The Journey within the Journey

Monday, April 23

When I said I had a feeling things were going to get interesting yesterday, I pretty much hit the nail on the head. I started the day hearing our plans were on hold because of roads being barricaded in protest and ended with a big sleepover on the concrete alter of a church while hundreds of villagers sat in the pews waiting for us to wake up. Perhaps I should explain more...

At 6, I got up to go get rent cars with a couple of the guys. Pastor Ron greeted us with a worried look on his face. He explained that a police officer was shot and killed on Friday and today the police officers were protesting, as they felt that the government was involved. And of course, since safety is our first concern, we weren't sure if we were going to make it to the mountains, because if without the rental cars, we were stuck in the city.

We got the all clear a few minutes later, so our spirits lifted. Pastor Ron's solution was to take an alternate route, through the outskirts of Cite Soleil. In all honesty, I was relieved that Pastor Ron had earlier strongly suggested I sit in the cab of the truck. I breathed even easier when the driver discretely rolled up my window.

Cite Soleil is essentially the Five Points of Port Au Prince. Actually, a Cite Soleil dweller would consider Five Points a paradise. Often considered the poorest slum in the western hemisphere, it is not a place I ever thought I would find myself. Gangs are rumored to control this area and violence is rampant. Up to 400,000 Haitians call this slum of about 8 square miles home. With only shantys and no sewer system, the stench burns at your nostrils. I didn't see anything terribly disturbing that I can verbally describe, but I can tell that it wasn't a happy place.

We were hoping that renting the cars would just take a couple of hours at most. When we returned to the orphanage over 4 hours later, our spirits had taken a beaten. Nothing is easy in Haiti and renting cars is no exception. I'm not sure why, but Avis decided to "try harder" and repainted one of our trucks before we could leave with it. Then it needed three new tires. Then a different car needed more gas. Then we needed to get water for our trip. Running errands in Haiti can easily be a day long task. And although I didn't do much besides watch "Father of the Bride" in French and try to read newspapers in Creole, I was exhausted by the time I got back to the orphanage.

Because it was past noon by the time we finally reunited with the rest of the team (who had graciously cleaned our host house!), we knew that we had to omit what I was looking forward to most. We had planned to arrive in the mountains in time to hold an education clinic.  I personally was excited at the prospect of educating expecting moms on the basic care of taking care of newborns, while others touched on subjects such as hand hygiene.  Using canvases, we made displays depicting the information in Creole and I think we were all more than a little proud of our hard work.  But because we faced at least a four hour drive to our destination, we knew we wouldn't have time before the sun set.  It was a disappointment, but I have to learn to expect such circumstances.

Despite our exhaustion, resting wasn't an option. We needed to get going if we were ever going to make it to our mountain destination. We knew that a trip to the mountains rarely is without a few obstacles along the way and we needed to give some leeway for whatever lay in our way. We loaded up our truck and 2 Land Cruisers with our 20 something bags and 20 people AND their personal belongings AND water AND rice and headed off (like sardines).

Dan tying down our supplies

As soon as the tires of the Land Cruiser hit the dirt roads, my spirit was lifted. I continue to be in awe of the Haitian mountainside. I just can't describe the serenity of it all, which is odd considering the utter poverty. Children often run out to yell, "Blan Blan Blan" wearing only shirts, mothers are bathing with their children in a stream next to the dirt road, and you can't help but wonder how the huts continue to stand trip after trip. I love to see little children run out playing with a stick and a wheel.  The same "toy" my grandfather played stills entertains children in these parts.  It's so serene and simple, you feel like you are intruding with your vehicles.

Typical part of the road

As promised, the road is such an adventure. I think last time I wrote that it was like Independence Pass, minus the pavement with the addition of randomly placed rocks and sometimes boulders. Still can't think of a better example. Luckily, Tony and Dan love to four wheel and took to the challenge with an awesome attitude and amazing driving skills.

