Each time I go to Haiti there are new experiences as well as some that are forever present. The challenge of effective and accurate communication with a non English speaking people is ever present. Ever so slowly I find myself adding a few new words or phrases to my very limited Creole vocabulary. It is always a delight to renew friendships with those we have grown to love, whether they are those we have worked with on our teams, or Haitians we have met there.
Night time noises always takes a little time to adjust to. Roosters crowing throughout the night, dogs barking, donkeys braying, and goats crying, interspersed by the “mango bombs” remind me that I’m not in my own bed. The velocity of mangoes dropping from the trees onto our metal roof create a sound reminiscent of a gunshot.
Doctors Wade and Tammy worked relentlessly, Michael continued to co-ordinate all activities, and the rest of us had our specific duties to fill. It always amazes me how well a team that hasn’t worked together and may not know each other can work so harmoniously. It is truly a blessing to get to know each one and to work so well together.
One example that shows the appreciation that we often see in the Haitian people is of a man that was having surgery. Since patients having a spinal anesthetic are awake during surgery, we can usually tell if they are experiencing any discomfort. This man flinched a little, but had a smile on his face. When asked, he did say he was having a lot of pain. When asked why he was smiling, he said he didn’t want to act ungrateful. Wow! This is different from what I’m used to.
One of my prayers each time I go to Haiti is that I can show each one that we care about them as a person and that they realize we are there for more than just to repair their bodies. I hope they don’t look on us as “rich Americans”, but get a glimpse of the love of Christ. Each time I come home, I’m reminded of how blessed I am having the opportunity to serve others in this way.
Doris Metzger
“The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from Heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:
It blesses him that gives and him that takes.”
-Shakespeare
I went to Haiti hoping to be a blessings to someone and, in return, found myself blessed and refreshed in so many ways. Once instance in particular stands out when I think of our trip. A young woman came in to have a large lipoma removed from her forehead. She had come last year and was too scared to have it done. She returned this year determined to go through with it, though she was terrified throughout the whole procedure. She was shaking and tears were sliding down her cheeks as she was gotten ready for surgery, but she was determined to have it done. I couldn’t speak to her as I don’t know Creole, but as I stood by her and held her hand and prayed for her as she slowly succumbed to the anesthetic, I was glad that I was there to do the little that I could to help change someone’s life, to show love and care through a smile and touch. When it was over, she was so happy; her broad smile so rewarding. That moment, along with many others, made a blessed and unforgettable week for us all.
Rebekah Rudolph
