Today I have intermittently had times when I have had to choke back tears. I am not really sad, but just feel so touched by this whole experience.
Clinic today was good. It's funny the first night we got here Dr. Kara told us all about how clinic would flow and what to expect. She mentioned that Wed. and Friday's were usually short days because of food distribution and market....I am not sure if we were just doing a great job or what but Wed, Thur, and Fri we saw about 150 people each day. Not kidding. Today the whole staff was wiped out by 3:00pm.
There are so many stories to tell, and each of us on this team has moments that have brought us to tears. Whether is be a very sickly lady who was completely incoherent lady placing Travis's hand on her heart or Kat explaining to a woman who had miscarried about how it was not her fault. We have all had our experiences!
Yesterday, sitting in the orphanage surrounding by these children that all wanted to be seen- they did not really have anything wrong with them, they just wanted to be checked out by a Dr (or NP). First of all, I don't think this orphanage is what everyone would think of when they think orphanage. This one is located in a village outside of the city of Port Au Prince. It is kinda in the back of the village, there are lots of children and women and one man. The are outside a lot with the clay/cement houses with a wood fence and cactuses surrounding it (not what I picture at all in my head). The are very poor, some wearing clothes some not...you know, but the kids love to laugh and play. Anyways, This woman handed me this little baby. He was 22 weeks old, and probably born a little early. I asked her a few questions about the baby, and if she was breastfeeding- I could look at her at her a know the answer, but I wanted to know what she was feeding the baby. She told me cookies and milk - she would boil the cookies and put it with milk (not really sure what kind of milk but...). She was told not to breastfeed because she was ill ( I am pretty sure she had fulliment AIDS) and of course they could not afford formula. They are too far from the city to get the formula from the malnutrition place- the baby looked so weak. There is so little we could do for him.
HELPLESS
As the kids starting to disperse(the rest of the team were handing out beanie babies), I sat back and choked back tears. They need so much.... but they were so happy.
Today in clinic I saw one of my patient's back, who was pretty sick earlier in the weak. High fever, diarrhea, etc. The boy was doing wonderful and mom was so completely thankful for helping them. It is really nice to know that what I was doing truly was impacting them.
As we closed down clinic today we said goodbye to our translators- they are truly great guys. They are so helpful and fun. But there is this one, every morning he would meet us at the camp( the other ones would just be at the clinic), he was from the village with the orphange. His name was Sarafin. If I could only just explain how he truly touched my life- he had the best demeanor, no matter how frustrating of a day he was having(the pediatrician who came mid week is quite a piece of work- and Sarafin would work so hard for him). So thankful for EVERY single thing and I will be honest, I don't think he EVER asked for anything. Always wishing you a good day and never letting anyone steal his joy! He told me he loved serving the Lord, and he did it for the glory of God not for recognition or for someone else to see him. He did not care what the others thought of him. He is a little man and very skinny. He has a wife and a daughter, and yes there lives were touched by the earthquake- his house was completely damaged. He is living in a tent in his "front yard". He stores his stuff inside of his house, and he told me that he was going to have to completely rebuild his house. He cried when he walked away from us to walk home today- and I think we cried as he was walking away. He touched me!
Well tomorrow will be interesting- No clinic we are going to two orphanages and doing a little tour of Port Au Prince the area (the we did not see on our trip to the UN the other day).
Clinic today was good. It's funny the first night we got here Dr. Kara told us all about how clinic would flow and what to expect. She mentioned that Wed. and Friday's were usually short days because of food distribution and market....I am not sure if we were just doing a great job or what but Wed, Thur, and Fri we saw about 150 people each day. Not kidding. Today the whole staff was wiped out by 3:00pm.
There are so many stories to tell, and each of us on this team has moments that have brought us to tears. Whether is be a very sickly lady who was completely incoherent lady placing Travis's hand on her heart or Kat explaining to a woman who had miscarried about how it was not her fault. We have all had our experiences!
Yesterday, sitting in the orphanage surrounding by these children that all wanted to be seen- they did not really have anything wrong with them, they just wanted to be checked out by a Dr (or NP). First of all, I don't think this orphanage is what everyone would think of when they think orphanage. This one is located in a village outside of the city of Port Au Prince. It is kinda in the back of the village, there are lots of children and women and one man. The are outside a lot with the clay/cement houses with a wood fence and cactuses surrounding it (not what I picture at all in my head). The are very poor, some wearing clothes some not...you know, but the kids love to laugh and play. Anyways, This woman handed me this little baby. He was 22 weeks old, and probably born a little early. I asked her a few questions about the baby, and if she was breastfeeding- I could look at her at her a know the answer, but I wanted to know what she was feeding the baby. She told me cookies and milk - she would boil the cookies and put it with milk (not really sure what kind of milk but...). She was told not to breastfeed because she was ill ( I am pretty sure she had fulliment AIDS) and of course they could not afford formula. They are too far from the city to get the formula from the malnutrition place- the baby looked so weak. There is so little we could do for him.
HELPLESS
As the kids starting to disperse(the rest of the team were handing out beanie babies), I sat back and choked back tears. They need so much.... but they were so happy.
Today in clinic I saw one of my patient's back, who was pretty sick earlier in the weak. High fever, diarrhea, etc. The boy was doing wonderful and mom was so completely thankful for helping them. It is really nice to know that what I was doing truly was impacting them.
As we closed down clinic today we said goodbye to our translators- they are truly great guys. They are so helpful and fun. But there is this one, every morning he would meet us at the camp( the other ones would just be at the clinic), he was from the village with the orphange. His name was Sarafin. If I could only just explain how he truly touched my life- he had the best demeanor, no matter how frustrating of a day he was having(the pediatrician who came mid week is quite a piece of work- and Sarafin would work so hard for him). So thankful for EVERY single thing and I will be honest, I don't think he EVER asked for anything. Always wishing you a good day and never letting anyone steal his joy! He told me he loved serving the Lord, and he did it for the glory of God not for recognition or for someone else to see him. He did not care what the others thought of him. He is a little man and very skinny. He has a wife and a daughter, and yes there lives were touched by the earthquake- his house was completely damaged. He is living in a tent in his "front yard". He stores his stuff inside of his house, and he told me that he was going to have to completely rebuild his house. He cried when he walked away from us to walk home today- and I think we cried as he was walking away. He touched me!
Well tomorrow will be interesting- No clinic we are going to two orphanages and doing a little tour of Port Au Prince the area (the we did not see on our trip to the UN the other day).
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