I shared a car with three Haitian translators who had never been to the mountains before.  Actually, they didn't even know this part of Haiti existed!  They kept passing around my camera taking pictures of every sight they saw.  They were in awe of this beautiful part of Haiti and I was in awe of their amazement.  It would be similar to living in Denver and never going to the mountains.

Taking a break from driving

As beautiful as the mountains are, a sadness lies in the hillside.  The vast majority of Haiti's mountains have been deforested.  There are many reasons the trees were cut down, ranging from logging to clearing land to farm.  Without trees, the land was not able to handle the torrential rainfalls that occur in a tropical environment and erosion caused many problems. It is said that 98% of the country's forest has been chopped down.  When you catch a glimpse of the rare land that was spared, your heart aches for more similar scenery.  Basically, you would have the Dominican Republic.

Missing Trees

Those that had been on the previous trip were nervous because the road was underwater 6 months ago and they weren't able to reach Cornillion, our destination. It was so fun to see the jubilation on their faces as we drove past (not through) the lake that overflowed last time. We pulled into Cornillion just as it began to rain.

A villager

Pastor Ron ushered the women into one of the houses while the men figured out the next task. I have a hard time using the word "house" because it would never be considered a house back home. People have tool sheds bigger and more finished than these. I can't wait to go through my pictures, but am a little concerned because it was so dark. As you can imagine, electricity is not exactly a standard in these parts. I hope they turn out! But if they don't, I promise you that it is straight out of movie set. Dirt floors, mud walls and proudly decorated. 

We asked the Pastor's wife if it would be ok to take her picture and she ran out of the room. Turns out, she wanted to get herself gussied up before we took her photo. She came out in her Sunday best with her hair styled. It was hilarious, but proof that women are the same everywhere in so many aspects. Plus, showing people who don't get the luxury of cameras, let alone digital cameras, their photo is a joy!

The rain let up, so it was decided that it was time to backpack in to the church. We strapped on our personal gear and followed the trail that lead to a rather large church on top of a hill. It was a beautiful hike and one you can only find in the rare undisturbed corners of the world. We passed an old cemetery with old tombstones above the ground. It was so far in the distance, it looked like a miniature replica. I also loved passing the grass huts used for kitchens. The dark green leaves they use are so beautiful and I have yet to figure out how such a lovely leaf can form such an important structure.

Kitchen

 It was amazing to see our bags had already been hauled up and were awaiting us in the church! The Haitians are so strong and so willing to help us. They don't let us do anything! At one point, a barefoot teenage girl took my bag from me to carry it. Really? I have access to great health care, a gym, a physical therapist, shoes fitted especially to my feet and a square meal whenever I want it, and YOU insist on carrying MY stuff?!? For some reason, I find this extremely humbling.

Per village standard, they offered us a delicious meal of rice and beans (and perhaps goat) and settled in for church service. We were introduced, sang and worshipped, then tried to rest before our long, challenging day tomorrow.

All 12 of us inflated our mattress pads, rolled out our sleeping bags, swallowed some sleeping aids, prayed and attempted to turn in for the night. Turns out when the church is filled with people lining up for a clinic in the morning, you have two security guards watching you and they provide you with a pot to use should you need to use the restroom, sleep doesn't come easy.

Ahhh..the mountain villages of Haiti....

Day of Rest

Sunday, April 22

 Ahhh, a relaxing Sunday. The week is about to get crazy, so I know to enjoy these down days while I can. Not to mention, I think we all need to recoup from our 24+ hours of travel.  My "down day" started at 6 am for church. I took a quick cold shower and headed out bright out and bushy tailed (ok, maybe that is an exaggeration). 

It was comforting to know that not much has changed at church. The only change was the exterior of the building. Instead of being welcomed with broken steps, we got to view the front of a beautiful building. It makes me smile just thinking about it. The worship was as passionate as ever, the songs were as glorious as I remembered and the sermon (through the interpreter) was just as relevant to our life as what was probably being said in America.

