Tour of PAP....

Yesterday I was awoken in the middle of the day to find out the tour was going out to Port au Prince to see the area that was largest hit. I guess the epicenter is outside of the city but most the buildings that fell are in the city. The tour was pretty amazing.... building fallen in between two standing builds. The palace has fallen in the middle and I guess it sinks more everyday. across from the palace is amarket and then tent cities with port-a-potties. Nobody is to sure why but most of the government buildings are levelled. I don't want to get into the politics but it isn't very pretty here when you look at leaders that are in high places and only seek to serve themselves. But don't you think God is speaking when almost every building in a corrupt government has fallen and beuildings around them are standing. I was told by Ryan a nursing student here (working as a nurse and lived here last summer) that rumor has it every church he has heard of still has the cross in front of it standing.... isn't that crazy! The whole church building fell but the cross is still up? Amazing!



The president of Haiti called for 3 days of fast, confessing and praying for the one month anniversary of the quake. On Saturday we had a little boy come in that had a high fever, malria and hadn't eaten/drinken in 4 days due to the fast.... I mean honestly these people have nothing and now even if they do have food they can't eat it b/c their leader wants them to fast and confess? Very upsetting!



The other thing that hit me during the tour was when we got through the downtown area we drove along the coast and saw an area that smelled horribly. I had said to one of my friends "I guess no port-a-potties here!" and then it struck me that the houses here weren't tents they were sheets of metal and more permanent....this is a community that was like this pre-quake. The smell was so alarming and to think it is always like that! And I guess there are poorer communities we didn't see. It really broke my heart! The problems in Haiti arenot beginning they have been here forever!



Seeing hope in our patients is the thing that gets me through... one of our pt's "Collette" Sincere was the first woman to have a baby on the USS Navy Comfort. She lied in the rubble for 7 days with a broken pelvis, femur FX and 7 months pregnant. She came to Heartline Hospital where they just watched her not knowing what to do. They got her to the ship as one of the first patients and they recieved her weeks later along with her baby for rehab, continued pain control, antibiotics, help with breastfeeding and lots of support and encouragement. She is healing from three surgeries and is breastfeeding. As well as getting out of bed to the bathroom and wants to do it all by herself. I love that she has such strength, power and hope for herself and her baby. She is the most aware of germs and protecting herself. She wipes the toilet before she sits and uses hand sanitizer when she gets back in bed. It is so cute. The only thing she has problems with is the breastfeeding. The last couple nights she wanted a bottle for the baby and we had decided that was fine at night so she can sleep but she was wanting it more and more. As I was informed by midwife Beth we were to encourage her nursing baby Esther before a bottle so this morning I noticed she had leaked milk on her shirt and she asked me for a bottle. I told her she should nurse, it was "beyn for baby" (good for baby, my creole is horrible but I made flashcards and I am working on it... you should be proud mom!) I told her using mostly sign language that I fed my baby till she was 1 year and it is best for baby! See when Collette goes home she will have no formula and she will need her milk supply for her baby especially since Esther was a premie. Not to mention the antibodies to boost the babies immune system and protect the baby. Her reaction was still hesitant and then I told her MamaJohn (Beth) wanted this and she realized I wasn't going to cave. It was hard for me b/c she is trying so hard but I know she has such hope for her baby. She then put baby to breast and I was overwhelmed with joy that she made a choice to do the right thing. The daily bread verse today was "Hope does not disapoint." Romans 5:5. Totally feeling that today!

*I plan to post pics but need a cable... have to find one to borrow.