It is just before midnight on Wednesday as I step outside to once again talk to a machine to summarize our day’s events in hopes of bringing our family and friends a bit closer to us through this blog. I look around and there are a few lights in the distance The stars are out as they are every night. In fact, I am not even sure if we have seen a cloud since we have been here.
The will and fortitude of the people in Haiti continues to amaze us. I need only to talk to our nurses who are most intimately caring for these individuals to understand this point. Their stories truly touch the hearts of every one of us here.
One of our patients who was shot and paralyzed as a victim of a burglary is here now in our clinic, alone, paralyzed from the waist down, not a result of the earthquake, but now as the result of the earthquake. He has nowhere else to go and no one else to be with him. When our nurses asked him about his injury and if he knew his assailant, he said no he wishes he did, but he also said “I forgive him.”
This statement is a testament to the people of Haiti and who they are. They are still kind, still helpful to one another. The family members are there for each other, but those that are here in our clinic and our hospital without anyone have the support of their neighbors, their roommates, and their roommate’s family. These are not roommates that share a double room either. There are fifteen patients in a room the size of a small garage. A ward that consists of mattresses on the floor and old donated hospital beds. Yet when we enter in the morning to see them, the smiles come across their faces.
As I traveled to the airport the other day I talked with my driver and the interpreter. My driver spoke no English, but through the interpreter I asked him about his family and if they were safe from the earthquake. He said his “house was broken” and he was now staying with a cousin. Charles, my interpreter also said his “house was broken.” His family was okay, but they too had to find a new place to temporarily call home. He said “this may be a new covenant for Haiti.” Charles hopes this is a new lease on life that will bring the outside world into Haiti and see what good they have to offer and see what the people of Haiti can provide to one another. He said he wishes he could pay me money and I told him of course we don’t expect money, but he said “but I wish I could pay you money, but all I have to offer you are prayers.” He said “I will pray for you and I will pray for the rest of your team who is here to help us with your medical skills.” Charles said he had aspirations to continue his education in international business and he hopes to one day be an ambassador for the “New Haiti.” He said that “this is a new lease on life and that somehow through this tragedy Haiti will become better and stronger.”
The surgeries at Double Harvest Mission are becoming less emergent, but no less important. We are still trying to mend broken bones here and there and deal with ongoing infections and wounds. We’re continuing to try and do our best every day.
It seems it wouldn’t be another day without yet another new birth. A baby was born at Double Harvest today. It seems ironic that there has been such tragedy, such loss of life, such disability and in our grief of four and a half days here we have seen the birth of four new babies. Sadly, one baby did not survive, but the others are doing well and the joys we see on the faces of the mothers and families bring joy and inspiration. It inspires us to continue our efforts.
I am sure I can speak for everyone on our team that we certainly miss our family and friends. There are moments we cannot wait to get back, yet there are times that we wish we could stay longer with these people and continue to be by their side and help them through their struggles.
We have two short days ahead of us before we will leave and transition back to our old lives. We look forward to tomorrow when we can again try and provide comfort to the hurting souls and try to mend some wounds. We look forward to this coming Saturday where we can return to our family and friends as well. So, again we are all safe, doing well, and we are grateful for the gifts and skills we have been given. We are grateful for the opportunity to share them with a people that are so appreciative and so humble.
Terrence J. Endres, M.D.