I continued to be amazed by the clothing Haitians were to church. Everything is not only church dress appropriate, but cleaner and more pressed than you would find in any American church. As the team was reflecting tonight, we realized the big difference between Haitian and American worship. In Haiti, church is the highlight of the week. In America, it's something we go to if we can fit it in. This difference shines through beyond words.

After church, the widows were bussed out to the orphanage, where we served them lunch. I felt a little bad, as the cooks were the ones who had slaved over the food for hours and we had the glory because we simply plopped it on a plate and placed it in front of them.

We then passed out tote bags for the ladies to decorate with fabric markers and paint. At first, we just had 27 widows looking at us with blank stares. But once a couple of girls demonstrated the idea with the markers, the idea took off. It was fun to see their faces light up as they made their own art. And as an added bonus, they got an decent accessory to help carry items home from the market.

We were blessed enough to have a ton of crocs donated to us (much to Customs' chagrin). And when I say Crocs, I'm not talking about what image probably popped into your head. These things could easily be fooled for regular shoes. There were flip flops, heeled sandals, dress shoes and even moccasins! So we displayed about 40 pairs and let each lady pick out a pair. It was one of the most rewarding experiences to help them fit shoes onto their battered feet and receive an English "thank you." with a kiss on the cheek and grateful hug.

Once I took a picture of one lady proudly displaying her bag and showed it to her, all the ladies wanted to model their bags. It was so fun to see these ladies who had been through a life of hardship to giggle like children when they saw their picture. All in all, I couldn't ask for a more grateful, graceful group of women (and even a couple of men).

Later in the afternoon a handful of us ventured into town to get supplies for our upcoming mountain trek. As usual, the streets of Haiti didn't lack in interesting sites. From people sleeping on the sidewalk, to market transactions to what is appearing to be the standard walking naked man, I will never get enough of everyday life in Haiti. I also tried to learn the Haiti currency system and understand the exchange rate, but apparently you need a masters' degree in finance.

I heard today that a common Haiti catchphrase is "Haiti is more complicated than meets the eye. " Yep. And the monetary system is visual proof.

I know that yesterday I wrote that trash still litters the street.  However, today with the benefit of being in an open truck, I got to see how much less trash is in the street.  We used to have to zigzag around rubble and hold our breath to prevent breathing the odor of rotting trash.  It wasn't that bad on our Sunday drive.  Dare I say that some of the streets are just a few street cleaners away from looking like some of the streets in America.  Ok, maybe you won't find a bull walking down the street or women carrying baskets of good on their head, but you get the point...

I'm about to run over to hear the orphans sing their nightly devotional. In the morning, we are gonna get our rental cars and head up to the mountains. Stay tuned, I have a feeling things are going to start getting interesting!

Our Arrival

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Well we are here. Safe and sound. Which I've learned is a big deal in Haiti. As usual, the trip was full of bumps and unexpected turns, but we lived to tell about it.

We seem to be having a baggage problem this trip. We had gathered enough supplies to stuff 30 army surplus duffles. However, American Airlines wasn't as pleased with this as we were. They recently changed their Hatit baggage allowance to one checked bag per passenger. The fact that there was only 12 of us and 30 bags posed a mathematical dilemma. AA wasn't willing to budge at all and $1400 in fees later, we were on our merry way.

We arrived in Miami and settled into our hotel around 10pm. After a not so quick meal at Bennigan's we tried to catch some Zzzzz's. I tossed and turned for a few hours, then it was up and at em at 4 am so we could catch the shuttle back to the airport. Of course, getting onto the shuttle on time took some finagling, but we made it on that final plane to Port Au Prince. More impressively, my massive backpack made it into the overhead bin with minimal resistance. Yep, I was that annoying person with the carry on that barely fits and causes the flight attendants to suffer symptoms mimicking a heart attack. Sorry, but sometimes a chick has to do what a chick has to do.

