I have been making short-term medical mission trips to Haiti since 2010. My first two trips to Haiti were with Samaritan’s Purse, to work in their clinic, and then at the cholera hospital.

Recently, I joined some friends who have been working in Bellevue la Montagne, about two hours south of Port au Prince.

The people in Bellevue Mountain cultivate small plots of land, and raise a few animals. There is no electricity or water in their homes. The closest medical facility is the Baptist Haiti Mission Hospital, about 1 hour away by motorcycle. The roads are not paved, and almost no one in this area owns a car.

We have been working on various projects, such as building a school, getting clean water, and my part, which is medical care.

To get ready for the trip to Haiti, I buy medications at reduced prices, through organizations like MAP International, and also some donated medications. I fill two suitcases, and check them as luggage. I set up in the church, and see as many patients as I can. Patients arrive in the morning, get a number, and wait, sometimes all day.

Common problems in adults are hypertension, and vision and dental problems. Many children have scabies and intestinal parasites. I always bring plenty of deworming medicine and vitamins. Sometimes there are more serious problems that require surgery. These can be referred to the hospital, and we help with the cost.

We work closely with the pastor of the local church, Guito Pierre. He grew up Bellevue. His family could not send him to school, but when he was 18 yrs old, he realized that the only way out of poverty was through education, so he began walking to a school two hours from his home. He eventually moved to the US, but several years ago, he moved back to Bellevue Mountain, in order to help that community. He started a school where the local people can send their children.

In the future, we want to build a clinic and hire a Haitian doctor.

Another important long-term goal is to find ways to develop the local economy, possibly through growing coffee, or starting a bakery.

March 2013

October 2013