Our team is 14 members; 4 are "old timers" and the rest
are first time visitors to this experience. I am sure they tired of the
"old folks" who kept saying, "This is great, you don't know how easy
this is." Going through security only once in Memphis; going through
customs in Haiti was a breeze. The Haitian customs agent asked us if we
were carrying vitamins, and wanted to check the expiration dates on the
bottles. We were happy to comply.
We are bringing a computer to Dr Beauvoir, the
pediatric orthopedist who works at St VIncent's weekly and who operated
with Dr Khumalo in late August on several St Vincent's children.
Apparently Dr Khumalo observed that Dr Beauvoir's computer was , shall
we say, faulty? So he sent another one down. We had the most trouble
with that computer, since the TSA officials had to tear open the package
(which had been carefully packed to protect the fragile computer) and
the Haitian customs agent had to tear the package open AGAIN to make
sure it was exactly what I told him it was.
I told the team that I am happy to see the Haitian
customs agents actually checking our bags. They never did this before
2013, so I see this as a sign of progress.
Our
new guest house is only a 15 minute ride from the airport and 15 minutes
from the school, I am told. What a relief. Again, the old timers keep
telling war stories about riding for an hour and a half in the back of a
pick up truck on top of all the suitcases.
We checked in to our rooms, which are tiny BUT THEY ALL HAVE AN AC UNIT!
Not sweating while we sleep will be a gift from heaven.
Prestige beers by the pool then spaghetti dinner, and all are tired and content.
Edie plans to lead Compline service at 8 PM (if she can stay awake that long) and then off to bed. Dark comes at 6:30
and there are no street lights, so the city shuts down early. Except
for the roosters and the dogs, of course. I heard my first rooster crow
about an hour ago so then I KNEW I was in Port au Prince, in the middle
of a city with a million people and hearing the rooster.
Tomorrow
we will go to services at Holy Trinity Cathedral. I warned everyone
that the service is at least 2 hours long and all in French! But
worshiping with the Haitians in their open air pavilion next to their
destroyed cathedral, is always a moving experience for me.
We hope to walk over to St Vincent's after church and see the kids.
I cant wait to see their smiling faces when we walk through the gate.
Now if I can just sort out what is in all those bags of medical supplies piled outside my bedroom door??
Susan Nelson
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