Tap-Taps

Here are some more pictures of the Tap-Taps:

The Camp Basics

The lovely green tent to the left is the tent Sarah brought with her. I now have a minor obsession with owning a NICE tent like this LL Bean one I lived in for two weeks. I am saving up some money and at the end of the summer when the tents go on sale, I plan to buy one. Hopefully I will be sleeping better by then, despite the fact that I no longer have a tent-mate and a mosquito net over me. I really did love my time in this tent. Home sweet home!

This is me after I first tasted the water at camp. There were large amounts of chlorine added to the water. It was warm and tasted like pool water. My lips burned after drinking it. Refreshing eh? Sarah was lucky to catch this moment on camera... I did adjust however!
We were so incredibly fortunate to have laundry service at camp. I would hand these beautiful women my clothes in the morning and they would return them to me at night. I often had a nice little pile of clothes waiting for me on my sleeping back in the evening. They worked so hard. They carried water from the sinks in huge tubs to their washing area. They used metal washboards and scrubbed everything with bleach. I can't believe how lucky I was to have this service while I was there!

The clothes dried quickly in the hot, hot weather!

Sarah and I lucked out because we inherited these two lovely buckets from a guy who left the day after we arrived. Buckets are a highly coveted commodity at camp. We used them to shower when the makeshift showers weren't working. It was actually quite refreshing to have the bucket dumped on you. My co-worker Kellie insisted I take rainboots to Haiti and I was so grateful for those pink boots when the rains hit at night. I left them with the Haitian nurses and I hope they are lasting well!

These are the tarp showers that were used with the buckets. We were lucky enough to not have to use these often because some very smart people set up a shower system with wooden doors and everything! But the view from these showers was nice- it overlooked the mountains.

This is the cafeteria. Meals were served twice a day. Breakfast was served around 9am- about 2 hours after work started. Lunch was served somewhere around 2:30. There was also "dinner" which consisted of warm milk- I never participated in this meal. The people who worked here were so friendly and if you gave them an extra smile you could usually get a few extra fried potatoes on the special days where we had them.
Soda was a welcome relief for most of the workers here. I had not had any soda for 12 years until coming here. It was so hot and that was the only option of a cool drink so I gave in an had a sip from time to time. I remembered why I didn't like soda in the first place and I am back to no soda ever. But it was nice to have a refreshing drink in the heat!
A typical dinner... rice, bean, and some sort of vegetable/sardine/tuna mix on top... It helped if you put tabasco sauce on it...
Breakfast: A rice meal that was supposed to have lots of vitamins and protein.
The other thing we had for breakfast: a course cornmeal mix with a few shredded carrots in it. It congealed as it got cool. Again, hot sauce helped. All in all though, I felt very lucky to have as good as food as we did.
My dear friend! She would ask me every day if I had eaten and give me heaping platefuls of food. I always had to tell her to stop piling the food on. She is a sweet girl and never ceased to have a smile. I miss her!
Life was good at the camp. I really miss being there. It was so nice to focus on the basics of life rather than be caught up with so many distractions like I am now that I am back. I think I would have been ready to go back the day after I got home as long as I could have had a shower, a good night's sleep with a pillow (I didn't have one the whole two weeks), a salad, fruit, and a guacamole burger. Yep I am already itching to get back there!

Love-a-Child Disaster Recovery Center

A view of the front of our camp. The camp was very safe. The medical director would often tell us that we were living in a bubble at Love-a-Child. This was so true. We were quite safe there- something that is not enjoyed by most people living in the area. The camp was built on land donated by Bob and Sherry Burnette who started an orphanage in Fond Parisien in 1991. Along with the Harvard Humanitarian Intiative, the University of Chicago was very involved with volunteers during my time at the camp.

The people lived in tents donated from all parts of the world. The tents with the big red crosses were donated from Taiwan. The blue and tan tents were donated by a very generous man from the USA. We had computers donated from Ecuador and a lab room (though not functioning due to a lack of lab techs) donated from El Salvador. It was amazing to see how so many countries were giving to Haiti without any ulterior motives. There is no oil, diamonds, or major trade agreements that would result from goodwill as a result of donating. People really were giving out of compassion for their fellow brothers and sisters who are in desperate need.
The tents were arranged in rows. The patients and their attendants (family members, spoues, children, etc) were living with others whom they had never met. 6 people or more would live in one tent- so up to 3 unrelated families were sometimes living in the same one room tent. I was continually humbled at the reality that the people were living.
I was also continually touched at the ways the children found joy and happiness. I am always amazed at how children just want to play and live life to the fullest- no matter the circumstances.
Close living quarters don't allow for much privacy. And although the tents look sturdy, they leak terribly in the torrential rains and two rows were washed away in one storm. However, the people were grateful for what shelter they had.

Port-au-Prince to Fond Parisien

The poverty present in Haiti is everywhere. There are children naked in the streets. The animals are all emaciated. This is the view from the airport exit.

