Perspective--Lindsay Otto

One week has gone by since returning home from a trip I have always longed to be a part of: a mission trip to assist other people that are less fortunate than me.  The medical mission trip to Haiti with the Ke Nou Haiti Team is a truly unique and eye-opening experience. I am fortunate to have been accompanied by my sister and some of my CRMC co-workers/friends.

I will never forget the scenes outside the bus window as we make our way to the Haitian Christian Mission (HCM) on our first day. Despite trash in the streets and tent cities, Haiti is a beautiful country. I am surprised to see a picturesque mountain view with a lake as well as pretty flowering trees.  I am feeling anxious to see where we would be staying during our time here, since I know running water and electricity are scarce, but as we arrive at HCM, I am again surprised to see such a nice place.  After meeting Betty (Ed. Note--Betty Prophete, who, alongside her husband Pastor Etienne Prophete, founded and maintains Haitian Christian Mission) and seeing the kindness and peace in her eyes, I know that we will be safe staying here as we complete our work.

We unpack, take a tour of HCM, walk through a small tent city, tour a woodworking shop, and ride up on the mountain to see the new HCM project: housing facilities for families that lost their homes in the earthquake. After seeing how people lived: crammed up in tattered tents with no privacy and no escape from the weather conditions; the homes the HCM is building seem like what every family in Haiti longs for. It means a roof over their heads and some sense of safety. It is really humbling to think about what a “nice house” means to an American compared to what a “nice house” means in Haiti. Americans want a two-car garage, extra bedrooms, walk-in closets, etc. The Haitians feel so lucky to have a concrete block home with three small rooms, open windows (no glass), no electricity, and the hopes of running water to come soon.

  We meet some children who are fortunate to belong to a family living in one of the new homes. This is our first contact with Haitian children. They are so happy! It is so hard for me to be unable to communicate with them through words due to the language barrier. But, I soon realize that a smile is universal – I smile at them and….. they smile back. Yes! It is great to see them smile!

Our first day of clinic goes well. I work in the pharmacy and quickly learn how to make-do with what we had for medications and supplies. I am able to interact with some of the patients by applying creams, giving shots, teaching mothers how to administer medications – all via assistance of our wonderful translators! I feel like we are positively impacting the lives of the patients we cared for, and I am uplifted and ready for the rest of the week!

The best experience for me on this trip is on Wednesday.  While half of our group goes on a mobile clinic trip, the other half heads up into the mountains to a small church building to have “bible camp” with the children. We arrive to see a large group of children waiting for us. The group quickly grows to about 200 children. Jeanne, Doug’s mom, has activities planned for the children which they thoroughly enjoy.  It is not easy to keep them organized, but it’s great to see them having fun.  I have my camera and take pictures of the children. When I show them their picture on the camera, their eyes light up! I wonder if they had ever seen the image of their face in a mirror before or had ever seen a picture of themselves.  With the help of the translators, we teach them how to sing a new song, and WOW! I almost have tears in my eyes when the children’s voices rang loud throughout the church. They are so happy!

The following days include another clinic at the mission and a mobile clinic at a church in a remote village.
 Patients that appear 80 years old have never seen a doctor before and don’t know their birthdate. Farmers are farming crops on steep mountain-sides in the heat with no machinery, only manual labor and a shovel. A patient whose hand is severely cut does not even need pain medication after having to drive for 2 hours to get to a medical facility. Women (and sometimes men) are carrying loads of goods on their heads for miles and miles.  Children are playing soccer and running on gravel with no shoes. These people are tough!

As our week comes to an end, I begin to realize that while we are helping many, there were many others we could not reach. The patients that receive medical care are the lucky ones. Not many get access to healthcare.  Riding in the bus on our long trips away from HCM and looking out across the fields of tents, ill-appearing animals, and earthquake destruction; I begin to feel so blessed to live in America. On our way home from a clinic one night it’s getting dark and I can see people around their tents and walking down the streets without any lights. I feel my heart sink and I feel a sense of sadness and loneliness that I have never felt before.

But, when speaking with the people and talking with some of our translators, they voice they love their country and do not want to leave.  I guess they are happy, they don’t know any different way of life besides what they are living now - survival.

I know that this trip has changed me.  I will never forget these images, and anytime in the future when I am having a hard day or feeling down, I can count on these images to help me realize that there are people – not only in Haiti, but MANY throughout this huge world- that are not as fortunate as me. I feel that this mission trip has opened my eyes to what it really means to be happy.  Things cannot make you happy. Truly it is relationships with people, being loved, having peace in your heart, having faith, being healthy, and giving to others that makes a person happy.  The Haitian people don’t have to have all the luxuries that we Americans take for granted to be happy. 

I really believe that the HCM is a wonderful organization who is doing great things for the country of Haiti. I hope that they continue to receive sufficient funding to continue their work providing medical clinics, supporting the orphanage, and constructing the much-needed homes. 

Well, this is my first time blogging…..and I cannot believe that I have written this much already and still have so much I could say about this trip. I thank Ke Nou Haiti for allowing me to participate in this trip and I am glad to have made some new friends with some of the team members.  I hope that I can participate in another mission trip again soon, but until then I will keep the Haitian people in my prayers that they continue to survive, prosper, and keep smiling J

Lindsay