This was my first mission trip with Champs of Haiti, and it was one of the most life changing experiences I have ever been apart of. Haiti was shown to us through the eyes of people who have love and compassion for caring for others and truly care about the Haitian people . I felt honored to be apart of an amazing medical team. Thank you Champs in Haiti , Nicola C

Good evening last night and our work for this trip is complete. The beer and coke has ice in it. Love that. Wenreturned to "school" and started in again for 7 hours. 7 stations of providers and an RN assistant and although I didn't count it must have been 350 people who came through. Vava pulled 43 more teeth. Check out the photo. Omg. Still glad to be busy at my station. Elijah Tom the pic for me. Hoping others will blog when we get home. It is just too hard to get on here with the intermitent Internet. Saw a case of chicken pox today with Haitians exposed. We had Acyclovir to treat them with. Wendy kept us going. 7 hours of nonstop except for a 10 to 15 min linch break is plenty. 4 to 6 patients at a time. We totally went through 50,000 vitamins BP meds Tylenol ibuprofen naproxen and depleted a number of antibiotics. Thrilled about that. Will send some pics and then Need to go pack some bags. See you tomorrow

Headed to a school up in the mountains and as was the plan all along, we will return a second day.

Rain most of the night and a good part of the day. There were a few in the back end of the truck that succumbed to the rain and got in the cab. On the way home those few were feeling hearty enough for the whole trip.

We got into a couple unusual scenarios for us. A woman being drug in by her husband was throwing up and had profuse diarrhea. With just a few more questions we figured out we needed to put cholera in the equation of possibilities. Fortunately Teri Sanneman worked at a cholera clinic in the fall. We made a pan of bleach out of the top of the 5 gallon water jug and cordoned off an area for her to lie. After multiple episodes of getting sick and a good 2 hours we arranged for her family to escort us to the Partners in Health (Paul Farmer) 15 min down the road. The group that went also got another eye opening experience. Their policy is that when the facility reaches maximum capacity they close the doors, with the thought they will care for a smaller amount of people well. So you can imagine the scene around the hospital. Elijah joined them and unfortunately I think he hit his breaking point for awhile. He has since recovered and is sitting with us here. We left money for meds for this woman and of course pray for her tonight she would not be alive had she not gotten there. And after further speculation we are guessing against the cholera and toward some other viral illness but I'm happy to be safe than sorry with the isolation.

Lots of kids to play with again and we some sick people stayed 7 hours at the clinic before e retreated down the hill.

The gang is doing great. A few migraines and headaches but everyone is still smiling. Time for bed. Non wi

Good evening everyone. It's a little earlier tonight as I begin   830 our time. We are sitting in the lounge. Everyone with their phones and trying to get on a sketchy internet

Today was church day. I will post a couple pictures. We tried to delay Wendy as long as we could.   Jesme' was going to speak at 10;00 but he insisted the main part of the service started at 9 and we should not miss it. So we set a "quit time" at 12:00 and sure enough they went up to that very time! They were prepared for guests so we had groups of kids doing hip hop and singing songs. Great performances and even the Haitian parents were taking pics. There was some translating and as usual we were asked to say a few things. Mostly we entertained ourselves watching the crowd and playing with kids. The pastors mother was in he front row with her hands up and clapping with more enthusiasm than had she won the lottery in the US. And she did not stop for 3 hours awesome.

The kids played with the little paper plates we were using to fan ourselves. (We came prepared).

The clinic included a couple of home visits. A woman who had a stroke 6 years ago and had been on the floor. Cared for by her family and she looked remarkably good. Minimal bedsores and her hair fixed. The other was a woman who delivered a baby 5 hours previously. She was in a tin covered hut that was maybe 10 feet squared. A double bed with mom sitting up looking GREAT and the baby sweet as can be. Full term and delivered by a woman who had helped 3 other women before. I brought in Patti Cierzan to teach mom on breastfeeding. We were happy to exit as the room had to be 95 degrees in there. The baby wearing a cap and wrapped up twice. Nothing like Minnesota😁

Tonight we had a poignant and introspective meeting with the Haitian staff and us, talking about what drew us here to serve and the translators speaking to why they are here with us working. This does indeed take a lot of energy and time. The passion to make a difference is strong for everyone here and we have talked at length this week of bridging the gap to continuity of care. Wendy's organization H.O.M.E purchased land up by Mirabalais and they are on the way to self sustaining agriculture and a standing clinic that will create continuity and stability for many. I know we reach closer and closer each year.

If they could stay away from hurricanes and other natural disasters that would help. Vava (who has pulled 92 teeth in the last 3 days btw) traveled by motorcycle a day after the EQ to check on his family. It should have taken him 3 hours and it took him 6. even TODAY the travel is 6 hours because the bridges are not passable. Motorcycles can get drug through the low rivers. He said it looks like a desert there no foliage trees or standing buildings aside from the cement walled homes.

Ok that is it. People are wrapping up. Time for bed pics to follow hopefully. Bob wi. K

Bob Swa everyone! we are struggling to get px loaded but a lot has been sent to Colette's gmail. It's possible she can load them.

These two days were productive but the travel was grueling at best. Yesterday was 2 hours to travel over potholes and today turned into a little longer when we got to within 15 minutes before arrival we hit a literal roadblock with demonstrations. Apparently the village of Mirabalais was tired of having no electricity and they were demanding to see the mayor! We watched the smoke from the burning tires and rubber in the road and the translators suggested the drivers back up in case they got to throwing rocks. The report was at the moment it was bananas ... after plotting a plan to go backward and find another village behind and also feeling sorry to leave the waiting crowds ahead (30 min passed) I guess the mayor showed up! The fire was extinguished and we along with dozens of Haitians on motorcycles and trucks yelled with joy and we started our engines😀

This village had not seen health care come to their village in over a year. John Cierzan and Cindy Kane got in on a home visit and ther were a number of stragglers in the back end of the truck to observe. Elijah loved it

You will see stunning pictures of the hillside and mountains behind us. About half the crew made it to the top to see the Little open chapel and prayer going on. There were plenty of kids who needed shots of Rocephin an accessed wound on a guys head that need lancing; young adult with a huge heart in need of a new heart valve and 92 year old mothers of 11 with only 5 of her children surviving (not a tooth in her mouth) but told us the secret to a long healthy life in Haiti was all about singing in her church choir

Lots of heat lots of cohesivity in the group an ice cold beer with dinner and still bagging rice with creative methods.

Time for bed. Tomorrow is. Church and another 175 families to see

Peace to all of you. Kay

Elijah Anderson and Pepe delivered the money his school, Rochester Beacon Academy, raised for selling the bracelets Haitian students made to fund their education.