Greetings to all: our children, family, friends near and far. We hope your holidays were warm, and filled with dreams for a brighter future for all.
We returned home last night after midnight. It was very cold, but the roads were dry and the night crisp so the drive home was fast. This morning we woke up to the snow we had been dreaming of. What treat!!! That silent softness, that super clean sensation never ceases to bring joy from my head to my toes.
Carl was on call on Christmas eve and all of Christmas day, had clinic the entire next day (with many very sick kids, including the worst malnourished child he had yet seen) and that finished it up. Both the medical director and a Haitian physician were able to go home because of Carl's presence. Although it was a bit rough on us (psychologically) that was good to know.
Sander had met a lovely young lady from Germany who spends her life in developing countries with community health issues. They had a blast and it was nice to see them enjoying the many (and some daring) adventures together. Alas....the world is a big place.
I was just upset. Neither the hospital personnel nor Carl had wanted to tell me that my October project (the PlumpyNut malnutrition program with UNICEF) had fallen flat on its face the beginning of December. The physician (barely out of school and very irresponsible) I stayed with - the same who took the credit for the program, let the contract expire and now there is NO PlumpyNut or any of the other four high-nutrition foods available. We're not just talking about the food, so critically needed, not being avilable, but also about costing the hospital well over $100 000 a year when they will eventually have to purchase it (equivalent) again. I am aghast. I am infuriated. I am deeply disturbed by the lack of commitment by so many there. It is really at the core of so many of the problems whether we are talking about medicine, education, government or job security. It all feels so hopeless. I never thought I would have a ball in my stomach at the thought of going back - but right now I do. It likely won't last...
For now I will try to create a storm with the Melon Grant Foundation so they know what should have been done - and the ball will be in their court. Sad and mad equally.
But our journey ended on beautiful tones and shades.
Carl and I went to Jacmel, an artist community on the south coast, for our 38th wedding anniversary. We stayed in little hotel right on the water (above it, really) which was situated on a beautiful cove. We swam and ate and had rhum and whatever else they added, swam, ate, slept, read...it was wonderful. It was only for 1.5 days and 2 nights, but felt like an eternity .
Sander had gone to spend some time with Mareila, in Port au Orince, but they decided to go to Jacmel as well (before we decided on it). We thought we'd all avoid each other. However...it turned out that they were staying on the edge of the same cove (14 km out of town) and within walking distance of our hotel. That was very funny. They came to have dinner with us and they led us, in the dark, to the unfinished house they were camping in. A beautiful, conch-shell studded place. The lady of the house, Polyanna, was waiting for us with wine, candles and a huge cake! It was so wonderful and special. Slightly tanned we are now home again, with stories of lost and returned dogs, snow to be shovveled and gifts from our children waiting for us under the tree.
It was another trip filled with special times and blessings, although a sour note near the end.
One that hurts.
All our love to all of you and with wishes for al the best in a very hopeful (USA) year to come and with everlasting thoughts of peace.
I'll ask Sander and Carl to post some of their WOW-DERFUL pictures laster this weekend.
Marianne
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Another day
Greetings,
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was WEIRD and LONESOME, although it was great to talk to each one of the kids, and nice that Jean, Gladys and the brothers (of Gladys) were here. But everyone just kind-of sat there. There was no music, no ornaments or anything jolly, the maids refused to go home to their families etc. JUST WEIRD. I will definitely be home for Christmas next year. And the next. And..etc
So, with these blues in mind, I sit here and count the days to come home. Most everyone in the hospital has been sent home and the ´crew´ is down to the absolute minimum. There is truly nothing to do and that is just not my style. Carl is working today and has clinic, but even there few have shown up. Sander went, to his delight, into the mountains (again) with the security guard whom he befriended. His name is Wilson (many people here have last names for first names, like DeLaRose) and he is one of the personal guards of Preval. He checks out all places (now the hospital) for security and Sander has had a great deal of fun going into the mountains with Wilson. Wilson totes two impressive-looking guns but I have grown accustomed to it.
For the five of us: Carl, Sander, Philip (another MD volunteer), Wilson and myself we have three or four maids. OK: I prefer ¨Femmes de Maison¨. Not so derogatory. They appear before sunup, around 5:30 am, and leave after dark at 6pm. They wash all the floors and all surfaces, do all our laundry by hand, cook 3 meals for us all, go to the market twice a day (5 min walk ), rearrange the furniture to perfection and kill the chickens. They are and function like a family. Laughter is everywhere and they yack like everyone else. I love them.
I look how busy they all are, and wonder why housewives in other countries, also raising their kids, running them around and often have a full-time job, do it. Weŕe totally NUTS. And we have 530 000 people out of work. We either should lead a more peaceful life or use more of our money to give others an honerable job.
The turnside is that I HATE having people around me all day long. In addition I am not alowed to do anything. It is a mix between them enjoying to spoil me (we get along very well and laugh much while they improve my Kreyol) and me being in their way in their territory. I understand that. But I am bored to pieces.
OK. Enough grumping. Just not used to it and my cough is not improving.
Can wait to get home and stay home for a while. It´s not so bad to need peace.
We´d like to go to a beach resort for 1 or 2 nights, but the all, so far, appear to be full. (Our anniversary). Sander is planning to go to Port au Prince, or even to Jacmel on the south coast, with a (very nice) girl from Germany he met here...
She works for Community Health in PaP and the Dominican Republic.
See you all soon: home the evening of the 30th and hoping for snow the following day!
Much love, Marianne
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was WEIRD and LONESOME, although it was great to talk to each one of the kids, and nice that Jean, Gladys and the brothers (of Gladys) were here. But everyone just kind-of sat there. There was no music, no ornaments or anything jolly, the maids refused to go home to their families etc. JUST WEIRD. I will definitely be home for Christmas next year. And the next. And..etc
So, with these blues in mind, I sit here and count the days to come home. Most everyone in the hospital has been sent home and the ´crew´ is down to the absolute minimum. There is truly nothing to do and that is just not my style. Carl is working today and has clinic, but even there few have shown up. Sander went, to his delight, into the mountains (again) with the security guard whom he befriended. His name is Wilson (many people here have last names for first names, like DeLaRose) and he is one of the personal guards of Preval. He checks out all places (now the hospital) for security and Sander has had a great deal of fun going into the mountains with Wilson. Wilson totes two impressive-looking guns but I have grown accustomed to it.
For the five of us: Carl, Sander, Philip (another MD volunteer), Wilson and myself we have three or four maids. OK: I prefer ¨Femmes de Maison¨. Not so derogatory. They appear before sunup, around 5:30 am, and leave after dark at 6pm. They wash all the floors and all surfaces, do all our laundry by hand, cook 3 meals for us all, go to the market twice a day (5 min walk ), rearrange the furniture to perfection and kill the chickens. They are and function like a family. Laughter is everywhere and they yack like everyone else. I love them.
I look how busy they all are, and wonder why housewives in other countries, also raising their kids, running them around and often have a full-time job, do it. Weŕe totally NUTS. And we have 530 000 people out of work. We either should lead a more peaceful life or use more of our money to give others an honerable job.
The turnside is that I HATE having people around me all day long. In addition I am not alowed to do anything. It is a mix between them enjoying to spoil me (we get along very well and laugh much while they improve my Kreyol) and me being in their way in their territory. I understand that. But I am bored to pieces.
OK. Enough grumping. Just not used to it and my cough is not improving.
Can wait to get home and stay home for a while. It´s not so bad to need peace.
We´d like to go to a beach resort for 1 or 2 nights, but the all, so far, appear to be full. (Our anniversary). Sander is planning to go to Port au Prince, or even to Jacmel on the south coast, with a (very nice) girl from Germany he met here...
She works for Community Health in PaP and the Dominican Republic.
See you all soon: home the evening of the 30th and hoping for snow the following day!
Much love, Marianne
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Pre-Christmas in Haiti
Hello family and friends,
It is hard to imagine snow, warm fires, hot chocolate and packages under the tree. Itś nice to be here and the only justification to pick this particular time is that the hospitalś director and his wife are now able to spend Christmas with their family in Switzerland. This man deserves it! But not being home is tough today.
Carl was on call last night and had a strange experience. A woman went in labor and they had to do a c-section because things were not progressing. When they opened her up, they found a tumor almost the size (and shape) of a football! It was obstructing the baby and it had to be cut out first. The baby is ok, but it was close! Later that night a mother went into labor at 30 weeks. The baby died and everyone was upset and sad. Had the baby been born in the USA it would have been flown to the neonatal unit in Scranton and been fine. Here we just don´t have even the simplest equipment (ventilator, for example) and thatś it.
On the other hand healthy twins were born after that.
Many of these women come from the mountains when or slose to the time that they are in labor. They are strapped to a chair which is attached to two long poles and they are, on the shoulders of the father and another family member, carried down the mountains. These trips can take hours. Their offspring is their social security (not much more secure than what we have) and they have to protect it with all possible.
Sander went on a tough trip today. He is going out in a jeep with a driver, a pistoled guard, a doctor and an assistant, to the mountainous village Bastien. A bastion indeed it is. Almost impossible to get to, including for horses and donkeys, the men climb up the steep slope for about 2 hours. Everything is hand-carried since indeed no beasts can make it either up or down. It will be another great experience for him.
Last night he went to a ¨club"with one of his buddies here. When Carl and I go to the beach resort for our last 2 days, he is going to a friend in Port au Prince. He certainly spent his time well.
I am waiting for Gladys, her 3 brothers and my Jean to arrive. They are spending 2 days with us and we enjoyed getting some presents organised and meals planned. The house ladies are frowning a bit over it all...
Carl has carved two spoons for her as Christmas gifts. She is crazy about Sander, but especially about her ¨Papie¨. So good to add something to someoneś life...so many have to mine!
Ie been overly tired the last 2 days and ended up sleeping quite a lot. I really am missing home this time. Hearoing that Leonardo has run off, and not found back, is something I don´t even want to think about.
All our love to everyone and, if I don´t get to write: a marvelous Christmas eve and Christmas day.
Much love, Marianne
It is hard to imagine snow, warm fires, hot chocolate and packages under the tree. Itś nice to be here and the only justification to pick this particular time is that the hospitalś director and his wife are now able to spend Christmas with their family in Switzerland. This man deserves it! But not being home is tough today.
Carl was on call last night and had a strange experience. A woman went in labor and they had to do a c-section because things were not progressing. When they opened her up, they found a tumor almost the size (and shape) of a football! It was obstructing the baby and it had to be cut out first. The baby is ok, but it was close! Later that night a mother went into labor at 30 weeks. The baby died and everyone was upset and sad. Had the baby been born in the USA it would have been flown to the neonatal unit in Scranton and been fine. Here we just don´t have even the simplest equipment (ventilator, for example) and thatś it.
On the other hand healthy twins were born after that.
Many of these women come from the mountains when or slose to the time that they are in labor. They are strapped to a chair which is attached to two long poles and they are, on the shoulders of the father and another family member, carried down the mountains. These trips can take hours. Their offspring is their social security (not much more secure than what we have) and they have to protect it with all possible.
Sander went on a tough trip today. He is going out in a jeep with a driver, a pistoled guard, a doctor and an assistant, to the mountainous village Bastien. A bastion indeed it is. Almost impossible to get to, including for horses and donkeys, the men climb up the steep slope for about 2 hours. Everything is hand-carried since indeed no beasts can make it either up or down. It will be another great experience for him.
Last night he went to a ¨club"with one of his buddies here. When Carl and I go to the beach resort for our last 2 days, he is going to a friend in Port au Prince. He certainly spent his time well.
I am waiting for Gladys, her 3 brothers and my Jean to arrive. They are spending 2 days with us and we enjoyed getting some presents organised and meals planned. The house ladies are frowning a bit over it all...
Carl has carved two spoons for her as Christmas gifts. She is crazy about Sander, but especially about her ¨Papie¨. So good to add something to someoneś life...so many have to mine!
Ie been overly tired the last 2 days and ended up sleeping quite a lot. I really am missing home this time. Hearoing that Leonardo has run off, and not found back, is something I don´t even want to think about.
All our love to everyone and, if I don´t get to write: a marvelous Christmas eve and Christmas day.
Much love, Marianne
Monday, December 22, 2008
Greetings, on this fine, sunny day. A bit on the warm side, which seems to have sprouted palm trees on every inch. Amazing. No snow or other pleasant things. I would never enjoy a world without seasons, as I had already discovered in New Orleans.
The chickens and rooster were above me in the trees again this morning. The chickens are after the bugs in the bromeliads and, well, the roosters are after the chickens.
Yesterday we slung the Christmas lights across the windows and took a taxi/moto ride out to the orphanage to borrow cookie sheets. Had a great visit!
When I was there a year ago, a girl, about 5 years old, had been left on the doorstep of the orphanage school at the busy time of 180 kids coming in. Nobody noticed her. She was propped up against a pillar and had, amazingly, not fallen over. She couldn´t focus, didn´t talk and had no muscle tone. They called her TiFi (little girl) and did´nt know what to do with this mysterious appearance. Abandoning was not an option: the community can do that, but not a ´blan´ There would be a riot and lives in danger.
So they kept her. Tifi had to be diapered, fed and there was seemingly no hope. I had a Christmas [picture of her last yea, sagging on a chair with a huge rag doll that had more posture than she did.
