This morning I went to work in the clinic. The Mission has a clinic on site and Mon-Friday people start arriving about 7:00 a.m. lining up to see the doctor. There is one doctor on Staff here and then other doctors and medical staff come as a missions team to help out.
There is also a dental team today in the clinic that have traveled from the States to work in the clinic.
I was quickly given a job when I went in. I was in charge of taking blood pressures and temperatures for all the people coming in. It was an easy job as the blood pressure is electronic and gives a reading. I enjoyed it and the time went by too quickly.
After that I went to help clean wounds etc but there were two nurses and interpreter in there so I became the "gopher" and person that handed them the items they needed. I wished I could be of more assistance , but this week they are blessed with an experienced team.
I am sure for the medical team this is such a primitive clinic. IT is in rough shape and you are limited on meds, equipment and other items. Everything is donated. The prescriptions we bring for ourselves are left behind for the clinic. I have a friend who is a VET so she donated bandages and gloves and other medical items for me to bring there.
There was a man who was in who had wiped out on his motorbike. Minor accident , but still required stitches, that were done in his eyebrow WITHOUT freezing.
Another young man who had a huge chunk of his foot and tissue missing on the bottom of his foot. When they took the bandages of you could smell the infection. The nurses cleaned it but he was going to have to see the doctor because it looked bad and needed more than just a cleaning.
I wish I could have stayed all day but with an already trained volunteer team there , I quickly ran out of work to do.
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| the waiting room at the clinic |
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| the clinic |
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| treatment rooms at the clinic |
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| the roof in the halls |
I went over to the nutrition center to play with the kids and say goodbye to them. As much as I love the nutrition center I am once again overwhelmed. Today they know we are leaving so the demands for help is greater. I am feeling bombarded and helpless. My little friend Nadesj's mom is asking me for money saying her daughter needs books for school. Sonny the young man I met a few days ago is again asking for money to get to port au paix. They want my shoes, my phone number, my address, whatever might help them. It is such an awful feeling knowing you cannot give them what they are asking for. It is not safe to give out personal information. It will cause problems to give them money because if you give to one you have to give to all. I did go and speak with Melonnie the director about giving money to Nadesj for school books, but I was told that she is "sponsored" and in that sponsoring she is given school books. I know they need help, I even considered sponsoring Nadesj but knowing she is already sponsored made me feel better.
As I mentioned in earlier blogs I did bring shoes and clothes and other items that will be given to those in need by the CENTER but it breaks my heart to have to say NO to those who are asking me for help. All I can do is tell them to ask the Mission.
I was over stimulated and needed a break so went up to the Mission to help paint until lunch time.
After lunch we went to GRAN MOUN, which is the seniors center at the Mission. I am in love with the people there. I am now sorry I didn't come here earlier because it was such a blessing to be with them. Many of them have a hard time seeing because of cataracts. I recently read there is a high occurrence of cataracts in Haiti because of the sun.
We played a bingo game with the men and women and then helped them decorate some cookies with icing and sprinkles, help them make sun visors and we bought them bottles of Coke which is such a treat for them.
I have never felt so much love and appreciation from anyone in my life. They treated us like we just gave them a million dollars. So many hugs and kisses. Once again I am overwhelmed, but this time in a different way. I didn't want to leave. Once again I am in tears! I am crying so hard that I can't even talk about whats going on. I don't want to go home! I don't want to leave the seniors center. I WISH I came here more often.
Maybe I am feeling so overwhelmed because I know its my last day! Maybe? Or could it be I have fallen in love with the people and with Haiti? I have also realized that this is a new passion for me. Its interesting because I have always said I can't work with special needs children or seniors and YET here in HAITI these are the people who have stolen my heart. These are the ones who FILL me with JOY. Who,when I am tired and overwhelmed from the demands from everything else, these are the people who can re energize me. I am in LOVE and HEART BROKEN all at the same time.
I hug and kiss each of them goodbye and then cry all the way back!
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| this is the kitchen they cook in at the seniors place |
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| drinking their COKE |
Another group on the Mission have planned a PRINCESS PARTY for the women from the brothel. They were concerned that the women might not come. These women do not feel loved or worthy of love. They are outcasts because of what they do. Melonnie the director of the Mission has a heart for these women and her mission is to make them feel loved and let them know they are VALUABLE.
