It is night again in Port-au-Prince. There is a cool breeze that refreshes me each time it blows as I sit on the porch writing this entry. We just returned from a wonderful dinner at Pastor Renol's house after a clinic day.
The clinic had a few heart breaking cases, like the woman with an infant with what looked to be advanced AIDS based on her symptoms. She is going to get tested this week to be sure, but it does sound Ike the doctors are pretty confident it is AIDS and with available treatment here it could be death sentence for her and another orphaned child. I can't imagine the pain, anger, and frustration a parent must feel in that situation. Unfortunately the doctors also believe the infant is showing signs of the disease.
We served about 147 people today, though we were only scheduled to serve 120. And we are getting low on certain medicines and completely out of others. The pharmacy is making due with what they have, but simply put, more is needed. As if to emphasize that point the Pastor mentioned tonight at dinner that the is as much if not more need for medical support now than there was right after the earthquake.
Within all of today there were blessings. The smiling children. The young girl that was making sure all the other, younger, children were getting their art supplies in the children's group. The singing of the children and laughing as they played games.
But, you do have to be careful when asking for or hoping for blessings from children in Haiti. In the places we. Have been visiting, and likely this is true in the general case, the non-potty trained children do not wear diapers. They are simply too expensive. As such it seems to have become custom that when a child wets while you are holding them and you feel that warn, wet liquid starting to drip down your arm, midriff, leg ... it is said that you are being blessed.
Several team members have been blessed at least once this week, and today was my turn. She was a beautiful little girl, but I think she might have had a sly grin and given me the eye right as she decided I needed to be blessed.
It happens. You continue to hug and hold the child and when you get the opportunity, you clean up as best you can and move on ... perhaps this has broader application.
May you enjoy your evening and may you be blessed, but in a dry way.
Reading your post was a blessing to me, thanks for writing.
ReplyDeleteI pray that as you finish up your week you will KNOW that you have done well.
Blessings (the dry kind) to all the members of our team.
Cyndi
Hope you don't get "blessed" this way again tomorrow! Wish I could watch you interact with the children.
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