First Day in Working in Port au Prince

by Jim Morgan

February 9th 2010

Family and friends,
First day working in Haiti. What can I say but how moving an experience it was. The drive through the city with its crowded conditions and degree of poverty is beyond imagination or what a camera can capture. You need to see it, hear it, and smell it (I say this not because it was offensive, but just the gas fumes, dust, charcoal burning on streets, and dust).

When we arrived at school where we were to have our first clinic, its destruction was very apparent. Abner had everything arranged for use of 2 concrete rooms and we hung tarps for extra shade for the patients. Then the children just came out of nowhere. Some with parents, some not. I was anxious at first, not about catching anything, but realizing I might be seeing things I had never seen before. I was correct when my second patient had malaria as did one of Megan. What a joyous feeling when we had Chloroquine to Rx both of them. One child may have had TB. Wound and skin infections.

Heart arrythmias. But most of all, lots of gastroentestinal illness and URIs we see everyday. Difference, they don't have a clean home (if one at all) to go back too. Always smiling, they left with saying "mesi very much" even if we did nothing more than tell them they were going to be OK. Back at base camp. Spaghetti and a cold beer never tasted so good. Listening to Creole choir in night behind me so I'll say bon yuit (good night). Mesi for everyone's thoughts, support, and prayers.

-Jim