The field hospital that I worked with is located in Fond Parisien, Haiti. Fond Parisien is located 28 miles east of Port-au-Prince. Here is a link with more information about the field hospital: http://hhi.harvard.edu/programs-and-research/earthquake-in-haiti/188-the-hhi-fond-parisien-rehabilitation-project

As I drove from the airport to the camp, these are a few of the images that I was able to capture...
The number of tent communities there were was astounding. Any land that was free had been turned in to a tent community. It was humbling to realize that this is how millions were now living.

The United Nations has a strong presence in Haiti at this time. Hopefully they can make sure that things actually get done. Hopefully.
These brightly painted buses are called tap-taps. They are the cabs/buses of Haiti. One tap-taps to get on to one and then tap-taps when he/she wishes to be off. They are everywhere. People cram on to them and are literally holding on to the sides of them. Each tap-tap seems to have its own theme.
A few miles from the camp we saw this tap-tap accident. There were no fatalities, but all of the victims came to our field hospital and multiple sutures were required. The field hospital not only served as a rehabilitation, orthopedic, and wound center, but a a community hospital as well.

Sarah- My own angel!

I need to write about my dear friend Sarah before I go much further. Meeting Sarah was a very tender mercy that the Lord gave to me. I am the type of person that gets to the airport early and goes straight through security. I have never varied from this routine. When I got to the airport in Miami, however, I felt like I just wanted to walk around for a little bit before going through security. I walked up and down the main hall and then got a feeling that it was time to go to security. I got in line and was soon joined by other people. I looked at the girl next to me and smiled. She was also dressed in scrubs and a t-shirt. She spoke up and asked "Are you going to Haiti?" I told her I was. She then asked where in Haiti I was going. When I told her I was going to the Love-a-Child disaster recovery center she was ecstatic and replied that she was too. We became instant friends.

We both spoke of this meeting many times throughout our trip and both know that the Lord brought us together. Sarah had been praying for two weeks to meet someone to use the "buddy system" with and I had done the same. The trip would have been utterly difficult had it not been for me meeting this wonderful woman. We had many experiences together and I know that we are friends for life. I love you Sarah! I am also eternally grateful to Heavenly Father for knowing me well enough to bring such a blessing in to my life. Meeting Sarah again confirmed my knowledge that God lives and that He is intimately involved in the details of my life. I love how God uses others to show His love for us.

This is Sarah and me about 8 hours after we met. We just set up her wonderful tent using rocks for hammers. I still miss nights in that tent. Strange, but oh so true.

Miami to Haiti

After a very short night in Miami I headed to the airport. As I got there I really started to get excited about what I was about to do and experience. The Miami airport has part of the airport dedicated to flights to Haiti.

When I got to the airport I got right in to the line to check in. I was behind a man who also looked like he was going to Haiti. I asked him where he was going and he said he was headed to Haiti. I asked him what he was doing there. He told me he was an Anesthesiologist from Melbourne Australia and was headed to Haiti for two months to volunteer in a hospital there. I asked him if he had family that he was leaving. He told me that he was married and had two children- ages 1 and 2. I was really overcome at the sacrifice he was making and asked him why he was doing this and how his wife felt about it. This was his reply:

"When we heard about the earthquake and the great suffering my wife and I had to ask ourselves what kind of people we really were. Do we really believe in serving other people and contributing to the world, or are we just going to give back when it is convenient. I have a lot of school loans and we have two young children who are a lot of work. It certainly is not a good time to take off work and leave for two months. But my wife and I both felt very strongly that I needed to go to Haiti and volunteer my services. We looked at our finances and two months is the most we can go without going in to more debt. We won't be able to upgrade or re-do our home like we had planned, but this is more important. Honestly, she is the real hero for recognizing the need for me to go and being willing to stay home and do the hard work herself."

I was really touched when as I listened to this. I felt like this really exemplified integrity-

acting as you say you will even when it is hard and not convenient. Once again I found myself stuck

on the tarmac as our plane had an issue with the gas gauge. While we were waiting I started

talking with a women a few rows behind me. We started talking because I heard her say she

lived in Logan Utah. She, too, had an inspiring story. She was in Haiti when the earthquake

happened. She was at an orphanage helping out. She and her husband went to Haiti about 5

years before and had adopted two children from there 2 years previous. She told me she goes

back twice a year. The orphanage was destroyed in the earthquake and she was going back to

help rebuild it with her mother and step-father.

When we finally took off, the flight was very quiet. There was only one child present on the

flight. There also seemed to be a bit of heaviness in the air as I thought about where I was about

to land and what I was about to do. Flying in to Port-au-Prince was very humbling. Even from

the air I could see the tent cities set up everywhere. The land looked barren and there were no

major roads or large buildings.

