We have folks from all corners of the US on our team this March. Kellar joins us from Olympia Washington, is a family doctor, and has been to St Vincents three times before. He was one of the early team members in 2009. We’ve come such a long way since then! We ride around Port au Prince on a bus instead of in the back of a truck. We have a guest house with a swimming pool. We have an actual pharmacist instead of an eager but untrained college student. And we have three doctors on our team, including Kellar, myself, and Jim, a pediatrician.
Also joining us is Cindy from Ohio who is a pharmacy tech. Brittany is so pleased to have her help, in fact insisted that she return with us. Ramon comes from New York, representing Crutches 4kids. His organization is seeking to partner directly with a group in Haiti. He and I will visit the brace shop this week to meet our orthopedic doctors. We are bringing donated club foot shoes and Denis Brown splints from Dr Khumalo in Memphis. I cant wait to see the look on the doctor’s face when we show him the suitcase full of these special materials. Club foot can be treated without surgery if you have the proper equipment, saving children from a lifetime in a wheelchair.
The rest of our team comes from Memphis, including a nurse, a priest, a guidance counselor, a dental assistant, a paramedic, a sign language interpreter, assorted church folks, and three students/family members of the adults. Nothing like young energetic souls to tote suitcases, collect kids from classrooms, escort them from clinic to pharmacy, and perform just about any and all duties we require. As long as they listen to John reminding them to drink more water, theyll be fine. I am excited to see our childrens faces tomorrow. When we drive through the gates it always reminds me of the verse ,”Enter His gates with thanksgiving”. Thanksgiving for Haiti and the joy of old friendships.