This is an interview with Sandrine, a woman we met in Pétionville, which is the neighborhood in Port-au-Prince where Mercy Corps is located (incidentally, also where Sean Penn's camp is).
http://www.mercycorps.org/lisahoashi/blog/22060?source=9840
Click here for a previous blog post with a picture of Sandrine, and the "bus school" she took us to!
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Lauri is going to Zimbabwe
Lauri Benblatt was part of our June 2010 Mental Health Mission. She is a gifted psychotherapist in Boulder who specializes in art therapy. She is also an alum of Harvard's Program For Refugee Trauma.
Lauri is now raising funds for an upcoming trauma education trip to Zimbabwe, a land racked by the destructive earthquake known as the dictator Robert Mugabe. She's going with a group called Tariro:
http://www.tariro.org
If you'd like to help Lauri, please write LAURI BENBLATT in the memo line of your tax-deductable check, made out to:
Tariro
P.O. box 50273
Eugene, Oregon 97405
-Mike.
Lauri is now raising funds for an upcoming trauma education trip to Zimbabwe, a land racked by the destructive earthquake known as the dictator Robert Mugabe. She's going with a group called Tariro:
http://www.tariro.org
If you'd like to help Lauri, please write LAURI BENBLATT in the memo line of your tax-deductable check, made out to:
Tariro
P.O. box 50273
Eugene, Oregon 97405
-Mike.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Art from Colorado kids to Haiti kids
During the June Trauma and Medical mission, we brought a big stack of art made by kids in Colorado to give to the kids of St. Paul's school in Petit Trou. Some of the Colorado kids even wrote some phrases in French on their masterpieces. We snuck out at night to tape the imported children's art up all over the school walls, so the school would be decorated upon everyone's arrival.
After Lauri's art therapy session with the first grade class, we handed the rest of them out individually. The Haitian kids were thrilled to get art from other faraway kids and compared and traded with one another.
Here's some pictures.
-Mike.
After Lauri's art therapy session with the first grade class, we handed the rest of them out individually. The Haitian kids were thrilled to get art from other faraway kids and compared and traded with one another.
Here's some pictures.
-Mike.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Art therapy with first-graders from Port-au-Prince
While in Petit-Trou, we all (including the first grade teachers from St Paul's school there) helped Lauri to run an art therapy session with the first grade kids. A lot of them are "new arrivals" - coming to St Paul's since the earthquakes for various reasons. Some are orphans, some had their house destroyed and now live with relatives in or near Petit-Trou, etc. The first-graders are the ones with the most behavioral problems, so we singled them out.
The first picture is the response to the question, "How many of you lost a loved one in the earthquakes"? You can see that many of the kids drew houses in the first project, "Draw something that makes you feel good." We all thought it was really telling that many of the kids also drew a picture of the school.
The teachers thought it was such a success that they plan on doing this with the kids every Friday!
-Mike
The first picture is the response to the question, "How many of you lost a loved one in the earthquakes"? You can see that many of the kids drew houses in the first project, "Draw something that makes you feel good." We all thought it was really telling that many of the kids also drew a picture of the school.
The teachers thought it was such a success that they plan on doing this with the kids every Friday!
-Mike
Monday, June 21, 2010
Olafson 21 June Monday
At the Olafson by the POOL in Port au Prince.
From Beverly
Short report here. I woke Sunday morning at 4:30 to thunder! It had been dry all week and we were optimistic about the river staying low enough for our 2nd car to make it from PaP and would leave with both vehicles Monday morning. Short story: We decided to leave as the weather in PaP was lots of rain and the clouds mounted even as we deliberated about our options. Our driver, Fednar, took the first 3 gals and all of the duffles, including our donations for the Visitation Clinic in Petite Riviere. He was back to St. Paul's in 2 ½ hours and the rest of us loaded up and blasted. The first “bigger” river crossing was fine. Such relief. BUT the second river had Class 4 rapids! We waited for about 2 hours with 2 other cars and lots of people. Banana trees and a huge coconut palm fell from the saturated banks. The first 3 attempts found the truck stuck and needed help from 9 Haitian men to push and lift it out. Eventually, they came up with a strategy of lifting and pushing it through the first 15 yards of the deepest section and he made it! The team walked across a foot bridge, ever so grateful to be on the east side! Mind you, our Haitian interpreter and her 5 month old baby were still with us, too!