Some of the women from the brothel said they couldn't come to the party because they had no shoes. That was taken care of because shoes had been donated to the Mission so they brought them to the women.
I decided to pop in and see how the Princess Party was going. I looked in and all the women from the brothel showed up for the party. They also had their children with them. They all looked so happy. The church on the Mission was decorated with streamers. Tables were set up and decorated. Delicious treats and fruit were served. Songs were sung to them and then they sang songs to us. It was beautiful and such an answer to prayer. Relationships are being built. Trust is building. LOVE is felt. All because of a woman's desire to reach out to these women and because of people willing to be obedient to GOD and SHARE HIS LOVE to those who don't feel LOVED!
Next on our agenda is to go across the street and do a bible study for the street kids! The "Bracelet Bandits". We were supposed to do one a few days ago but postponed it because of an incident there ,where a woman was knocked down when she was handing out candy. There were about 40 kids on top of her and guards had to whip the kids to get them off of her
Today we are going to do our study. The boys already know because Christine and Brian have been inviting them and telling them about it. We are not sure who will show up, if anybody, but we are excited. We decided to do a bible study on NAMES and how GOD knows our NAMES and EVERYTHING about us. We have been impressed with how well the boys remember all of our names and so many have remembered Christine and Brian from their trip two years ago.
These boys make their money remembering names and writing names and making name bracelets so we are excited to share what God says in His word.
While I search for scripture Christine and Shyla have given up their goal to make bracelets for the boys, instead they make rings for them.
The scripture I came up with is
Psalm 139:13-16
13 You alone created my inner being. You knitted me together inside my mother. 14 I will give thanks to you because I have been so amazingly and miraculously made. Your works are miraculous, and my soul is fully aware of this. 15 My bones were not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, when I was being skillfully woven in an underground workshop. 16 Your eyes saw me when I was only a fetus. Every day [of my life] was recorded in your book before one of them had taken place.
We let them know that GOD knows THEM. He created them and KNEW everyday of theirs BEFORE they were born.
LUKE 10: 20 REJOICE THAT YOUR NAME IS WRITTEN IN HEAVEN
DANIEL 12: 1 b there will be a time of trouble unlike any that has existed from the time there have been nations until that time. But at that time your people, everyone written in the book, will be rescued.
Psalms 147:4 He counts all the stars and calls them by name.
Matt 10:30 And the very hairs on your head are numbered . Do Not be afraid you are more valuable to him than a flock of sparrows.
So basically we are saying GOD knows them every detail including the number of hairs on each head. If he cares for the sparrows , he will take care of them. HE has called them by NAME. He LOVES them and has a plan.
We decided to go up on the roof of the church for our study. About 24 kids showed up for the bible study. They listened and were well behaved. We gave out the rings and many of them were thrilled with them. They proudly put them on.
They felt pride that Christine acknowledged them and their skills and craft.
We brought candy to hand out and thankfully the crowd was small and Brian was able to keep them under control. Christine was getting surrounded and pushed and was feeling overwhelmed but Brian did crowd control very well.
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| the stairs to the roof of the church |
We hung out with the boys for awhile. At the beginning of the week my Weslay had asked me for my water bottle. Sadly the one he asked for was stolen at the nutrition center but I had another one that I had filled up with water and gave to him to keep.
I really loved spending time with him during the week. He was one of the first people I met when I came to the mission and he took it upon himself to look after me when I was out in the town and he saw me.. HE would stop others from harassing me and when we walked he would help me or clear paths for me.He would move my hair from my face and wipe the sweat from my brow. He called me MOM and by the end of the week I had 5 NEW sons from the bracelet bandit group but he was my favorite!!
Back to the Mission to pack up. We have to be up at 3:00 in the morning to head out to Port a Paix. We have a LONG day of travel ahead of us!
What a great day! I continued to cry off and on through out the evening. I have been BLESSED beyond measure. I have watched God work in big and small ways. I have heard HIS voice. I have been humbled as He used me to be His hands and feet. I am glad I am going home but wishing I could stay longer. I don't want to lose this feeling! This closeness to God. This thankfulness for my life! I WANT TO DO MORE FOR HIM and for OTHERS.
My first blog was about this Princess being Dethroned. I a glad I was dethroned. I know I am still a Princess, but I am humbled by this experience.
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