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Saturday, April 5, 2014
Eau de Pest
"Bugs bad where you were?", the U.S. Immigration Officer inquired.
"What. . .why do you ask?", Nancy replied
"I smell a lot of different things in this job and now I smell bug repellent!"
. . .ergo, Eau de Pest! A week's worth of DEET-laced sprays are beginning to leech out of our skin, apparently. . .there are more disagreeable smells I suppose he might have noticed, but was way too polite to do so!
We had quite a week. . .long, full days, sometimes given to improvisation. . .like the flouride treatment material behaving like Gorilla Glue, or discovering inoperative showers/sinks/toilets at Good Sam, or dealing with TB and goiter, or an uncooperative cataract. But we did what we came to do, and then some, deepened friendships, brightened the given day for young and old alike and for folks otherwise not likely to ever see a doctor.
We even saw a waterspout out at sea while fetching a few supplies at the souks-like market on the Jeremie wharf. . .not sure how to characterize that except to say it was every bit as exceptional and unusual as everything else in Haiti.
The new, 2-room school building is well underway in Chiraque; nearly 20 Haitians received treatments for cataracts and glaucoma, and a couple hundred others consultations leading to eye-related relief in some other form; over 300 Haitian girls have a brightly-colored pillow dress thanks to the FUMC seamstresses, and over 200 Haitian boys received a shirt to add to their non-existent wardrobes; flouride treatments were done with a limited amount of a different material we happened to bring along; the old folks at Good Sam have working toilets, sinks, showers, new curtains, new clothes, and unending smiles and choruses of "The Lord Provides All".
He does, and he doesn't mind a little help from his friends in dispensing same. We feel good about the week, we feel good about all of you who have supported and supplied the trip in one way or another.
I'll close with a last selection of pictures, and a simple "thanks".
John Smith
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
"What. . .why do you ask?", Nancy replied
"I smell a lot of different things in this job and now I smell bug repellent!"
. . .ergo, Eau de Pest! A week's worth of DEET-laced sprays are beginning to leech out of our skin, apparently. . .there are more disagreeable smells I suppose he might have noticed, but was way too polite to do so!
We had quite a week. . .long, full days, sometimes given to improvisation. . .like the flouride treatment material behaving like Gorilla Glue, or discovering inoperative showers/sinks/toilets at Good Sam, or dealing with TB and goiter, or an uncooperative cataract. But we did what we came to do, and then some, deepened friendships, brightened the given day for young and old alike and for folks otherwise not likely to ever see a doctor.
We even saw a waterspout out at sea while fetching a few supplies at the souks-like market on the Jeremie wharf. . .not sure how to characterize that except to say it was every bit as exceptional and unusual as everything else in Haiti.
The new, 2-room school building is well underway in Chiraque; nearly 20 Haitians received treatments for cataracts and glaucoma, and a couple hundred others consultations leading to eye-related relief in some other form; over 300 Haitian girls have a brightly-colored pillow dress thanks to the FUMC seamstresses, and over 200 Haitian boys received a shirt to add to their non-existent wardrobes; flouride treatments were done with a limited amount of a different material we happened to bring along; the old folks at Good Sam have working toilets, sinks, showers, new curtains, new clothes, and unending smiles and choruses of "The Lord Provides All".
He does, and he doesn't mind a little help from his friends in dispensing same. We feel good about the week, we feel good about all of you who have supported and supplied the trip in one way or another.
I'll close with a last selection of pictures, and a simple "thanks".
John Smith
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Dancin' in my new clothes. . .
Young and old were voguing in Haiti today. More of the cute and fanciful dresses sewn by FUMC seamstresses were handed to the school kids in Chiraque today. This is the same place where we're supporting the construction of a new 2-room school building. . and, man, what a difference from our first visit on Monday! The foundation is nearly complete, and re-bar positioned and forms being built for the concrete columns that will support the roof and provide structure for the cinder block walls. Over 60 villagers were at work, hauling mortar and stone up the hill, others making the mortar, others laying stone, etc. Water is needed and there is none in the mountaintop village. . .folks are walking to the river. . .an hour away. . .down the hill. . .to get a bucket of water. . .and walk back up the hill. . .for an hour. . .all day long. . .
now let's hear it for an hour or so of shoveling snow! Holy mackeral!
