The Medical ClinicS

​The clinic went well yesterday, in my opinion. It started off a little slow, but then things picked up. We got some order and things flowed well. Anybody who sought medical help came in and took a number. They had a seat, and waited for their blood pressure to be taken by a doctor. Somebody went around and took temperatures and pulses as they waited. Each person’s information was recorded on their number card. After blood 

pressure, there were two doctors to speak to that would gather information and prescribe medications. There was an oxygen tank available that some people needed, and my favorite part, reading glasses. It was amazing to watch people try on glasses who really needed them and attempt to read passages in a book. “No, I cannot see,” or “No, these do not work,” were sad things to hear, but eventually, everybody said “Yes, I can see! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

We gave baby clothes and food to an expecting mother and took pictures of orphans and families too. Overall, it was a great experience, even though I was running on no (3 hours) of sleep. We stayed up all morning preparing for the clinic and sorting through thousands of items. Then, we had to get right up and distribute several of these items.
 
Afterwards, we had butter rice, chicken and vegetables for lunch. I WAS SO HAPPY! I love vegetables. We had a broccoli and carrot mix. I fell asleep for about 30 minutes, took a shower, and the guys packed the 3 cars. I had been laughing earlier at how so many people squished into a van to leave the clinic. It seemed impossible to fit everybody in, but that became my reality soon after.

The cars were packed, the chickens were loaded, and I was the last one to the van when I woke back up. I sat in the middle seat of the front, between the driver and a scout with 14 people behind me for the three hour trip to Les Cayes. The motor was under me so my butt was hot, but the air conditioner was on me at all times. We rode over the bumpy terrain and only one person got sick. We found out two hours in that the air was not on in the back and nobody had said anything. We stopped on the way for mangoes and caneps. I felt local when a couple asked me what are caneps and how do you eat them. I can even translate a little for people because I have learned to be calm while some others are frantic and just moving too fast. I’ve been here for a weak and a half but I have already learned so much, and that is good.
 
When we arrived in Les Cayes, everybody was so happy to see one another. The teachers have been here for about a month now and have not seen their families and friends, so they were so glad to see so many of their loved ones. Even me. They were so glad to see me again and to hear me speaking in Creole. I was excited too, for everything except the mosquitoes that greeted me when we got off the van.
 
We unloaded and filled my room with all of the bags and giveaways that we prepared. Afterwards, I went straight to bed. Cassandra woke me up for dinner, and ten minutes later, I was sleep again. I needed all the rest I could get. It got cold during the night and that was a relief.
 
Today will be just as hectic and just as busy, so I’m going to go get started.