September 2020
Dear friends and family,
Here’s a brief summary of our time in Haiti. We saw 350 patients in the medical clinic, and Dr. Nixon saw at least 120 dental patients. A woman with the very large thyroid mass is going for surgery next week. Two men with hernias want to get surgery, and there are others with similar needs.
There is a woman with neurofibromatosis. I removed 3 of the neurofibromas that bothered her the most, on her hand, arm, and back. Time did not allow for more, but I plan to remove many more the next trip. Dr. Joseph is going to come to the clinic one day a week, so she will provide much needed continuity of care.
At the end of 2 very busy weeks, I got a bad case of gastroenteritis and a fever. I was supposed to fly home the next morning, but I was too sick to go. Maman Pierre gathered everyone in the house. They prayed, sang, and quoted psalms from memory, for an hour and a half. Finally I started to feel a little better. I went to bed, and woke up the next morning completely well, thank God!
After driving through Port-au-Prince, we arrive at Bellevue Mountain.
The Emmaus School. We are using some of the classrooms for the clinic.
Patients waiting, Dr. Paulimé in the foreground.
Nurse Kettia with school children.
Dr. Joseph, nurses, patients, and Pastor Guito in the clinic.
Dr. Nixon Jean-Baptiste brought equipment from his office for cleaning, drilling, filling, and pulling teeth. Most people here have never been to a real dentist. He has been very busy!
Trying on reading glasses
Lunch at Pastor Guito’s house. Louna, on the left is a nurse, and also teaches at the church and school. Derlande, center, cooks great meals for us. Kettia the nurse, and Dr. Paulimé on the right.
The clinic crew
Dr. Nixon’s amazing “before and after” pictures!
Dr. Joseph with a patient
Nurse Manouschka and boys at the clinic
Farmers working hard
Jacklin helping out around the house
Louna on her way to nursing school
People going places
Picking avocados
Loristene with the family cow
Pastor Ileus Pierre’s house, where I stay
Pastor Guito and me with the boys
With “Maman” and “Papa” Pierre, the founders of the Bellevue Mountain Church.
Church Sunday morning
One last thing:
Please consider sponsoring one of the children. It pays their teachers’ salary, and provides a meal every day. The sponsorship program is run by a Canadian church, who built the school.
Thank you!