At the clinic, this was a big day for the eye crew, with some consultations in the morning but 6 scheduled surgeries that had their day ending at 8 pm. They have a couple more hours of consultations tomorrow but we're off to Port au Prince early afternoon. Our nurses made gifts of the scrubs they wore this week to their grateful counterparts.
At Good Sam, we made another visit, mostly to drop off a few odds and ends, and always have something to do. .like break out our water bottles and hydrate the elder statesmen and stateswomen, pass out the goodies we stole from lunch, and distribute some clothing to the womenfolk. .who proceeded to change on the spot. . .I mean ON the spot, meaning out in the courtyard. Then they starting voguing in their new clothes, and someone else started singing "The Lord Provides All". . .
A picture is worth a thousand words and 5 more from today follow. We have some packing to do, but we'll be about 750 pounds lighter on the return flight!
John Smith
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
now let's hear it for an hour or so of shoveling snow! Holy mackeral!
At the clinic, this was a big day for the eye crew, with some consultations in the morning but 6 scheduled surgeries that had their day ending at 8 pm. They have a couple more hours of consultations tomorrow but we're off to Port au Prince early afternoon. Our nurses made gifts of the scrubs they wore this week to their grateful counterparts.
At Good Sam, we made another visit, mostly to drop off a few odds and ends, and always have something to do. .like break out our water bottles and hydrate the elder statesmen and stateswomen, pass out the goodies we stole from lunch, and distribute some clothing to the womenfolk. .who proceeded to change on the spot. . .I mean ON the spot, meaning out in the courtyard. Then they starting voguing in their new clothes, and someone else started singing "The Lord Provides All". . .
A picture is worth a thousand words and 5 more from today follow. We have some packing to do, but we'll be about 750 pounds lighter on the return flight!
John Smith
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Something old, something new
I'm having technical difficulties it seems, as I'm redoing this post that I managed to jettison off into outer space. . .of course, it gives me a change to be less wordy!
The prior post contains pictures that were supposed to come AFTER this one. . .great pictures, but it's like having dessert then ordering a steak. . .
The eye team had a long day again today, coming back to the guesthouse after 5 surgeries and 50 consultations. Surgical patients are awake during the procedure and receiving instruction from Dr. Scott as to what's next, etc., since we're talking sharp instruments and eyes. . .even with the best English-to-Creole translators we're talking some "satellite delay". . .yikes. . .although thumbs up so far! Scott isn't turning away anybody, which makes for the long days. . but they have walked miles to see him.
As for "something old", we made another visit to the Good Samaritan Old Folks Home today, to install the window curtains (a bright yellow gingham, as if I have any idea what that means. .). . which we did with the means available.. . .masonry nails and hard wire strung between! I'm sure we heard the Hallelujah Chorus in Creole when every elder stateswoman and statesman had some privacy over their cinder block-based open windows. . not to mention "clean and colorful". The plumbers did what they promised to do and there are now 3 toilets that flush, 2 sinks that run, and 2 showers that spray (sounds like 12 Days of Christmas. .and it was, to them, a "gift" of sorts). .and a couple of ladies enjoyed the new shower while we were there, right off the courtyard, or so I'm told.
This place needs some kind of visiting nurse program as presently they get seen as often as we visit, which is once a year. Some of the pictures in the prior post are from Good Sam. . they are lovely, grateful folks who so much enjoyed the attention, care and the chance to primp and pose for Roland's excellent camera work.
As for "something new", Head Nurse Dorismund was in full swing with her malnourished newborne program. . .3 sections of mothers. . .expectant, with a malnourished newborne, and in normal neo-natal care. . .numbering 250 or so gather at the clinic, under the gazebo, for instruction/physical assessment/and distribution of blankets (courtesy of FUMC seamstresses!), medication and nutrition. The program costs $500 per session, and the generosity of UMW will make two sessions possible, but on display is a thoughtful and impactful program that is going to give at 250 Haitian newbornes a leg up on life as compared to prior generations.
