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
Thursday, October 30, 2008
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)