Anna and I were supposed to stay with the children on Tuesday and work with them all day. I knew Paul would be the first doctor coming in to open the clinic and my son Andy was over their also.This was an important day for the community of Santo 19 and I needed to have the orphanage understand I really felt my heart being pulled to go over there and help however I could. I made sure to also bring my camera and what a blessing that was.
There were I believe 11 of us as volunteers over there. Some of the team were local Haitians which they try so hard to hire whenever possible.They were supposed to begin at 7am and end at 3pm. Being the first day and so many things to iron out as a brand new clinic, I think everything went really, really well considering all that was involved.
The clinic didn't open at 7am because we first had a small moment of prayer as a team inside. Ofcourse the doors are always open to everyone outside and as we prayed together,the beautiful singing began outside. The patients had arrived by foot, bike and tap-tap (they are the coolest things-old trucks which they add tops to and paint over the entire vehicle with vivid colors and it ranges from paintings of Jesus to Merceded Benz symbols side by side.They are completely covered from one end to the other). The patients are never told when clinics open until one day before. All it takes is a blow horn and someone walking around the neighborhoods and word spreads like wildfire. If you announce it too early, instead of getting 100 or 200 you will get 1,000.
The patients were lined up all the way down the high cement walls that surround the clinic and gate. There was a huge mango tree which helped to shade the patients. They are in the process of building more shaded areas and a playground for the children waiting. All day Pastor Ramon's local guys just kept building more and more wooden benches for patients to sit on as the crowds continued.
The one thing I have always found is no matter where we travel in other countries, what brigs people together is that simple act of smiling to them and saying hello in their native language. It opens up the barriers that exist between people of different tongues.
Many Haitians do not smile at you even when you smile at them. That has never stopped me. I love people and know they all have tender hearts and loving personalities. My camera became my gateway to some of my most treasured memories that will last forever. Not only in the photos I take home but in how my camera became the tool that allowed me to break the walls between the beautiful Haitian people and myself.I found that although they may stare at you and not really trust you, if you just say hello in Creole, then ask them "photo, wi?", they will nod in agreement of allowing you to photograph them. I then take their photos and immediately show them their picture. Ahhh,,,the reactions are priceless! Smiling,laughing, showing how shy they are but it brings them this small sense of knowing I mean them no harm. I would go down the rows of people, 3-4 at a time and take a photo, then show them. They then all wanted their own photos taken and it was wonderful! Laughing together and just sharing that sweet little moment with them. For most, they have never in their lives had their photos taken and some had not even seen themselves before. Hard for us to imagine but true.
There was so much work done that day, not only in treating people's medical conditions but also in showing the people that what has been established there is meant to stay and for Haitians, that is something almost hard to imagine. NGO's and other organizations many times come and go but our teams have shown them through the time since before the quake that if they are told something, we will do everything humanly possible to follow through. It's hard to gain trust in these corrupt, war ravaged, poverty strickened countries after all they have lived through, but with time, the hope is to have them know that we do believe they are important and are loved and do matter. That is all they are really looking for. Compassion from people who are sincere in their words by the actions towards others.
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