"There, I've said it again. . ."
Night all, John Smith
The prior post contains pictures that were supposed to come AFTER this one. . .great pictures, but it's like having dessert then ordering a steak. . .
The eye team had a long day again today, coming back to the guesthouse after 5 surgeries and 50 consultations. Surgical patients are awake during the procedure and receiving instruction from Dr. Scott as to what's next, etc., since we're talking sharp instruments and eyes. . .even with the best English-to-Creole translators we're talking some "satellite delay". . .yikes. . .although thumbs up so far! Scott isn't turning away anybody, which makes for the long days. . but they have walked miles to see him.
As for "something old", we made another visit to the Good Samaritan Old Folks Home today, to install the window curtains (a bright yellow gingham, as if I have any idea what that means. .). . which we did with the means available.. . .masonry nails and hard wire strung between! I'm sure we heard the Hallelujah Chorus in Creole when every elder stateswoman and statesman had some privacy over their cinder block-based open windows. . not to mention "clean and colorful". The plumbers did what they promised to do and there are now 3 toilets that flush, 2 sinks that run, and 2 showers that spray (sounds like 12 Days of Christmas. .and it was, to them, a "gift" of sorts). .and a couple of ladies enjoyed the new shower while we were there, right off the courtyard, or so I'm told.
This place needs some kind of visiting nurse program as presently they get seen as often as we visit, which is once a year. Some of the pictures in the prior post are from Good Sam. . they are lovely, grateful folks who so much enjoyed the attention, care and the chance to primp and pose for Roland's excellent camera work.
As for "something new", Head Nurse Dorismund was in full swing with her malnourished newborne program. . .3 sections of mothers. . .expectant, with a malnourished newborne, and in normal neo-natal care. . .numbering 250 or so gather at the clinic, under the gazebo, for instruction/physical assessment/and distribution of blankets (courtesy of FUMC seamstresses!), medication and nutrition. The program costs $500 per session, and the generosity of UMW will make two sessions possible, but on display is a thoughtful and impactful program that is going to give at 250 Haitian newbornes a leg up on life as compared to prior generations.
"There, I've said it again. . ."
Night all, John Smith
OK, stop laughing already. . .
. . .here are the pictures promised in my last blog entry!
John Smith
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
John Smith
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
"The Lord Provides All"
Sometimes, it doesn't always seem so. We all have our ups and downs (and they pale by comparison to the ups and downs we perceive here. . .), and I recall Dad telling me that God was just testing me.
That I haven't forgotten or dismissed that advice tells me something, sometime about my faith. There is something greater that me, or all of us, that means to be some better place on the horizon to walk to.
So, today, we're back at the Good Samaritan Old Folks Home, home to 8 very old men and women otherwise on the street, if not gone. Just showing up brightens their day and, stand back for thunderous applause/hugs/smooches, if you replace the tattered door curtains that defines their last place/contains their only possessions. I mentioned we brought new mattress covers, we bought new sheets today, and raised a little hell at the toilet that was backed up, about the running water that wasn't, etc. It just makes you made, and takes every bit of self control to express yourself to those who can fix things up with decorum and respect. . .and make it clear you will bankroll the fixes if it happens, like, NOW.
And so it is. . we were back today, installing the door curtains, and plumbers were all over the place. The eldest man was given new clothes to augment his wardrobe, which consisted of what he was wearing. We brought packaged peaches, applesauce, cookies. . to diversify their steady diet of rice and beans. . .all was distributed, and generated huge smiles and thank you's. . .so much that the women started singing "The Lord Provides All".
It doesn't take much to bring happiness to others, and when we consider the gifts we have to work with in relation to those we're serving in the Haiti mission field, we can do. .and do do. .and lot of good, and we do so on behalf of the congregation.
We touched other, younger lives this morning in the village of Bois Neuf Malore. . .we distributed the dresses sewn by FUMC seamstresses, and tooth brushes (we planned to do flouride treatments but the material came out like Gorilla Glue. . .oh well, do what you can. .we'll come back with a different, better product next year).
