Day 2: First Full Day

(This is from Thursday but internet was down and we couldn't post it.)

 

Today was our first full day in Haiti for this trip, and it was a busy day! We finished sorting the items we brought and packed much of it up into suitcases to take with us for the day. After breakfast Pastor Odvin and Pastor Daniel took us to Pastor Odvin’s orphanage. Those babies are so precious and it isn’t possible to hold them all in your lap, even though they all want you to. They sang songs to us and just held on to us as tightly and as long as they could. We were able to take a couple of bags of items to the orphanage, including towels, underwear, primary paper, tablecloths, crayons and markers.

We then headed to Sherrie’s (Christian Light). Pastor Daniel stayed with us for the day. It is always great to visit with Sherrie. We just love her so much! We asked what we could help with and in no time she had plenty of things! Arnie and Pastor Daniel worked on hanging screen between the walls and ceiling on the third floor, Susie helped with setting up some accounting spreadsheets, and I started working on making curtains out of screen and scrap material to keep the flies out of the screened porch. I have made my share of curtains in my life, but cutting and sewing screen was definitely a new experience. The sewing machine doesn’t like screen, so we sewed by hand! Susie helped tremendously and we had two little girls from the orphanage that came in and helped, and they did a good job! We were also able to take a couple of bags of items to Sherrie’s with towels, underwear, primary paper, peanut butter, pillows, table cloths, deodorant, socks, etc. Anyone that has come with us to Haiti has met Ms. Sherrie. It is amazing what God has done with her as His servant.

I spoke with Sherrie for some time about the issues women in Haiti face. I know that often those working in the mission field in other countries are asked why they go when there is so much need in the United States. I want to give you an example of why it is so important, particularly in helping women. In the US we take for granted what we know. We have good medical care options, though we complain about what we have. The majority of women in Haiti who become pregnant never have any prenatal exams or care. If temporary clinic doctors come in they give prenatal vitamins but the women are scared to take them for fear that it will make the baby larger, therefore making delivery more difficult. For most women here they deliver their babies at home or wherever they are at the time they go into labor. I was told of an example of what it was like for a woman to go to the hospital to deliver a child. After stepping over puddles of blood across the floor, and being in the waiting room where women were delivering babies on the floor while men watched through a wall of railing, if the woman is lucky enough to make it to a bed before delivery, the doctors sit around and wait for the head to come out before they come over and catch the baby. Then a nurse will come around with an empty plastic butter bowl filled with water, give the woman a towel, and stand at a distance slinging water on the mother while she cleans herself up after childbirth. If a Haitian woman has her child at home, it is often a mid-wife that will deliver the child. Once the woman goes into labor the neighbors will go out into the community to find the mid-wife in the neighborhood and the woman in labor will meet her for the first time during childbirth. If there are complications during pregnancy (breach, cord wrapped around the baby, etc.), neither the mother nor the baby survive the delivery.  There is also a broad misconception among men here. Many believe that the way to cure themselves of AIDS is to have sex with a virgin. The young girls here pay the price for that belief. There is so much education needed here. Women here need support to build their self-esteem and confidence. They need opportunities to rise to the potential that God blessed them with. And they should be able to live their lives with dignity and respect. This is something I am very passionate about, but I will step off the soapbox on this for now.

We left Sherrie’s around 6:30 and headed back to the guest house for the night. While it wasn’t the 100 degree weather we work in here in the summer, mid 80’s to low 90’s is still much warmer than home right now! We were certainly tired. Food tonight was wonderful! Baked chicken, rice and beans (with that great sauce) and potatoes. Then it was cold showers and winding down for the night. Tomorrow we will spend time doing a devotional together, have breakfast, and then head out with Pastor Odvin to work on the women’s ministry.

Goodnight and God bless!

Patricia