When I saw her yesterday I almost fainted. She is WALKING when holding a hand, (even up the steps) says Mama to Karen and gives endless hugs. What a little miracle! I know an orphanage in Port au Prince that specifically takes such children and I am going to find it back. Karen cannot keep TiFi - she takes too much attendtion they don´t have special services for her. In the mean time I am going to try and see whether we can´t find a physical therapy or art or music whatever therapy student who could come over there this summer as part of an internship or volunteer work. There is so much to be done and such a great and loving experience. My kids definitely have competition here from the children of Haiti when it comes to affectionate hugs!
Sander has climbed the water tower twice now, with the aid of a harness and carabiners. He has befriended a very nice young lady from Germany, who works in Port au Prince in Social Services. They had 2 really nice days together and she loved going up the watertower with Sander when he went up the second time.
Carl and I are making reservations for a wonderful beach resort here, Indigo Beach, where we will spend 2 nights (38th anniversary) before returning home. White sand, great drinks and dinners, snorkeling and all that stuff. Itś just about mid-point between here and PaP. Perfect.
Today Sander has gone around trying to take unposed pictures, which is almost impossible. In the first place you cannot take real candid shots because you have to ask everyone for permission (still much superstition), and in the 2nd place the people are ¨spoiled"by the fact that Sander had on-the-spot prints. Now everyone wants them. We have explained that 1) there are no more prints (not true) - maybe later (true) and 2) that pictures now have to be taken for the hospital book and has to show people working. So they make a great show of working. One guy practically danced as he painted the walls. Very funny.
Sander succeded in getting great shots of most departments.
Last night Carl and I went to the market to buy somew rhum. The price is rediculously low for some of the best in the world. Smoooooth...
I was short 500 goud (about 10$ Haitian = 1.20c US) and promised to bring it today (their suggestion to take the rhum anyway...it is pretty hard for us to run away...we sort of stand out in a crowd) This morning I did and with a glorious smile handed her the 500 bill, all dirty and crumbled as they all are. She looked at it carefully, straightened it out, looked again and handed it back to me. I thought that was very kind, but insisted that she keep it. She called in the troups, who explained to me it was fake money. Sure enough: it was a 500-whatever bill left from Kyrgyzstan! Another trip to the market will be made later today.
Gladys and the 4 boys will be coming Wednesday and spend Christmas with us. Yesterday, after much searching for the right ingredients, I made a run of 10 typical Milks Christmas loaves and they came out OK. Today I will make the 2nd batch and Carl can give them to his staff. I ordered a dozen eggs from the house lady (brought mayo and had 2 pkts of McD mustard) to make 24 deviled eggs. Also found a tiny piece of (old??) brie in PaP and brought crackers so the staff will have an extremely luxirious Christmas party at our Alumni House, with the wine we brought! The other options are rum or coke or rhum and coke or coke and rhum. We all look forward mto it!
OK. Enough. As you can see I don´t really have miuch to tell today.
Much love to everyone, thank you thone who wrote emails, thank you Jet and Bob for the party picture!
Hugs, Sander, Carl and Marianne
The chickens and rooster were above me in the trees again this morning. The chickens are after the bugs in the bromeliads and, well, the roosters are after the chickens.
Yesterday we slung the Christmas lights across the windows and took a taxi/moto ride out to the orphanage to borrow cookie sheets. Had a great visit!
When I was there a year ago, a girl, about 5 years old, had been left on the doorstep of the orphanage school at the busy time of 180 kids coming in. Nobody noticed her. She was propped up against a pillar and had, amazingly, not fallen over. She couldn´t focus, didn´t talk and had no muscle tone. They called her TiFi (little girl) and did´nt know what to do with this mysterious appearance. Abandoning was not an option: the community can do that, but not a ´blan´ There would be a riot and lives in danger.
So they kept her. Tifi had to be diapered, fed and there was seemingly no hope. I had a Christmas [picture of her last yea, sagging on a chair with a huge rag doll that had more posture than she did.
When I saw her yesterday I almost fainted. She is WALKING when holding a hand, (even up the steps) says Mama to Karen and gives endless hugs. What a little miracle! I know an orphanage in Port au Prince that specifically takes such children and I am going to find it back. Karen cannot keep TiFi - she takes too much attendtion they don´t have special services for her. In the mean time I am going to try and see whether we can´t find a physical therapy or art or music whatever therapy student who could come over there this summer as part of an internship or volunteer work. There is so much to be done and such a great and loving experience. My kids definitely have competition here from the children of Haiti when it comes to affectionate hugs!
Sander has climbed the water tower twice now, with the aid of a harness and carabiners. He has befriended a very nice young lady from Germany, who works in Port au Prince in Social Services. They had 2 really nice days together and she loved going up the watertower with Sander when he went up the second time.
Carl and I are making reservations for a wonderful beach resort here, Indigo Beach, where we will spend 2 nights (38th anniversary) before returning home. White sand, great drinks and dinners, snorkeling and all that stuff. Itś just about mid-point between here and PaP. Perfect.
Today Sander has gone around trying to take unposed pictures, which is almost impossible. In the first place you cannot take real candid shots because you have to ask everyone for permission (still much superstition), and in the 2nd place the people are ¨spoiled"by the fact that Sander had on-the-spot prints. Now everyone wants them. We have explained that 1) there are no more prints (not true) - maybe later (true) and 2) that pictures now have to be taken for the hospital book and has to show people working. So they make a great show of working. One guy practically danced as he painted the walls. Very funny.
Sander succeded in getting great shots of most departments.
Last night Carl and I went to the market to buy somew rhum. The price is rediculously low for some of the best in the world. Smoooooth...
I was short 500 goud (about 10$ Haitian = 1.20c US) and promised to bring it today (their suggestion to take the rhum anyway...it is pretty hard for us to run away...we sort of stand out in a crowd) This morning I did and with a glorious smile handed her the 500 bill, all dirty and crumbled as they all are. She looked at it carefully, straightened it out, looked again and handed it back to me. I thought that was very kind, but insisted that she keep it. She called in the troups, who explained to me it was fake money. Sure enough: it was a 500-whatever bill left from Kyrgyzstan! Another trip to the market will be made later today.
Gladys and the 4 boys will be coming Wednesday and spend Christmas with us. Yesterday, after much searching for the right ingredients, I made a run of 10 typical Milks Christmas loaves and they came out OK. Today I will make the 2nd batch and Carl can give them to his staff. I ordered a dozen eggs from the house lady (brought mayo and had 2 pkts of McD mustard) to make 24 deviled eggs. Also found a tiny piece of (old??) brie in PaP and brought crackers so the staff will have an extremely luxirious Christmas party at our Alumni House, with the wine we brought! The other options are rum or coke or rhum and coke or coke and rhum. We all look forward mto it!
OK. Enough. As you can see I don´t really have miuch to tell today.
Much love to everyone, thank you thone who wrote emails, thank you Jet and Bob for the party picture!
Hugs, Sander, Carl and Marianne
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Saturday, December something, 2008 (I think)
Good day, everyone.
Apologies for the errors yesterday but 1) this comp is, as mentioned, a dinausaur and 2) doesn like to share apostrophes, spare t-s or some numbers.
Rugs, for example., are priced from $150-$200, not starting at $10.
So. I am feeling so much better this morning, after a night where I tought I had given my last breath in a severe asthma attack. Good thing Carl was there. It seems like I got rid of most of what was plaguing me, so thatś a relief to all. Not much fun.
Sanderś climb was wonderful, and so were the pictures he brought back. The staff is delighted and some will undoubtedly be used for some sort of publication since is shows the hospital and some outlying buildings clearly. There are so many - and some huge - trees here that several buildings are completely hidden from view.
Sander had to use a harness and carabiners to get up the tower, and now Carl wants to go as well. More power to them! Jimmy, the head engineer, is a wonderful oddball (as I said yesterday: most here are) who told us that engineer and ingeneous come hand in hand here. If a car breaks down and cannot be repaired right there, a bunch of guys come, lift up the car and carry it back to the hospital. Most parts needed are just made from whatever materials lay around, or taken and reshaped from old vehicles. Nothing is thrown away and nothing is taken for granted. In the mean time the bouganville and hibiscus bloom overhead, reminding you that all takes time.
When we were on our way from the airport to the hospital, the tyerod of the car broke. We didn´t tumble into the river, so all was well. We waited for a van from the hospital to pick us up. By then it was completely dark. The driver broke off a bunch of branches and laid them on the road ahead of us, toward the oncoming traffic, with a big rock placed on them. (Not to keep the branches there, but to discourage drivers to run over them amnd staying on our path). An ingenious substitue for a flare. We were on the way left side of the road, right past a curve and no shoulder - just a ravine. It was still a bit worrysome, but not too much. We all waited in the dark until a new van came, which carried a crew to do the impossible and take us to the hospital. Less than an hour later they followed us home, car in perfect condition. You do what you have to. No waiting until Wednesday two weeks from now, as in the local garage in Honesdale or elsewhere.
I have two new jobs. One is to translate Dr. Maibach´s brochure from a Swiss supporting organization (BSHASH) into real English. I have fun with that. The other is a never-ending job of updating the thousands of charts in the admissions office, where useless papers are rarely removed from bulging charts. It can be decades before it is done. Many times patients are dead anyway- two sheets of paper is enough for that chart.
That work by itself will keep me busy whenever I am not working in the ward, which I will continue tomorrow.
This afternoon Sander, Carl and I are hiring the services of Margerite, our former house lady. She is the mother of Marigite, the girl whośe schooling is now supprted by Tina. She will take us on the taptap to Verrettes, otherwise a 2 hr walk each way. And taptaps, though dangerous, are so much fun. We are going to buy farine (flour), zufs (eggs), dley (milk power), kanel (cinnamon) and..??.. (nutmeg) there. And that great rum for the holidays, of course. Tomorrow I will bake at least 20 Christmas breads and distribute them to the nurses on Monday. Should be fun. Since we are staying at Alumni House, we are lucky enough to be able to do that. It is the only house that has an oven and 24 hr light and water. A treat: a real cold shower instead of the daily bucket.
OK. Thatś enough for today. I am sure there will be something of substance to say tomorrow, since are going to a 3hr voodoo event tonight. And meeting the priestess some time this afternoon. I am very excited and am glad I asked. Even Carl wants to go!
By the way: I cannot make corrections here because I cannot really see print or screen. So itś by luck if it all makes sense.
Tata.
Love, Marianne
Apologies for the errors yesterday but 1) this comp is, as mentioned, a dinausaur and 2) doesn like to share apostrophes, spare t-s or some numbers.
Rugs, for example., are priced from $150-$200, not starting at $10.
So. I am feeling so much better this morning, after a night where I tought I had given my last breath in a severe asthma attack. Good thing Carl was there. It seems like I got rid of most of what was plaguing me, so thatś a relief to all. Not much fun.
Sanderś climb was wonderful, and so were the pictures he brought back. The staff is delighted and some will undoubtedly be used for some sort of publication since is shows the hospital and some outlying buildings clearly. There are so many - and some huge - trees here that several buildings are completely hidden from view.
Sander had to use a harness and carabiners to get up the tower, and now Carl wants to go as well. More power to them! Jimmy, the head engineer, is a wonderful oddball (as I said yesterday: most here are) who told us that engineer and ingeneous come hand in hand here. If a car breaks down and cannot be repaired right there, a bunch of guys come, lift up the car and carry it back to the hospital. Most parts needed are just made from whatever materials lay around, or taken and reshaped from old vehicles. Nothing is thrown away and nothing is taken for granted. In the mean time the bouganville and hibiscus bloom overhead, reminding you that all takes time.
When we were on our way from the airport to the hospital, the tyerod of the car broke. We didn´t tumble into the river, so all was well. We waited for a van from the hospital to pick us up. By then it was completely dark. The driver broke off a bunch of branches and laid them on the road ahead of us, toward the oncoming traffic, with a big rock placed on them. (Not to keep the branches there, but to discourage drivers to run over them amnd staying on our path). An ingenious substitue for a flare. We were on the way left side of the road, right past a curve and no shoulder - just a ravine. It was still a bit worrysome, but not too much. We all waited in the dark until a new van came, which carried a crew to do the impossible and take us to the hospital. Less than an hour later they followed us home, car in perfect condition. You do what you have to. No waiting until Wednesday two weeks from now, as in the local garage in Honesdale or elsewhere.
I have two new jobs. One is to translate Dr. Maibach´s brochure from a Swiss supporting organization (BSHASH) into real English. I have fun with that. The other is a never-ending job of updating the thousands of charts in the admissions office, where useless papers are rarely removed from bulging charts. It can be decades before it is done. Many times patients are dead anyway- two sheets of paper is enough for that chart.
That work by itself will keep me busy whenever I am not working in the ward, which I will continue tomorrow.
This afternoon Sander, Carl and I are hiring the services of Margerite, our former house lady. She is the mother of Marigite, the girl whośe schooling is now supprted by Tina. She will take us on the taptap to Verrettes, otherwise a 2 hr walk each way. And taptaps, though dangerous, are so much fun. We are going to buy farine (flour), zufs (eggs), dley (milk power), kanel (cinnamon) and..??.. (nutmeg) there. And that great rum for the holidays, of course. Tomorrow I will bake at least 20 Christmas breads and distribute them to the nurses on Monday. Should be fun. Since we are staying at Alumni House, we are lucky enough to be able to do that. It is the only house that has an oven and 24 hr light and water. A treat: a real cold shower instead of the daily bucket.
