Officially, today was the first work day. . .but yesterday's post hopefully cleared that up! When we're here, it's as wall to wall as we can make it, and Pastor Chrisnel does his level best to support us.
The clinic was open today and the place was mobbed, more so because of the triage done in Gommiers yesterday. Dr. Scott abandoned plans for surgery this afternoon, dedicated the day to clinic work so he can determine how to use the rest of his time for both new walk-ins and those he saw today that need surgery of some sort. The medical clinic was also busy and Shawn was pitching in all over. Meds donated by St. John's Providence were delivered to the clinic pharmacy, and Nancy got an update from Head Nurse Dorismond about the malnourished newborne program she has developed. A generous donor in the congregation has made it possible to support the program for 5-6 months.
We have also renewed our support for the breakfast program at the main church here in Jeremie, which provides those who don't eat so well a roll and coffee before services on Sunday. Here, this support is a joint effort between our church and a handful of other Methodist churches in the greater Detroit area.
Roland and I made our way to the mountain village of Chiraque. Last year, we supported the building of pews and school benches, and finishing off a partially completed 1-room school building. We also supported the building of a flush toilet for the church, although we need to help with the purchase of rainwater cistern so the sink and toilet have "running" water. This year, we are underwriting the construction of a new 2-room school building to bring indoors students otherwise having classes outside. This underwriting means 35 villagers have been put to work hand digging the foundation trench, and lugging EVERYTHING. . .stones, rock, mortar, cement, re-bar. . .UPHILL the last 200 yards. Roland and I took a turn with the pickaxe and the shovel, and carrying a load of mortar up the hill. . .one load was enough, but the villagers smiled and clapped when we dumped our load out onto the pile they had been making since early this morning. There is a little Model T in this undertaking, as most of the villagers make 200 Gouds/day. . . .or $5. Compared to no work, it is a blessing, made possible by the generosity of FUMC's congregation.
Back at the clinic, Nancy and Lynn administered flouride treatments to about 45 kids from the orphanage that is nearby. This is the second treatment in as many years and they were (mostly) all smiles again.
After dinner, the seamstresses among us busied themselves with the finishing touches on curtains to replace the tattered and dowdy ones at the Good Samaritan Old Folks home. . .installation will take place later this week. Others of us used a machine from the clinic to read the prescription of donated eye glasses, to
Monday, March 31, 2014
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Day Won. . .
It's hot and pretty much breezeless at the moment, and we're thinking "what are we thinking?". . .we're not freezing, shoveling snow or navigating around black ice! Short hitters if not short memories!
We had a full day, attending church services that Pastor Chrisnel was presiding over in one of the 35 churches comprising his circuit. . . it is the seaside village of Gommiers. Services typically run 2 1/2 hours, and the Pastor stopped to pick up a choir that was to sign at service. . they all climbed into the back of his pickup truck until a nasty bit of rain intercepted us. He let the choir off under some cover, drove the rest of us to church, and returned to pick them up. Nice thing about being the pastor is that service doesn't really start until he arrives!
While we don't understand a word of creole or french, the voices of the many choirs established the common ground of our faith. Our host congregation couldn't have been nicer, practicing "radical hospitality" with our gang after service was concluded.
With two nurses, and eye doctor and his PA in toe, we offered "First Nurses" blood pressure readings, and eye triage. . .to find those with cataracts or glaucoma so that they might make their way to the clinic in Gebeau where Scott will be performing surguries Monday thru Thursday afternoons. It was a happening. . .musta seen 60 people with one or both screenings, with Pastor Chrisnel serving as translator congratulating thosed with tres bon blood pressures. Not sure how she managed but Nancy did all the blood pressures on her knees. . .no tables, just pews. Shawn counseled several mothers about their babies, and Jill might have been "Most Popular" as she was dispensing reading glasses. . .initially as Scott directed, but once the crowd saw how nice they were she had a following!
This afternoon, Scott, Mary and Jill went to the clinic to ensure all was ready for tommorrow. The rest of made our way to the Good Samaritan Old Folks Home. . .not a pretty site but they would be homeless otherwise. We did blood pressures and other triage, arranging for a few to be brought to the clinic for the attention they need. We installed some mattress protection, and generally inspected the conditions. There are some simple improvements in order, which Pastor discussed with the caretaker. There is a bigger problem to solve and that is the lack of some kind of visiting nurse who would do what we did. . .every week. . .what we did in the only visit we make in a year's time.