Shorter version of the rest of the story. Our driver's gasoline engine got water in one of the small river crossings (this was the guy who had driven out from PaP Sunday morning and he hadn't crossed the 2 big rivers). We choked along at about 20 MPH to Miragoane where he and the other driver worked on the engine. No good. It was getting dark and beginning to rain...he thought we would be able to make it to PaP, usually about 2 hours from there, but this was also where we started into a mountain pass. Miraculously, as we dropped into the flatlands, the car healed! Our driver said it hadn't wanted to go to Jacqmel, which had been our plan. So we made it into PaP just before 10 pm, not knowing if we'd find rooms.
Here I sit, poolside at the Olafson Hotel. (It was the site of the Comedians, if you know that book). I was able to sleep in – didn't wake til 5:10 today! The team is scheduled to depart Tues morning. They may try to stand by today, but no decision has been made on that.
For me, as surreal as it seems, my focus is shifting to playing cello. I even had to cut my fingernails yesterday! I anticipate moving to the guest room in Petionville this afternoon and beginning playing and coaching tomorrow. I'm going to start using my own blog now, so here is the link: LyneGlobalHealth.blogspot.com.
From Beverly
Short report here. I woke Sunday morning at 4:30 to thunder! It had been dry all week and we were optimistic about the river staying low enough for our 2nd car to make it from PaP and would leave with both vehicles Monday morning. Short story: We decided to leave as the weather in PaP was lots of rain and the clouds mounted even as we deliberated about our options. Our driver, Fednar, took the first 3 gals and all of the duffles, including our donations for the Visitation Clinic in Petite Riviere. He was back to St. Paul's in 2 ½ hours and the rest of us loaded up and blasted. The first “bigger” river crossing was fine. Such relief. BUT the second river had Class 4 rapids! We waited for about 2 hours with 2 other cars and lots of people. Banana trees and a huge coconut palm fell from the saturated banks. The first 3 attempts found the truck stuck and needed help from 9 Haitian men to push and lift it out. Eventually, they came up with a strategy of lifting and pushing it through the first 15 yards of the deepest section and he made it! The team walked across a foot bridge, ever so grateful to be on the east side! Mind you, our Haitian interpreter and her 5 month old baby were still with us, too!
Shorter version of the rest of the story. Our driver's gasoline engine got water in one of the small river crossings (this was the guy who had driven out from PaP Sunday morning and he hadn't crossed the 2 big rivers). We choked along at about 20 MPH to Miragoane where he and the other driver worked on the engine. No good. It was getting dark and beginning to rain...he thought we would be able to make it to PaP, usually about 2 hours from there, but this was also where we started into a mountain pass. Miraculously, as we dropped into the flatlands, the car healed! Our driver said it hadn't wanted to go to Jacqmel, which had been our plan. So we made it into PaP just before 10 pm, not knowing if we'd find rooms.
Here I sit, poolside at the Olafson Hotel. (It was the site of the Comedians, if you know that book). I was able to sleep in – didn't wake til 5:10 today! The team is scheduled to depart Tues morning. They may try to stand by today, but no decision has been made on that.
For me, as surreal as it seems, my focus is shifting to playing cello. I even had to cut my fingernails yesterday! I anticipate moving to the guest room in Petionville this afternoon and beginning playing and coaching tomorrow. I'm going to start using my own blog now, so here is the link: LyneGlobalHealth.blogspot.com.
Clinic Day 4 18 June Friday 2010
End of our fourth day of clinic. We've now had our 2nd day at St. Paul's facility. We have seen almost 100 women from the communities west of the school/church. It's a mountainous, rugged area...probably some of the women walked 2 hours to arrive at the clinic. Today began a bit more efficiently as we left the exam tables, pharmacy and lab (microscope and urine dip sticks) in place. Only had to set up the fans and start registering patients. All of our morning patients had arrived by 9 am and we had registered, taken histories and blood pressures for 10 of them even before 9!
Yesterday, we had probably 10 women with blood pressures in the hypertensive range (210-120!! Young women, too). Even considering the stress for many of the women for walking so far and anticipating their first pelvic exam...the blood pressures really didn't come down. We referred many to a clinic in Petit Riviere - one that will see our referred patients and provide free care. There is so little here in Petit Trou...if you go to the government clinic, they most often do not have medications to dispense. And I stopped counting how many women told me they had never had their blood pressures taken. WOW!
NOTE to the Mental Health Team: I have made several referrals for these patients to meet with the Women Volunteers to learn the "Relaxation Prayer" (mindfulness meditation technique) that Mike taught in the first day of Trauma training. And we also referred a patient who was clearly depressed...Thank you MIke for that gift.
