…which translates into “busy clinic day”, and it didn’t disappoint! It is but a short walk from the market to the clinic site and word travels fast. But first…we made quick work of the filing last night, after some cooling off on the roof, followed by some fun and games in the kitchen…which were only fair if Wilson was winning. Sleep came easy last night for most, but didn’t last for all…I think Corey had the Haitian version of a stink bug climb in bed with him…a rude awakening for sure in the middle of the night, but after some quick thinking and exterminator work, all was well.
This morning we enjoyed breakfast with our friends Steve and Scott before we had to part ways. They to the beach to catch the boat across to Les Cayes and we to the site of our last clinic of the trip. We hope to cross paths again soon as we progress towards the finished clinic. We wish them godspeed in their travels.
So, this was our final clinic day on the island and it actually felt like we were getting back to our “roots” – remote outreach clinics in the hills around Jolivert. There were thatch walls, dirt floors, crowds of patients…and no air movement. Once unloaded and all stations prepared, we began clinic around 9:30….and it got rolling quickly! Despite some limitations (ie non-functioning blood pressure cuffs and scale, certain dwindling medications, etc), clinic ran quite smoothly and we finished by about 1:30. In those 4hrs we treated a total of 145 patients, which means we cared for over 620 individuals during this trip! We are exhausted!
The team loaded the truck until the rear tires were nearly flat and headed home for lunch. I scored big time by getting the back seat on Paulsaint’s moto. It was the softest seat I have sat on this entire trip…and the breeze was oh so welcome! Once home we were treated to a spaghetti lunch and then we all headed to the beach one last time to truly cool off. It was glorious!! We were joined by many children who played relentlessly…I think they know we are leaving soon.
Now we wait for dinner, after which we will need to inventory our supplies for future reference and we will need to organize our last files from today so things will be ready for our return in October. We are told the clinic may be near completion by then…we can only hope. But we know how things progress in this country – fits and starts can be commonplace due to supply availability, weather and most importantly the funds to to maintain momentum. We pray, and plead, for positive results on all fronts.
Tomorrow we will awake for a quick breakfast, load up for the beach to board our boat back to Les Cayes – the start of our journey to Port au Prince and ultimately home. We will hope for calm seas, smooth roads and minimal traffic tomorrow. Please pray for our safe travels as well.
That is all for today. More from the rooftop in Port au Prince tomorrow night.
Love to All,
The Team