There were a few performers at the airport to welcome us to Haiti...
The airport wore the scars of the earthquake still: cracks in the walls and shattered glass

in the windows.
Our luggage was all thrown in to a big warehouse room. It was very hot, crowded and confusing. It took about an hour to find all of our luggage. I was sooooo thrilled that all of my luggage made it!
Leaving the airport was one of the most overwhelming things I have experienced. A girl at the camp described the above gates as "The gates of Hell." I think that is the most accurate description I have heard. I have traveled extensively and feel very comfortable in many different settings. I rarely feel unsafe. However, as I walked out of the gates with Sarah and the others to go find our ride, I was shaken. People crowded the gates to the airport and were yelling and reaching in to us. They were angry and demanding. As we left the gates and walked out in to the crowds we were immediately surrounded by men trying to "carry" our luggage. I tried to firmly tell them no, but I could not keep away everyone. Soon my bags were all in someone else's hands and I was not sure where they were going. It was mass chaos. My group was taken to a dirt lot across from the airport where the men then all demanded $20 for their efforts. Each man demanded $20 and became angry and hostile when we were not able to pay all of them each $20 for stealing our bags and carrying them 25 yards. I had never felt threatened like I did there. I held my ground, stuck with my group and told Sarah not to make eye-contact with the people begging from us.

It got worse when young boys came up and were grabbing us and asking for money. They actually threatened Sarah and me. I realized how desperation can make people do awful things. These boys obviously lived on the streets and did not appear to have anyone watching over them. Survival in conditions like that had made them hardened and frantic. In the midst of this, two local policemen came over and picked up a live electrical wire that was just laying on the ground. They started to threaten the boys with the live wire- telling them to get away or they would shock them. I then started to realize that I was in a very different place and it was time to adjust.

Austin to Miami

My family has always teased me that I bring at least one extra outfit in my carry-on when traveling anywhere beyond a two hour flight. I was so glad I did bring extra clothing when I left the afternoon of March 31st for my trip. I left straight from work. My bags were incredibly heavy- 50 pounds and 38 pounds and a HUGE backpack. To get to Haiti I was to take a flight from Austin to Dallas, then Dallas to Miami. I would spend the night in Miami and then fly to Haiti the next morning.

I was so relieved to get my bags checked and out of my hands. I got on my flight and honestly was terrified. I sat next to a wonderfully nice man on my way to Dallas. He asked where I was headed after Dallas and I told him what I was doing. He asked what kind of nurse I was and when I told him he got a little emotional and said, "My wife is battling cancer. She has been fighting it for 3 years." We were able to talk about how amazing the people are who face the challenge of cancer. He also told me his wife is a nurse and that he has a lot of respect for what nurses do. In Dallas we parted ways and he said, "You are doing a noble thing. You should be very proud of yourself." This was the first of the many tender mercies the Lord provided for me. The Lord was very much at my side throughout my entire journey and I feel so grateful for the many ways He used those around me to not only bless me but show me of His love and awareness of me.

In Dallas we sat on the tarmac for about 2 hours while the plane had mechanical difficulties. I started to worry that I would never make it to Miami and would miss my flight to Haiti. I said a prayer that I would make it to Miami. The plane eventually took of and I made it to Miami. In Miami I learned that my bags were checked all the way to Haiti and I would not be able to collect them until the following morning in Port-au-Prince. I had to smile as I was able to use my extra set of clothing as pj's and an outfit for the next day. Luckily the hotel had an extra toothbrush. I will have to remember to pack that next time...

Getting Ready to Leave

Preparing for my trip to Haiti was daunting. I knew I wouldn't have a local Walgreen's or Target to drop by for anything I forgot. I also wanted to bring supplies to help the people. Operation Smile set up a google group where we could exchange emails and information with people who had been to Haiti and who were currently there. I learned important things from these emails like "Leave the food line after the beans and rice.... what comes next are the sardines." I also found out that the people needed shoes (flip flops were the easiest to bring), soap, lotions, underwear and that the children and teenagers were bored and needed activities.

So I spent the night before I left for Haiti at Target and Walmart buying supplies to bring. I realized that my luggage was a major asset in helping the people of Haiti. I could bring a good amount of supplies and ensure that they make it to the people who need them. I brought plenty of Uno cards and other playing cards (I knew my Hardy family members would be proud!).

The most touching part of my preparation for Haiti came when I was at work the day before I left. One of my patients is a beautiful woman in her early 20's. She comes to the pediatric cancer clinic because she has a childhood cancer and therefore we can treat it. Our clinic is much more accommodating to schedules than the adult clinics so she has chosen to switch to our clinic. She has been fighting a terrible type of cancer for years and recently found out it has spread extensively. She is recently engaged and is now trying some trial medications. I told her I would not be around for a couple of weeks and she asked where I was going and what I was doing. After I told her she did not even pause before asking "What can I do? What do they need there?" I smiled and told her "Oh you don't need to do anything." She asked if I was bringing any supplies and I said yes. She then looked me right in the eye and said, "You need to give me the opportunity to give. You need to let me do this. I want to do something to help the people there, so please let me."

As soon as she was done with her chemotherapy infusion she went to the store with her boyfriend and came back with a bag full of flipflops and underwear. She said, "I know it isn't a lot, but I am a student. Thank you for letting me do this." She gave me a hug and wished me luck. I learned so much from this. First, you can either pity yourself and your situation in life, or you can find ways to serve others and realize how much you have. Second, service is not a matter of convenience. It is a part of who a person is. And finally, that there are so many wonderful people in this world. This is a lesson I would continue to learn throughout my experience.

Bringing the joy of cards to Haiti