We are hearing from lots of people that the "appointment card" system is working so well. There have been NO CROWDS pressing to be seen. We have had only a couple of women each day showing up without cards, asking to be seen. And we have been able to see them. Seems to be more efficient for us and has shortened the patient wait time. We are all pleased. The press has begun, though, as we approach the last clinic day...Anita was approached by at least 8 people from the St. Paul's school to see if we would see the teachers. When we asked the manager to triage and prioritize the most extremely needy of the employees, we got a list of about 14. That was to add to our already full days! We compromised, with great angst among our team members, by giving the manager 3 appointment cards for today and 3 for Saturday and letting it go at that.
We haven't done any sort of statistical analysis, but there certainly are plenty of women whose presenting complaint is "lower abdomen pain when my period starts". Guess there may be room for education. We were pleased when the school nurse, Natacha, showed up to observe Pam's practice this afternoon. I had mentioned to Mr. Kesner that she would be welcome, but never thought it would happen. Pam focused on much teaching about NORMAL women's health, hoping that will help with some issues of concern about her practice.
Our day was saddened with 2 pregnant women presenting with "I haven't felt the baby move". One was almost at term and hasn't felt movement for 2 months...and no fetal heart tones...life is really, really hard. The 3 Women Volunteers who had organized the patients for the west side (Wilda, Fanette and Chantale) told me how much they had enjoyed spending these 2 days with us...we hugged and kissed and I managed to not cry. What a gift, how lucky am I to be so richly blessed by working side by side these beautiful, lively, caring Haitian women to bring care to their friends, families and neighbors that they have never receive.
Well, I've taken more blood pressures in the last 4 days than I have in the past 10 years. Probably 50 more tomorrow! I gotta end this as the mosquitoes in the computer room are eating me alive!
-Beverly
Yesterday, we had probably 10 women with blood pressures in the hypertensive range (210-120!! Young women, too). Even considering the stress for many of the women for walking so far and anticipating their first pelvic exam...the blood pressures really didn't come down. We referred many to a clinic in Petit Riviere - one that will see our referred patients and provide free care. There is so little here in Petit Trou...if you go to the government clinic, they most often do not have medications to dispense. And I stopped counting how many women told me they had never had their blood pressures taken. WOW!
NOTE to the Mental Health Team: I have made several referrals for these patients to meet with the Women Volunteers to learn the "Relaxation Prayer" (mindfulness meditation technique) that Mike taught in the first day of Trauma training. And we also referred a patient who was clearly depressed...Thank you MIke for that gift.
We are hearing from lots of people that the "appointment card" system is working so well. There have been NO CROWDS pressing to be seen. We have had only a couple of women each day showing up without cards, asking to be seen. And we have been able to see them. Seems to be more efficient for us and has shortened the patient wait time. We are all pleased. The press has begun, though, as we approach the last clinic day...Anita was approached by at least 8 people from the St. Paul's school to see if we would see the teachers. When we asked the manager to triage and prioritize the most extremely needy of the employees, we got a list of about 14. That was to add to our already full days! We compromised, with great angst among our team members, by giving the manager 3 appointment cards for today and 3 for Saturday and letting it go at that.
We haven't done any sort of statistical analysis, but there certainly are plenty of women whose presenting complaint is "lower abdomen pain when my period starts". Guess there may be room for education. We were pleased when the school nurse, Natacha, showed up to observe Pam's practice this afternoon. I had mentioned to Mr. Kesner that she would be welcome, but never thought it would happen. Pam focused on much teaching about NORMAL women's health, hoping that will help with some issues of concern about her practice.
Our day was saddened with 2 pregnant women presenting with "I haven't felt the baby move". One was almost at term and hasn't felt movement for 2 months...and no fetal heart tones...life is really, really hard. The 3 Women Volunteers who had organized the patients for the west side (Wilda, Fanette and Chantale) told me how much they had enjoyed spending these 2 days with us...we hugged and kissed and I managed to not cry. What a gift, how lucky am I to be so richly blessed by working side by side these beautiful, lively, caring Haitian women to bring care to their friends, families and neighbors that they have never receive.
Well, I've taken more blood pressures in the last 4 days than I have in the past 10 years. Probably 50 more tomorrow! I gotta end this as the mosquitoes in the computer room are eating me alive!
-Beverly
Sunday, June 20, 2010
3 photos of a girl practicing her cello
These 3 photos were taken the day we dropped off the cello at the destroyed music school. This girl- impeccably dressed- was sitting on her own, playing her cello with striking skill and poise.
If you don't see her in the last photo, look in the lower left.
-Mike.
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