06/20/2008
June Haiti Medical Mission Update
by the Rev. Deacon Dave Drachlis
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Alabama's five-member medical team returned home overnight following a successful week-long mission in Haiti. The team treated 519 patients during mobile clinics in four villages. Scheduled to arrive home on Saturday, flight delays pushed the team's homecoming into the wee hours of this morning.
On their last full day in Haiti, the team visited a spring near Croix des Bouquets. The area around the spring was lush with mature trees and pools of crystal clear cold water, which provided a glimpse of what Haiti was once like before devastating deforestation. The team also visited Holy Trinity Cathedral, the Episcopal Seminary, and other sites in Port au Prince. On Friday evening team members hosted a farewell dinner for their Haitian counterparts.
Friday, June 20, 2008
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| Nurse Laura Grille examines a baby during Haiti medical mission. |
The joint Alabama/Haiti medical team conducted the final mobile clinic of its week-long mission yesterday at Transfiguration Church in the Village of Gorman. More than 100 people seeking medical assistance greeted the team on arrival. Many had been waiting since 6 a.m. The general health in the Gorman area appears to be better than in other villages visited by the team. The team reported seeing fewer patients with serious illnesses.
As at the other villages, there was time for and building companion relationships. At Gorman, children gathered in the church yard with team members to sing and teach each other new songs. “The atmosphere was joyful,” said the Rev. Deacon Gerri Aston, team leader.
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| The Rev. Deacon Mary Groff interacts with children during a medical clinic. |
“It has been a wonderful mission, with much good work being done in the name of Christ,” said Aston. “We have had lots of laughs and some tears. Friendships are growing stronger and stronger.”
Today, the team is scheduled to visit Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port au Prince. The team will return to the United States tomorrow.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
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| The Rev. Dr. Foster Eich examines a young patient in Thoman. |
The team saw 84 patients in the mountain village of Thoman yesterday. Although Father Valdema does not have a church in the village, his wife Carmel conducts a nutrition cllinic there for significantly malnourished children. Today, the team will conduct their final clinic of the mission in the at Transfiguration Episcopal Church in Gorman.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
| Nurse Lorelle Johnson takes a child's temperature. |
Alabama's medical team passed the halfway point in its mission to Haiti yesterday, conducting the second of four mobile medical clinics in the village of Thomazeau. Working with Haitian medical personnel, team members treated more than 108 patients with ailments ranging from minor to life-threatening.
| Gerri Aston, with a patient during clinic at Thomazeau. |
On arrival, at St. Sacrament Church in Thomazeau, site of yesterday's clinic, the team was serenaded by assembled patients with a song of welcome. "One of the patients offered an opening prayer," said the Rev. Gerri Aston, team leader. "It was an incredibly moving moment," recalled Aston. At day's end, while the Haitian team members completed their administrative work, the Alabamians had the opportunity to gather and sing with the children.
| Waiting to be seen during medical clinic at Thomazeau. |
On Monday, the team conducted a day-long clinic at St. Simeon Church in Croix des Bouquets, and today the team was scheduled to see patients in the mountain village of Thoman.
Monday, June 16, 2008
The Alabama medical team spent their first full day in Haiti worshiping with their Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ and preparing for their first medical clinic. The team arrived safely in Port au Prince Saturday afternoon. Approximately half of the medical supplies and equipment carried in their checked baggage failed to arrive with the team. However the first flight on Sunday morning carried the missing luggage.
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| Medical Team members Lorelle Johnson, right, and Laura Grille, hold Haiitian infants at St. Simeon Church in Croix des Bouquet |
Team members attended Holy Eucharist at St. Simeon Episcopal Church in Croix des Bouquets, on Sunday morning. St. Simeon is the church at which their hosts Father Fritz Valdema and his wife Carmel are based. The Rev. Deacon Mary Groff, of the Church of the Nativity in Huntsville, was invited to read the Gospel; the Rev. Deacon Gerri Aston of St. Andrews in Birmingham delivered the homily; and the Rev. Foster Eich of St. Bartholomew's in Florence, celebrated with Father Valdema
Today, the Alabama five will join with Haitian medical personnel to form a joint Haitian/American medical team which is expected to see more than 100 patients a day over the next four days. They are scheduled to conduct their first medical clinic today at St. Simeon.
(This story will be updated as reports are received. However, due to internet communications difficulties in Haiti, updates to this story may be sporadic.)
Saturday, June 14, 2008
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| Alabama medical team arrives in Haiti |
A five-member medical mission team from the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama arrived in Port au Prince, Haiti, this afternoon, June 14, 2008. Team members will spend a week sharing Christ's love and working with their Haitian counterparts providing medical care in four villages.
