I wish I knew how to explain the insane number of "tent cities" there are popping up all over Port au Prince and surrounding areas. Everywhere you turn there is another large area of tents packed wall to wall. Some areas have all matching tents, you can sort of tell that the distribution happened all at once because everyone has blue or everyone has white or everyone has the same usaid tarps. On the edge of these little cities the people who did not get a tent or a nice tarp have made little make-shift tents with sheets and sticks and thin plastic bags. It is completely mind-numbing to think about these people in this housing during rainy season. I don't know how they can possibly live like this.
I enjoyed going on the truck this morning. We went to Simon Pele and did dressing changes. I was pretty much in charge of taking off the old dressings - saying some stuff in Kreyol - and -nothing more. It was so encouraging to see the healing that has happened. Many faces and names were familiar from late January and early February and their wounds looked amazing, all things considered.
In the afternoon we went out to Double Harvest with our X-ray patients. The truck was FULL of X-ray follow ups - eight total. They have a "hop - ital" out there :) with some pretty great people volunteering. They are doing surgeries and currently have an Orthopedic specialist. Plus, they run it just like a regular hospital with an "s" ... which makes it even better. ;)
Again, most reports were of great healing. Berlancia (photographed) even got her cast off and can walk again.
The photos in order are of wound care in the back of the truck, tent cities on the ride to Croix de Boquet (all different ones in a close proximity), people and sights along the way, and some of the Heartline patients.
Tuesday I'm spending the entire day with Beth - we're running and have Women's program and MIGHT get to go with John to order the ambulance that we raised money for when we ran that marathon - which now seems like thirty years ago. (If you want to read more about it go to this blog.)
Mostly, I am trying not to go all cry-baby about the coming goodbyes. I hope Beth cooperates with that plan.