We thought we were doing swell when we landed in Port Au Prince and found all 30 of our bags relatively easily. Things started to go down hill when we attempted to get all 30 awkward heavy bags onto the wobbly carts you can expect to find in an airport of Haiti's caliber. These carts were the opposite of cooperative. If we wanted to go left, it would go right. If we wanted to go straight, well it would just fall over.

And then we and our impossible carts came to a screeching halt when we went through our final customs check. We (and the 30 bags) were "randomly selected for inspection." Life gets a little tricky here.

In a country that isn't exactly known for being honest and fair, sometimes you have to play by the same rules. We were hoping that they wouldn't find the meds that we may or may not have declared. Items like meds are highly coveted in Haiti and if found, we knew we might as well kiss them goodbye. So when they started going through our bags, we were a little concerned about what they were going to find (and subsequently take). After rifling through crocs, blankets and baby clothes, they released us.

Released us to the wolves is probably more accurate. The minute you step foot outside of the airport, you are greeted by the most persistent sales people known to man, known as porters. There are about 50 or so guys begging to help you out with your bags in exchange for a cash payout at the end. Our group of 12 weary American travelers with bags tumbling off of wobbly carts was every porters' dream...

We fended off as many as we could for as long as possible. But our exhaustion proved to be a weak opponent to their persistence. About halfway to our mile (uphill both ways) trek to the bus, we surcame to the pressure and and stopped batting away hands. Of course, this always leads to the tenuous moment of money exchange. It's amazing how many people can appear once you pull out a little green.

Soon we realized paying the porters was the least of our concerns. Our friends from customs were back. It seems that they wanted to be awarded for their "leniency" with our baggage. Things got decently heated and perhaps just a little scary. It took some time and prayers, but we narrowly escaped. I have never been so happy to be moving on a school bus in my life. Never mind having all of our bags and team members in tact. I was actually relieved for another reason as well.

I was very excited to see, smell and hear Haiti. My first impression was of absence. All of the tents that used to line the streets going into the airport were absent. There was a remnant of blue canvas here and there, but the society that used to inhabit this ground was absent. Wow. I can't begin to describe what that means. Probably a more stable home to a thousand or so people. That is mind boggling.

Now that I try to reflect, I am not sure that I recall passing any tent cities....Wow...

As much that has changed, there is so much that hasn't. Trash litters the streets, sometimes in burning piles. The markets are bustling as ever. Music blares around every corner. Traffic will scare every rookie.

Apparently, Haiti has been experiencing some downpours. As we entered the orphanage, I was really sad to see the "soccer field" was underwater. However, Haiti contradictions continued, as I was uplifted to see a second story on the orphanage. And then I saw Pastor Ron's house. It is magnificent! We are blessed enough to get to stay in this luxurious palace by Haiti standards. Air conditioning, Wi-Fi, mosquito free, kitchen and bathrooms all included! I can't wait to rest in this comfortable bed! We even have the option of hot water, but can't bring ourselves to turn it on. Seems glutenous.

As the bus parked, the orphans ran outside and arranged themselves neatly on the steps. Surprisingly, they greeted us with a great rendition of "Hey Hey Hey" complete with clapping. I love these kids! Our overwhelming greeting continued with the customary kisses and hugs. I love these kids!

We were told before we sat down for lunch that the orphans wanted to sing a song for us. So once again, they neatly arranged themselves and placed their right hands over their hearts and sang the Star Bangled Banner- in Creole! I loved it! Have I mentioned that I love these kids?!?!?

After lunch, we immersed ourselves in orphans. It's so easy to love these kids, and they want it so badly. These kids just soak up every ounce of love we can give and it feels amazing to give our hearts to them.

