so kind and grateful. Really, looking back I don’t think I come in contact with one angry person all week long. Everyone, no matter their circumstances is just content.
I leave Haiti feeling very much the same. It is hard for me to leave. Sad goodbyes are said at the airport in Haiti, and again in Florida, and then again when we all part ways in Kansas City.
God called my heart to Haiti, and then He opened my eyes to all the opportunities to do good there. Words can simply not explain all that I learned, the ways that I grew, and the unforgettable memories, the confidence that I have gained and connections that I have made.
Haiti touched my heart. I long for the day I am able to return.
-Ashley
absolutely amazing...
ReplyDelete