Hello, all,
First, it was wonderful to arrive home to lots of messages from friends and family. It was definitely unlike any other experience and we have lived in a fouth-world environment while in Malawi. This devastation and all its resulting problems is simply unfathomable – even when you have seen it first-hand. No people should have to endure so much human tragedy.
While I would like to say we served thousands while there, our team was only able to help one person at a time. Coordination problems were inevitable; supplies were limited; transportation was a nightmare; hunger and thirst existed; and suffering was immense. And, it will be like this for too long into the future. In fact, I wonder if it can ever be restored, and if restored, can it be done more safely to prevent a similar event?
A photo attached shows the very gifted team I worked with, including Dr. Jack Allison, Asheville; George Danenberg, RN, Texas; and Livio Valenti, on loan from his job in Cambodia from the UN. The nurses and an assistants came from St. Louis. All of us together made an effective team while working under the canopy of Grace Tabernacle Mission Home's church. Interestingly, in the course of the week there, I saw it develop from an enclosed church site of 33 acres to a tent city, expected to house 15,000. Now, at home, Google Earth allowed me look, first-hand, at the new community establishing itself at Grace -- tented roofs are evident.
I visited and saw the children at an orphanage, Ryan Epps Children's Home, founded by NC congregation at Horne United Methodist Church in Clayton. The children are living outdoors between two walls in a space about 20 by 40 feet. The church emailed yesterday that tents and supplies arrived there by way of a cargo plane on Wednesday. I am grateful for that effort as these children, and the additional almost million children separated from family, are truly vulnerable. And, the social services as well as human resource required to take care of them will be an ongoing cost to Haiti for years to come. (Photo of the kids is also attached.)
Regarding the work in the field, it was “making do”, at best. Betty apparently wrote of the young child intubated before being carried on to, actually, the ship Comfort. What she didn’t know to write is that when all had failed in getting a line into this child, anywhere on its body, I went for directing the line into bone marrow. That is not an easy procedure, ever, but I feel simple amazement that it was done under such circustance. Right now, I’ve asked some of my Army colleagues to attempt to learn his status, still aboard Comfort. As I was leaving, his father, from whom he was separated, came to me to ask his whereabouts and condition. I hope Charles lived. I will attach that photo, as well.
It was quite a week and I hope to return to Haiti sometime soon – with Betty going along to hold the babies, somewhere. As she said half-heartedly, I can’t teach this time [as there are no schools].
There is nothing much to work with in Haiti. Any chance for reconstruction of this nation and rebuilding of their society must come from others. I can’t even imagine how this will come about except to wonder, like always, if it is simply “one person, one school, one church, one home at a time”.
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers,
George
p.s. a couple of pictures of collapsed structures.
