Mangos and Chaos

Double Harvest Clinic was teaming with patients today. Upon our arrival, Tony went to work while Cal, Tim and myself unpacked and set things up. Today was vaccination day for children so there were many new moms showing off their adorable babies and lots of happy little faces. Haitians love to dress up their kids for doctor visits. Dum Dum lollipops were a huge hit, not only with the small children but adults alike.

The main topic of the day was: when is Cal going to get his mangos? He apparently loves them so much that we almost made a special run for them. (I jokingly offered to climb a tree with my broken arm just to appease him) But relief came when Phillipe, the Double Harvest Director, actually gave Cal some to hold him over for a day.

Tim’s bag has apparently followed him to Haiti, but it remains at the airport baggage office until tomorrow.

And Double Harvest clinic is happy to welcome all of us, and there is a backlog for surgeries. The Haitian support team is in place and ready to go. The ladies have the second floor apartments in order.

A Zen feeling descends upon you while sitting in the second floor lounge. Chaos thrives below in the clinic as patients stack the corridors blocking all of the doorways and narrow passages. For a moment, you feel as if you are invading their personal space while you work because of the crowdedness. But as one ascends the staircase to the second floor, things normalize very fast.

Double Harvest field workers were out when we arrived in the morning and still at it when we left. They do it the old fashioned way tilling the earth by hand. The hardship life of a farmer in Haiti is daunting.

Tonight’s main event is dinner and calling it an early night to rest for the work ahead of us tomorrow. More to do to get ready….

We are looking forward to the rest of the team’s arrival on Saturday!

Martina