OK. Thatś enough for today. I am sure there will be something of substance to say tomorrow, since are going to a 3hr voodoo event tonight. And meeting the priestess some time this afternoon. I am very excited and am glad I asked. Even Carl wants to go!
By the way: I cannot make corrections here because I cannot really see print or screen. So itś by luck if it all makes sense.
Tata.
Love, Marianne
Friday, December 19, 2008
Haiti revisited- December 2008
Hello Friends,
Christmas time is distinctly differnet here, starting with little colored lights dangling from palmtrees and haphazardly slung across the hospital hallways. Balloons added, some items that have absolutely nothing to do with Christmas except for the festive atmosphere (paper chains) and there is a sense of expectation in the air in spite of the increase in certain diseases, as the time of year directs.
Itś good to be back here. One feels useful, yet enormously peaceful. People become friends so readily, especially when they find out that you don't hand out money. You are for real and they respect you. Itś not easy to do that with so much poverty.
The hospital itself is increasingly working like a smooth machine. What a difference with 3 years ago. The place is freshly painted. The guards at the entrance and exit do a precise job and are clearly proud of the fact they they, too are part of the machine. The Swiss director, a pediatrician, is tough and a stickler, and expects complete order and commitment from the most menial job to his own. There is a medical meeting every morning from 7am-8am and if you are 3 minutes late, you can get in and it is marked down. The presentations vary from medical/ patient information, technical issues (generator) to new regulations within a certain department. He is an elderly gentleman and reminds me of Albert Schweitzer himself. I like him very much. He is trying to find a replacement for him so he can go home and retire (his wife an anesthetic nurse, is here as well). But he wants someone better than he is, and preferably a Haitian.Quite a job!
Carl is in heaven doing what is he so good at. He has a translator with him at all times, a very friendly man who definitely speaks better Kreyol than English. But it works and he teaches Carl. Carl runs the out-patient pediatric clinic in the morning and works in the newborn nursery and peds the rest of the day. Which works at the typical peaceful speed with an hour + for lunch, little nap...etc.
Sander is having a blast. people are very excited to have him here, ex-patirates and Haitian alike. There is enormous cooperation and everyone knows that what he does is terribly important, especially the ¨guys up high¨. And he is good at what he does. He has made a ton of friends. These next days he is highlighting the technical parts of the hospital, the sides donors and other curious people never hear of. This morning he is going to the emptying of a well with the head engineer here. One huge guy will pull out the shaft and rapidly the crew takes over to pull out the rest. There is no equipment. No cranes, no tractors. It is done with stone and wood rollers, hard work, team work and ingenuity. And it works. Late afternoon he is going to climb the 60 ft water tower, to take pictures of the hospital and surrounding area when the light is lovely and the shadows are long. He is also going into the mountains later, which I have already done. I may go along, depending on how I feel.
Sander and I were reflecting upon the thought that the reason we love it here and feel we belong, is because everybody here, from medical staff to engineers and office technicians, are oddballs. Itś wonderful to be comfortable and have great conversations with people who don´t bat an eye at some outrageous way to solve a problem or present outlandish ideas. Because here they work. They need to.
It is cool now. People (Haitians) walk around with 2 sweaters on and complain. I am finally comfortable, although a blanket is definitely needed at night.
I came down with a flu-or-whatever before I left home (from Carl) and am sick and at times quite miserable. Nasty cough and hot/cold. So I have to stay away from the wards for now, particularly the malnutritian ward. I would make those kids, with their immune system so low, very sick. (And I could catch something we don want as well!) I was there the 1st day but became worse so now I have to sweat it out.
There is so much to do, however. With the Head of Nursing and another woman, we are wrapping over 500 packages with Christmas gifts for all the staff and the patients. Everyone receives on white towel, tightly rolled up, and a little ziplock baggy filled with colorful candies. Tie a little red ribbon around it and it looks cheerful and special. The other thing weŕe wrapping are more elaborate packages for the newborns and the littlest babies. They may contain little baby hats, receiving and other blankets, diapers and pins and at least one little outfit. Many of these itams came from Pennsylvania. Thank you, guys! It will make a gift they will always remember!
Yesterday I was VERY happy. There was an empty workshop for various arts here. I tried to get in 3 years a go but the woman who was the self-appointed boss would not let me. One elderly woman (A Mellon family member) took over (what could they say?)
2.5 years ago she bought a piece of land and hired people to plant cotton and harvest it. The new cotton was spun (each step required earning a certificate), the the cotton was dyed into wonderful colors and weaving looms (5) were imported to make rugs. They are wonderful. The price is $10 or $200 a piece, dependoing on the size and you can even request certain color combinations!
N4ext door is a woodworking shop. They scrounge the area for fallen oak and another native hardwood, which is further aged and turned into gorgeous furniture. The left-over pieces are used to make souvenirs (little boxes, for example). I had a problem with using the wood,, but felt better knowing that they never cut.
Next to the woodworking shop is the ceramics shop. They use (now) only molds and they make them themselves. The colors are lovely and there is a great variety of dishes. They sell very well. Weŕe talking about possible ways to decorate the dishes, to give them more of a Kreyol feeling.
That´s a summary of some of the things I have done. New things.
Tonight weŕe having dinner at the Maibachś house (med director) and I am bringing the wine. Am I ver glad I brought that big box over. Theyŕe delighted.
And sometime this weekend Sander and I, and I imagine Carl, will be taken to a 3 hr Voodoo ritual in the mountains by some of our new friends. Weŕe really excited about that.
OK-the machine here (a dinosaur) just informed me that this blog most likely will not be sent. That light just went out so off it goes. Having a great time here and feeling very, very useful.
Much love to you all, will write again when I have the chance.
Marianne
Emails and responses grate(ce)fully accepted.
Christmas time is distinctly differnet here, starting with little colored lights dangling from palmtrees and haphazardly slung across the hospital hallways. Balloons added, some items that have absolutely nothing to do with Christmas except for the festive atmosphere (paper chains) and there is a sense of expectation in the air in spite of the increase in certain diseases, as the time of year directs.
Itś good to be back here. One feels useful, yet enormously peaceful. People become friends so readily, especially when they find out that you don't hand out money. You are for real and they respect you. Itś not easy to do that with so much poverty.
The hospital itself is increasingly working like a smooth machine. What a difference with 3 years ago. The place is freshly painted. The guards at the entrance and exit do a precise job and are clearly proud of the fact they they, too are part of the machine. The Swiss director, a pediatrician, is tough and a stickler, and expects complete order and commitment from the most menial job to his own. There is a medical meeting every morning from 7am-8am and if you are 3 minutes late, you can get in and it is marked down. The presentations vary from medical/ patient information, technical issues (generator) to new regulations within a certain department. He is an elderly gentleman and reminds me of Albert Schweitzer himself. I like him very much. He is trying to find a replacement for him so he can go home and retire (his wife an anesthetic nurse, is here as well). But he wants someone better than he is, and preferably a Haitian.Quite a job!
Carl is in heaven doing what is he so good at. He has a translator with him at all times, a very friendly man who definitely speaks better Kreyol than English. But it works and he teaches Carl. Carl runs the out-patient pediatric clinic in the morning and works in the newborn nursery and peds the rest of the day. Which works at the typical peaceful speed with an hour + for lunch, little nap...etc.
Sander is having a blast. people are very excited to have him here, ex-patirates and Haitian alike. There is enormous cooperation and everyone knows that what he does is terribly important, especially the ¨guys up high¨. And he is good at what he does. He has made a ton of friends. These next days he is highlighting the technical parts of the hospital, the sides donors and other curious people never hear of. This morning he is going to the emptying of a well with the head engineer here. One huge guy will pull out the shaft and rapidly the crew takes over to pull out the rest. There is no equipment. No cranes, no tractors. It is done with stone and wood rollers, hard work, team work and ingenuity. And it works. Late afternoon he is going to climb the 60 ft water tower, to take pictures of the hospital and surrounding area when the light is lovely and the shadows are long. He is also going into the mountains later, which I have already done. I may go along, depending on how I feel.
Sander and I were reflecting upon the thought that the reason we love it here and feel we belong, is because everybody here, from medical staff to engineers and office technicians, are oddballs. Itś wonderful to be comfortable and have great conversations with people who don´t bat an eye at some outrageous way to solve a problem or present outlandish ideas. Because here they work. They need to.
It is cool now. People (Haitians) walk around with 2 sweaters on and complain. I am finally comfortable, although a blanket is definitely needed at night.
I came down with a flu-or-whatever before I left home (from Carl) and am sick and at times quite miserable. Nasty cough and hot/cold. So I have to stay away from the wards for now, particularly the malnutritian ward. I would make those kids, with their immune system so low, very sick. (And I could catch something we don want as well!) I was there the 1st day but became worse so now I have to sweat it out.
There is so much to do, however. With the Head of Nursing and another woman, we are wrapping over 500 packages with Christmas gifts for all the staff and the patients. Everyone receives on white towel, tightly rolled up, and a little ziplock baggy filled with colorful candies. Tie a little red ribbon around it and it looks cheerful and special. The other thing weŕe wrapping are more elaborate packages for the newborns and the littlest babies. They may contain little baby hats, receiving and other blankets, diapers and pins and at least one little outfit. Many of these itams came from Pennsylvania. Thank you, guys! It will make a gift they will always remember!
Yesterday I was VERY happy. There was an empty workshop for various arts here. I tried to get in 3 years a go but the woman who was the self-appointed boss would not let me. One elderly woman (A Mellon family member) took over (what could they say?)
2.5 years ago she bought a piece of land and hired people to plant cotton and harvest it. The new cotton was spun (each step required earning a certificate), the the cotton was dyed into wonderful colors and weaving looms (5) were imported to make rugs. They are wonderful. The price is $10 or $200 a piece, dependoing on the size and you can even request certain color combinations!
N4ext door is a woodworking shop. They scrounge the area for fallen oak and another native hardwood, which is further aged and turned into gorgeous furniture. The left-over pieces are used to make souvenirs (little boxes, for example). I had a problem with using the wood,, but felt better knowing that they never cut.
Next to the woodworking shop is the ceramics shop. They use (now) only molds and they make them themselves. The colors are lovely and there is a great variety of dishes. They sell very well. Weŕe talking about possible ways to decorate the dishes, to give them more of a Kreyol feeling.
That´s a summary of some of the things I have done. New things.
Tonight weŕe having dinner at the Maibachś house (med director) and I am bringing the wine. Am I ver glad I brought that big box over. Theyŕe delighted.
And sometime this weekend Sander and I, and I imagine Carl, will be taken to a 3 hr Voodoo ritual in the mountains by some of our new friends. Weŕe really excited about that.
OK-the machine here (a dinosaur) just informed me that this blog most likely will not be sent. That light just went out so off it goes. Having a great time here and feeling very, very useful.
Much love to you all, will write again when I have the chance.
Marianne
Emails and responses grate(ce)fully accepted.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Back and back again
Haiti sticks to you in a beautiful way and our thoughts are there frequently.
On December 16 Sander, Carl and I will be heading out again, to return December 30 (spending our 38th anniversary at one of the lovely seaside resorts -- yes, they are there and fabulous) near Saint Marc before flying home.
Carl will be the pediatrician working with others, but mainly the one on call Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in order for one of their peds to go home for the holiday. Carl is studying Kreyol whenever he can and I am sure he will do better than I. Sander is going with us because he is doing a photo shoot story of the hospital (gift to the Mellon Grant Foundation for fundraising). He will also do a story for Epson, who gave(!) him one of their new products: a portable, battery-operated printer. He will use that to give pictures to children and families. Many have never owned (or seen) a picture of themselves so this is a quite joyous occasion. All Epson wants in return is an article about his projet and the use of their equipment. Quite a gift!
Me? I don't know yet. I have been collecting "nonsense songs" (songs without real words) from different countries (such as tumba tumba etc, ) and hope to play with the kids in peds and in the village. And they love "head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes". The trick is to leave out the "and" or you get neezuntows, neezuntows" We , even in the wealthy US, do not have such body parts.
One of our lovely special persons, the mother of our triplet grand children who are not really our grandchildren, has provided the tuition for a lovely 8th grader who had to quit school (I know the family well). She wants to study music and theatre. Pretty unusual there. She playes trumpet well, has a voice like an angel, is beautiful and very motivated. Another great thing has been done.
My (our: Sander is godfather) Jean has discovered that there is such thing as books (with pictures!!) so we are inundating him with touch books and flip books and "find the puppy" type books that we actually found in Kreyol, English/Kreyol or French/Kreyol. Magical.
I/we will continue this blog after the 16th of December. Hope you will enjoy our new adventures!
Happy pre-holiday season to you all.
On December 16 Sander, Carl and I will be heading out again, to return December 30 (spending our 38th anniversary at one of the lovely seaside resorts -- yes, they are there and fabulous) near Saint Marc before flying home.
Carl will be the pediatrician working with others, but mainly the one on call Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, in order for one of their peds to go home for the holiday. Carl is studying Kreyol whenever he can and I am sure he will do better than I. Sander is going with us because he is doing a photo shoot story of the hospital (gift to the Mellon Grant Foundation for fundraising). He will also do a story for Epson, who gave(!) him one of their new products: a portable, battery-operated printer. He will use that to give pictures to children and families. Many have never owned (or seen) a picture of themselves so this is a quite joyous occasion. All Epson wants in return is an article about his projet and the use of their equipment. Quite a gift!
