Blue Sky Medical on the Ground in Haiti
The Blue Sky Medical set up team of four is aglow and very happy to arrive in this endearing country! For Tony, Cal and myself, this is a well-known feeling, but for Tim, it’s all new and I am enjoying watching his reaction as he discovers his surroundings. We were greeted by Peter Pierrot not at customs but just before immigration. He essentially walked us through the walls with no difficulty whatsoever. Talk about border royalty…
Now, we are settling in at the quaint and lively Villa Mamika, which is in close proximity to the Double Harvest Clinic. Actually, I am poolside witnessing a lovely bride and bridesmaids having pictures taken. The bride’s exquisite beauty is mesmerizing. She reminds me of a beauty queen. And her four bridesmaids are keeping court alongside in their vibrant island peach dresses. We have a small and inviting hotel pool- the surface is glazed with debris from the mango tree above. And I see small iguanas gracing the tree’s top branches. Our bags arrived except for Tim’s one package, which was left on the tarmac in Philadelphia this morning. He hopes to be reunited with it tomorrow afternoon. American Airlines seems to be running one flight a day out of Miami.
The owner of Villa Mamika gave Tony a big, warm welcome. And his staff is gracious and courteous. They seem to be starving for foreign company. The room is lit by a fluorescent bulb on the ceiling. And the pillows have the texture of a straw mat. Since the only draft is the rotating room fan, I had to prop the door open for a while. This is Haiti- rugged and harsh conditions- but we are not expecting to glam camp by any means.
Our plane was full of Haitians rather than the usual plethora of missionaries. I hope this will reverse in the months to come.
It’s 3:22pm and the heat is sweltering at a cool 91 deg F. Feels like I’m melting into this banquet chair….The Prestige beer is taking off the edge. Mangos keep dropping onto the tin roof above my head sounding like loud gunfire. Let’s hope the AC turns on tonight. Tomorrow, we begin preparing the clinic for the rest of the team and to see patients.
Martina