Clinic in the Land of Canaan

Today we headed out of town to the largest tent city named Canaan. 

It sprawls over a rolling hill and large valley. 

Lots of new construction going on, which is good to see, 

but still the vast majority live in small shacks or make-shift tents. 

We were wondering if the many half-built homes were the product 

of mission teams who left before completing them. I hope not. 

By the way, the white-roofed mass of buildings in the background are new structures 

built by Haitian workers for World Vision. 

See folks, here are your World Vision donation dollars at work.

We held the clinic in an empty, multi-roomed concrete block with dirt floors. 

I initially thought that we would all be just miserably hot but there 

was enough of a breeze and enough holes (for doors, windows, and well, just holes) 

in the walls that the breeze kept us reasonably comfortable.

The estimate was that we saw 100 people. 

As usual, with the exception of a few more serious medical problems 

that needed to see Jenny, we saw the usual assortment of

 intestinal worms, allergies, lots of eye irritation, and STDs.

This was the first patient that I saw.

She was so sweet and had the best smile. 

She blessed me as she left.  

What a great way to start our clinic!

Everyone that we saw was orderly and grateful to be seen. 

After the clinic was over and we began to pack up I realized that a girl 

was peeking through one of the holes in the wall of the room we used for the pharmacy.

 It didn't take long for her to see that I had my camera and 

started to make a game of peeking in and seeing if I could catch her.

 Nice moment that didn't require a translator.

Today was our last day of medical clinics. 

Tomorrow we hope to get to go back to the Brewer orphanage and 

play with the kids, unpack and shelve our leftover meds and supplies 

and get ourselves packed for our early morning flight out on Friday.