Me? I don't know yet. I have been collecting "nonsense songs" (songs without real words) from different countries (such as tumba tumba etc, ) and hope to play with the kids in peds and in the village. And they love "head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes". The trick is to leave out the "and" or you get neezuntows, neezuntows" We , even in the wealthy US, do not have such body parts.
One of our lovely special persons, the mother of our triplet grand children who are not really our grandchildren, has provided the tuition for a lovely 8th grader who had to quit school (I know the family well). She wants to study music and theatre. Pretty unusual there. She playes trumpet well, has a voice like an angel, is beautiful and very motivated. Another great thing has been done.
My (our: Sander is godfather) Jean has discovered that there is such thing as books (with pictures!!) so we are inundating him with touch books and flip books and "find the puppy" type books that we actually found in Kreyol, English/Kreyol or French/Kreyol. Magical.
I/we will continue this blog after the 16th of December. Hope you will enjoy our new adventures!
Happy pre-holiday season to you all.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
One more PS
The van was going to pick me up at 4am so I was ready and waiting at 3:50am. Would you believe the van, for once, was on time? They arrived promptly at 5:16. On the nose! (Haitian time!)
And about the kids: when we picked up the next passenger, two girls, already in uniform, were sitting on their haunches outside the MD's cactus fence, studying by the light of his yard light. At 5:25 am. They were about 11, 12 years old. (School starts at 8)
On the plane I sat next to a really interesting French woman. She has worked in Haiti for 3x2 years now (different regions) and is the head for Haiti of Beyond Borders. She is the tree expert and also worked 30 years in various countries in Africa. She told me that the deforestation in the south is horrendous. The only place left in Haiti where they still have the BIG trees. She said "There is no hope any more in Haiti. Everything is to survive one-on-one, no longer caring what is rightfully theirs. They can't afford to. There is no infra-structure and there is no way this can change. There is an enormous shortage on political miracles in Haiti." I was so sad, but when she explained why Africa will win in their strive for normalcy, (in the non-upheaval countries) and Haiti wouldn't, it all made sense from what I have experienced myself. There is no denying it.
Still..."it makes a difference to this one!"
Goodbye my friends. Hope you had a good trip to Haiti.
Marianne
And about the kids: when we picked up the next passenger, two girls, already in uniform, were sitting on their haunches outside the MD's cactus fence, studying by the light of his yard light. At 5:25 am. They were about 11, 12 years old. (School starts at 8)
On the plane I sat next to a really interesting French woman. She has worked in Haiti for 3x2 years now (different regions) and is the head for Haiti of Beyond Borders. She is the tree expert and also worked 30 years in various countries in Africa. She told me that the deforestation in the south is horrendous. The only place left in Haiti where they still have the BIG trees. She said "There is no hope any more in Haiti. Everything is to survive one-on-one, no longer caring what is rightfully theirs. They can't afford to. There is no infra-structure and there is no way this can change. There is an enormous shortage on political miracles in Haiti." I was so sad, but when she explained why Africa will win in their strive for normalcy, (in the non-upheaval countries) and Haiti wouldn't, it all made sense from what I have experienced myself. There is no denying it.
Still..."it makes a difference to this one!"
Goodbye my friends. Hope you had a good trip to Haiti.
Marianne
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
PS "one last time"
When I get home I WILL post many of the pictures I took, incl of the incedible mountain landscapes.
PS more: Today I found that the little stream going through Deschapelles is clear as glass! What a wonderful sight!
PS more: Today I found that the little stream going through Deschapelles is clear as glass! What a wonderful sight!
One last time
Today is my last day here. For this trip, anyway.
This morning was nice and I think the rest of the day will be as well.
My bugbites were limited to 5 last night, so that gave me a better night sleep as well, and the wolf spider just ran off and out my door. It's a good life.
Starry invited a couple (MD and MD - what else do we have here??) for dinner tonight, as a 'going away'. And I was asked to cook which is fun and a blessing. The cook's menu is limited to soups and Ragu spaghetti or canned mac and cheese. OK. Starry doesn't cook at all.
The menu:
for appetisers deviled eggs (as fresh as can be) and thin sliced mini breads with shredded grilled cheese on top.
For dinner Flemish Stew (beef, ale, spices and topped with mustard/cheese bread, baked nicely in the oven we hope will keep up the good work before supper is done), a salad and scalloped potatoes.
The maids, Nan and Tan, hang over my shoulder each time I cook and their menu has been much enriched in the past weeks. Really cute.
Starry asked me for a PB cookie recipe (BEST fresh PB here!) which she'll make for dessert.
To get much of that stuff we had to go to the market.
The local market is a daily affair, with truly poor people selling itsty-bitsy things of whatever they can get. Granted: there are some more stalls with fresh meat (some still bleating) and freshly caught fish and some farmers are clearly better off with a variety of fresh-looking produce. But those are only a few. And the market is quiet, which feels eerie.
We found someone who sold tomatoes! Very expensive for here: 5 for $1, but we bought them anyway (salad). We bought 7 potatoes, 3 shallots grown in you-know-what, two bottles of beer from the wall, a tiny bunch of parsley (all she had to sell) and TONS of grenadiens, a sour fruit related to oranges. Makes THE best juice, provided you have sugar. We bought freshly laid eggs ( chicken tied to the stall to prove it??) and two cokes. (Why?? Am I finally getting that rum and coke??)
The rest of the stalls would have 3 potatoes, 4 carrots, an onion and 2 eggs. Some maggi boullion cubes, sold individually, and perhaps two hair ribbons. And the forever present stick of sugar cane. A very muddy and smelly market, women and men dressed in the poorest of poor. What a difference with the bustling Verrettes market!
The MD here just came in to ask if I'd go and visit a local school with her. She promised to pay the tuition of a boy she knows (8th grade), but he told her that the school does not accept US checks (can be changed at the hosp here..) and does not have an account. So she asked me to come (for my "french") and limited Kreyol to speak to the principal. So off we shall go on the taptap.
Yesterday someone from the hospital made an official appt with me through Erlantz.
Listen to this. Have your gullibility hat on? I am learning!
He started building a house. married, 2 daughters. Borrowd $ from the hosp for each segment, paid it off, borrowed again. He works there - no problem. Done all the time.
Halfway through he relized that he will never build that house w/o some other plan.
So he called the L rm a classroom and asked me to furnish the building's funding.
Sure.
With a straight face (have bought one in Verrettes) I told him I would be delighted to if...
He has a clear plan, both financially, time line and building codes (haha)
Who was going to teach.
Which children he was going to have there. Oh...orphans and street children? So who is going to pay the bills then?
How does he enroll them, and how does he keep the street children in school, who have no discipline to return?
Was he going to offer lunch? How to pay for that?
Which teaching methods was he going to use?
What would the materials cost before opening?
To the street children issue he added that he was thinking recently about opening an orphanage, too.
The people I know who have done either don't do very well.
Many threats and lack of safety. The locals don't trust them.
I finally told him that IF he has a plan for the house, finishes the house, has at least two classrooms completely ready and teachers and lesson plans in place, he should definitely come and talk to me again. No promises. Because I could try and get some friends together and buy some permanent materials for each classroom.
OK my friends: is that a fair deal?
The sad thing is that I get requests about tuition or building things and other dreams every day (incl. requests for visas). And the answer is 'no' 98% of the time. Because the list is endless and you have to pick one cause you can be relatively sure of, and bring that to completion.
It makes me sad. When we can't afford private schools for our children, we send them to public school. Because they're good. And we can even home school Those are not options here. Private school or nothing. And there is no guarantee of the quality of the private school. Sad.
Anyway. We just went to visit one of those schools (since I wrote the above), a 7-room school house where the older students come later in the day so they can work daytime and not have to enlarge the school. It was what we'd call a shack. More like a small barn or cleaned-out chicken coop. The children didn't have desks, just little rickety benches. When they needed to write they'd kneel on the floor and put their work on the bench. The colors of the school were hard blue and white, by the way. When this lady and I were there (I had to speak French for her) the 1st graders were just reciting the x6 tables. The 4th graders were learning French verbs (hard for them) and the Philo -advanced 13th grade/college prep- were reading novels in French.
What are we doing wrong, I wonder? Do our children need chicken coops again? To share dog-eared books, and treasure a pencil? Do our homework by the light of the only streetlight in the village? Stay sparkling clean after a day on dirt floors?
I don't get it. The name of the school, by the way, is The Road To Jerusalem.
Thanks for listening. Be grateful. Share. Have a heart, and I really don't need two of everything.
Much love, Marianne
The end.
This morning was nice and I think the rest of the day will be as well.
My bugbites were limited to 5 last night, so that gave me a better night sleep as well, and the wolf spider just ran off and out my door. It's a good life.
Starry invited a couple (MD and MD - what else do we have here??) for dinner tonight, as a 'going away'. And I was asked to cook which is fun and a blessing. The cook's menu is limited to soups and Ragu spaghetti or canned mac and cheese. OK. Starry doesn't cook at all.
The menu:
for appetisers deviled eggs (as fresh as can be) and thin sliced mini breads with shredded grilled cheese on top.
For dinner Flemish Stew (beef, ale, spices and topped with mustard/cheese bread, baked nicely in the oven we hope will keep up the good work before supper is done), a salad and scalloped potatoes.
The maids, Nan and Tan, hang over my shoulder each time I cook and their menu has been much enriched in the past weeks. Really cute.
Starry asked me for a PB cookie recipe (BEST fresh PB here!) which she'll make for dessert.
To get much of that stuff we had to go to the market.
The local market is a daily affair, with truly poor people selling itsty-bitsy things of whatever they can get. Granted: there are some more stalls with fresh meat (some still bleating) and freshly caught fish and some farmers are clearly better off with a variety of fresh-looking produce. But those are only a few. And the market is quiet, which feels eerie.
We found someone who sold tomatoes! Very expensive for here: 5 for $1, but we bought them anyway (salad). We bought 7 potatoes, 3 shallots grown in you-know-what, two bottles of beer from the wall, a tiny bunch of parsley (all she had to sell) and TONS of grenadiens, a sour fruit related to oranges. Makes THE best juice, provided you have sugar. We bought freshly laid eggs ( chicken tied to the stall to prove it??) and two cokes. (Why?? Am I finally getting that rum and coke??)
The rest of the stalls would have 3 potatoes, 4 carrots, an onion and 2 eggs. Some maggi boullion cubes, sold individually, and perhaps two hair ribbons. And the forever present stick of sugar cane. A very muddy and smelly market, women and men dressed in the poorest of poor. What a difference with the bustling Verrettes market!
The MD here just came in to ask if I'd go and visit a local school with her. She promised to pay the tuition of a boy she knows (8th grade), but he told her that the school does not accept US checks (can be changed at the hosp here..) and does not have an account. So she asked me to come (for my "french") and limited Kreyol to speak to the principal. So off we shall go on the taptap.
Yesterday someone from the hospital made an official appt with me through Erlantz.
Listen to this. Have your gullibility hat on? I am learning!
He started building a house. married, 2 daughters. Borrowd $ from the hosp for each segment, paid it off, borrowed again. He works there - no problem. Done all the time.
Halfway through he relized that he will never build that house w/o some other plan.
So he called the L rm a classroom and asked me to furnish the building's funding.
Sure.
With a straight face (have bought one in Verrettes) I told him I would be delighted to if...
He has a clear plan, both financially, time line and building codes (haha)
Who was going to teach.
Which children he was going to have there. Oh...orphans and street children? So who is going to pay the bills then?
How does he enroll them, and how does he keep the street children in school, who have no discipline to return?
Was he going to offer lunch? How to pay for that?
Which teaching methods was he going to use?
What would the materials cost before opening?
To the street children issue he added that he was thinking recently about opening an orphanage, too.
The people I know who have done either don't do very well.
Many threats and lack of safety. The locals don't trust them.
I finally told him that IF he has a plan for the house, finishes the house, has at least two classrooms completely ready and teachers and lesson plans in place, he should definitely come and talk to me again. No promises. Because I could try and get some friends together and buy some permanent materials for each classroom.
OK my friends: is that a fair deal?
The sad thing is that I get requests about tuition or building things and other dreams every day (incl. requests for visas). And the answer is 'no' 98% of the time. Because the list is endless and you have to pick one cause you can be relatively sure of, and bring that to completion.
It makes me sad. When we can't afford private schools for our children, we send them to public school. Because they're good. And we can even home school Those are not options here. Private school or nothing. And there is no guarantee of the quality of the private school. Sad.
Anyway. We just went to visit one of those schools (since I wrote the above), a 7-room school house where the older students come later in the day so they can work daytime and not have to enlarge the school. It was what we'd call a shack. More like a small barn or cleaned-out chicken coop. The children didn't have desks, just little rickety benches. When they needed to write they'd kneel on the floor and put their work on the bench. The colors of the school were hard blue and white, by the way. When this lady and I were there (I had to speak French for her) the 1st graders were just reciting the x6 tables. The 4th graders were learning French verbs (hard for them) and the Philo -advanced 13th grade/college prep- were reading novels in French.
What are we doing wrong, I wonder? Do our children need chicken coops again? To share dog-eared books, and treasure a pencil? Do our homework by the light of the only streetlight in the village? Stay sparkling clean after a day on dirt floors?
I don't get it. The name of the school, by the way, is The Road To Jerusalem.
