Back in this Land of Contradictions

by Mary Lou Larkin

Here I am back in this land of contradictions. Warm breezes, sunshine, people greeting us with smiles and warmth, while their whole world has fallen down around them. The welcome we received at the guest house tells the story of Haitian hospitality. We are sleeeping in tents supplied with mattresses they pulled out of the guest house. We can use the shower and bathrooms and we were served spaghetti and hotdogs as the sun went down.

We had a full day of seeing people who literally have nothing left and live in tent cities, a step up from a soccer field. Once you are in a tent city you are eligible to get food and water. I don't know what they thought people were living on in the meantime. It was very weird to diagnose a depressed skull fracture with nothing but my hands and weirder still to tell the mom that the baby would probably be fine. A cement block fell on his head. He was 2 months old. Thank you Steve Blumberg for the mini lesson on gangrene.

I saw a 21 year old girl who was initally treated at a US clinic but couldn't go back when she was moved to a tent city. A cement wall fell on her foot and completely denuded the skin on her foot.Thanks to our generous donors and supporters we have had most of the medicines and supplies that we've needed so far. It was a hot, exhausting day, but more satisfying than you can ever imagine. There is so much to be done, but the people themselves are out chopping up the cement, sweeping the streets, singing in the churches, selling their wares. They are unbelievably resilient. I am typing on a computer that is set up in the parking lot next to my tent, with light supplied by a generator. Jim is reading by the same light. Papito has just returned with ice cold drinks for everyone.

For Tom and Joan, Jana and Rob who worked so hard to get us ready for this trip, thank you so much. It has been worth all the work.