So, I don’t know if its morning or night anymore as I finished up part of a day shift and 3 night shifts on a total of about 8 hours of sleep yesterday morning. I guess we had an aftershock around 630 am. Dr. Brad comes out of his room at the field hospital and says, “Did you guys feel that!? My bed just started shaking!” To which I wanted to reply...’No, I didn’t because I was asleep face down on the desk drooling.’ :) I felt useless Friday night because my body had barely slept in 3 days and it officially decided it wasn’t going to function--night shift or not. Other nurses staying at another missionary house also said they felt it. I understand how many of the Haitians don’t want to go back to sleep in their houses if they still have them. It’s the second aftershock in the last 3 days...again haven’t felt either, but now that I’m here, I’m OK with that.
A quick note to my youngest brother, Steven: I know you were telling mom you didn’t know how I could come down here since you know the extent of my klutziness. Since you’re always the one around when I do dumb things like fall into walls and get stuck in my coat, I thought you should know I’m still doing dumb things down here! A few days ago I sprayed myself in the eye with 100 proof DEET (bug spray) and had to throw water in my eyes for 10 minutes. Laugh away buddy. I’ll be home in a few weeks to annoy you again!......(And Brian, I told mom what reminded me of you the other day..but she can tell you that haha).
Yesterday was a day off after I was done with work in the morning. Definitely needed because I don’t sleep here..don’t know why. Emily, the pharmacist here gave me Ambien to help me sleep and even with that I only slept 3 hours. In the late afternoon I headed across Port with Ryan to meet up with a Haitian family he loves and stayed with last summer. They are, by far, some of the most wonderful people I’ve met here. When I told Mama she looked “se belle (beautiful)” she kept saying it back to me, hugged me, & gave me a big kiss on the cheek. Their house is narrow, dark rooms of block and dirt floors, with birds walking around in it; poverty by our standards but more middle class here, but this is a place that definitely feels like home!!! Got to crawl onto the roof and enjoy the view of the city as the mountains slope down to meet the ocean at the port where the military and relief ships are docked.
Ryan wanted to take the family out to dinner so we headed to the Visa Lodge (which is the only restaurant open). Loved getting to talk to Girard who wards off girls by wearing a fake wedding ring haha. Him and his younger brother, Davidson, are complete gentleman...waiting on me leaving the restroom before rejoining the group, grabbing my bookbag for me so I don’t have to lift it--just the absolute sweetest guys and family. I couldn’t have had a better time with them. Walking back in the dark with them I asked Girard about the day of the earthquake. He said he knew he had to get to his family in the chaos to see his mom and 5 other brothers and sisters and said he put his faith in God and just said “God, You are the only one who knows where they are.” We talked about faith and trusting in God and what that means, and he demonstrated how strong of a faith he has. He also mentioned how as humans though, we still have our doubts. It was just the conversation I needed to have.....no matter what culture we’re from, we are all so similar it’s amazing.
Later a bunch of us nurses got together and enjoyed a beer and laughed and talked at one of the houses we’re staying at. These people are truly so wonderful. It felt so great to decompress about the craziness of what we’re doing and what we’re seeing and to just laugh.
To round out the night of community here, back at the McHoul’s I spent the next 3 hours talking with Alex, an EMT from Los Angeles, who’s about the same age and is here for the next however many months helping. His family has been in the process of adopting a Haitian girl for 6 years and because of the earthquake she was put on one of the charter jets and flown out of here a few weeks ago. More great conversation on life and God.
Just the perfect day to get to know people. I wish I could explain the miracle stories of people here..the personal journeys ...the family...all of it, but those are someone else’s stories to tell. It’s just amazing how for this brief period of time, all of us from all over the world are in the same place, laughing, crying, and sharing about ourselves together.
Tonight a guy is coming over and some of the medical people here are getting tattoos. (It’s a surprise mom if I do or not haha...wait and see).
Before this gets any longer, I want to post Jon McHoul’s blog address here. Him and his wife are running this temporary field hospital and I’m living at his house. They have been in Haiti for 20 years and are amazing. Please check it out to get a better idea of the hospital here and what is going on from his perspective. It’s amazing!!
http://heartlineministries.org/Blog20.aspx
Happy Valentines day everyone back home! I am beyond blessed with some pretty wonderful people and the most supportive friends! Love you all!! <3
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I love your updates! Reading these posts and about your lack of sleep.. you are the only who can handle that! This is exactly why in the dorm room your desk was under my bed - to block your desk light while I slept above you and you were working late! Oh the joys of Fox Hall. You're doing amazing things, lady! Keep it up and we'll keep on praying!
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