We covered a lot of ground and, while tired and hot (and hydrating like crazy), regard today as a good day, a day won. . .
John Smith
We had a full day, attending church services that Pastor Chrisnel was presiding over in one of the 35 churches comprising his circuit. . . it is the seaside village of Gommiers. Services typically run 2 1/2 hours, and the Pastor stopped to pick up a choir that was to sign at service. . they all climbed into the back of his pickup truck until a nasty bit of rain intercepted us. He let the choir off under some cover, drove the rest of us to church, and returned to pick them up. Nice thing about being the pastor is that service doesn't really start until he arrives!
While we don't understand a word of creole or french, the voices of the many choirs established the common ground of our faith. Our host congregation couldn't have been nicer, practicing "radical hospitality" with our gang after service was concluded.
With two nurses, and eye doctor and his PA in toe, we offered "First Nurses" blood pressure readings, and eye triage. . .to find those with cataracts or glaucoma so that they might make their way to the clinic in Gebeau where Scott will be performing surguries Monday thru Thursday afternoons. It was a happening. . .musta seen 60 people with one or both screenings, with Pastor Chrisnel serving as translator congratulating thosed with tres bon blood pressures. Not sure how she managed but Nancy did all the blood pressures on her knees. . .no tables, just pews. Shawn counseled several mothers about their babies, and Jill might have been "Most Popular" as she was dispensing reading glasses. . .initially as Scott directed, but once the crowd saw how nice they were she had a following!
This afternoon, Scott, Mary and Jill went to the clinic to ensure all was ready for tommorrow. The rest of made our way to the Good Samaritan Old Folks Home. . .not a pretty site but they would be homeless otherwise. We did blood pressures and other triage, arranging for a few to be brought to the clinic for the attention they need. We installed some mattress protection, and generally inspected the conditions. There are some simple improvements in order, which Pastor discussed with the caretaker. There is a bigger problem to solve and that is the lack of some kind of visiting nurse who would do what we did. . .every week. . .what we did in the only visit we make in a year's time.
We covered a lot of ground and, while tired and hot (and hydrating like crazy), regard today as a good day, a day won. . .
John Smith
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Weighing in. . .
We are here, having started the journey to Jeremie. . .some of us, at least. . .at 2 am yesterday morning. We made our way from Detroit to Miami on a 6 am flight, then had a 4-hour layover before flying to Port au Prince.
PaP has progressed from just chaos, to organized chaos. A new arrival hall replaces the ram-shackle Butler building that was used for luggage after the earthquake. That being said, baggage handling must be among the top10 occupations in Port au Prince, with teams of Haitians comprising a sort of relay of one's luggage in the 400 yards or so between the luggage conveyor and whatever vehicle you pile into! Friendly, helpful. . .ever-present, and persistent. . .but its really just another way of sharing our gifts with those trying to make their way in a difficult place.
We couldn't get to Jeremie yesterday and spent the night at the Palm Hotel near the airport. It has become a sort of crossroads for other mission teams as suspect as we that making it to or from Jeremie in one day is a bridge too far for the capabilities of local transportation. We happened across "Reverend Jerry" from a South Carolina methodist church with whom FUMC has worked in prior years. He was one his way out, we on our way in, and it was great to get his take on the state of things.
Pastor Chrisnel has 35 or so churches in his circuit, and his parsonage serves as guest house for mission teams like the one from South Carolina, FUMC and a host of other churches in southeast Michigan. For a while, we are his last gig, and I detected a bit o' relief in his manner when he met us at the Jeremie air strip a short while ago.
We are on Haitian time, as the scheduled flight to Jeremie was to depart at 11 am, based on arrangements made several weeks ago. At the airport, the charter staff offered that the plane would leave at 1 pm. . .then, after a little checking, OK maybe noon. . .and another staff member said they often leave early. . .take a seat, take a load off, it'll happen!
So back to today's blog title. . .every bag and EVERY PERSON has to be weighed before we pile into the 9-passenger puddle jumper. At least half of those reading this blog would be surprised to know the idea of standing on a scale, with a HUGE dial, visible to the entire Caribbean basin, was the last thing the ladies of FUMC wished to do. No big deal. . .so Jill weighs &^%, Mary weighs @#$, Nancy weighs?>{, and Lynn weighs +)*. . .there, what's the big deal?
We're sorting today, since we had 20 checked bags for the 8 of us, and the fur starts to fly tomorrow!
