And the change goes on.....

It's 6:50 am, Tuesday morning, or is it 5:50am? Haiti has never changed to daylight savings time, but Sunday, President Martelly decreed that this year will be different. Bob and Robin at the guesthouse decided we'd see what the Digicel phone system did. Well, it didn't, until yesterday sometime before we returned to the guesthouse. Of course, Alex's phone (Digicel) did change Sunday, but Robin and Bob's (also Digicel) did not. Somehow it knows whether the owner is Haitian or American? In any event today we are all on daylight savings time, and it was awfully dark when the alarm went off this morning! I suspect that the farmers are still sleeping with the sun.

Sunday and Monday were long, but wonderful days. We attended church Sunday at St. Phillippe and St. Jacques. Of course, the truck would not start, so we all (almost) piled into Kerwin's van. Jessica and Callan sat in the "way back" cross legged. Bob, our Jewish companion, agreed to stay behind, and then we were off. The service was similar to those in the past. The timoun of St. P and St. J school sang for us during the offering. Harry Laborde, the lay leader's son, plays the keyboard and sings beautifully. His brother, Eli, also has an amazing voice. They started the song, and then the children joined it. It was extremely moving, so much so that Dianne and I ended up in tears - another thin place.

As in the past, Madame Laborde prepared a wonderful lunch for us. Then, we headed back for an afternoon and evening of med preparation.

Monday, miraculously, the truck started. It's amazing what a rock and hammer can do for a battery! Our nursing students and Haitian RN, and all the translators were waiting for us when we went downstairs, another first! Of course, that was one of those Martelly time things, I think.

Our first clinic at St. P and St. J was very successful. We were set up across the street at the Laborde's home. There is now a courtyard (post quake developement) as they rebuilt their homes in a different configuration. The dentists set up, one on the first porch, and one in the yard under a tarp. They saw about 68 people, I think. Terry restored teeth and Emmanuel pulled those that could not be restored.

Our docs set up at 4 stations in the courtyard, the pharmacy was inside the house where we ate on Sunday, with Peterson at the door to distribute the drugs. The eyeglass station were set up by pharmacy and was ably manned by Jessica and Callan throughout the day. Triage was sort of in the front of the courtyard and lab was beside the pharmacy. Cynthia supervised triage and lab. Either Callan or Jessica ran the lab, and then rotated into the pharmacy. Elsie, our Haitian RN, whose English is relatively decent, worked with me in the pharmacy. Elsie would help Peterson with the explanations whenever he got backed up. This resulted in us staying caught up most of the day. This is probably more than those of you who have not worked in the pharmacy would like to know, but those pharmacy workers can appreciate this improvement!

The courtyard was covered by a large tarp, so it was really pleasant for our waiting patients and the workers. Another improvement! Of course, it will probably never be set up this was again.
Our clinic day starts with Kerwin leading everyone in the Doxology and then the Lord's Prayer, followed by a personal prayer. Those of us whose Creole is not the best, can follow the familar rhythm of the song and the Lord's Prayer and sing or speak in English. This creates an amazing sense of unity with those that we are here to serve. I had the distinct feeling of God in our midst, surrounding us with love. Yet, another thin place.

Au revior, Terry