Bella Coola to Haiti

Wednesday August 18

2010-09-11T17:18:00.000-07:00

Wednesday: High 39.4 Low 27.3

I had a great day today. Nathan the assistant administrator talked to me a few days ago about a workshop for maintenance persons and Bio-med technicians put on by Med Share. He wondered if I was interested in attending and that he was sending Samuel and that we should take some of our malfunctioning equipment along for the course as it was hands on training being offered. It was originally scheduled for two days but for some reason it was down graded to a one day workshop. I of course said ‘YES’ and so today was the day and at 8:00 am, our driver Richard picked us up and took us across town to Grace Children‘s Hospital, about one hour and twenty minutes away. Our instructor has eighteen years experience in the field and received the Bio-medical Engineer of the Year Award for the state of Georgia last year. It was something else working around him. I’d love to shadow him for a week or two. The group attending the workshop Some of the equipment we took to the seminar Instructor for the Biomed equipment workshop The morning was mostly basic trouble shooting as the twenty plus people in attendance were a mix of Users (Doctors, Nurses, Lab Techs and others) and Technicians (general Maintenance to Bio Tech Engineers). After a sub sandwich lunch, (my first bread since arriving here) we started into an actual project. It was a Binocular Microscope that kept blowing the bulbs. We were able to pin point the problem and although we didn’t fix it, the instructor put someone at Grace in charge of the repair. This instructor travels all over third world countries teaching technicians how to troubleshoot and repair their own equipment. Like he says for the lack of knowledge on how to trouble shoot and diagnose problems, which in many cases are very minor, millions of dollars worth of usable and much needed medical equipment collects dust in some corner. He went beyond isolating a circuit board and tossing it, he went inside the circuit board to the root of the problem. That’s important here and many other places as well because components must be shipped from outside the country at great expense and down time.

An accordian calapse

Some demolished Buildings On the way home from that I got some great shots of some of the extensive damage some buildings suffered during the earthquake. A lot of it has been cleared away or levelled and built upon already so it isn’t as noticeable, but there are still areas in the city where nothing has been done yet. You may find a whole city block where everything is fine and then one building in the middle just crumbled, or a huge strong looking building that has buckled and on either side of it everything is fine. Amazing! The Presidential Palace is one of those buildings that has not been touched, it’s huge dome leaning precariously forward. In the whole area surrounding it the buildings were destroyed and for the most part are cleaned up and gone. It appears to have been the “Capital Hill” of Port au Prince.

Presidential Palace with it's leaning dome

Tuesday August 17

2010-09-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

Tuesday: High 34 Low 25.8 Today was a real maintenance day. I changed out a case of 30 four foot fluorescent tubes. The place was getting very dark in spots. Once people caught on to what I was doing both local staff and patients started coming and requesting me to come into there areas or rooms to fix lights. In the process I must have found a dozen or more ballasts that are fried. The one supply room was so dark I could hardly see to put tubes in. I don’t know how David our supply man could even find anything in there. I replaced one ballast in there and have another to do yet. I will need to get at least one more case of tubes and maybe more to finish replacing the burned out ones. The four ballasts I purchased will be used up as well. I need to get a case of them as well next time we get supplies.

Main floor Nurse Station with the doors to the OR directly behind

One of the Nurse Practitioners caught me in the hall and asked if I could do a job in a patient’s room. He is a twenty-seven year old who was injured in a car accident and is paralyzed from the waist down. The NP said there was no light in his room so I went to check. The overhead light was ok but the bathroom light was out and a fixture over his sink had fallen off of the wall and was resting on top of the medicine cabinet /mirror. It may have come off the wall in the earthquake, I don’t know but I gave the glass shade a good wash, bolted it back together as nothing was broken, put it back on the wall with two new bulbs and, viola! What a difference.

Monday August 16

2010-09-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

Monday: High 38.4 Low 27.4

Today was interesting. I worked on a few different odds and ends, putting electrical wall plates on filling water jugs, (a daily job so patients and staff have drinking water) and a few lights (that’s on going). My roommates and I went on a little excursion out of the compound and down the street to the Grocery Store where I bought a real loaf of brown bread, two tomatoes, 3 cucumbers, laundry soap, beverage flavour crystals, mayo and a box of Corn Flakes which cost me about $20.00. I also bought some little flat buns and some tasty muffin type buns from a street vendor.