John Smith
PaP has progressed from just chaos, to organized chaos. A new arrival hall replaces the ram-shackle Butler building that was used for luggage after the earthquake. That being said, baggage handling must be among the top10 occupations in Port au Prince, with teams of Haitians comprising a sort of relay of one's luggage in the 400 yards or so between the luggage conveyor and whatever vehicle you pile into! Friendly, helpful. . .ever-present, and persistent. . .but its really just another way of sharing our gifts with those trying to make their way in a difficult place.
We couldn't get to Jeremie yesterday and spent the night at the Palm Hotel near the airport. It has become a sort of crossroads for other mission teams as suspect as we that making it to or from Jeremie in one day is a bridge too far for the capabilities of local transportation. We happened across "Reverend Jerry" from a South Carolina methodist church with whom FUMC has worked in prior years. He was one his way out, we on our way in, and it was great to get his take on the state of things.
Pastor Chrisnel has 35 or so churches in his circuit, and his parsonage serves as guest house for mission teams like the one from South Carolina, FUMC and a host of other churches in southeast Michigan. For a while, we are his last gig, and I detected a bit o' relief in his manner when he met us at the Jeremie air strip a short while ago.
We are on Haitian time, as the scheduled flight to Jeremie was to depart at 11 am, based on arrangements made several weeks ago. At the airport, the charter staff offered that the plane would leave at 1 pm. . .then, after a little checking, OK maybe noon. . .and another staff member said they often leave early. . .take a seat, take a load off, it'll happen!
So back to today's blog title. . .every bag and EVERY PERSON has to be weighed before we pile into the 9-passenger puddle jumper. At least half of those reading this blog would be surprised to know the idea of standing on a scale, with a HUGE dial, visible to the entire Caribbean basin, was the last thing the ladies of FUMC wished to do. No big deal. . .so Jill weighs &^%, Mary weighs @#$, Nancy weighs?>{, and Lynn weighs +)*. . .there, what's the big deal?
We're sorting today, since we had 20 checked bags for the 8 of us, and the fur starts to fly tomorrow!
John Smith
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Getting Ready to Return to Jeremie. . .
Soon, 8 of us will return to Jeremie, Haiti for a week's worth of work. Scott, Jill and Mary will be doing eye surgeries again this year, and folks will WALK considerable distances to be seen and treated. Flouride treatments will be administered again in 3 different villages by Nancy, her sister Lynn, and Shawn. .another nurse from First United. Meds donated by St. John's-Providence, and baby blankets and other supplies for the clinic's malnourished newborne program will also be delivered. . along with 300 sundresses and assorted "boy" clothes made by hand by the FUMC seamstresses. . .finally, a use for all of that material filling up closets everywhere!
Roland and I will be helping the ladies some but spend most of our time helping local Haitian masons build a foundation for a new 2-room school building in the village of Chiraque. All building materials are HAND CARRIED, UP THE MOUNTAIN, the last 10 or so minutes. I'm hoping that has happened before we arrive, as the most technologically advanced tool they can bring to bear on the foundation is a pick ax! We will be replacing the tattered window and door curtains at the old folks home, and bringing new laptops to the high school (solid-state Chromebooks that should hold up better under the constant heat/humidity/dust that is Haiti).
Our basement has been filling up with all of the above, and we've squeezed into duffels for the trip to Haiti. Having all of what we take finally get into the guest house is the same feeling as when your kids stopped needing diapers!
We'll post everyday and we hope you follow along. . .best, John Smith
Saturday, April 13, 2013
A different look. . .
So often as human beings we make comparisons. I guess it is part of the thinking brain essentially done in order to predict the future, solve a problem, or avoid a pitfall. I have also found, sometimes, we can be terribly wrong. This is particularly true as it pertains to spirituality. I have a feeling that us being terribly wrong is God's sense of humor and Irony and sometimes the joke is on us. Not in a malicious sense, but more with a loving one sided grin and an"I told you so". As I compare life and work in Haiti to that in the states, I cannot help but reflect on this spiritual irony and have put together some of my own comparisons.
1.At home, I love a hot shower. It relaxes me and raises my body temperature just enough to make me tired before I slip into warm sheets and drift off to sleep. One of the rudest awakening in Haiti is that there is no such thing as a hot shower. However, after soaking in your own sweat and the Haitian humidity all day, there is nothing more refreshing or comforting than a cold shower even from a headless spigot. No water pressure, but as you look around you, you find yourself grateful that you are not bathing in the river.