Thanks for listening. Be grateful. Share. Have a heart, and I really don't need two of everything.
Much love, Marianne
The end.
Monday, October 27, 2008
We're all pissed some times
OK. I am sad. And pissed. Not so much mad because I can understand what happened.
Erlantz' involvement was to go to the meeting with UNICEF, at which I did the explaining and presenting of statistics, and of signing the papers with me at the final pick-up. And without that it may not have worked - I'll never know.
But this morning we finally had the presentation about the UNICEF project to the medical staff and he, as an 'a propos' , mentioned that I had helped him. That hurt. But it is about the project, I realize that. So. Now I feel better. It helps with his career, so so be it.
I am beginning to pack (haha) my empty suitcase. Starry suggested that I leave all my summer clothes here until December, which makes sense, but I need something to safeguard the 2 bottles of ***** rum in :D. One for Carl, one for Sander. (Well, try me on that one, Sander!)
I am going home with one visible suitcase, because the other two fit perfectly inside the others. And that's going to be a problem in Haiti.
You see, I have one US $50 bill left, a quarter and a dime. When you get to the airport, the suitcase is firmly taken from you (while being followed by a willing crowd who will gladly carry the other clearly invisible suitcase) and deposited 10 steps further at the airport entrance, where it is equally firmly taken over by inside carriers. And when you tell them to begin with that you don't have any money, they don't believe a word (ALL Americans have money, even missionaries!) and yell ferociously at you for not paying you 'several dollars' for their 'hard' work. Well...that's exactly how it is going to be. Nada. Rien. Pa agant! Niks. Nuttin'.
I wonder what will happen......
I can see the headlines" Stingy American Hung By Toes Until Bucks Fell Out! Let Go Alive Due To Lack Of Other Valuables!" Maybe I'll remember I'm still part Dutch!
I was going to the mountains, far into the mountains today, but I am soo pissed. In addition to that we're out of water until noon and cannot go w/o water. That would be stupid. Used my last to make Erlantz and myself a nice cup of coffee before the meeting....
Blurch. A trip can't be all joy and perfection.
Love y'all. One more day and hopefully a trip home without surprises Wednesday. But that remark refers to other stories.
Oh yes: about the payments here. The king here was paid in GOURDS, the big veggies. That's why the money is still named (gourds) gouds. There are 5 gouds to the dollar (haitian) and 7.68 H$ to the US$. easy, right?
Love to all.
Erlantz' involvement was to go to the meeting with UNICEF, at which I did the explaining and presenting of statistics, and of signing the papers with me at the final pick-up. And without that it may not have worked - I'll never know.
But this morning we finally had the presentation about the UNICEF project to the medical staff and he, as an 'a propos' , mentioned that I had helped him. That hurt. But it is about the project, I realize that. So. Now I feel better. It helps with his career, so so be it.
I am beginning to pack (haha) my empty suitcase. Starry suggested that I leave all my summer clothes here until December, which makes sense, but I need something to safeguard the 2 bottles of ***** rum in :D. One for Carl, one for Sander. (Well, try me on that one, Sander!)
I am going home with one visible suitcase, because the other two fit perfectly inside the others. And that's going to be a problem in Haiti.
You see, I have one US $50 bill left, a quarter and a dime. When you get to the airport, the suitcase is firmly taken from you (while being followed by a willing crowd who will gladly carry the other clearly invisible suitcase) and deposited 10 steps further at the airport entrance, where it is equally firmly taken over by inside carriers. And when you tell them to begin with that you don't have any money, they don't believe a word (ALL Americans have money, even missionaries!) and yell ferociously at you for not paying you 'several dollars' for their 'hard' work. Well...that's exactly how it is going to be. Nada. Rien. Pa agant! Niks. Nuttin'.
I wonder what will happen......
I can see the headlines" Stingy American Hung By Toes Until Bucks Fell Out! Let Go Alive Due To Lack Of Other Valuables!" Maybe I'll remember I'm still part Dutch!
I was going to the mountains, far into the mountains today, but I am soo pissed. In addition to that we're out of water until noon and cannot go w/o water. That would be stupid. Used my last to make Erlantz and myself a nice cup of coffee before the meeting....
Blurch. A trip can't be all joy and perfection.
Love y'all. One more day and hopefully a trip home without surprises Wednesday. But that remark refers to other stories.
Oh yes: about the payments here. The king here was paid in GOURDS, the big veggies. That's why the money is still named (gourds) gouds. There are 5 gouds to the dollar (haitian) and 7.68 H$ to the US$. easy, right?
Love to all.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
PS to last blog
Sorry for the errors.* However: the new rooms for Gladys are more than twice as big, not smaller.
And she's not getting a new bed - just sheets. The bed is fine.
* I, Marianne Kuiper Milks, have long, painted nails. Harder to type. No clipper, only a borrowed file and gross nailpolish the mothers in the hsop. insisted on decorating me with.
And she's not getting a new bed - just sheets. The bed is fine.
* I, Marianne Kuiper Milks, have long, painted nails. Harder to type. No clipper, only a borrowed file and gross nailpolish the mothers in the hsop. insisted on decorating me with.
Few days' worth
Greetings, all.
It looks like yesterday's blog went blonkers. Too bad.
In short: The boy who was hit was11 and his siter 9 years old. She has a nasty heawound but her brother died. It's a life for a life here and the police has taken the driver to an undisclosed location. After serving his sentence, he'll never be able to come back here.
It was nice staying with Gladys and Jean. She now has a two-room place and each room is considerably smaller than the previous "house", which was a shack made of matts, stone and pieces of corrugated metal. Dangerous.
She went to the market after I gave her my left-over gouds (from 'gours" - the manner in which they had to pay the king in days of yore) and she bought many fresh vegetables, fish, sausage (imported and in one piece from the USA), spaghetti, rice and fruit. All good purchases. As flies to a pie all her friends came to dinner, which was funny. She and I shared her double bed and I think, judging by how torn it was, that she will have a new one for Christmas :-)
Jean was in the 'terrible twos' and no different from other kids world-wide. Like all other Haitian children he still poops on the floor, which I find difficult and gave it a good scrubbing after the mild clean-up it had been given.
An accident to report as well. Gladys has a great new boyfriend. All her friends are really bright, by the way and well educated. Amazing for someone who couldn't read or write. Her BF is the head of accounting for the largest security firm in Saint Marc. He came in and I scooted back to make space for him. I apparently pushed the shelving as well and the TV came tumbling down from a 4-5' height(on my wrist - it's ok now) and roll/bounced over the cement floor. It now has more channels and a clearer picture. It's a Japanese TV :D, inherited from her parents when they died.
Today I went to the Baptist church, because our maid-friend invited me to. I have arranged for her 3rd daughter to continue HS (the other 2 are resp. in med school and in teacher's college-parents analphabetic) so I was invited to come with them. I didn't know the service was 4 hours long, so I am grateful that I brought my water bottle.
It was SO interesting. The 1st pastor was the teacher, the 2nd one the preacher. The teacher taught the history of Christianity, from early Catholicism through Marting Luther and Calvin to present day "everyone is truly the same" in Protestantism. Then he asked a series of questions to the congregation.
The music and singing was great. There was a visiting pastor, who went to another church after 30 minutes, and a visiting men's choir from the Baptist Bible College (5 years). There was also a really good band with 2 electric guitars, one bass, keyboard and percussion. There was one problem. One of the members of the men's vocal quintet couldn't sing nor keep the beat. Granted - he was only about 4 -7 notes off, but he went to the left when everone else went to the right and then at a different speed. Kind of like when you hear two things ticking and one synchronizes for a few seconds, then runs ahead to be the opposite. NVTZ- Nuts (Mel Brooks)
There was a visiting women's choir and they were fabulous. I couldn't follow a word from the 2nd pastor, except some reference to "free" American education. I gues it all depends.
The best thing about the church (the one we went to with Dawn, Carl) is that they now have 8 (!!) fans and that made a huge difference. Especially after the first 30 minutes.
The funniest thing was an old woman who yelled "belle" (female beautiful) throughout the service. People started chuckling, but at one point whe pointed at the preacher and yelled "li belle, wie?" "he's beautiful, right?" and everyone cracked up and applauded. The preacher thanked her. I gues everyone has someone like that, somewhere.
Two more days. And what I wrote is only such a small part of the smells, sights, sounds and warm touches of life here. I will miss it, but I am really ready to go home now. Mission accomplished and that sure feels good. Although the poverty is immense, and hard to understand, you start seeing the beauty and resiliance above all else.
Erlantz and I decided that what Haiti needs (seriously) is a King or Queen. There was actually one, and it wouldn't be bad to find his offspring. The people need a symbol, something stable with the elected government below him or her. (Women are very important here)
Going: the water is running for 45 minutes and I need a shower instead of a bucket!
love to all (Hi, Sari!!!)
It looks like yesterday's blog went blonkers. Too bad.
In short: The boy who was hit was11 and his siter 9 years old. She has a nasty heawound but her brother died. It's a life for a life here and the police has taken the driver to an undisclosed location. After serving his sentence, he'll never be able to come back here.
It was nice staying with Gladys and Jean. She now has a two-room place and each room is considerably smaller than the previous "house", which was a shack made of matts, stone and pieces of corrugated metal. Dangerous.
She went to the market after I gave her my left-over gouds (from 'gours" - the manner in which they had to pay the king in days of yore) and she bought many fresh vegetables, fish, sausage (imported and in one piece from the USA), spaghetti, rice and fruit. All good purchases. As flies to a pie all her friends came to dinner, which was funny. She and I shared her double bed and I think, judging by how torn it was, that she will have a new one for Christmas :-)
Jean was in the 'terrible twos' and no different from other kids world-wide. Like all other Haitian children he still poops on the floor, which I find difficult and gave it a good scrubbing after the mild clean-up it had been given.
An accident to report as well. Gladys has a great new boyfriend. All her friends are really bright, by the way and well educated. Amazing for someone who couldn't read or write. Her BF is the head of accounting for the largest security firm in Saint Marc. He came in and I scooted back to make space for him. I apparently pushed the shelving as well and the TV came tumbling down from a 4-5' height(on my wrist - it's ok now) and roll/bounced over the cement floor. It now has more channels and a clearer picture. It's a Japanese TV :D, inherited from her parents when they died.
Today I went to the Baptist church, because our maid-friend invited me to. I have arranged for her 3rd daughter to continue HS (the other 2 are resp. in med school and in teacher's college-parents analphabetic) so I was invited to come with them. I didn't know the service was 4 hours long, so I am grateful that I brought my water bottle.
It was SO interesting. The 1st pastor was the teacher, the 2nd one the preacher. The teacher taught the history of Christianity, from early Catholicism through Marting Luther and Calvin to present day "everyone is truly the same" in Protestantism. Then he asked a series of questions to the congregation.
The music and singing was great. There was a visiting pastor, who went to another church after 30 minutes, and a visiting men's choir from the Baptist Bible College (5 years). There was also a really good band with 2 electric guitars, one bass, keyboard and percussion. There was one problem. One of the members of the men's vocal quintet couldn't sing nor keep the beat. Granted - he was only about 4 -7 notes off, but he went to the left when everone else went to the right and then at a different speed. Kind of like when you hear two things ticking and one synchronizes for a few seconds, then runs ahead to be the opposite. NVTZ- Nuts (Mel Brooks)
There was a visiting women's choir and they were fabulous. I couldn't follow a word from the 2nd pastor, except some reference to "free" American education. I gues it all depends.
The best thing about the church (the one we went to with Dawn, Carl) is that they now have 8 (!!) fans and that made a huge difference. Especially after the first 30 minutes.
The funniest thing was an old woman who yelled "belle" (female beautiful) throughout the service. People started chuckling, but at one point whe pointed at the preacher and yelled "li belle, wie?" "he's beautiful, right?" and everyone cracked up and applauded. The preacher thanked her. I gues everyone has someone like that, somewhere.
Two more days. And what I wrote is only such a small part of the smells, sights, sounds and warm touches of life here. I will miss it, but I am really ready to go home now. Mission accomplished and that sure feels good. Although the poverty is immense, and hard to understand, you start seeing the beauty and resiliance above all else.
Erlantz and I decided that what Haiti needs (seriously) is a King or Queen. There was actually one, and it wouldn't be bad to find his offspring. The people need a symbol, something stable with the elected government below him or her. (Women are very important here)
Going: the water is running for 45 minutes and I need a shower instead of a bucket!
love to all (Hi, Sari!!!)
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A death
There was a tragic accident this afternoon. One of the Haitian drivers left the campus (they ALWAYS and all drive too fast), hit a 15 yo boy who was outside the hospital and a little later the boy died. Naturally the news traveled like wildfire and, although the driver is Haitian, there will be much anger and resentment among the local population.
In the mean time the staff is having a pool party to celebrate the birthday of the volunteer (1 yr) E.R. nurse. We don't think it's a good idea to do it now, but at home, all separated, we're not that much safer. Let's just hope nobody else gets hurt through all this. Not always good news.
In the mean time the staff is having a pool party to celebrate the birthday of the volunteer (1 yr) E.R. nurse. We don't think it's a good idea to do it now, but at home, all separated, we're not that much safer. Let's just hope nobody else gets hurt through all this. Not always good news.
PS
Forgot something funny.