To me, these orphans are the definition of resilient. Left without parents, few clothes, maybe a pair of shoes and two servings of porridge a day, they continue to smile and make you realize just how lucky you are. There's Wadson, who is my Haiti version of Jace and will always hold a special place in my heart. There's the youngest, Stevie, who just wants to be able to play with the older kids. There's Sonal, the hyper 7 year old who loves to use your body as his personal monkey bars. There's Annanya, a 2 year old whose infectious giggle is craved by all. There's Eugenia, a 7 year old who was wearing shorts that buttoned up the middle. Yes, she was wearing a pair of infant pants as shorts. I could go on and on describing these souls that have forever touched my heart...

It's amazing to watch these children interact with each other. They really run around the orphanage with little supervision. There's wildlife to contend with, jagged rocks and many other hazards that American lawyers would never allow. But these kids never seem to get hurt. They know that that danger is present and are smart enough to avoid it. There's also a level of accountability they hold that is unexplainable.

We just wrapped up with the best part of staying at the orphanage; the nightly devotional. The older children recite psalms and the entire orphanage is overwhelmed by the singing of hymns. It's a feeling that cannot be described. Especially at this level of exhaustion.

I am barely at a functioning level right now. I am looking forward to my weak, cold shower and bed. I'll check back with you later!

The biggest question answered

I love this question!

Is there anything you need or that I can donate for you trip?  The answer is absolutely!  We are currently collecting many over the counter medications for our clinics, as well as baby and children clothes.  Here's a list of some of the most requested items:

Adult:
Tylenol
Ibuprofen
Benadryl
Claritin
Hydrocortisone Cream
Lotrimin Cream
Zantac
Adult Mulitvitamins
Prenatal Vitamins,
Monistat
Tums

Children:
Tylenol Children's Elixir
Children's Ibuprofen suspension
Chewable multi vitamin (no gummy vitamins please!)

Other:
Toothbrush/Toothpaste
Body soap
Travel size shampoo
Band-Aids
Antibiotic Ointment
Zip lock bags (any size)
Empty travel size containers
Flip Flops

Handing out donated flip flops to the orphans

I am also accepting donations towards the cost of this mission; with my fundraising goal being $1000.  Donations will also be used towards purchasing prescription medications.  Checks can be made out to myself or Red Rocks Church with Haiti-April in the memo line.  If you need an address, just message me.

Personally, I am well prepared for this trip.  However, I do need a couple of items to make the most out of my trip.  Believe it or not, I don't have a stethoscope!  If anyone has an old one they would consider donating, I would greatly appreciate it!  I would love one that I could dedicate solely to mission trips!

Also, since we will be spending a few days in the mountains, I would love to borrow a simple point and shoot digital camera that uses regular batteries.  On my last trip, my rechargeable battery died and I missed out on many beautiful photography opportunities.  Since we will go 3 days without electricity, I want to be prepared this time!

The harsh reality

Ok, so I've covered how this trip was made possible through my amazing, graceful husband.  And then I explained our "plans" for the first few days.  Now on to the end of the week...

Hopefully, we will have arrived safely back at the orphanage by Thursday.  Thursday is perhaps the most challenging day for our team.  On Thursday, it won't be the endless line of patients to see, the language barrier, the culture shock, the heat or the bugs that challenge us.  It will be looking into the eyes of starving, dying children.  As I type, it seems harsh, but it's the truth.  It's ugly and uncomfortable; but it's the truth.

We will be venturing even further outside of our comfort zone and into what can only be described as "hell on Earth" as we go to Mother Teresa's Hospital.  This discreet building is hidden behind locked gates and surrounded by classrooms.  Inside, there are cribs and cribs lined up in a dim, dark room.  Inside the cribs lay children who have been hospitalized for numerous reasons, but mostly undernourishment.

I have been anxiously awaiting to go back to Mother Theresa's.  On my last visit, I feel that I was more desensitized to the crying children than my teammates.  I mean, I deal with crying babies, sick babies ad babies with IV's all the time at work.  What was so different about this place?

