Haiti Day 6

Day 6
March 19, 2013

We started another day at the clinic.  It was steady.  Connie saw a patient who had been struck by lightening.  Her scar had healed nicely.  Her complaint?  After having been struck by lightening?  The scar itched.  Connie found her some cream to help with the itching.

This woman gave us another reason to tease Trevor about being a ladies man.  He was handing out eye glasses in the same room where Connie was seeing patients.  When the lady told Connie about the scar, she started to undress to show Connie.  She didn't seem to care that Trevor was in the room.  Trevor cared and he was Out. Of. There.

One of the saddest stories from the clinic was a patient Connie saw who was complaining of stomach pains.  The pain occurs in the morning.  Connie asked how many times a day she was eating.  Once.  Her stomach hurts because she is hungry.

VBS went well.  Dee taught the kids the story of Saul.  There was a little boy there who is about two years old.  He came up to us.  I had him doing the motions to Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes with me.  Then Jesus Loves Me.  Those tender one on one moments make my heart smile.

I lead the devotions after dinner last night.  I've been reading Do Hard Things by Alex & Brett Harris.  It is written for teens to encourage them to do hard things.  I shared Hebrews 12:1-3.  this verse encourages me to do hard things.  Nothing I ever have to face will be as hard as what Christ had to endure and in His love He strengthens me to do hard things.

During our reflection time one of the local pastors came to talk to us.  It is my observation that this means they are going to ask something of us.  He is concerned that many of the young people leave the island for a better life, but the girls get pregnant and the boys fall into trouble and have to return.  We gave suggestions, but the bottom line was he wanted someone to fix it for them.

Foreigners have come to this country and given things to the people in order to help them and with the best of intentions.  However, it has taught the people to expect things to be given to them without anyone taking ownership.  For example, a water purification system was built by a team years ago, but noone in the village knew how to maintain it.  When it malfunctioned noone in the village knew how to repair it.  It just sat and is now rubble.  It is hard not to hand the shoes off of your feet to someone who has none.  It is hard not to give someone something to eat when they say they are hungry.  However, by just giving and not teaching, we are aiding the cycle of poverty.  This attitude is slowly starting to change.  Instead of just building guest houses, the people are taught to work along side the teams.  They in turn earn wages and learn a skill.  Local people are hired to "run" the guest house.  Our security guard, Lamar, is from the local community.  The ladies cooking for us in the kitchen are from the local community.  One of the ladies does laundry.  We were able to give her a stack of clothes and a dollar or two per piece she washed.  She has a marketable skill.  And....if she is given too much laundry to get done, she can hire another woman to help her.  That is a good thing.