While Erlantz and the nurse were explaining how to count five drops of chlorine into a gallon of unpurified water to give to their children, of all things Jehova's Wittness (spelling?) walked out of the bush - into the fire :-)
They gave all the mothers (who cannot read) a pamphlet as well as one to a teenage girl, who read it rapidly, blabbered to the group and gave the paper back with a shrug. The JW next started 'preaching', at which point Erlantz quickly explained what he was doing there, that he was the doctor, followed by something hilarious (missed it) that made the women squeel, two babies cry and the JW turn around without another word. Funny scene.
While Erlantz and the nurse were explaining how to count five drops of chlorine into a gallon of unpurified water to give to their children, of all things Jehova's Wittness (spelling?) walked out of the bush - into the fire :-)
They gave all the mothers (who cannot read) a pamphlet as well as one to a teenage girl, who read it rapidly, blabbered to the group and gave the paper back with a shrug. The JW next started 'preaching', at which point Erlantz quickly explained what he was doing there, that he was the doctor, followed by something hilarious (missed it) that made the women squeel, two babies cry and the JW turn around without another word. Funny scene.
Another day in intense heat.
All is well here. After a long night without mosquitos but with nightmares (hate those things - they should be forbidden!) I woke up to a sweaty morning and fun "activities".
We went back into the mountains to the (one of) Ti Foyer, the "little hearth", where I went last week. Again the mothers were there with their 2 yo children and again the children sat on the center mat and were fed a variety of foods. And again there was not a grain of rice left. There were 7 mothers: one new and the other six had been there many times. Free food! The food is provided by an international food donations organization from, I believe Switzerland (they do an amazing amount!) They have strict rules, that sometimes do not quite meet the rules of other organizations, leaving some kids/adults hanging in between. At any moment an officer can walk in to check and if the rules aren't adhered to, the funds are withdrawn. Another enigma. Where does it leave the poor? Can it be run differently? Why no exceptions when a child is dying> So much is so great and so much makes no sense.
I took some more pictures of the really almost dead-looking baby. The mother didn't look better. I gave her one of Keri's really soft blankets and a pair of premie shorts. Two years old - a bit too big for him. I asked Erlantz why they were letting the baby die. He laughed and sad "THAT baby will be fine. He is skinny because he has not reached the oedema stage and is caught now, in time. That mother has been here with all her children. They are all malnourished but she just doesn't do what she is told. He will be fine." That is so sad to watch. And to understand. All the mothers received a soft blanket and something to go with it: a pair of baby socks, a rubber duckie, pacifiers- whatever. I feel bad acting like the benevolent white woman. But the light in their eyes showed that it didn't matter where it came from: someone cared and this was their day.
I always make sure that they know that the came from friends. More people who care.
Last night we all went swimming in the lovely pool, a left-over of great plantation days and the only thing the staff could not live without here. Everything else can go, but that luxury is needed. Two of my friends and I jumped in clothes on (since none of us remembered a swimsuit) when the med. director came to swim. He kindly told us that he didn't think it was hygienic. But we told him, truthfully, that we have reserved one pair of clothes for this activity. No way we give up that water when it starts cooling off!
The entire 'campus' used to be, as I said earlier, a huge coffee plantation. Yesterday I took an hour to walk around and see how far it had reached and what there was. I counted over 40 buildings and structures, including the oldest part of the hospital. There are walls everywhere, double walls about 2 feet high, that once held soil and lovely plants. Some are still there. It includes an extensive irrigation system to water everything- all of cemented field stone. Some of it can be kept up, but there is absolutely no money to pay workers to do the work needed.
Such a shame. It is also great to see how much Mrs. Mellon loved plants. There are very unusual plants and trees here, all gathered from around the country, in part to show the people the vareit of food and fruits available.
I had a long discussion with Erlantz last night about the (reasons for)poverty and lack of structure in Haiti. Erlantz comes from an "upper-class" family and has a better (?) view of the situation from a historical point of view. (The ? re..who really knows?)
He said that during the time of Papa/Baby Doc EVERYONE was working. Everyone had jobs to do and the country was as peaceful and stable as it ever was. haiti was the first - buy far - independent nation in the Caribean and its history is not always one of poverty and despair.
I asked him about the Ton-Ton-Macout, the Uncle's Army. He said that many of his family members lived out in the country and saw what happened there. Heis family also knows Edwige Danticat and says that her stories are great but, sadly, either untrue or too many written about a single event. That these stories (by the govt) were at times circulated to frighten people into work and fairness. That this was the only time that corruption among the lower govt. employees was at an all time low. (We can humpf about that...but look at us!!)
When I asked him about the involvement of the USA he said that the USA has done wrong things, but that their help and support has by far outweighed what they and other nations have done that harms Haiti.
I listen to all that, look at what he does with all his heart (excellent pediatrician and public health worker) and cannot understand the opposite poles of what one hears, sees, reads and discusses/
All I know is that each starfish saved is a saved starfish.
Love you all.
We went back into the mountains to the (one of) Ti Foyer, the "little hearth", where I went last week. Again the mothers were there with their 2 yo children and again the children sat on the center mat and were fed a variety of foods. And again there was not a grain of rice left. There were 7 mothers: one new and the other six had been there many times. Free food! The food is provided by an international food donations organization from, I believe Switzerland (they do an amazing amount!) They have strict rules, that sometimes do not quite meet the rules of other organizations, leaving some kids/adults hanging in between. At any moment an officer can walk in to check and if the rules aren't adhered to, the funds are withdrawn. Another enigma. Where does it leave the poor? Can it be run differently? Why no exceptions when a child is dying> So much is so great and so much makes no sense.
I took some more pictures of the really almost dead-looking baby. The mother didn't look better. I gave her one of Keri's really soft blankets and a pair of premie shorts. Two years old - a bit too big for him. I asked Erlantz why they were letting the baby die. He laughed and sad "THAT baby will be fine. He is skinny because he has not reached the oedema stage and is caught now, in time. That mother has been here with all her children. They are all malnourished but she just doesn't do what she is told. He will be fine." That is so sad to watch. And to understand. All the mothers received a soft blanket and something to go with it: a pair of baby socks, a rubber duckie, pacifiers- whatever. I feel bad acting like the benevolent white woman. But the light in their eyes showed that it didn't matter where it came from: someone cared and this was their day.
I always make sure that they know that the came from friends. More people who care.
Last night we all went swimming in the lovely pool, a left-over of great plantation days and the only thing the staff could not live without here. Everything else can go, but that luxury is needed. Two of my friends and I jumped in clothes on (since none of us remembered a swimsuit) when the med. director came to swim. He kindly told us that he didn't think it was hygienic. But we told him, truthfully, that we have reserved one pair of clothes for this activity. No way we give up that water when it starts cooling off!
The entire 'campus' used to be, as I said earlier, a huge coffee plantation. Yesterday I took an hour to walk around and see how far it had reached and what there was. I counted over 40 buildings and structures, including the oldest part of the hospital. There are walls everywhere, double walls about 2 feet high, that once held soil and lovely plants. Some are still there. It includes an extensive irrigation system to water everything- all of cemented field stone. Some of it can be kept up, but there is absolutely no money to pay workers to do the work needed.
Such a shame. It is also great to see how much Mrs. Mellon loved plants. There are very unusual plants and trees here, all gathered from around the country, in part to show the people the vareit of food and fruits available.
I had a long discussion with Erlantz last night about the (reasons for)poverty and lack of structure in Haiti. Erlantz comes from an "upper-class" family and has a better (?) view of the situation from a historical point of view. (The ? re..who really knows?)
He said that during the time of Papa/Baby Doc EVERYONE was working. Everyone had jobs to do and the country was as peaceful and stable as it ever was. haiti was the first - buy far - independent nation in the Caribean and its history is not always one of poverty and despair.
I asked him about the Ton-Ton-Macout, the Uncle's Army. He said that many of his family members lived out in the country and saw what happened there. Heis family also knows Edwige Danticat and says that her stories are great but, sadly, either untrue or too many written about a single event. That these stories (by the govt) were at times circulated to frighten people into work and fairness. That this was the only time that corruption among the lower govt. employees was at an all time low. (We can humpf about that...but look at us!!)
When I asked him about the involvement of the USA he said that the USA has done wrong things, but that their help and support has by far outweighed what they and other nations have done that harms Haiti.
I listen to all that, look at what he does with all his heart (excellent pediatrician and public health worker) and cannot understand the opposite poles of what one hears, sees, reads and discusses/
All I know is that each starfish saved is a saved starfish.
Love you all.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
This baby is most ill.(Deceiving)
Hi guys,I hope the pictures finally came through. The system here is so slow and so frequently disconnected that more than one shot at a time was not possible. This darling girl had severe eodema, the red, falling out curky hair and the big belly. She has been on the program for 1,5 days now and looking like this we're all happier.
There's a lovely young woman named Erin, of Irish-American heritage, who has been workin g with this ward, in a variety of projects, this past year (since Jan). She's leaving this winter an d will start med school in Dublin! Lucky her!
OK guys-see you soon!
Here pictures of the old Grandmother with her infant hgrand daughter-the picture in Carl's office. Now returned with the granddaughter admitted for malnutrition.
A fat little boy who is not fat (oedema) . The children, therapy, are rubbed/massaged daily with a fine oil. Funny to see those glistening munchkins.
The little girl is just adorable. And still very sick.
The really skinny girl, age 6, has been admitted 6 times now. Not much hope.
The sep posted picture is of Gladys and part of Jean.
A fat little boy who is not fat (oedema) . The children, therapy, are rubbed/massaged daily with a fine oil. Funny to see those glistening munchkins.
The little girl is just adorable. And still very sick.
The really skinny girl, age 6, has been admitted 6 times now. Not much hope.
The sep posted picture is of Gladys and part of Jean.
Never the same 3
Too bad the old posts disappeared. Better written - too much in a ruch now. Sorry. The two sections described were clearly 2 parts of the trip home. I have been throwing up like crazy and want to go home but Carl wants me to wait. Hard - since nothing more is to be done unless I'm in the way. Feeling pretty negative today.
I'll try to add some pictures now. VERY slow and only 17 min left....
Never the same 1
This section of the blog has now disapperared 3 times so I'll be short in hopes that I beat the disconnection.
The PlumpyNut and 3 other products (like MP5, not MP3, you dunce Marianne) were FINALLY acquired and 3 truck loads are on its way today. We have some of it. It was a fight and a chore, but it worked. Just a fight re a controlling woman, who tried everything to make life miserable for us.
We drove home in the dark, which was another experience: pitch black roads, people walking in sillence. One woman carried an eotire double bed, set up, on her head. Lookied easy. Our driver, Aysnel (not Esnel 1 or 2, Gesnel, Gasnel or Janel) is fast: the 5.3 hr ride back, squeeling through towns, in just under 2 hours! Typical Haitian style.
OK.
I will now try to add some pictures and hope it makes it home.
Love you!!
Mom/Marianne
The PlumpyNut and 3 other products (like MP5, not MP3, you dunce Marianne) were FINALLY acquired and 3 truck loads are on its way today. We have some of it. It was a fight and a chore, but it worked. Just a fight re a controlling woman, who tried everything to make life miserable for us.
We drove home in the dark, which was another experience: pitch black roads, people walking in sillence. One woman carried an eotire double bed, set up, on her head. Lookied easy. Our driver, Aysnel (not Esnel 1 or 2, Gesnel, Gasnel or Janel) is fast: the 5.3 hr ride back, squeeling through towns, in just under 2 hours! Typical Haitian style.
OK.
I will now try to add some pictures and hope it makes it home.
Love you!!
Mom/Marianne
Never the same 2
Publishing trouble so I'll do it in sections.
Wanted to tell you about last night.
We drove the 5.3 hr ride, in pitch black, in a little under 2 hours. I hope I can describe as I did in what I presume is a lost blog.
Imagine driving through a dark city. No or few house lights, no or very few streetlights. The roads are full of holes and bumps, large rocks, trees and hills of building materials. (Everyone is ALWAYS building). Around the corner is suddenly an ocean of little lights. I was instantly transported into a novel by Charles Dickens. The market stalls lining all the roads and selling the oddest items, from chewing gum to inner tubes to hats, were more alive than during the day. Children were playing, old women, sitting on crates with their knees out wide in comfort, a grandchild leaning into her. Men bantering on corners, teen boys eyeing groups of beautiful teen girls, younger women in roaring, squeeling laughter. And every stall had one or two candles in a can, which resulted in an ocean of warm, yellow dots of lights winding, rolling as we left the city. I will never forget that.
Wanted to tell you about last night.
We drove the 5.3 hr ride, in pitch black, in a little under 2 hours. I hope I can describe as I did in what I presume is a lost blog.
Imagine driving through a dark city. No or few house lights, no or very few streetlights. The roads are full of holes and bumps, large rocks, trees and hills of building materials. (Everyone is ALWAYS building). Around the corner is suddenly an ocean of little lights. I was instantly transported into a novel by Charles Dickens. The market stalls lining all the roads and selling the oddest items, from chewing gum to inner tubes to hats, were more alive than during the day. Children were playing, old women, sitting on crates with their knees out wide in comfort, a grandchild leaning into her. Men bantering on corners, teen boys eyeing groups of beautiful teen girls, younger women in roaring, squeeling laughter. And every stall had one or two candles in a can, which resulted in an ocean of warm, yellow dots of lights winding, rolling as we left the city. I will never forget that.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Thanks, Haiti
It's Sunday, the last of a 3-day holiday weekend. It was nice to have a few days without running around. Sander's comment on "Haitian time" is right on. You do get used to it. It becomes an issue only when you deal with other nationalities. When meeting a Frenchman, for example, you will meet the person perhaps 10 minutes after the decided time. When meeting a German you better be 5 min. early. Funny how we don't blend in.
