It's Tuesday night and I'm finally able to update this blog, at least a little. The internet has been "spotty", as has the water, the a/c and the electricity. It's one of those things that you hate to complain about when those we serve have no water other than from the river, and no electricity, except from what the sun provides.

In my first post, I described how our American team members were all Haiti veterans. We all looked forward to reconnecting with our usual translators, and other Haitian team members. We knew that Dr. Emmanuel Bastien, our Haitian dentist was working with another team. It never dawned on us, however, that this might mean that other Haitian "regulars" were not working with us either. One by one on Saturday, we had three of  our usual translators come to tell us that they were working with this other team, which  I won't name here. We did not blame them, however, as  the other team needed them for five days, and we only needed  them for three.

Then, our nurse Evens told us he could only work one-half day one day, and our doctor Rudi told us he could only work one-half day on one day, and not at all tomorrow. Good grief! Then,  Sunday night we  discovered from  Rudi that Laguerre was "stuck  in the DR": and could not be with us our our optometrist. So, we have had Guerino,  someone Laguerre knows,  as our optometrist and  one of Rudy's classmates is coming to work with us tomorrow. It  has been fun getting to know the  other translators  and the other new staff, including Dr. Frantz Codio's wife Shareen, another new team member. We even had Dr. Frantz Large, an opthomologist,  join us for clinic on Monday at Collin. We are the epitome of flexibility!

Unfortunately, the father of one of our team members, Ward, passed away and Ward left yesterday to go back to Minneapolis, before flying to California, where the funeral will be held. Please hold Ward and his family in your prayers.

We had a successful day at Collin yesterday. It was very hot, more than 100 in the clinic area according to one of team members' thermometer. Today it was somewhat cooler up in Jasmin. It always seems better up there to me as there is more space, more air, and the pharmacy is not isolated from the rest of the team.

I love to reconnect with everyone at Collin and at Jasmin. The LaBordes are always so gracious, serving us lunch in Collin, and we have decided that Elise, the wife of the lay leader, is the best clinic organizer in Jasmin. She runs a tight ship, which keeps everyone moving.

A couple hilarious things have happened. Today, our new young optometrist came to me and told me that many patients don't like the  Lions Club glasses we have to offer, as they are too big. Then, later he brought an older woman to me. He said "this old lady does not want the glasses I have. She says she is young and wants cutie glasses like you have!" I told her I had to keep my glasses, so I could read in the clinic. She seemed disappointed that I would not give up my cutie glasses, but seemed to be understanding.

Then, today, another older woman at the very end of the day insisted that she had given us her patient record in the pharmacy. There was no point in arguing with  her, so I suggested  that we take her to the same doctor that had seen her.  I asked if the doctor was a man  or a woman. She said, "He is black!". Well, that eliminated one out of four. So, I tried again, and she told me that he was a big black man. The led us to Rudy, and we were right. Rudy had a good laugh about this tonight.

My little friend Sofini came to clinic today. I  gave her a photo I  had taken last year of us together. She and her mom were so excited! Then, she helped me in the pharmacy for awhile. Then, the woman whom I talked  with last fall about the crocheted skirts came. She made 10 of them for me. They are so cute! I hope I am able to sell them. If you'd like one for a little girl, contact me!

The internet is too slow and I am too impatient to post photos tonight. I'll do that when I have a faster connection.

It's Friday night and we are relaxing after dinner. Dianne keeps wanting us to work,  but so far  we are just sitting. The trip here was amazing. My Delta flight was incredible - direct  from Atlanta in 2.5 hours. What a difference from fighting through the Miami airport. Unfortunately, the Minnesota and Iowa contingent had to  leave at 5:30 and slog through the Miami airport.

We arrived in Port  au Prince within minutes of each  other and were met by Sikhumbuzo  Vundla, the COO of the Diocese and my hero. He arranged for us to wait in  the VIP Lounge in the air conditioning while someone found our bags. Then we were transported to Leogane in the pickup and in the Land Cruiser. The bags went in the Dihatsu. What luxury!

Dinner was fabulous; the fans and the a/c are working. All is right in  the world.

Sample room 

VIP Lounge

Dianne has guilted  people into unpacking the meds. So, off I go!