This afternoon I was talking with Jeanty, (pronounced Jon-tee), one of our faithful Haitian translators/ social worker/ good will ambassador, about whether he knew of someone who could cut my hair. He said yes he did and would call and see if and when he could do it. A few minutes later he caught me and said, “my friend will be here in ten minutes.” He assured me he could cut straight hair. Bernard the Barber

Bernard arrived a while later with two combs and a razor blade. I asked if he had ever cut straight hair before and he said he had so we found an empty room and went at it. We didn’t have a mirror so Jeanty would take pictures of the progress with his cell phone and show them

to me for my input. He was incredible with that razor blade. I kept thinking he was either going to cut me or himself in the process but neither happened. He even gave me a shave as well with that blade just held in his hand. He only asked $15.00 for it and everyone here seemed to think it was a great cut.

Jeanty, his Fiance and Bernard

Since Jeanty knows most of the people around here and the patients and their conditions and situations, the volunteers quite often rely on him to distribute things that they have brought down here to leave behind for people that need them. I had told him a few days ago that I had a tent for someone if he knew of a need. After the hair cut, Jeanty pulled me aside and told me Bernard needed a tent and that if I wanted to give it to him I should get it and come with him and his girl friend as they were going to travel with Bernard. So I grabbed it and my camera and we left the hospital compound and down the hill two blocks to the main street. Jeanty flagged A Tap Tap (in this case a small old Toyota pickup) with 8 or 9 people already in it, and on we got. Three more people climbed on before we got to our destination. We walked several blocks to where Bernard’s family were camped where he greatfully accepted the tent, then on to Jeanty’s girlfriend’s house where she broke out a watermelon for us. Jeanty then showed me his church and the school that it supports with 8 to 9 hundred students, then back on a Tap Tap to the hospital.

Typical little Tap Tap

When we returned, I got to listen in on the last half of a School Board meeting in Bella Coola by Skype. It was a little choppy and at times hard to hear the members comments but on the whole surprisingly good for the state of our internet lately.

Sunday August 15

2010-09-04T19:24:00.000-07:00

Sunday: High 37.4 Low 27.6 Sundays are always slower around here as the clinic is closed so it’s mainly walk in emergencies and our in patients to care for. As far as Maintenance is concerned, less people around means more room to get into things that are difficult to do on a regular day. I chose to work in the OR because only one of the three oppretories were going to be used. I washed out fixtures and lenses, wiped down tubes and replaced several burned out ones.

Saturday August 14

2010-08-20T23:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday: High 39 Low 27.3

Sunrise over the bay in Carrefour (Port au Prince)

Sunrise from the roof top of the hospital

I awoke this morning at about 5:20. I had been thinking it would be neat to be up on the roof of the hospital some morning and watch the sun rise so this morning I thought ok, the sun isn’t up yet, maybe this is the day. So I rolled out of bed, dressed and slipped out and up onto the roof just as the sun was starting to slide into sight. I got some awesome pictures then sat up there and read in the “coolness” of the morning for a while.

Looking west over Port au Prince at sunrise English Church was at 7:30 as usual which I attended. Following the service, 8:30 ish, a car and driver was supposed to come and pick up a group that had planned a trip for the day to Jacmel. I had been told I could go along but then last night Amy came to me apologizing for some lack of communication and that she didn’t think there would be room for me after all. Then this morning she came to me after church and said that one of our nurses, Jessica, might decide to stay back and rest today and if she did there might be room for me. A few minutes later, I saw Jessica talking to Amy and overheard her say she was too tired and she was just going to try to get some sleep. So Amy came back and told me there was room and I hurried off to get ready. I needn’t have hurried though as our driver didn’t come until almost 10:00.

Roadside markets in a village on the road to Jacmel

The road to Jacmel winds over a mountain pass through villages with street venders lining the road, which is a typical sight here in Haiti. This road was paved but with sharp corners, switchbacks and steep grades up to 22%. The scenery was gorgeous. Quite a welcome sight after ten days in the city.

Some of the scenery through the mountains

Looking back towards Jacmel from near the sumit of the mountain road betweenPort au Prince and Jacmel

We were told we needed to hire a guide so we hired a fellow to get us out to “Bassin Bleu” which is a beautiful little waterfall that runs through a rocky gorge in the hills above Jacmel. The stream flowing from it forms deep pools of emerald green water. Some of our group climbed 30 feet or so up the rocks beside the falls and jumped off into the pool below. It took quite a bit for some of them to psych themselves enough to jump.

Beautiful Bassin Bleu

It’s apparently a popular tourist and local destination as we met quite a few groups on our hike back out. One such group had maple leaves on their packs so we exchanged greetings. They were from Vancouver. I don’t know what they are doing here but there are hoards of Aid Agencies here from all over the world including the UN.

