Friday 2/27

It's the last day of clinics, and I am the first one up. The moon has long gone, so the early morning sky is stunning, and the Milky Way is bright and breathtaking. On the last day of my first trip here, I remember feeling so anxious...what else can I teach in one day? What if I run out of time? I wonder if I can come back? This time feels a lot different, there is much less of that anxiety. I will teach as much as I can, I will definitely run out of time, and I will absolutely be coming back. I am also thinking about how much this trip has prepared me for my upcoming trip to Honduras, in the fall. As I may have mentioned, I am a "Big Picture" thinker and I do not need instant gratification to be happy. This trip has given me so many ideas of what to do next with my life,what to study, what skills and training to focus on, all to make me more useful and productive on my future trips. There is nothing I love more than a future full of possibilities and opportunities for learning and doing more! 

The clinic started slow this morning, which freaked us out a bit...until we realized that it was because we had treated almost all of the patients! The worst part of the day, for me, was that I was unable to spend any time with Madame Bluette. She was woken up at 4:30am, for a woman in labor, and worked through the day and into the night. I am hopeful that I will be able to see her in the morning, before she gets a ride into Port Au Prince, where she lives. I would really like the opportunity to talk to her, and give her a hug before I leave tomorrow.

A group of us went to the market today, which is a couple of miles from the clinic compound. The market vendors come into town once a week, and only set up for a couple of hours. You can find everything from fruits and vegetables, sugar cane, bread and meat, to little packets of shampoo, candy, pens, shoes, and long sticks of soap. This was another outing that I had missed the last time, so I was glad I went. 

I spent the end of the day helping out in surgery, then almost all of us took a hike to the top of highest mountain, just north of Terre Blanche. From the top you can see for miles to the neighboring town of Labrand and to the main road leading to Gonaive. Many of the clinic staff and interpreters leave Friday afternoon, to return to their homes in other towns. After another amazing dinner, we all meet in the clinic courtyard, with the clinic staff that live in Terre Blanche and some of the local families. They sing songs, say prayers, and whomever wishes can speak to the group. There is a lot of love and Thank-you's on both sides. The Haitians spend a lot of time talking about how much we sacrifice leaving the comfort of our homes and families to come here, and in return, we correct them and respectfully disagree. :) Most of us feel that it is no sacrifice to come here, it is quite the opposite. The biggest sacrifice for us is having to leave so soon. We are so well taken care of, and the people of Terre Blanche are so loving and gracious, that it's hard to leave here. 

 Some of us have packed to leave already, and the rest of us are not emotionally ready to think about leaving yet. We headed for the roof, for one last night under the stars, and the chance to swap more stories. Dr. Latte, the Pediatrician, has a daughter who was living in Haiti during the earthquake in 2010, and he returned to Haiti with a medical team a week after it happened. Janan was also in Haiti around that time, so it was interesting listening to their stories and experiences. Tomorrow, we will have breakfast together, pack our things, clean up the clinic and head to the coast for one night in a beach resort. I'm still surprised that the week is over so soon. Bon Nwit.