Experience with Haiti

Here are some more pictures from our trip to Haiti. The first couple days we packed medications and medical supplies (we had to bring everything with us as there was no clinic where we were going) and then packed the truck for the big trip. We traveled from sun-up to sun-down, spending hours in the truck driving as far as we could, then hiking the last three hours by foot as the sun began to set. I much preferred the hiking to bouncing around in the back of the truck! There were three people in the cab and 5-7 in the back, with all the gear.

The girls… me, Sarah, and Virginia. 

 

Here we are with the other truck (with the 3 translators and the pastor, who added to our team of eight) that was broken down in the riverbed as we were heading up into the mountains. The terrain was so rough I’m surprised the whole truck didn’t fly apart! (Grace!) Below are the beautiful mountains we hiked through to get to the final destination, a mountain village 6 hours from the nearest city. The Haitians were very hospitable and offered us this display of food after our long journey. The bowl contains a goat head- a special delicacy! Our accomodations involved a small shack nestled in the hillside, with a separate outhouse. There was no running water, electricity or refridgeration system. We filtered our own water that was carried up from the river in the valley below us. Caleb and I shared a narrow cot in a small room with three other people. Although we were a bit uncomfortable, I knew these people were giving us the best that they had! div>

As soon as the roosters started crowing at 4:30 in the morning on the first clinic day, I began to wake up. We got up shortly after 5:30 or 6:00am and I walked outside our shack, expecting to have a few moments to myself before starting the day. To my surprise, I was greeted by Haitians lined up ready to be seen by the American doctors! They had traveled early and waited patiently, some for hours, as we registered them and treated them as fast as we were able. We held clinic for 3 days in a row and saw 450 patients. We treated countless women and children for iodine insufficiency and handed out vitamins to everyone. Caleb and Elliott could do some minor surgical procedures and I dispensed medications for blood pressure, acid reflux, infections (bacterial, fungal and worm), skin problems and eye infirmities to name a few. My pharmacy!This view is looking back toward the mountians we hiked through to get to this village. 

 

How these mountain people wash dishes… 

 

and cook food. 

 

This is a woman (below) who had a goiter from iodine insufficiency. Since our last visit to Haiti, this team had successfully treated her iodine levels and significantly reduced the size of her goiter, to the point where it is nearly gone altogether! The people are so grateful for this treatment and some even walked 12 hours to get the medication. Before we came, they had no hope of treatment. It was an amazing privilege to be able to contribute to this project and help these desperate people. I enjoyed working alongside my husband and am so glad we got to experience this together! 

 

– Anna