More Pics

Well, now that I got that currency lesson out of the way - guess I can give you one or two more pics.

I've setup a spreadsheet to manage our expenses.  In order to do so, I had to setup formulas for currency calculations which include lookups of exchange rates for gourdes, Haitian dollars and USD.  A bit of a touchy point everytime I go through my receipts and update my expenses.  The formulas that I've setup are automatic and work nicely.

Okay enough of that.  What do I have for you.

I will begin with a picture.  This is one of a helicopter that's just landed.  Just out of the picture is an ambulance with a young boy.  The boy has a badly broken pelvis and there is no facility in the PAP area that can look after it properly.  The boy is being airlifted to another hospital outside the city - I believe it is possibly in Jacmel - where they are able to provide appropriate treatment.  I know that with adolescents especially the diagnosis and the approach to treatment can be very difficult.  My oldest son badly broke his ankle when he was about 14.  We were out of town at the time - but still in a larger center.  They wanted to operate there to set it, but I decided that I wanted to get him to sick kids in Ottawa where I felt the skill might be a little more qualified in this age group and type of injury.  The Drs in Ottawa couldn't agree right away - but after about a day or so, decided that surgery was the best route.

The location of the airlift is from Quesqueya Chapel - the church that I attend here in Haiti.  I just happened to be there at the time.  They have run many clinics there and food distribution there since the quake.

So, this is chopper picture number two on my site - hope you enjoy.  Had to make it just a little bit painful to get to the picture - thanks for reading this far - I have a real treat in store for you after the picture.

 

I am becoming Haitian.  My skin is a little darker than it would normally be in our nothern climate at this time of year.  Still find it hot here though and drink lots of water to compensate for the porous skin that I've developed here.  But of course that's not my main point.  I used to muse with the stuff I see being carried on motor cycles - not any more - because I've joined the club.   I have been hauling 5 gallon jugs of water on my bike - not that might now sound like a great feat, but there is really no appropriate place to put the 5 gallon jug - so it gets a little dicey.  Then two days ago, I went for gas.  Now our gas containers are leaky jugs - so I decided not to take the 5 gallon gas container - went back to the house and got a leaky 1 gallon container - much better approach right!  Well got the container filled and juggled it on my lap using arms, elbows, knees and the occasional hand to keep the leaky jug more or less positioned as I bounced along the rough (we are in Haiti) roads.  Got to the site - which is on a steep uphill incline - which by the way has been recently partially filled with pieces of broken block wall and broken concrete pieces.  No easy feat to navigate over on fairly level terrain - let alone uphill, turning, through a gate, while juggling a can of gas.  Mostly successful, but kissed the gate a bit hard on the way through and kinda dumped my bake on the down ramp while still juggling that can of gas.  I tried to get my camera out in the middle of all of this, but it just didn't work.  I'm sure you excuse me for not having a picture of this one.  I am thinking if Darwin was only right - I am sure that I'd been able to pull it off.  You can see my blog entry on Darwin for details if you dare.

Yesterday was experience number two.  Carried welding rods, three spools of electrical wire, and three brooms to the site.  Again, couldn't get a good picture, my arms weren't long enough.  But kinda reminded me (and I am sure those watching me pass by) of the wicked witch seen on the broom in The Wizard of OZ.  Minus the nose, hat, etc - thought I should clarify. 

So, after all that I am now feeling like an experienced Haitian motorcycle driver.  You may know that I just recently got my Haitian drivers licence with my motorcycle endorsement to make it all legal.  

The kids here at the church  appreciated the effort that we put in together as a team at the school when we went down to rescue Gandy just after the quake.  We tried but as you know we were not successful - we did recover his body on the Thursday.  I think a little bonding took place with the team - we shared a terrible and heart wrenching experience and we worked hard at it.  There was a lot of good that also happened of course - including the four that were rescued, clinics that we held both here at Haiti Ministries and at the school.  Anyway some of the youth told me after that event that I was now Haitian - not Canadian.  I am not about to give up on my Canadian status just yet - even the embassy experience can't get me to do that - I still have a little snowbird blood.  However, its also nice to feel a little bit more at home here too.  

Well its now past 5 am, the roosters are crowing and its time to get up. So, I'll get my day going.  Chow for now.  Please let me know if you've read anything from Darwin on natural selection specifically as it relates to longer arms (or more arms) it could use that/those on my motorcycle sometimes.