Posts in Travelogue

Last night we were treated to hotel rooms with…wait for it…Air Conditioning! For the first time in all my trips, I was actually COLD. That’s right, not just cool or chilled but downright cold. I got under the sheet and used my towel as a blanket and was quickly fast asleep. I think the rest of the team had a similar experience and slept rather well. We awoke to a nice breakfast and then departed to visit the Brooks family at Much Ministries where Kez works. We enjoyed visiting and hearing more about their mission as well as their big plans for a future marketplace in Gonaives…very exciting!! Much of the team also bought beautiful items created by local artisans, which is a large part of the ministry’s economic development mission‎.

Once all “spent” we departed for the road to Jolivert, and those of us who have made the trip repeatedly steeled ourselves for the gut wrenching bouncing and twisting over the next 3-4 hours. In very few places the road had improved…there was a nice new bridge over a river crossing and the paver road in Gros Morne has been extended‎. This may have accounted for about 10 minutes of the eventual three and a half hour journey. As for the other 200 minutes, the roads have not changed…or become much worse. We had to stop 3 times…once for a dragging muffler (big surprise on these roads, huh?) and twice for a broken brake caliper on the luggage truck. Good old fashioned Haitian ingenuity solved both problems and remarkably we arrived at Clinic Jolivert in just under 4 hours.

We were greeted immediately by our friends Blaud and Christophe. Blaud is now married and expecting their first child…a boy he announced, beaming from ear to ear. Christophe has not changed a bit but he is here without his daughter now, who is in the States…not sure who will entertain us after clinic this week??? Once bags were unloaded, we were treated to a delicious afternoon meal, followed by the tedious task of unloading bags, sorting items and then bagging meds. It is now 8pm and we are done for the evening. Nets are hung; cold…I mean, refreshing showers are being taken; late evening snacks are being eaten and even a little craft work is being done to surprise our patients and school children this week.

Some will travel to our first outreach clinic in the morning and the rest will work in the on-site clinic here. We will need to rise early for breakfast, additional sorting of meds and then travel time to the clinic.

For now we will hope for a reasonably quiet night where the bears sleep soundly, the donkeys and roosters sleep late, the dogs get along ‎and the drums stop beating down the hill. Tomorrow we have hiking and exploring plans after the patients have all been seen…after all we have new members to introduce to our hill and tree. I am sure the sunset will be beautiful as always! After that, who knows…a beverage, some cards, stories…just another day in paradise.

That’s all for now. Sleep well and Love to All,

The Team

I am thrilled to report we are 11 strong this year, some repeaters and some new to the family as always, and we are all together, safely at our destination. The weatherman again threatened to make our travel “interesting”, with the possibility of icing right at the time of our departure…but alas, aside from a brief de-icing procedure, our flight left nearly on time with an on time arrival in Atlanta. We quickly united with Chelsea, who had arrived from Boston shortly before us. We had time at the gate for food, card games, charging of electronics and even some last calls to loved ones before boarding for our final destination. I must say, not flying out of Miami felt a bit awkward…lacking tradition, however, the process through Atlanta was so smooth, I think we could definitely get used to this new approach. That said, anything can happen at any given time, especially when Haiti is in the equation, so we will not get too comfortable.

Once in the Port au Prince airport, we gathered our bags, united with Vanessa and ran the Customs gauntlet…without a doubt, my least favorite aspect of our experiences, however it went more smoothly than ever. Once all bags and people were loaded in the van and truck we were right on the road to Gonaives and made it easily in 3 hrs…and we were entertained by our little buddy Charlie…cuter than ever!!! The time really flew by…by Haitian standards!! We pulled into the parking lot of our hotel, a true oasis. We got nets hung and then enjoyed a wonderful Haitian dinner! You will never guess our dinner guests…Kez, Christine and all her children. What a great night!!

As I close tonight I find myself reflecting about the months leading up to this 6th installment. I must say, I have been frustrated by my own personal feelings of being overwhelmed which resulted in a degree of malaise which in turn just piled on the frustration. After all, this experience is generally one of the highlights of my year and I could not justify my feelings. Intellectually, I think I knew what was at the root, but I struggled still. You see, it is times like this when I pick up the phone and call my friend and brother, Peter and we just yap for awhile…and invariably, there is understanding and encouragement. We lean on each other at times like these and life is better. So lately I have been listening harder to hear the comforting words of wisdom and encouragement, because I know they are there…have been there all along. And lo and behold, his voice came through loud and clear once again.

The other night as I was searching the website for a blog entry from last year’s trip, I stumbled on a Reply from Peter, sent from home as he was just starting his battle with cancer. His words rang true then and they were just the right medicine one year later. He ended his reply as follows:

My love and best wishes to all on this trip. Hike the hill and watch the sun set. Enjoy the company of those around you. Give a hug to a patient or child who needs it. Savor the taste of mango and perhaps some goat for breakfast. Let your cup runneth over…”
– Peter Whitehead, MD

Implied translation…just enjoy the experience and everything else will work itself out. Wise, wise words.

As you can imagine, I still remain a bit off this year and I have indeed realized it is because my brother is not with us anymore, but his spirit and wisdom lives on and inspires, and I feel certain this 6th installment is part of my healing. I believe we will all come out of this experience with an even stronger commitment to our mission. I now look forward to the work ahead, the new discoveries we are sure to make and the plans we will make for our future, which in no small measure will be to honor our great friend.

That is all I can muster tonight. Will write again tomorrow.

Love to All,
The Team

So it turns out that we were up a bit later than expected last night and when my head hit the pillow I thought for certain I would be out in seconds. Unfortunately I could not turn off my mind, thinking about‎ the days behind us, the day ahead in Leogane and our coming return to the States. I did finally drift off, but the alarm rang too early for all of us.

Bleary-eyed, we trooped down for a delicious breakfast as usual and loaded up for one last voyage. We headed through the streets of Port au Prince, then Carrefour, then a short distance of more rural travel until we hit the outskirts of Leogane where we turned off the road and headed to the orphanage that was our destination for the day. As we rounded a curve in the gravel road a developed compound rose out of the cane fields. The wall was painted with Disney characters and the name, Foundation Eben-Ezer…clearly we had arrived. Read More

‎Last night turned out to be the warmest night in Jolivert and I found myself needing my little fan most of the night. I think I was tired enough that I slept well all night anyway. I think most of the team did so as well.

When we awoke this morning there were bags being packed and nets coming down….and definitely some regret that our time here had passed so quickly.‎ We soldiered on though and enjoyed a quick breakfast before one last trip down the hill to help Dr. Kaz (the Haitian doctor) with the morning patient load….we only had 90 minutes to help today as we were on a tight schedule to be on the road by noon. We needed to be back in Port au Prince before dark.  Read More