It wasn't until I went back to work that this experience slapped me in the face.  Early during our shift on that fateful night, the RN's were weighing, assessing and feeding babies.  It's generally a busy, loud time during my work day.  But as I was helping with various tasks, the crying in the NICU brought back vivid, horrendous flashbacks of Mother Theresa's. At that precise moment I realized how big of tragedy I had witnessed in that cramped, hot building.  I left the unit and cried until my heart went numb.  The Lord has been calling me back ever since that shift 18 months ago.  I need to go back and be willing to offer myself to these children.  The hospital is operated by amazing nuns who happen to be nurses, so I won't necessarily be offering medical services.  But I can hold, I can love and I can (and will) let my heart ache for these children.

And since you can't go to Haiti and not spend time in a tent city, on Friday we will do just that.  I'm not sure of the location of this tent city; but am sure that the tent dwellers will appreciate our medical advice and supplies just as much as they have in the past.  I'm curious to see if there are still residual injuries/illnesses from the 2010 Earthquake.  I'm also curious to see the progress and hopefully the reduction in the quantity of the tent cities.

Saturday, we will say goodbye to the new friends we made in translators, orphans and workers at the orphanage.  We will gladly trade out mosquito bites for hugs from our children.  We will fly into Miami and be disgusted by the gaudily amount of bling in the Airport jewelry store.  It will take every ounce of self control for me to not trip the debutante strutting around in her Christian Louboutin's. And another piece of my heart will be left in Haiti....

Our plans...err...make that "Ideas"

We have "finalized" our plans while in Haiti.  I must put finalize in quotations, because nothing ever seems to go to plan on that island!  In my two trips I have experienced flight delays, missed flights, stalled Mack trucks blocking our path, car accidents, civil unrest and being on lockdown, and that's just a few of the obstacles!  So, maybe it's better to say that we have an "idea" of what we are going to be doing on our trip.  As Dave said on my first mission, "We plan and God laughs".  Apparently, God laughs a lot during mission trips!

I leave Denver Friday, April 20th. (BTW, I will need a ride to the airport if you'd like to send me off!)  That night, I'll reacquaint myself with the floor of the Miami airport and try to get some sleep before our plane departs for Haiti early in the AM.

Sometime on Saturday we will arrive at the orphanage.  I am so looking forward to our arrival.  The orphans line up and graciously kiss our hands while our hearts instantly melt.  I'm looking forward to see how much everyone has grown, especially my buddy, Wadson.  I hope to see Julissa, who suffers from a chronic illness, healthy and smiling.

We will go to church (early!) on Sunday morning.  I have seen pictures of the church since my last visit and I can't wait to see the improvements for myself.  18 months ago, the parishioners walked past twisted rebar and up broken steps to worship the lord.  From the looks of it, the church is now in one complete beautiful piece!  

Sunday afternoon we will spend some time with the widows of the Church.  I haven't met this group of ladies yet, but am looking forward to embracing their tenacious spirit and seeing their grateful smiles.

We start "working" on Monday.  We are going to start our journey up the mountains to Cornillion.  This town is past the town I went to previously, Gran Buchon. From the sounds of it, Cornillion is "a lot bigger."  I'm not exactly sure what to expect, but I guess I will find out soon enough!  The last time I drove up this road, I was at a loss for words.  I think I compared it to Independence Pass, subtract the concrete, but add in random rocks of all sizes.  From pebbles to 4 foot boulders, this is a whole new world of off roading.  When you factor in the massive hillside you are on, it fulfills every adventure seekers dream.

There are two churches in this town that we will set up clinics at.  On Monday, we will set up "education clinics"  We are going to cover a variety of topics relevant to the villagers, such as first aid, hygiene, oral care and of course, my specialty, newborn care.  We are making canvases to leave with the pastors that will depict our education.

