Drew's birthday

Our last day at the school is always full of emotion.   We all have about 17 things on our list that we want to do that day, and usually we manage 8 or 10.   Things done and left undone, as we say in Confession.    We finish clinic and then John brings me at least 2-3 people who need to be seen. One of them was the principal of the school, so of course I took care of her!  Then the ladies who cook in the kitchen.  Not leaving St Vincent's without trying to do something for them as well.  Usually its just giving them Tylenol for headache and Zantac for acid reflux.  These meds we buy in the States at our pleasure, but here, where access to medication is limited, a bag of 30 Tylenol or ibuprofen is precious.
Professor Simeon always honors us on the last day by leading the blind bell choir to play for us.  (see You Tube video link on our website). This day was especially remarkable because it was
 Drew's birthday.   Dieumene and Mackenson led the children in singing Happy Birthday, with Mackenson on the guitar and Dieumene with her contralto voice.  We had to find Drew in his favorite place, which is upstairs in the dorm room with the most severely handicapped children.  He sat with Matthew in his lap; the blind child who clings to Drew for dear life.  Drew managed to hold Matthew and simultaneously stroke the cheek of Yolene sitting next to him.  Jean Robert played the violin and we all sang with tears in our eyes.  Then the two young Haitians performed "Alleluia", the song that Claire Valine taught them last November. "I heard there was a secret chord, that David played and it pleased the Lord...". Dieumen sang that song with joy on her face and deep emotion in her voice.

The sweat and tears combined on the Americans' faces as we shared this special birthday with Drew, who is the heart and soul of our ministry at St Vincent's

Here is a link to a  YouTube clip

St. Vincent's girls enjoying the sunglasses Vickie brought