Mission recap for January – February 2012 trip;
Day –1) 01_25_2012
Julian arrived at Boca Chica . Drove to SDQ. Discussed with Pastor Onelys regarding issues and plan for the medical clinic at his church.
Day 0) 01_26_2012
Checked into Sea & Garden Real estate. Cleaned out garage we were renting ($80/month). Went through the medicine and equipment to be saved and discarded. It was decided to liquidate all the medicine and discontinue the rental because of undesirable condition to store the medicine there. Met with the owner of the garage and SGR and looked into one of his apts. for future rent.
Day 1) 01_27_2012
Arrive at SDQ, meet up with Pat O’Connor, who came from CA for the trip. The airlines had left his bags in NYC. Julian picked us up and we headed off to Sea & Garden Real estate.
Day 2) 01_28_2012
We cleaned out the storage unit where meds had been stored. So much mold and mildew on everything because there was no ventilation. Decided what meds we could use up on trip and what we would donate to a hospital in Santo Domingo. Go back to airport to locate Pats bags. Bags finally arrived. We went to a local hospital in Santo Domingo and donated to them many boxes of meds and also surgical supplies. We headed off to Sabana Torsa to plan for a medical clinic the next day. At Sabana Torsa, we found out the school had been moved in a smaller building. Camping out there was not an option. We met with Pastor Manolo and decided we would do the clinic at the site where they are building a new church. We also gave them money to provide lunch for the workers the next day.
Day 3) 01_29_2012
Went to Carmona and met with Pastor Fernandes to arrange for a medical clinic on Monday. We then headed off to Sabana Torsa for the clinic. We treated 60+ patients. Lots of high blood pressure. Headed back to Boca Chica to our base camp.
Day 4) 01_30_2012
Went to Carmona for medical clinic. We treated 60+ people again. And once again, a lot of high blood pressure. The pump we installed in the well there still going strong and providing town people with water.
Day 5) 01_31_2012
R and R day and some site seeing in Santo Domingo.
Day6) 02_01_2012
Medical clinic planned at Pastor Onelys church in Santo Domingo. When we went to leave, dead battery in our van. Avis sent a man out and installed another one. We were on our way. At Onelys clinic we treated about 50 – 60 people. While in Santo Domingo, we picked up our bus tickets to go to Haiti. Headed back to Boca Chica. Packed up to leave for Viajama village in the morning.
Day 7) 02_02_2012
Checked out from Sea & Garden Real estate. Drove to Viajama Church of the Brethren, about 2 hours outside of Santo Domingo. Did a medical clinic when we arrived. Treated 60 + people. Then that night, showed a movie to the community (Passion of Christ). Pitched our tents in the church for the night.
Day 8) 02_03_2012
Did a small clinic for 20+ people. Packed up and started driving back to Santo Domingo. On the way back to SDQ, we visited Pastor Cristian, the DR COB president; dropped off some medicine. An important turn out is that he is working in a 53 kids orphanage. Mission Ryan will investigate for the future involvement. Checked into hotel and returned van at SDQ.
Day 9) 02_04_2012
Taxi was hired to take us to bus station. 4 men + 8 large suitcase + 1 driver = a taxi that drags the ground. Loaded up on the bus, greyhound type, and started our 8-hour trip to Haiti. Awesome bus ride, better than I thought it would be. They served us lunch. Goat, rice, beans, and a mystery salad. Much easier going through customs getting into Haiti on a bus than driving ourselves. At the bus station, Edrin from the FED orphanage was waiting to pick us up. At the orphanage everyone was so happy to see us. Just took the evening to get settled in. When we arrived we found out they were in need of water in the tank. They had been out for “2 weeks”. We had it filled ($40).
Day 10) 02_05_2012
We found out one the kids, Ruth, was having her 13th birthday. We sent out for a cake to have a little party ($100)for her that night. After the kids went to church, there were a few kids medically checked. Almost all the kids are really healthy. Lisa arrived in the afternoon. We had a party for Ruth. So sad, she had never had a birthday party or cake and didn’t understand blowing out a candle and making a wish. It was a good cake, even at American standard! After party we showed a movie (Ice Age Part 2, Hero) for the kids. Lisa brought peanuts and M&M and other goodies for the kids.
Day 11) 02_06_2012
We hired a tap tap truck to take us out to another orphanage about 1.5 hours outside of Port-au-Prince, in Legonne. This orphanage is run by Lyle Shippe. The ride was so dirty and dusty. After we arrived, we waited for the kids to finish school and we checked them out and also gave parasite medicine to everyone. Treated about 30 kids. Drove back to PaP in search of Domino’s Pizza for treat that night. The driver tried to take us to a less desirable place. We decided to go to a restaurant where they had a pool so we could get all the dirt and dust rinsed off. Meal was okay and expensive. Showed another movie (Crouching Tiger & Hidden Dragon) to the kids.
Lisa measured all the kids’ chest, waist size to fit them with new school uniform and future wardrobes. Also all the kids wrote letters to their sponsors using interpreters.
Day 12) 02_07_2012
Did a medical clinic for the people that live near the orphanage. They were charged a small amount (50 cents to $2.50) with the money going to the orphanage. We treated 60+ people. We also met with the landlady about her plans for the house the orphanage rents. She wants to “sell ASAP.” We convinced her to accept rent money from us and hold off selling until November of 2012. So we need to find a place for our kids and caregivers to move to in the very near future; it was advised to Edrin that they must look for a place to rent and move out asap. Later that evening we tried doing another movie¸ but rain kept moving through. Finally we re-started showing a movie and many kids came back out to see it.
Day 13) 02_08_2012
Got up sent Pat off to airport to catch his flight. Packed up and said our goodbyes to kids and adults. Headed off airport to start our journey home. When we arrived at DC, we found out Sandy, Marshall’s wife, had her truck break down on the way to pick us up; she was OK. Lisa called her husband to pick us up.
So here we are, back from the first trip in 2012. Next one is scheduled and being planned for April.
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