I don't think I can properly convey with words how excited about this part I am.  I don't think most people adequately appreciate how fortunate we are to have "inherent" knowledge about taking care of ourselves.  For example, we know that we must wash our hands after using the restroom to avoid disease, especially before preparing meals.  As an incentive for attending the education sessions, we are going to give attendees front of the line access at the clinics.  Of course, we will also be providing hygiene essentials (i.e. toothbrushes, soap, etc) to those who come.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be dedicated to running clinics; with a day at each church in the village.  I am expecting these to be two long, tough days.  I hope to be primarily seeing children and treating the common ailments of childhood in Haiti; dehydration, tinnea, jaws and the sort.  I have to brush up on my reading of course, but am so excited to be in a mission clinic again!  Nothing can compare to the array of emotions you experience after providing medical care to the severely impoverished for the first time.

Our group wanted to spend one more night in the mountains, but our Haitian leader, Pastor Ron was not in agreement with us.  He did not feel that we would be able to stay up there that long; due to lack of clean water and even more of a lack of bathroom facilities.  I am a little bummed about this detail, but know to trust Pastor Ron.  All the conditions are less than ideal up there.  Our sleeping conditions alone are enough to make most "uneasy" at best.  And I know that if we don't take care of ourselves, we can't take care of others.  But it's hard.  It's like saying, "we will help you, as long as we aren't too inconvienced."  That bothers me a bit. But again, I will trust Pastor Ron. So we will head home Wednesday after our clinic.  

Wow, I'm only through Wednesday and this is quite long!  I'll explain the rest of the trip later; but I got to get a nap in before tonight's shift!

The Beginning of Round 3!!!

I'm so excited to finally be able to say I am headed back to Haiti!  I leave in a few short weeks, on April 20th!  This time I am going back to where my love of Haiti started, at My Father's House Orphanage in Bon Repos, through Red Rocks Church. (Sorry, I can't stop using exclamation points, I'm just so excited!)  I have a lot to do in a short amount of time, but I'm confident that this is God's plan, so will just keep praying and crossing things off my to-do list as fast as possible!

This trip came out of nowhere and smacked me in the face!  I think it's quite the story, so I feel compelled to tell you how this all came about.  A few weeks ago, the night Resource RN, Kendall, came along with the Nursing Sup on his nightly rounds while I was at work.  She looked at me and said, "You went to Haiti, right?"  I confirmed that I had been to Haiti and was wondering how she knew this.  She responded, "I thought so; I'm dating Tony Babb and thought I saw pictures of you with him in Haiti."

Of course, at this point we had an instant bond and Kendall told me she was going to Haiti in April.  I learned of this trip through her and was impressed by their plans.  The most intriguing part involved staying in the mountains for as long as physically possible and going to villages that have never seen health professionals before.  After having to leave so many people behind in the mountains the last time I was with Red Rocks, I thought this sounded like a perfect opportunity to reach out even further in Haiti.

A few days later, I got an email from Tony, asking if I was interested in joining him on this trip.  I told him I would have loved to, but Paul is working out of town for a few more months, so I would have to pass.  A few days later, I was telling Paul about the trip and how I was bummed to have to miss this trip.  Without missing a beat, he responded, "You should go.  I'll work from the office that week and take care of the kids." I couldn't believe my ears!  Could this really work; could I really go to Haiti again and help people who have never had access to health care of any kind?  Was I willing to put myself through the physical and mental anguish again?  Is this even feasible?  Paul seemed to think that it was settled, I would go to Haiti and he quickly fell sound asleep.

However, I was beside myself imagining the possibilities.  I stayed up for a few more hours, just wondering if this would all work.  Would Tony still have room for me?  Could I get the time off of work?  Was I ready to leave the luxuries of the first world again?

It took a couple of weeks to sort out, but it eventually did!  I am on my way....

In the next few days (or hours, if I'm lucky) I'll post more details on our trip, requested donations and other goodies!  Stay tuned!

hint: if you "follow" me; you will get updates on when new updates are posted!