2.Technology. Haitians are catching up. They have dirt floors and chickens running through a makeshift "kitchen" with an open fire, but by golly they have cellphones with Internet access. However, there are no agreements between any US carriers and Haiti, so it is ridiculously expensive to have your cell phone on . So I turn it off. I check email in the evening once per day . And guess what? I survive, maybe thrive. There have not been any earth shaking cataclysmic events that have come over my email that needed addressing immediately. And when or if they do, it will be very comforting to know I will not be able to fix them anyway.so hey, party on...with no cell phone..cool.
3. A "rainy day". We almost always curse a rainy day at home. No sun, gray, drab, depressing, can't enjoy the out of doors. Understandable, especially in Michigan. However, in Haiti a rainy day is a gift. It cools the air, it settles the dust. Particularly at night, it is a soothing comforting sound, a cool blanket in a hot room enabling us to drift off to sleep. A welcomed treat.
4. Productivity, efficiency: in the states I am always so conscious of the use of my time. How effective am I in my job, family, community? How much work can I get done in a day? In an hour? That "equation" totally goes out the window in Haiti. It quickly becomes " what can you do with what you have?" Because the simplest tasks such as basic water, food, travel are so precious and difficult to come by, your assessment of what can be accomplished has to change to maintain your sanity. In the operating room or the clinic, I never "measure" by how many people I can see or cases I can do like notches on my belt. But I measure whether or not I was able to improve the quality of life of the one person I am with that day, that hour, that moment. To impose modern westernized ( maybe even perverse) standards of "productivity" into the Haitian equation is an exercise in futility. It does not compute. But what you do for that one person in one moment is immeasurable, priceless...and God grins at our discovering this.
5. My watch. At home I have to "watch my watch". If I don't , all the people I interact with all day will be breathing down my neck. Appointment times kept, meetings running on time, other's time respected..Fine. In Haiti, they have watches, but I am not sure they really are used very much. When it is dark and we are tired, we go to bed. When the rooster crows ( literally) and the sky is just lightening up a little and the light is peeking through the window, we know it is 6:55am. Time to get up and start the day. Maybe that is more "normal". Who is to say?
5. Definition of "Hard". Sometimes I think a 16 hour day is hard. Trying to lead people who are not thinking is hard. Mastering the piano is hard...All of these.... Not really. Being disabled in Haiti and being capable of some work but being turned away from this job( only because you are "disabled" ) and not being able to find food or shelter AND being disabled is hard. Trying to raise two young children after your philandering husband has left you and you have no skills to support them is hard. There is certainly no such thing as "Public assistance". Being continuously infected with parasites or bug bites or typhoid because you have dirt floors, chickens living with you and no sanitation is hard. Life here is hard. Period. Interestingly, there are people here that "do hard" quite well- with absolutely no public assistance. They have raised and educated their children- somehow. They are disabled, but they are sharing with others that are disabled. This has hardened my outlook for people in the states that think they have it hard, but , in reality, there are so many assistance programs and mechanisms for them to improve their condition as to leave no excuses for them short of physical or mental disability. On the other hand it has softened my outlook for the other parts of the world, that really set the bar where "hard" should be- desperate for basic resources and needs and no mechanism to reasonably meet them. We ( all of us in the states) need to participate in helping and contributing to those truly hard conditions and stop making excuses for people who cannot seem to" make the most with what they got to improve their lot"
I will think of more, but enough pontificating for one trip...I think God is grinning. Maybe more of a sarcastic smirk, a roll of the eyes and an, "I told you so. Why wouldn't you listen to me in the first place."
Scott Wilkinson
Friday, April 12, 2013
(Truly) Amazing Grace
We've had a great week all along, and another memorable day to close it out. The eye team did 4 surgeries today, bringing the week's total to 14. The equipment available put Scott in some kind of time machine, having to recall procedures last used a decade or two ago, but there were 100% satisfied patients leaving the clinic this week. . .some recovering their sight after years of impaired vision.
The construction team were prevented from returning to Chiracque today by a giant tree, with some history (see below), which fell across the dirt road turn off. So, we shipped the eyeglasses and medicines we promised to parishioners after last Sunday's services by way of motorcycle, which seem to find their way through any crack. We boogied off to Gommiers, another 10 minutes down the road from the turnoff, and delivered a world map, in French, to the Methodist-run school there. We got there at recess and Nancy and Lynne proceeded to engage about 100 kids in ring-around-the-Rosie. The kids won. . . .