Explain Kwasiorkor, Sander asked.
It's known in short as "Kwash" and is basically a child with malnutrtion. The child has started to loose hair, with the mohawk on top left, and the hair is often (not always) orange. Not all kids with orange hair have kwash, however. Severe malnutrition shows very fat, healthy kids. in fact: the fatter the more ill. This isn't fat but oedema, when the body retains too many fluids. When you punch the child's legs and feet, the dent may be 1 cm (about 1/2 inch) deep and stays. With other symptoms this is a +3 (highest) level kwash. When the dent is deep but goes away, it's a lvel +2. The children are treated with high protein etc levels of fluids (IV if needed) until the oedema goes away. It is the same with the "healty" babies with big bellies. When the eodema is gone, you have a very skinny, ill-looking child left. Some are close to comatose.
With the Medika Mamba or PlumpyNut, these +3 children can leave the hospital in 5 days or less. A miracle. The +2 children receive, instead, high protein etc milk, called MP3, which has the same effect. The +1 children are treated on an out-patient basis in their mountain villages.
So these two meds I have fought for and we're getting it FOR FREE, which saves many children and so much faster, while saving the hospital thousands and thousands of $ annually, to be used for other causes. One of those is the Ti Foyer, or "little hearth" in each village, where mothers are taught nutrition that is within reaach and within their means. Such as a food co-op.
Now I am on another project: a school for the hosp children ages 5-15 and for their running around siblings, run by volunteer spouses and students as available.
The proposal has been written, as is the list of items to be used (self-directed, Montesori style for all ages) and where it should take place. I am meeting with Dr. Maibach, hosp. med director, and Ian Mello of the Mellon Grant Foundation this week and I intend to get what I want. The fact that the Medika Mamba (med. peanutbutter) came through should help!
I am going to send some photos if I can. I'll do so separately, since I screwed up the last blog I wrote. Or maybe you'll get two. Should keep you off the street.
Thanks for your comments, Sander. Much appreciated. I don't always knowwhat people know or what should be explained.
Love to all. Another 10 days and I'll be home. I hope they'll be productive.
Love, Mom/Marianne
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Disappointing
Hey everyone. Some days are up and then others are reality checks. Full of hope ad excitement, I rode a particularly painful ride to Port au Prince today. Five hours of the worst, with a bump against my back that left me with bruises. There were 11 people in the max 7 van, plus luggage. Add heat and it's not pretty. I mean a van organized like Tjitske's limo, with the benches on the side. Minus the champagne and beauty.
We had left HAS at 5 am and were in PaP by about 10:30 am. The driver dropped everyone off, then took me to UNICEF. That sounds simple. It isn't. Nothing is simple here. After waiting for over an hour (so did the driver) I was called in only to be told by a secretary that it "impozzible " (French lady) to get the PlumpyNut today. She needed three signed copies, and why didn't I know that (nobody emailed me that info, nor to Erlantz. Etc etc.) I was about in tears. Finally one of the two people in charge asked me to join an interesting meeting. And indeed it was. It lasted an hour and a half (couldn't find my driver to tell him) and was held by about 20 people from many nations. It was in French, but I could follow most of it, and easier as time went on. The organizations were Save the Children, Catholic Youth Services etc etc etc. Each wanted to coordinate efforts to help the children caught in the hunger and hurricane devastation (many go hand in hand). I had no intention to open my mouth, but when they asked I was surprised and proud how much I have learned these last 2 weeks (1 week??) and how many statistics I had correct. They were 'impressed' with the severity of our situation. Right now we have 19 severely malnourished children (ages 0-5), two intermediate and one critical.
For us the situation was just utterly frustrating: "but you need this form, and that paper, and this letter head, and such and such in triplicate..." It all made sense, but why hadn't they told us? I again stressed the need and severity. Now we need a specific letter and when we bring it next week (we're going Tue) we will get the PlumpyNut for the severe patients, and MP3, which is a highly enriched milk product, for the intermediate malnourished children. And that is more than we have now. MUCH more. Betsy: I'm using your money to transport the PlumpyNut. Thanks!!!!
After that we went 'bump' in the night, all the way home. My driver ended up patiently waiting until 4:30 PM and then took me - what all women in frustration apparently do: shopping!
I went to the international supermarket (Starry's request) and bought ham, Dutch cheese, tostido chips and salsa, wine, beer, whatever. A big box full and my gift to them for staying here. I hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday and was S-T-A-R-V-E-D.
Many funny things happened today on the way, but I am too exhausted to remember them now.
Except the 5 tiny goats butting and playing in the middle of the road. We were going 90 mph and the driver honked loudly. All the little goats jumped 1-2 feet into the air and then scattered. We all burst out laughing! Tomorrow more. I am taking a day OFF! (It's a holiday here)
My kreyol is really improving! I could speak a little and now, through all the confusion of languages, I know nothing. OK. Au whatever. Love you.
We had left HAS at 5 am and were in PaP by about 10:30 am. The driver dropped everyone off, then took me to UNICEF. That sounds simple. It isn't. Nothing is simple here. After waiting for over an hour (so did the driver) I was called in only to be told by a secretary that it "impozzible " (French lady) to get the PlumpyNut today. She needed three signed copies, and why didn't I know that (nobody emailed me that info, nor to Erlantz. Etc etc.) I was about in tears. Finally one of the two people in charge asked me to join an interesting meeting. And indeed it was. It lasted an hour and a half (couldn't find my driver to tell him) and was held by about 20 people from many nations. It was in French, but I could follow most of it, and easier as time went on. The organizations were Save the Children, Catholic Youth Services etc etc etc. Each wanted to coordinate efforts to help the children caught in the hunger and hurricane devastation (many go hand in hand). I had no intention to open my mouth, but when they asked I was surprised and proud how much I have learned these last 2 weeks (1 week??) and how many statistics I had correct. They were 'impressed' with the severity of our situation. Right now we have 19 severely malnourished children (ages 0-5), two intermediate and one critical.
For us the situation was just utterly frustrating: "but you need this form, and that paper, and this letter head, and such and such in triplicate..." It all made sense, but why hadn't they told us? I again stressed the need and severity. Now we need a specific letter and when we bring it next week (we're going Tue) we will get the PlumpyNut for the severe patients, and MP3, which is a highly enriched milk product, for the intermediate malnourished children. And that is more than we have now. MUCH more. Betsy: I'm using your money to transport the PlumpyNut. Thanks!!!!
After that we went 'bump' in the night, all the way home. My driver ended up patiently waiting until 4:30 PM and then took me - what all women in frustration apparently do: shopping!
I went to the international supermarket (Starry's request) and bought ham, Dutch cheese, tostido chips and salsa, wine, beer, whatever. A big box full and my gift to them for staying here. I hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday and was S-T-A-R-V-E-D.
Many funny things happened today on the way, but I am too exhausted to remember them now.
Except the 5 tiny goats butting and playing in the middle of the road. We were going 90 mph and the driver honked loudly. All the little goats jumped 1-2 feet into the air and then scattered. We all burst out laughing! Tomorrow more. I am taking a day OFF! (It's a holiday here)
My kreyol is really improving! I could speak a little and now, through all the confusion of languages, I know nothing. OK. Au whatever. Love you.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Going to school.
Hey everyone. It's nice to see that the blog is being followed. Thanks!
Today is not/appears not to be so hot, for which I am grateful.
My first thing this morning was to hear that Erlantz and Starry (my hosts and friends) new German Shepherd (imported) puppy died during the night. They, maids included, were really distressed about it. Very sad.
At 8 am I had my first Kreyol private lesson. Wesley, professe, has written a book to learn Kreyol and it is excellent. i think I will finish book 1 before I go home so I will pass it on the Sander. Very logical-I like it. I bought one for you too, Carl, and already signed you up for lessons: 1 hr/day for the two weeks we're here.
After this I went to the malnutrition ward and established the manner in which infants need to be measured (if they're strong/old enough to stand up they can be measured by the scales.)
We measured all the children, some under immense protest with the mothers looking on with smiles: something imporrtant was being done by le 'blan' and it didn't hurt for a change.
I took a ton of pictures this morning and thank good ness for digital: they all had at least (the mothers) 2 shots each. I also took photos of the women washing clothes, mothers nursing babies with kwasiorkor, the measuring etc etc. In addition to that I visited an adorable kindergarten class with a ton of colorful pictures there as well. So much fun and a healthy contrast.
As I was walking down the hall, I saw a man all alone on a stretcher. I went to say hello to him, only to find that he was dead. That was a bit of a shock.
Our letter is going out in about 30 minutes and then I will set up the new protocol for the malnutrice ward. I don't know who I think I am or, for that matter, who they think I am, but Erlantz, the pediatrician has faith in me so I forge ahead and learn.
There is a very tall guy who waits for me everywhere and is "the village idiot" as Starry explained. He scares me a little. He actually speaks quite decent English but I can't get him away from me. I told him that I was married and he let out a long "ooooooh!", followed by "Can I take you for a walk on Saturday?" Oy. Better keep him at arms-length and on my good side.
The food is great, but a little hard to have only one meal (midday) per day. The maid figured out (how??) that I should eat something in the morning and she made me toast over the open fire and this was presented with a jar of the most delicious pineapple jam and...a jar of Prego spaghetti sauce. I had a little of both, of course.
OK. Enough. If Erlantz can help me unload my pictures, I will send a bunch to look at today or tomorrow. Love to all. Do not worry: I feel more safe here this time than any time before.
Mom/Marianne
Today is not/appears not to be so hot, for which I am grateful.
My first thing this morning was to hear that Erlantz and Starry (my hosts and friends) new German Shepherd (imported) puppy died during the night. They, maids included, were really distressed about it. Very sad.
At 8 am I had my first Kreyol private lesson. Wesley, professe, has written a book to learn Kreyol and it is excellent. i think I will finish book 1 before I go home so I will pass it on the Sander. Very logical-I like it. I bought one for you too, Carl, and already signed you up for lessons: 1 hr/day for the two weeks we're here.
After this I went to the malnutrition ward and established the manner in which infants need to be measured (if they're strong/old enough to stand up they can be measured by the scales.)
We measured all the children, some under immense protest with the mothers looking on with smiles: something imporrtant was being done by le 'blan' and it didn't hurt for a change.
I took a ton of pictures this morning and thank good ness for digital: they all had at least (the mothers) 2 shots each. I also took photos of the women washing clothes, mothers nursing babies with kwasiorkor, the measuring etc etc. In addition to that I visited an adorable kindergarten class with a ton of colorful pictures there as well. So much fun and a healthy contrast.
As I was walking down the hall, I saw a man all alone on a stretcher. I went to say hello to him, only to find that he was dead. That was a bit of a shock.
Our letter is going out in about 30 minutes and then I will set up the new protocol for the malnutrice ward. I don't know who I think I am or, for that matter, who they think I am, but Erlantz, the pediatrician has faith in me so I forge ahead and learn.
There is a very tall guy who waits for me everywhere and is "the village idiot" as Starry explained. He scares me a little. He actually speaks quite decent English but I can't get him away from me. I told him that I was married and he let out a long "ooooooh!", followed by "Can I take you for a walk on Saturday?" Oy. Better keep him at arms-length and on my good side.
The food is great, but a little hard to have only one meal (midday) per day. The maid figured out (how??) that I should eat something in the morning and she made me toast over the open fire and this was presented with a jar of the most delicious pineapple jam and...a jar of Prego spaghetti sauce. I had a little of both, of course.
OK. Enough. If Erlantz can help me unload my pictures, I will send a bunch to look at today or tomorrow. Love to all. Do not worry: I feel more safe here this time than any time before.
Mom/Marianne
Monday, October 13, 2008
ouch
I am wearing anklets now. Courtesy of mosquitos.
I admire them all night long.
This morning another staff meeting, at which I still have nothing conclusive to present.
It takes time. Haitian time.
Hard to sift though the real and pretend numbers.
Erlantz and I are going to compose the letter to UNICEF this morning, which means that there is no mountain trip for me yet. I am disappointed, but this is a priority.
Miss you guys but also not. Too much to do to think about missing people.
The 'maids" (Hate that word) are so good with laundry that they turned my light blue and cream underwear into absolutely sparkling white. Nice to have something new.
Yesterday I gave their children some of Keri's beautiful clothes. They were as happy as I was to see their kids in those bright colors.
It's 6 :30 am. Short words. Much love.
I admire them all night long.
This morning another staff meeting, at which I still have nothing conclusive to present.
It takes time. Haitian time.
Hard to sift though the real and pretend numbers.
Erlantz and I are going to compose the letter to UNICEF this morning, which means that there is no mountain trip for me yet. I am disappointed, but this is a priority.
Miss you guys but also not. Too much to do to think about missing people.
The 'maids" (Hate that word) are so good with laundry that they turned my light blue and cream underwear into absolutely sparkling white. Nice to have something new.
Yesterday I gave their children some of Keri's beautiful clothes. They were as happy as I was to see their kids in those bright colors.
It's 6 :30 am. Short words. Much love.
Friday, October 10, 2008
First few days at HAS
No pictures to show today, but tomorrow they will be here. Too much trouble with the computers and SoooooooooooSllllooooooooooooooow.