After our hike out and then our four by four ride down to the valley floor including fjording a river which was up to the doors of the 4x4, we went to the beach in Jacmel. There were many little booths in a large semi circle surrounding an open area filled with clusters of tables and chairs, some with umbrellas over them. The tables were colour coded in little sections. We decided that the different coloured groups belonged to different booths. Some in our group ordered chicken, some fish, and some fried banana or plantain. When my order arrived, which was supposed to be plantain, a third of the plate was covered with a pile of some kind of cubed pan fried meat. This we were told was “free lamb“. There was also coleslaw which was quite spicy, a couple slices of tomatoes and a small wedge of head lettuce plus the fried plantain. I wondered if I would pay for it but I ate everything including a little bit of the lamb anyway as I was very hungry. Then the long 2.5 hour mountainous ride home in the jump seats of the Nissan Pathfinder, about half of it in the dark. I popped a few charcoal caps when I got home for good measure and was fine.

The river we Crossed in the Pathfinder to get from

Jacmel to Bassin Bleu

Friday August 13

2010-08-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

Friday:

High 31.2 Low 26.6

Today started earlier than normal. Usually I get up between 6:00 and 6:15 am and have until 7:30 to myself. At that time we all gather on the front steps of the Hospital for a short devotional and get our directions for the day, then off to our various duties. This morning however, I got up at 5:45 and by 6:15 was in the OR working on lights so I could be finished and out before the day’s surgeries started. By 8:30, I was out of Theatre #1 and on to Theatre # 2 where there was a light out in the cam arm, and several overhead lights non-functioning. I had to solicit some help from Kristen, one of our volunteer PT’s that was leaving this morning, in getting the 36 inch lens and frame (bezel) back on. Once she came to help then suddenly two local workers came as well. It was great! By 10:00 I was finished with all I could do as I had used up my supply of tubes and ballasts so I went for breakfast.

Ron and Lorna went with Richard, the driver to Eco Depot today to pick up more supplies. I had planned on going with them but they were ready to go before I was finished in the OR so I told Paul, a new fellow here to go with them. They had hoped to go to a real Super Market and pick up some things and stop along the way at some roadside stands for some pineapple, tomatoes, cucumbers and mangoes but it apparently didn’t work out….they came back with only hardware supplies. Sometimes it is hard to do anything unscheduled as the driver has other commitments and other ideas.

I was just relaxing a little after breakfast when a truck arrived from ADRA with 1500 cases of Ped-Lite. We had known it was coming today, just didn’t know when. For the next two and one half hours we were going flat out moving boxes inside. It became a constant struggle to get the local helpers to understand that those boxes were not footballs and that if you throw them on the ground you will break the box and spill the contents and sometimes break the bottles. They would finally slow down after much persuasion by a few who knew what we were trying to accomplish but within two minutes they would be back to full steam ahead with boxes flying through the air and tumbling over and over. Then two or three would break and then someone would have to stop them so it could be picked up, then it would all resume again.

It was piled all the way to the gate on the right at the bottom.

Some got moved before I got my video.

This cicular ramp goes from ground level to the second floor.

It completely surrounds the Chapel.

Wow what a workout. I was bushed as I hadn’t had lunch, the only meal provided here, and it was 3:00 pm. Fortunately there was still a bowl of soup and a cup of limeade left for me in the staffroom which I made short work of. After eating, I called it a day and just worked on my blog.

Thursday August 12

2010-08-13T16:10:00.000-07:00

Thursday:
High 32.3 Low 26.6

I’ve been here a week now but it seems like I’ve been here a lot longer in some ways.
A little slower of a day today with a variety of different things to do. Tonight as I was working on my blog, Nathan came in and said, “do you want to go on an excursion with me?” So off we went. There is a large white Canadian tent which has inflatable pillars that hold it up. These are controlled by three air pumps which maintain a specified pressure in these columns. So every time the power goes out for an extended period of time, the tent starts to slowly descend upon it’s inhabitants. Well Nathan had gotten word that the tent was collapsing even though the power had not gone out. I knew it had been raining so suspected a wet connection some where out there. Sure enough there was a breaker tripped and actually the receptacle had gotten hot enough to be all blackened like something had shorted. We searched around the tent tucking the connections inside after drying them and disconnected all the little wires and make shift connections to peoples lights and fans in their tents, found another receptacle to plug the power cord into and, voila, the tent began to rise again.

Canada Tent

Shortly after coming in from the above excursion, the surgeons came up from the OR. I had been wondering how the lights were in there since every other room in the hospital seems to have one or several lights and or ballasts out. So Kevin, one of the surgeons took me down where I discovered only one out of four fixtures in each operating room (there are two) were working properly. One fixture in each of them was totally dead. I worked in OR #1 for a while but couldn’t finish anything as I needed supplies from the Maintenance Room and Ron, who had the key, was in bed so will work on that first thing in the morning before they start surgeries.

