Healing in Haiti

The following reflection comes from Rachel Skarbonkiewicz, one of our volunteers who just came back from Haiti:

We had an amazing trip!!! It was extremely rewarding and extremely frustrating all at the same time. Virtually every child we saw had worms – something easily treated and prevented, but without any change in their water it will continue to come back.

On our first mobile clinic day, we had just left Mission of Hope when we came upon a motorcycle accident that had just occurred. How lucky for that man that up came a truck full of nurses and physicians, with plenty of supplies in tow! We hopped out, stabilized the patient, got access and gave fluids and pain meds and then faced the frustration of trying to find an ambulance and someone to stay with the patient and hope he was accepted to the closest hospital.

After more than half an hour we had an ambulance and one MD to ride with the patient, but, unfortunately, they were turned away from the first hospital and had to continue to a second in Port au Prince. Things like that which would, of course, never happen in the States were so frustrating and sad to see. It was almost two hours after the accident before the patient made it to the hospital. His ear was almost all the way ripped off, and he had several deep facial and scalp lacerations, as well as possible fractures. We could only imagine what it would have been like for him had we not pulled up.

My husband Rick worked with the construction crews all week and very much enjoyed watching a community be born. We were both amazed at how well-run everything was and how wonderful our translators were, even teaching us a significant amount of Creole. At the same time there were so many areas that seem so simple to fix but, because of lack of people and time, they just get thrown to the side. The MOH staff were wonderful! We were very well taken care of and very safe and appreciated. I very much look forward to doing this again next year.