Yesterday I finally was able to do something I've been wanting to do for 2 years: I got to go and meet Licia and Lori who run the clinic and rescue centre up in the sticks of Cazale. I've been reading their blogs(http://www.haitirescuecentre.wordpress.com/ and www.xanga.com/haitinurse4life ) for a very long time now, and so it was so great to actually meet them. Melissa and I took Jon along as his older adoptive sister is volunteering up there, and headed on the long, dusty,hot and sometimes ridiculously bumpy road to Cazale. We stopped for a dip in the ocean as it was the first time Jon had seen the ocean, so it was really special to be able to experience that with him.
We arrived just before lunch and met up with Jon's sister Tori and had a great meal together, and then got to see and meet the kids there. Right now they have 70 admited patients, mostly children, who are malnourished and/or are severe burn victims, who they keep and nourish and heal until they are ready to go home. They have a large number if babies who they keep for two years until they can be sent home, as their mothers have died and their fathers cannot care for such small babies. The children come through the clinic which Lori runs, and then some are admitted to the rescue centre which Licia runs. I could not get over how much they do in such a small space!! It made me so appreciative of the large home we have and yard for the children to play in! However, the children are very happy and loving and it was so neat to be a part of their day. It was bathing time, so we got busy stripping down kids and helping to get them cleaned up...and my word did that keep us busy. Besides bathing kids we were keeping kids out of the clean water buckets and having kids saying "mwen-mem" over and over hoping the new "blancs" would pick them to bathe next! I very quickly got nicknamed "ti-blanc" (little white) thanks to this little pixie named Sophia who you could just see the mischief ooze out of! It was fun to recognize some of the faces from Lori and Licia's blogs and see how much they have changed!!
We arrived just before lunch and met up with Jon's sister Tori and had a great meal together, and then got to see and meet the kids there. Right now they have 70 admited patients, mostly children, who are malnourished and/or are severe burn victims, who they keep and nourish and heal until they are ready to go home. They have a large number if babies who they keep for two years until they can be sent home, as their mothers have died and their fathers cannot care for such small babies. The children come through the clinic which Lori runs, and then some are admitted to the rescue centre which Licia runs. I could not get over how much they do in such a small space!! It made me so appreciative of the large home we have and yard for the children to play in! However, the children are very happy and loving and it was so neat to be a part of their day. It was bathing time, so we got busy stripping down kids and helping to get them cleaned up...and my word did that keep us busy. Besides bathing kids we were keeping kids out of the clean water buckets and having kids saying "mwen-mem" over and over hoping the new "blancs" would pick them to bathe next! I very quickly got nicknamed "ti-blanc" (little white) thanks to this little pixie named Sophia who you could just see the mischief ooze out of! It was fun to recognize some of the faces from Lori and Licia's blogs and see how much they have changed!!
Seeing all the children that they are helping and how they are so known in the community and are loved by the people was a neat thing to witness. Somewhat different from here in Mirebalais where we have disputes with landowners trying to close our road! Licia and I talked for a while about what I was thinking about being in Haiti, and once again I spent the ride home thinking about what God's plans are for me. It's an interesting feeling to know how much you are needed in one place, yet to see another form of serving the people of Haiti and wonder how many more areas in Haiti do not have anything like the clinic in Cazale. I am really happy that I got to see some more of the ways that God is using people in Haiti, and it's amazing how experiencing that makes me feel even more attached to this country!
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