Home from Haiti

I just returned from my third trip to Haiti. It was a work trip, with about 30-40 people going. It also was a very emotional trip.

We arrived Wed., Feb. 27. Apparently there was an issue with the van and we had to rent trucks to get us to the hotel. Before we headed to the orphanage, Linda, who had been there a week already, said that Islande was asking her everyday when I was arriving.

We got to the orphanage and Linda had staff bring out the children. Islande was waiting for me and gave me a big hug.

When a nanny brought out Katiana, the poor girl didn't want anything to do with me. Totally understandable! She hadn't seen me in six months!

So we all took a little time together before getting to work. There was a lot that had to be done, per an IBESR review: we had to cover the empty pool (so glad!!), separate the attached bunk beds, build and paint new bunks, tile and paint two rooms to become new dorms for the older girls and boys, build a storage shed, organize and paint the tool shed, organize donations, and more. Those of us who were to work on the tool shed decided to start the next morning instead of leaving the tools out all night. And the team that arrived a couple days earlier already had the pool covered.

I took Islande back to the hotel that night. I stayed in the conference room with a bunch of people this trip to cut costs. There were two families, four men without their wives and two of us women without our husbands -- all camped out on mattresses on the floor. It wasn't a bad set-up. The lack of privacy wasn't a big issue, but there were only two bathrooms. The women's restroom was always out of toilet paper (even though I asked for it to be replenished), and the faucet didn't work. So we were always in the men's restroom to use the sink. The showers were attached to the small conference room under the restaurant. The men's shower apparently worked well, but the women's shower was a trickle. At least I had a toilet and shower!

My first task was to help organize the tool shed -- we painted the room and then began sorting through the stuff, trashing what needed to be thrown out, and grouping items. Some of the guys built shelves for the room and made boxes for the nails, screws, etc.

Some guys began dismantling the bunks. They were originally built to be attached side-by-side, and IBESR said there has to be room between them. So they were brought outside, new sides added and repainted. I spent most days painting bunks (and we were using oil-based, get-all-over-everything paint).

On Thursday, about half-way through the day, a security guard brought Katiana out to me. She was ready to see me and wouldn't let me go! Woohoo!

On Friday (I think), one of the guys had a severe asthma attack and wasn't responding well. We gathered in the foyer to pray for him. Then Linda said that one of the new babies had died. She blood work came back HIV+, but we won't know if that's what she died from. Her name was Dootechena and she was nearly 3 months old.

On Saturday, we had the toddlers and older kids open their Christmas presents (they gave the babies their presents the day before). The staff is going to try to let the older kids keep their own things. They'll be stored in bags with their names on it in the new storage room. The kids will be able to play with their things when it's time to play with toys.

On Sunday, part of the team left. Then we had church up in the school room. A lot of us were wearing masks because the smoke was so bad from the burning trash (there was ash flying, too). We did minimal work Sunday. We were all so exhausted. My allergies were killing me, too -- all that smoke!

A group of clowns showed up at the hotel. I found out they are with the Gesundheit Institute, which was started in 1972 by Hunter "Patch" Adams, who was portrayed in "Patch Adams" by Robin Williams. They were in Haiti for a couple weeks to perform for children at the Mercy and Sharing orphanage. The picture is Islande with Patch.

I think it was Sunday night when we experienced a tragic event. One of the women was carrying her daughter and the girl's twin brother was following behind. A man picked up the boy to help carry him to the dinner table. The boy's head went into the metal ceiling fan. The fan sliced his head and we later found out, fractured his skull. The impact caused a subcranial hematoma. The adoptive mom and someone from the orphanage took the child to the hospital.

The adoptive family didn't like the way the doctor treated the situation (I don't blame them). The surgeon said what he was going to do and didn't want to talk to anyone about it. We were told the next day that surgery was planned for the following day to remove a chunk of his skull, drain the blood and install a metal plate. We all thought that sounded extreme. A group later that night decided to get the boy from that hospital and transport him to a private French hospital where he would get a CT Scan and hopefully better care. The boy was set to have a small hole drilled in his skull on Wednesday morning, but before we left for the airport, we heard they were still trying to find blood for him. I heard yesterday that he has had surgery and is doing well.

About the same time as all this was going on, we had a security issue. A man who Linda had employed at the orphanage and hosted in the U.S. while he was here on a medical visa, had returned to Haiti and was supposedly stalking Linda. He threatened her and her children. The next night, he showed up at the hotel. Linda had to call the U.S. Embassy, who sent out the Haitian police to deal with the situation. The men were keeping this guy away from Linda, who was also trying to deal with hurt boy's situation. I woke up about 2 a.m. and noticed the guys were guarding the doors of the conference room. Apparently only Linda and her kids were in danger, but we all were unnerved.

On Monday morning, we drove two hours to the town of Fouchet, which is just before Grand Goave on the peninsula. The ministry is looking at obtaining 20 acres there to build a new orphanage. It's out of town, safer and cleaner. It was beautiful. We met with members of the community who would approve the deal. Afterward, they macheted some coconuts and we drank from them and ate the flesh. The coconuts were immature, so the flesh was slimy and didn't taste much like coconut. It was nice to see more of the country. We're usually limited to the scenery between the orphanage and the hotel. The country is so different from the hustle and pollution of the cities. There was a beach and it was so refreshing to walk in the water.

Tuesday was our last full day of work and we all hustled to get it done. When we got back to the hotel and ready for dinner, I had everyone sing "Happy Birthday" to Islande (since her birthday was the next day). One of the adoptive moms did an impromptu ballet class with her girls and Islande -- it was so cute!

We were told to be ready to leave for the orphanage by 10 the next morning to drop off the kids before we left. About 9:30, the manager of the orphanage came into the conference room stating that he's taking all the kids back now. Those with babies could go (to hold the babies in the van). I was going to say good-bye at the hotel and leave room for others to go in the van, but Katiana wailed, so I got in the van. I think we had 33 people jammed in the vehicle.

We said our good-byes at the orphanage and I went around to all the nannies and workers to thank them. Katiana cried going back into the toddler room. I knew she would. Islande handled it a lot better than the last trip, but it still broke my heart. It's so hard to leave not knowing when I'll be back.

We went back to the hotel to get our luggage and realized one family didn't hear the news about taking the kids back to the orphanage (it's not like they could have fit in the van anyway!). So their daughter went with us to the airport and the orphanage manager would take her back after we left. But then he left without taking the girl! So they had to call him back. I had already gone through to immigration, so I don't know how long the family had to wait).

Then we heard that the incoming flight was really late, so our flight would be leaving really late. Yeah, like two hours late. So all of us on that flight missed our connections. I couldn't get a flight back that night -- I'd either have to stay all night in Miami or Dallas. A couple of families had planned to stay in Miami already and invited me to stay with them. Others flying to Chicago were able to get another flight that night and left.

I was able to change my flight the next morning from Denver to Colorado Springs so Mark wouldn't have to drive up there (again). Both flights were only about 2/3 full, so I was able to stretch out across the seats and sleep (it was a good thing, too, because I was really sick at this point).

Charis is still down in Albuquerque with her grandparents because I've been sick in bed since I got home Thursday. I went to the doctor yesterday and got some antibiotics. At least the worst of it hit when I left.

So, I ask for your prayers for healing, for us (and everyone else!) to get out of IBESR and prayers for healing for the injured child.