Returning to Haiti after losing Granny in April of 2014, was truly difficult, not only for Lane and Tressie but for each one of the Haitians, who loved her dearly. On March 4, 2015, Lane and Tressie started their journey back to Haiti to conduct medical clinics at several local congregations. Julien, Rodney, Altagrace, and Leonel met them at the airport with their driver, Ricardo. After buying Creole Bibles, French Bibles, song books, and medicine from the pharmacy, they met back at the Mont Joli Hotel to finalize the clinical plans with the Haitian doctors, Dr. Chery and Dr. ZoPaul.
Day 1:
The first medical clinic was held in Gens de Nantes and it is our understanding that Evelyn helped with the purchase of the land which now houses a church building and a school. The preacher, Elve Elvetus, feeds and cares for 37 orphans in Gens de Nantes. During the clinic, 93 people including children were seen. Rodney and Julien aided with translation, while Altagrace and Leonel worked the pharmacy. While speaking with the preacher, Elve Elvetus, about the needs of the Church in Gens de Nantes, Lane discovered that he is in need of surgery on his hip to remove a mass that is causing him pain and weakness in his leg. According to a team of American doctors, the mass can be removed for $1500.
Rodney and Altagrace
Day 2:
The second medical clinic was held in the poor fishing village of Carocol where they saw 94 Haitians. After completing the clinic, Tressie had the opportunity to play with the children. She painted the girls nails and sang songs with all the children. She also taught them to play hopscotch and tag; they taught her to play Hot Potato and entertained her with somersaults and a game of soccer. Lane, Julien and Ricardo distributed 165 lbs of rice and 55 lbs of beans to the Haitians.
Day 3:
The third medical clinic was held in Terrier Rouge, after the morning worship service, where Lane was blessed to give the message with Rodney translating. The clinic was set up in the courtyard out back and they saw 110 Haitians. They were able to visit an elderly blind woman with diabetes and give her 150 Haitian dollars for medications they were unable to provide her at the time. They were also able to give 500 Goud to an elderly woman who cares for her elderly uncle. Lane has visited them in their home before and knew their situation. Julien and Ricardo brought rice and beans for the congregation. On their way back to the hotel, they stopped and viewed the land where a permanent clinic will be built.
Julien
Day 4:
The fourth medical clinic was held in Port Margot which is 2 hours west of Cap-Haitien. There are about 85 members in the congregation that is led by Preacher Princivil Jackson. The church members meet on the land where a foundation has been laid for a building. They have constructed a small shed with a tin roof and gravel floor surrounded by bamboo. At the clinic, 130 Haitians were treated and more medicine was purchased for parasites. Lane gave a 96-year-old blind woman 650 Goud for food and another elderly man 600 Haitian dollars for food.
Leonel and Lane waiting for the clinic to start.
Princivil Jackson
After returning to Cap-Haitien, they made a trip to the market with Altagrace to buy food to take to the hospital and prison. They purchased 17 cases of 30 count eggs, 2 cases of spreadable cheese, and 650 buns from the local bakery.
Day 5:
Project feed the hospital and prison began with assembling bags filled with a boiled egg, a package of cheese, a bun and a banana. A total of 563 bags of food and 504 Tampico (fruit drink) were given out between the hospital and the prison.
While at the hospital, they encountered a 3-year-old girl who had her arms, chest, and thighs burned by boiling liquid. In Haiti, each patient is responsible for their own food, medications and supplies including the gloves for the doctor. This little girl had been at the hospital for 3 weeks and had nothing because her mother could not afford it. The head nurse asked for help for the little girl and provided a list of medications and supplies that were needed. They were able to provide all that was needed and some extra money for the little girl as well as supplies for another female victim that had been burned head to toe from a propane tank explosion.
After feeding the hospital and prison, a small clinic was held at Bethseda. Bethseda is a home that houses 12 elderly women and 3 elderly men and is overseen by Altagrace. Each Haitian was seen by the doctors and received any maintenance medications needed.
Julien and Rodney taking a break after a long day of work.
This trip was by far the most difficult trip, emotionally speaking, that Lane has been on to Haiti. He has been with Granny four other trips as an adult, two weeks as an eleven year old, but never where he was a large part of the decision making. Tressie and Lane work very well together on deciding what to do next, despite their willingness to kill each other as teenagers. They also put tremendous trust into Rodney, Julien, and Altagrace. They went before their arrival, seeking the most need, to help direct their steps. Mostly they trusted God. Granny always had a saying, "Nothing's ever easy in Haiti." That is a true statement.
Blessings,
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