The rest of the day I worked on lights, helped unload a shipment of 100 plus cases of Ped-lite and other odds and ends.

There are three kids that live here at the hospital that you would just love to death. One little guy, Junior, is a little nut case. Mischievous, energetic, happy and always smiling, outgoing not to mention being a total clown doesn't totally describe him. He is ten years old and lost his mom two years ago. Three weeks ago he lost his dad to aids. He is HIV positive but you would never know it. He is such a cute kid who loves music and can dance up a storm to his own singing. Then there are two sweet little girls here. Mia is seven and lost her left leg in a car accident. She is mostly in a wheelchair but has been fitted with an artificial leg for which she is getting physio every day and coming along very well. She is so cheerful and friendly as well and loves to learn peoples names and call out to them. Miranda is elven I think. She obviously had a very mangled leg I think from a car accident. She is also in a wheel chair with one leg elevated. She is also so cheerful and a big tease. She likes to call my name every time she sees me mostly because I think she likes the sound of saying my name so I always say hers back the way she says it (Mee-rrr-anda). She is also a cute kid.

Mia trying out her new leg.

Mia taking a rest at Physio

Jean Junior posing with Volunteer Staff:
Nurse Jessica and Translator

Wednesday August 11

2010-08-13T15:01:00.000-07:00

Wednesday:
High 39.4 Low 27.3

I had a great day today. Nathan the assistant administrator talked to me a few days ago about a workshop for maintenance persons and Bio-med technicians put on by Med Share. He wondered if I was interested in attending and that he was sending Samuel and that we should take some of our malfunctioning equipment along for the course as it was hands on training being offered. It was originally scheduled for two days but for some reason it was down graded to a one day workshop. I of course said ‘YES’ and so today was the day and at 8:00 our driver Richard picked us up and took us across town to Grace Children‘s Hospital, about one hour and twenty minutes away. Our instructor has eighteen years experience in the field and received the Bio-medical Engineer of the Year Award for the state of Georgia last year. It was something else working around him. I’d love to shadow him for a week or two.

The morning was mostly basic trouble shooting as the twenty plus people in attendance were a mix of Users (Doctors, Nurses, Lab Techs and others) and Technicians (general Maintenance to Bio Tech Engineers). After a sub sandwich lunch, (my first bread since arriving here) we started into an actual project. It was a Binocular Microscope that kept blowing the bulbs. We were able to pin point the problem and although we didn’t fix it, the instructor put someone at Grace in charge of the repair.

This instructor travels all over third world countries teaching technicians how to troubleshoot and repair their own equipment. Like he says for the lack of knowledge on how to trouble shoot and diagnose problems, which in many cases are very minor, millions of dollars worth of usable and much needed medical equipment collects dust in some corner. He went beyond isolating a circuit board and tossing it, he went inside the circuit board to the root of the problem. That’s important here and many other places as well because components must be shipped from outside the country at great expense and down time.

On the way home from that I got some great shots of some of the extensive damage some buildings suffered during the earthquake. A lot of it has been cleared away or levelled and built upon already so it isn’t as noticeable, but there are still areas in the city where nothing has been done yet. You may find a whole city block where everything is fine and then one building in the middle just crumbled, or a huge strong looking building that has buckled and on either side of it everything is fine. Amazing! The Presidential Palace is one of those buildings that has not been touched, it’s huge dome leaning precariously forward. In the whole area surrounding it the buildings were destroyed and for the most part are cleaned up and gone. It appears to have been the “Capital Hill” of Port au Prince.

Tuesday August 10

2010-08-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

Tuesday: High 34 Low 25.8 Today was a real maintenance day. I changed out a case of 30 four foot fluorescent tubes. The place was getting very dark in spots. Once people caught on to what I was doing both local staff and patients started coming and requesting me to come into there areas or rooms to fix lights. In the process I must have found a dozen or more ballasts that are fried. The one supply room was so dark I could hardly see to put tubes in. I don’t know how David our supply man could even find anything in there. I replaced one ballast in there and have another to do yet. I will need to get at least one more case of tubes and maybe more to finish replacing the burned out ones. The four ballasts I purchased will be used up as well. I need to get a case of them as well next time we get supplies. One of the Nurse Practitioners caught me in the hall and asked if I could do a job in a patient’s room. He is a twenty-seven year old who was injured in a car accident and is paralyzed from the waist down. The NP said there was no light in his room so I went to check. The overhead light was ok but the bathroom light was out and a fixture over his sink had fallen off of the wall and was resting on top of the medicine cabinet /mirror. It may have come off the wall in the earthquake, I don’t know but I gave the glass shade a good wash, bolted it back together as nothing was broken, put it back on the wall with two new bulbs and, viola! What a difference.