We returned to the clinic and Nancy and Lynne turned to triage for a bit, left all the scrubs they brought for the local Nurse Ratchett. . .who warmed up to the "help" as the week wore on. . .then down the road to the orphanage, where the east of the flouride treatments to the 30-odd kids just returning from school.
The day was still young.
We departed the clinic for the guest house. . .14 people, including 3 eye surgery patients who were
offered a lift in our beat up compact crew-cab pick-up rather than walk 3 miles or take a "taxi" (aka
riding shotgun on a motorbike). It was reminiscent of either the old clown trick about how many of them you can stuff into a VW or the Keystone Cops, or some blend of both! What a hoot! That said, compared to the loading of some other vehicles, we had room to spare.
One of our translators, Victor, was born with short and disfigured arms. He spent two years at a young age in the U.S. undergoing several surgeries which left him with a semblance of functioning hands, and a good command of English. He and Wilbens, our other translator, were indispensable this week. We learned that Victor had organized a support group of other disabled Haitians in
Jeremie, most of whom are truly homeless, living from day to day either begging for food or
prevailing on a friend for a place to sleep at night.
Pastor Chrisnel has quite a lot of despair to deal with already in Jeremie but met with this group once before, and agreed to let Victor gather them together again at the John Wesley School this afternoon so we, too, might meet them and learn more about their circumstances. The disabled in Haiti are shunned, basically, and have to overcome both physical and socia obstacles. Now in a support group, they hope to secure a permanent place where those with no place to go or no food to eat might go. . .a place where supplies important to their mobility and dignity might be maintained, and where food might be cooked and delivered to the less able by those among them that are more able.
Pastor Chrisnel said such a room in Jeremie might cost $300-500. . . .a year.
Nancy, Lynne and I probably had the same thought, about the same time, which most of you reading this blog are also having right now. . . ."here's the money, when can you move in?".
After a while here, you learn to rein in your shock/disbelief/disgust, take a deep breath, and find a way to be supportive without building undue expectations, working within and with the local Pastor, but giving some inkling that their might be some light at the end of the tunnel. So, I said we would work with Pastor Chrisnel, our church and the other Methodist churches in Michigan that have come together to coordinate their work in Jeremie to find a way. Just the thought that we wanted to meet them was hope enough, but those admittedly vague words brought cheers and smiles. If I have to say goodbye Starbucks for a year, they will have their safe house, and soon. After dinner. . .yes, yes, goat again. . .we all began to pack for the return tomorrow. One of the young Haitians we have been helping, Rubins (who is the high school's computer jock) brought a 9-person choir to the guest house to serenade our group. . .it was lovely and lively, featuring English and Creole songs, some of them decidedly upbeat. They sang Hallelujah (so did some of us) and they sang Amazing Grace (so did all of us). The words remind us of our faith, and their voices. . .passionate, sometimes soaring, a few truly beautiful. . .remind of us of our shared humanity, and the very real and important differences we can make in their lives when we compare our concerns with their condition. Thank you all again for your support. With it, we can do more here and are ready to so.
The construction team were prevented from returning to Chiracque today by a giant tree, with some history (see below), which fell across the dirt road turn off. So, we shipped the eyeglasses and medicines we promised to parishioners after last Sunday's services by way of motorcycle, which seem to find their way through any crack. We boogied off to Gommiers, another 10 minutes down the road from the turnoff, and delivered a world map, in French, to the Methodist-run school there. We got there at recess and Nancy and Lynne proceeded to engage about 100 kids in ring-around-the-Rosie. The kids won. . . .
We returned to the clinic and Nancy and Lynne turned to triage for a bit, left all the scrubs they brought for the local Nurse Ratchett. . .who warmed up to the "help" as the week wore on. . .then down the road to the orphanage, where the east of the flouride treatments to the 30-odd kids just returning from school.
The day was still young.
We departed the clinic for the guest house. . .14 people, including 3 eye surgery patients who were
offered a lift in our beat up compact crew-cab pick-up rather than walk 3 miles or take a "taxi" (aka
riding shotgun on a motorbike). It was reminiscent of either the old clown trick about how many of them you can stuff into a VW or the Keystone Cops, or some blend of both! What a hoot! That said, compared to the loading of some other vehicles, we had room to spare.
