$6. . .really!

Sunday-go-to-meetin' day!  We were at the the big church this morning in Jeremie.  Pastor Chrisnel has much of his circuit leadership team on a retreat several hours away but we got the Haitian version of fire and brimstone from a truly passionate and well spoken lay pastor.  We were told the sermon was all about service to others, and we were asked to offer a few remarks before the sermon began.  I brought greetings from FUMC and wished them Christ's blessings, and let them know where Nancy and I would be working this trip.  

Axary's mom was in one of the four choirs that sang this morning (there was a pretty soloist as well), and her picture is below.  Many people came up to us afterwards, surely saying Peace Be With You in Creole. . .and lots of kids came up as well, mostly to get their picture taken and to see the image on the camera. 

In the afternoon, we visited St. Antoine again with Serge and Daniel as they delivered meals to patients unable to pay for food during their visit.  We stopped by the pediatric ward to catch up with a couple of little patients we saw the day before.  While there, we observed a newly-admitted little guy. . thin as a rail and breathing hard.  He had an IV to help with obvious dehydration but we noticed it wasn't "dripping".  Serge inquired and we learned the IV needle had become clogged. . . .and they had no replacement. . .and even if they did, they needed a new bag of saline. . .which they didn't have. . .and the litte guy, eyes wide open, just keeps heaving away.

We made a beeline for one of the village pharmacies and bought the needle and saline. . .for $6. . .about the price of a grande Starbucks.  So, how about we all skip every third Starbucks, send the money instead to our newly-established 501(c)3 meant to funnel money to little guys like this, through the trusting hands of folks like Serge and Daniel.  The last blog post about this year's trip to Jeremie will provide details.

Dr. Marx introduced us to his parents, and then we checked out a nearby building. . .about the size of our living room. . .that he hopes to turn into a clinic.  Right now, he sees patients. . .and lots of them, evey day. . .at his parent's house (which isn't as big as our living room).  Nancy and I think we'll support his endeavor, which will be additive to the service provided by the Gebeau Clinic. . .ANY medical service in Jeremie, or anywhere in Haiti for that matter, is "additive" for the Haitians.  I'll attach 1 outside and 1 inside picture below.  

A couple of our Haitian friends needed some help. . one needed busfare to attend his father's funeral in Port au Prince and another (Nisage) wanted to take English lessons on the weekend.  Done!

To wrap up the day, Serge packed another duffel of meds that he will use for those in the hospital but unable to pay prescription drugs.  Rather than deliver them to the hospital, which usually turns arounds and "sells" them to patients, by going through Serge and Daniel they get the meds in the way we intended them to be deliver. . .lovingly provided for free.  Nancy is busy pre-packing doses of antacids, Tylenol and other over-the-counter medications that will be used during the next two days as part of our mobile dental/medical clincs in Chiraque.

John and Nancy