I am writing this as I am flying back from my business trip to California. It's time to start thinking about the week ahead, including leaving for Haiti on Friday. I  had the opportunity to visit Grace Cathedral while in San Francisco. For me, Grace is one of God's thin places. Walking the labyrinth is a sacred exercise. Going to Haiti is a  similar sacred journey for me.

I have been reflecting on the name we chose many years ago for our group, this blog, and now our non-profit in the making. Haiti Companions. I just looked at the dictionary for the definition of "companion". A companion is one who walks with or partners with another. A companion is a friend. We hope that we are establishing a relationship and a friendship with those that we serve and those with whom we work in Haiti. Because of the economic inequalities, the extreme differences in our life experiences,  and the language barriers, I sometimes wonder about this.

I am  confident, however, that the Americans on our team are companions for  one another. We are there to support each other as we prepare for our journey, during our trip, and then after as we  re-enter the excesses in the US. This trip, everyone on our American team has traveled to Haiti at  least once with us, and some have been with us many times. As in the past, we come from  around  the US, with various backgrounds, reasons for the journey, and goals for ourselves and our team. So, let me introduce the American members of our team to you:
Dr. Dianne Pizey, medical director and pediatrician extraordinaire - St. John's, Minneapolis
Dick Anderson, ace photographer and fabulous pharmacy worker - St. John's, Minneapolis
Rev. Ward Bauman, another fabulous pharmacy worker and director of the House of Prayer, MN
Cynthia Miller, RN, nurse,  pain therapist, acupuncturist, public health student, recorder of our patients' stories, pharmacy worker in a pinch - Minneapolis, MN
Darrell Martin, RN, nurse and Cynthia's companion in life, aka her husband
Terry Shively, DDS, dental director and  restorer of teeth and dental health - Spencer, Iowa
Stevie Shively, Terry's dental assistant and life companion, retired teacher - Spencer, Iowa
Jane Weist, Terry's other dental assistant - Spencer, Iowa
and me
Terry Franzen, lawyer, blogger,  and pharmacy worker - Christ Church, Norcross, GA

I hope that the Haitian members of our team view us as friends and colleagues. We certainly think of them in this way. We have worked with many of the Haitians for several years now. We have heard about and, in some cases, have met their children and spouses or girlfriends.   In a small way, we try to share their stories, and ask that they share ours. So, let me introduce them to you.
Pere Kerwin Delicat, our priest who serves 7 churches, Arch Deacon for the western and southern provinces of the  Episcopal Diocese of Haiti - Leogane and Port au Prince, Haiti
Rudolph Richeme, MD, orthopedic surgeon, Port au Prince
Myrline Richeme, RN, nurse and Rudolph's life companion, Port au Prince
Frantz Codio, MD, internist, Gressier
Charenne Codio, MD, internist (I think), our newest team member, Frantz's life companion, Gressier
Evens Joicin, RN, nurse, clinical director for FSIL (the  Episcopal Nursing School) provider of monthly follow up care for our patients, Leogane
Laguerre Guerry, optometrist, somewhere close to the border of the Dominican Republic
Valery and his team of translators (we won't know the team until we arrive), Leogane
FSIL Nursing Students whom we won't know until we arrive, Leogane
Maxo, lay leader at St. Joseph's, Jasmin
Elise, Maxo's life companion, clinic organizer, Jasmin
Joseph  LaBorde, lay leader at St. Phillippe and St. Jacques, Colin
Madame LaBorde, Joseph's life companion and amazing cook, Colin
Janine and her team at the guesthouse, cooks, housekeepers, shoppers, mousers, porters, and drivers  Leogane
Zo Cherie, driver to Jacmel, Port au Prince

And finally,
David Paige and Dr. Bob Sloane, the US guesthouse and team managers who facilitate our trips from afar.

I am sure there are some I have left out which I will try to make up for in later posts.

We could not make this trip without the donations of money for drugs, supplies and Haitian salaries, vitamins and other supplies, knitted and stitched dolls and bears, cloth bags for our patients' drugs, eye glasses, the hard work of so many who participate in fundraising for Haiti  Companions, and your prayers. Thanks to all of you who have contributed.

And to the One who makes all things possible.


Terry