One of our translators, Victor, was born with short and disfigured arms. He spent two years at a young age in the U.S. undergoing several surgeries which left him with a semblance of functioning hands, and a good command of English. He and Wilbens, our other translator, were indispensable this week. We learned that Victor had organized a support group of other disabled Haitians in
Jeremie, most of whom are truly homeless, living from day to day either begging for food or
prevailing on a friend for a place to sleep at night.
Pastor Chrisnel has quite a lot of despair to deal with already in Jeremie but met with this group once before, and agreed to let Victor gather them together again at the John Wesley School this afternoon so we, too, might meet them and learn more about their circumstances. The disabled in Haiti are shunned, basically, and have to overcome both physical and socia obstacles. Now in a support group, they hope to secure a permanent place where those with no place to go or no food to eat might go. . .a place where supplies important to their mobility and dignity might be maintained, and where food might be cooked and delivered to the less able by those among them that are more able.
Pastor Chrisnel said such a room in Jeremie might cost $300-500. . . .a year.
Nancy, Lynne and I probably had the same thought, about the same time, which most of you reading this blog are also having right now. . . ."here's the money, when can you move in?".
After a while here, you learn to rein in your shock/disbelief/disgust, take a deep breath, and find a way to be supportive without building undue expectations, working within and with the local Pastor, but giving some inkling that their might be some light at the end of the tunnel. So, I said we would work with Pastor Chrisnel, our church and the other Methodist churches in Michigan that have come together to coordinate their work in Jeremie to find a way. Just the thought that we wanted to meet them was hope enough, but those admittedly vague words brought cheers and smiles. If I have to say goodbye Starbucks for a year, they will have their safe house, and soon. After dinner. . .yes, yes, goat again. . .we all began to pack for the return tomorrow. One of the young Haitians we have been helping, Rubins (who is the high school's computer jock) brought a 9-person choir to the guest house to serenade our group. . .it was lovely and lively, featuring English and Creole songs, some of them decidedly upbeat. They sang Hallelujah (so did some of us) and they sang Amazing Grace (so did all of us). The words remind us of our faith, and their voices. . .passionate, sometimes soaring, a few truly beautiful. . .remind of us of our shared humanity, and the very real and important differences we can make in their lives when we compare our concerns with their condition. Thank you all again for your support. With it, we can do more here and are ready to so.
From dark to light
I must mention a bit about the work of Dr. Scott and his team of three....himself, his scrub tech (Mary) and his newly indoctrinated circulating nurse (Jill). These three have worked for past four days behind closed doors and surgical masks removing dense cataracts from those who haven't been able to see clearly for years. They work nonstop knowing that patients have walked miles and waited hours to be seen. They trust the American dr. Something to be proud of for sure.
Dr. Scott, calm, quiet and methodical goes about his business of providing this delicate surgery with skill of steady hand and steadfast heart. Mary must move quicker trying to anticipate Scott's every move in unfamiliar territory and with what I shall call...huge lapses in equipment, supplies....it's a 'make do with what you have' system. She smiles constantly....a reassurance to both the Dr. And the patient. And Jill, my goodness...she is not a nurse, she is not medical at all, but from behind a mask she has become an astute circulating nurse. Getting this and that, adjusting equipment. She is the conduit between the unsterile and the sterile surgical world. A lifeline if you will. She has provided the surgical team everything they need and has learned all that medical jibberish and jargon along the way. I am so very proud of them. I am joyous for the patients they have served and brought into the light of this world. Thanks be to God!
Today we serve the people of Jeremie for the last day. Who knows what today will bring!
Nancy
Dr. Scott, calm, quiet and methodical goes about his business of providing this delicate surgery with skill of steady hand and steadfast heart. Mary must move quicker trying to anticipate Scott's every move in unfamiliar territory and with what I shall call...huge lapses in equipment, supplies....it's a 'make do with what you have' system. She smiles constantly....a reassurance to both the Dr. And the patient. And Jill, my goodness...she is not a nurse, she is not medical at all, but from behind a mask she has become an astute circulating nurse. Getting this and that, adjusting equipment. She is the conduit between the unsterile and the sterile surgical world. A lifeline if you will. She has provided the surgical team everything they need and has learned all that medical jibberish and jargon along the way. I am so very proud of them. I am joyous for the patients they have served and brought into the light of this world. Thanks be to God!
Today we serve the people of Jeremie for the last day. Who knows what today will bring!
Nancy
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