All is well here and the hospital is entirely different from my/our last visit. Last time everything at Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) was in shambles. Not only did the left hand not know what the right one was doing: nobody KNEW there was a right hand. Nurses slept through the night and patients died which was discovered in the morning. No longer so. Dr. Rolf Maibach, an elderly gentleman from Switzerland is the new Medical Director. He looks like Schweitzer, has very kindly and patiently (in a hurry) turned everything around and the result is astonishing. There are only four employees left from the original, plus the administrator. The place is clean, obedient, responsible and works like a charm. The first time we were here patients were disappearing and no-one knew why. Now they have all returned and in large numbers.
My work is mainly in and with the malnutrition ward. At this moment there are about 18 children admitted, several severe cases. four year olds are really nine and babies all look like premies. It turns out that it is not only extreme poverty. There is a hirarchy in each family that runs from father to mother and down age-wise to the youngest when it comes to food. Therefore the youngest gets little to nothing. There are two excellent programs: one to teach nutrition according to what it available and secondly a co-op system where all contribute equal amounts of money and what is brought back from the often VERY far away market is distributed equally among all.
These outreach clinics are called Ti Foyer and is open a few days a week. Most are very far into the mountains and difficult to get to. On Monday I will have my first experience. That is to say: I am already up to my ears in work (in the fanned library :-) with statistics, creating a different system of recording information which was neatly recorded but inadequate. In addition I am figuring out overall percentages of weightloss/gain.
The problem is that only age was recorded, but not height AND age AND weight. UNICEF wants all three in order to have the PlumpyNut distributed. It makes perfect sense, when you think about it. A child who was born underweight and has failure to thrive will have different relative weight and height than one born healthy. So I am in the process of making new charts and guidelines. Fun and going well.
On the way here, from Port au Prince (PAP) to Deschapelles, I saw some of the lesser devastation. Water had come rushing down from the mountains and when it reached the ocean wiped away entire houses and villages. The holes in the roads are deeper and larger than ever.
It was good to see that, even in the dark of night, the American crews were working with large, shipped in equipment to repair the roads. Especially the sides were dangerous with 3 feet deep (1 meter) shoulders. In Saint Marc, where my Jean and mother Gladys live, roofs had blown off shanties and I was so happy to know that they now live in a real house. The park in the center of the city was locked because trees had fallen over. The last thing they need: losing more trees.
I don't know whether I will make it to Gonaive, the town on the coast north of Saint Marc.
That city was hit worse than any other place in Haiti. My (new) friend here, a very wonderful endocrinologist, told me that the city has been wiped away. She has visited twice but said that, without large equipment, many people and an amazing amount of money there is little that can be done. And disease is brewing.
On a more positive note: I am staying at the house of the brother of (:-) our friend Dr. Nathaelf Hyppolite. Erlantz (the brother) is almost married to Starry (is proposing Sunday night) and they have an adorable and beautiful 4 mo old daughter named Jasmine. They also have a new puppy, a German Shephard who pees as much as Jasmine and is equally loud at times. Both adorable, though and a good step away from it all.
The malnutrition ward is a bit hard to take. However: a volunteer over the summer convinced the nurses that cheerful music, activities and colorful pictures would change and improve the atmosphere. And indeed it makes a difference. This afternoon Erin, a college volunteer who took half a year off to do this work, and I will begin to distribute the colorful and soft sheets you all donated. And the little blankies. All have to be marked HAS with permanent markers or the mothers will become the sole owners. That isn't the idea.
Dede: thank you for your idea for a fund raiser. What they need most right now is scales to weigh the children as well as height-measuring sticks to take out to the Ti Foyer. I have thought of using the new digital suitcase weighing aparatus sold by the AAA. I bought one and they are extremely fast and accurate and hand-held. All I need to do is make some sort of heavy-duty sling/swing to attach to the bottome. They cost $14.95 if you are a AAA member. We need at least 10 of them, one for each Ti Foyer and for future expansion of that program. The measuring sticks are also VERY important (Sturdy tape measures if need be that can be mounted to the wall) so we can start/continue receiving FREE PlumpyNut from UNICEF. Now all children can receive it, rather than a control group. Needless to say much more is needed, but those are rather urgent items.
An additional idea was born. The parents will take the take-home food to the market to sell. It tastes great and they're all hungry. Solution: cut the tip off so it is open (can't spoil) to prevent selling. Let's hope it works.
Let's also hope that sending this blog works.
Sending you all my love. It seems like I have been in this so different world forever. There isn't a moment rest because everyone needs something or some help all day long. I am glad to be useful rather than spending my day twiddling my thumbs.
Tomorrow 'my boy" Jean-Marie and his mom Gladys are coming for an overnight visit. I look forward to snuggling him again! I'll take pictures of your godson, Sander!
Marianne
All is well here and the hospital is entirely different from my/our last visit. Last time everything at Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) was in shambles. Not only did the left hand not know what the right one was doing: nobody KNEW there was a right hand. Nurses slept through the night and patients died which was discovered in the morning. No longer so. Dr. Rolf Maibach, an elderly gentleman from Switzerland is the new Medical Director. He looks like Schweitzer, has very kindly and patiently (in a hurry) turned everything around and the result is astonishing. There are only four employees left from the original, plus the administrator. The place is clean, obedient, responsible and works like a charm. The first time we were here patients were disappearing and no-one knew why. Now they have all returned and in large numbers.
My work is mainly in and with the malnutrition ward. At this moment there are about 18 children admitted, several severe cases. four year olds are really nine and babies all look like premies. It turns out that it is not only extreme poverty. There is a hirarchy in each family that runs from father to mother and down age-wise to the youngest when it comes to food. Therefore the youngest gets little to nothing. There are two excellent programs: one to teach nutrition according to what it available and secondly a co-op system where all contribute equal amounts of money and what is brought back from the often VERY far away market is distributed equally among all.
These outreach clinics are called Ti Foyer and is open a few days a week. Most are very far into the mountains and difficult to get to. On Monday I will have my first experience. That is to say: I am already up to my ears in work (in the fanned library :-) with statistics, creating a different system of recording information which was neatly recorded but inadequate. In addition I am figuring out overall percentages of weightloss/gain.
The problem is that only age was recorded, but not height AND age AND weight. UNICEF wants all three in order to have the PlumpyNut distributed. It makes perfect sense, when you think about it. A child who was born underweight and has failure to thrive will have different relative weight and height than one born healthy. So I am in the process of making new charts and guidelines. Fun and going well.
On the way here, from Port au Prince (PAP) to Deschapelles, I saw some of the lesser devastation. Water had come rushing down from the mountains and when it reached the ocean wiped away entire houses and villages. The holes in the roads are deeper and larger than ever.
It was good to see that, even in the dark of night, the American crews were working with large, shipped in equipment to repair the roads. Especially the sides were dangerous with 3 feet deep (1 meter) shoulders. In Saint Marc, where my Jean and mother Gladys live, roofs had blown off shanties and I was so happy to know that they now live in a real house. The park in the center of the city was locked because trees had fallen over. The last thing they need: losing more trees.
I don't know whether I will make it to Gonaive, the town on the coast north of Saint Marc.
That city was hit worse than any other place in Haiti. My (new) friend here, a very wonderful endocrinologist, told me that the city has been wiped away. She has visited twice but said that, without large equipment, many people and an amazing amount of money there is little that can be done. And disease is brewing.
On a more positive note: I am staying at the house of the brother of (:-) our friend Dr. Nathaelf Hyppolite. Erlantz (the brother) is almost married to Starry (is proposing Sunday night) and they have an adorable and beautiful 4 mo old daughter named Jasmine. They also have a new puppy, a German Shephard who pees as much as Jasmine and is equally loud at times. Both adorable, though and a good step away from it all.
The malnutrition ward is a bit hard to take. However: a volunteer over the summer convinced the nurses that cheerful music, activities and colorful pictures would change and improve the atmosphere. And indeed it makes a difference. This afternoon Erin, a college volunteer who took half a year off to do this work, and I will begin to distribute the colorful and soft sheets you all donated. And the little blankies. All have to be marked HAS with permanent markers or the mothers will become the sole owners. That isn't the idea.
Dede: thank you for your idea for a fund raiser. What they need most right now is scales to weigh the children as well as height-measuring sticks to take out to the Ti Foyer. I have thought of using the new digital suitcase weighing aparatus sold by the AAA. I bought one and they are extremely fast and accurate and hand-held. All I need to do is make some sort of heavy-duty sling/swing to attach to the bottome. They cost $14.95 if you are a AAA member. We need at least 10 of them, one for each Ti Foyer and for future expansion of that program. The measuring sticks are also VERY important (Sturdy tape measures if need be that can be mounted to the wall) so we can start/continue receiving FREE PlumpyNut from UNICEF. Now all children can receive it, rather than a control group. Needless to say much more is needed, but those are rather urgent items.
An additional idea was born. The parents will take the take-home food to the market to sell. It tastes great and they're all hungry. Solution: cut the tip off so it is open (can't spoil) to prevent selling. Let's hope it works.
Let's also hope that sending this blog works.
Sending you all my love. It seems like I have been in this so different world forever. There isn't a moment rest because everyone needs something or some help all day long. I am glad to be useful rather than spending my day twiddling my thumbs.
Tomorrow 'my boy" Jean-Marie and his mom Gladys are coming for an overnight visit. I look forward to snuggling him again! I'll take pictures of your godson, Sander!
Marianne
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Haiti once again.
The country is in need beyond description . Roads between towns are still close, although a temporary bridge has been set up to bring some food from Port au Prince to Saint Marc,where our boy Jean (zjahn)-Marie lives, and onward to Deschapelles, the town with Albert Schweitzer Hospital (HAS) and Hands Across The Sea orphanage (HATS). Most is still coming by helicopter drops. The water is slowly receeding, which brings more dead bodies and more drowned livestock to pollute the country side. Especially in remote villages the people are immensely hungry. They have some money, there is food in the markets - even though a far cry fom what is normally available, but they just cannot get there and back. Children are starving.
I am leaving October 8, after Tjitske's wedding. Through some miracle of email connections one question was asked to UNICEF: "can we get PlumpyNut for the malnutrition wing at the hospital, and for the mountain villages?" My question was posed to someone whose job was related to...etc, etc..and within two hours I had an email from the director of UNICEF-Haiti that we could work it out. After a few days of getting hospital protocols and other paperwork in order, the project was accepted by UNICEF, and food and medicine is on its way from France. Whoever says that miracles don't exist can join me at JFK October 8. I'll show you miracles!
Once at Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS), I will be in charge of creating the statistics forms for our particular project (in Kreyol) to supply to UNICEF, in addition to eaching the staff and volunteers how to use them. And I'll wipe skinny bottoms, hug moms and stuff like that as well. No degrees or language needed. And I will go into the mountains, hoping to find new villages and hoping their children are alive.
Over Christmas Carl and I will go to HAS again so a pediatrician there can finally spend Christmas with her family. Carl will work in pediatrics and I'll see what will be next. Undoubtedly I'll spend time with my beautiful godson Jean-Marie (see before and after pictures below) and his young mom Gladys.
This is my 6th trip to Haiti, 4th this year, and it will be Carl's second. His presence has far more impact than mine, but every pair of hands helps. So if you're interested: let us know!
I will try,
barring issues with electricity or internet, to write every day through October about my sad but also joyful and ALWAYS interesting time in Haiti.
The country is in need beyond description . Roads between towns are still close, although a temporary bridge has been set up to bring some food from Port au Prince to Saint Marc,where our boy Jean (zjahn)-Marie lives, and onward to Deschapelles, the town with Albert Schweitzer Hospital (HAS) and Hands Across The Sea orphanage (HATS). Most is still coming by helicopter drops. The water is slowly receeding, which brings more dead bodies and more drowned livestock to pollute the country side. Especially in remote villages the people are immensely hungry. They have some money, there is food in the markets - even though a far cry fom what is normally available, but they just cannot get there and back. Children are starving.
I am leaving October 8, after Tjitske's wedding. Through some miracle of email connections one question was asked to UNICEF: "can we get PlumpyNut for the malnutrition wing at the hospital, and for the mountain villages?" My question was posed to someone whose job was related to...etc, etc..and within two hours I had an email from the director of UNICEF-Haiti that we could work it out. After a few days of getting hospital protocols and other paperwork in order, the project was accepted by UNICEF, and food and medicine is on its way from France. Whoever says that miracles don't exist can join me at JFK October 8. I'll show you miracles!
Once at Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS), I will be in charge of creating the statistics forms for our particular project (in Kreyol) to supply to UNICEF, in addition to eaching the staff and volunteers how to use them. And I'll wipe skinny bottoms, hug moms and stuff like that as well. No degrees or language needed. And I will go into the mountains, hoping to find new villages and hoping their children are alive.
Over Christmas Carl and I will go to HAS again so a pediatrician there can finally spend Christmas with her family. Carl will work in pediatrics and I'll see what will be next. Undoubtedly I'll spend time with my beautiful godson Jean-Marie (see before and after pictures below) and his young mom Gladys.
This is my 6th trip to Haiti, 4th this year, and it will be Carl's second. His presence has far more impact than mine, but every pair of hands helps. So if you're interested: let us know!
I will try,
barring issues with electricity or internet, to write every day through October about my sad but also joyful and ALWAYS interesting time in Haiti.
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