Back at the clinic. . .tons more eye patients, and the first surgeries, and more triage by Shawn.
Tonight, we were serenaded by Rubin, a 25-year old orphan who lives with Pastor Chrisnel and manages the computer lab at the John Wesley high school (for probably little if any money). Some of you know that Rubin's house burned down, and he now lives in the parsonage. .where we all camp out when we are here. He lost everything, but we brought down clothes, shoes, and some money that we'll discuss the best way to handle with Pastor Chrisnel. Tonight was his birthday, and his singing. .along with his 7 choir members. .was, it seems, cathartic after solid week of misery. . piled on top of a lifetime of tough conditions. He sang about his faith, and their version of "Amazing Grace" was just another connection between us.
I know he felt, too, that The Lord provides all. . .through others, sometimes, like us.
John Smith
That I haven't forgotten or dismissed that advice tells me something, sometime about my faith. There is something greater that me, or all of us, that means to be some better place on the horizon to walk to.
So, today, we're back at the Good Samaritan Old Folks Home, home to 8 very old men and women otherwise on the street, if not gone. Just showing up brightens their day and, stand back for thunderous applause/hugs/smooches, if you replace the tattered door curtains that defines their last place/contains their only possessions. I mentioned we brought new mattress covers, we bought new sheets today, and raised a little hell at the toilet that was backed up, about the running water that wasn't, etc. It just makes you made, and takes every bit of self control to express yourself to those who can fix things up with decorum and respect. . .and make it clear you will bankroll the fixes if it happens, like, NOW.
And so it is. . we were back today, installing the door curtains, and plumbers were all over the place. The eldest man was given new clothes to augment his wardrobe, which consisted of what he was wearing. We brought packaged peaches, applesauce, cookies. . to diversify their steady diet of rice and beans. . .all was distributed, and generated huge smiles and thank you's. . .so much that the women started singing "The Lord Provides All".
It doesn't take much to bring happiness to others, and when we consider the gifts we have to work with in relation to those we're serving in the Haiti mission field, we can do. .and do do. .and lot of good, and we do so on behalf of the congregation.
We touched other, younger lives this morning in the village of Bois Neuf Malore. . .we distributed the dresses sewn by FUMC seamstresses, and tooth brushes (we planned to do flouride treatments but the material came out like Gorilla Glue. . .oh well, do what you can. .we'll come back with a different, better product next year).
Back at the clinic. . .tons more eye patients, and the first surgeries, and more triage by Shawn.
Tonight, we were serenaded by Rubin, a 25-year old orphan who lives with Pastor Chrisnel and manages the computer lab at the John Wesley high school (for probably little if any money). Some of you know that Rubin's house burned down, and he now lives in the parsonage. .where we all camp out when we are here. He lost everything, but we brought down clothes, shoes, and some money that we'll discuss the best way to handle with Pastor Chrisnel. Tonight was his birthday, and his singing. .along with his 7 choir members. .was, it seems, cathartic after solid week of misery. . piled on top of a lifetime of tough conditions. He sang about his faith, and their version of "Amazing Grace" was just another connection between us.
I know he felt, too, that The Lord provides all. . .through others, sometimes, like us.
John Smith
Model T Redux. . .my fat finger disposed of the punch line!
I managed to try to publish yesterday's blog and excluded a paragraph or two. . .and while I can't now recall all of what got deleted the Model T metaphor was about FUMC's support for building the 2-room school building in the village of Chiraque. 35 villagers have work given our support, with many making 200 Gouds per day. . .weilding pickaxes, shovels, pikes, mallets. . .or buckets hauling mortar, stone, rock, cement and rebar up the equivalent of 8-stories. That's $5. . .what LUCKY American's were making 100 years ago. They were totally into the work, despite the sun/heat/humidity, navigating the trenches in bare feet and feasting on beans and rice (we provide money for lunch when we support construction projects like this). It is a poor country that hasn't yet found a way to self-generate the virtuous upward cycle of economic activity that feeds on itself. In the meantime, we're making it possible for them to feed themselves. Thanks!
John Smith
John Smith
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