Monday August 9

2010-08-11T21:27:00.000-07:00

Monday: High 34 .7 Low 27.3 Today we went to town. Sam, Ron and I went with the hospital driver Richard. We were looking for materials for finishing up the new rooms on second floor. Eco Depot and A & B Supply were the destinations. They are only about two blocks from each other but it took us over an hour each direction to reach them. Surprisingly good selection at both places but setup totally different. A & B is setup more like a wholesale store where one sample of each item is on display on pegboard in the isles. You can look at what you want, write down the item number and take it to the sales counter. The sales man takes your order and your money while someone in the back picks your order and brings it out front. On the other hand Eco Depot is more like North American hardware stores where you can browse, help yourself and take your stuff to the checkout. To make payment for your purchases the money has to go through several hands and likewise the change if there is any. The prices of goods surprised me. They are very comparable with prices back home. I wonder how anyone can afford to buy much here as it seems a descent average wage is only about $200.00 to $250.00 per month. We bought four foot fluorescent tubes and compacts, ballasts, silicone caulking, 3” PVC pipe and fittings and a few other odds and ends. We spent around $300.00. Oh and just in case you want to see if the light bulbs you are buying are any good, there is a live socket type fixture at the sales counter that you can test them all in before you leave the store. There are probably no returns allowed. Back at the hospital Ron, Lorna and I decided to go looking for some fruit so we took Sam and walked a few blocks and found two kinds of lovely mangoes and avocadoes from little street venders. Then it was back to work on the puzzle of breakers for the rooms. There are so many little street vendors, most selling very similar items such as little packaged crackers, bottled beverages, toiletries and other small things that you wonder if anyone sells enough to live on. It has to be very tough.

Sunday August 8

2010-08-11T21:01:00.000-07:00

Sunday: High 35.7 Low 27.3 Today was a little quieter around the hospital as the clinic was closed with only ER and inpatients for the staff to deal with. About Six or seven volunteer people left today. We sure miss them already. It is amazing how quickly bonds can be made in a situation like this and within a day or two working together you feel that you could have known each other for a long time. Gary was one of those who left this morning with his two friends. We will certainly miss his booming voice in the hallways and his experience in carpentry. It is so neat to see people from different backgrounds, different religious groups, ethnic groups and relief organizations coming together as a team all for the common good of those we are here to serve. Ron and I spent a good portion of the day switching electrical breakers on and off as we were trying to find out what breakers controlled what in which rooms. We found there was no rhyme or reason to the way the breakers were wired. And on one side of the hall all the lights and ceiling fans for the seven rooms are on one breaker. These rooms at present are not quite finished but the plan is to fix them up nice so they can be used for private and semi private rooms for paying patients. This would give the hospital a little bit of revenue to operate on and or to use for much needed parts and repairs so we are going to concentrate on finishing two of these at a time.

Saturday August 7

2010-08-10T20:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday: High 35.3 Low 28.3 Church this morning was at 7:30 am. It was only that…just a church service. At 8:30 I went with some friends to the French church down the street which was already in progress. We stayed until the end of the section of the program that was on, then left with some of the translators for a hike up, up, up the streets between some of the houses and shops we can see not far from the Hospital. We climbed up these goat trails, which people obviously climb up with sacks of cement, groceries, etc., which was exhausting without carrying anything. I don’t know how they do it. There are many people building new dwellings and shops on terrace after terrace, side by side on these steep hillsides with no road access. Near the top we got onto a road that came up the backside of the hill and lead to what we were told was a priest’s house surrounded by a gated fence. All about this enclosure was a crowded tent community clinging to the edges of the summit and out in the scorching sun. The only trees up there big enough for shade were by the gate and inside the fence. The local children were it seems to play on the large shaded lawn inside. We spent a half hour under the trees by the gate before grinding our way back down. A very frustrating story unfolded today. We were made aware of the case of a two month old girl in a neighboring hospital that was in respiratory distress. Her parents were very concerned and several people from our hospital went over to see her at the request of her parents. What they saw alarmed them. The parents wanted to transfer her to our hospital but the doctor there said she was fine and besides there was a bill owed now and she couldn’t leave without it being paid. Her condition became so grave that when her oxygen tank ran out she appeared as if she was dying. People came back to the hospital and began to franticly try to raise money to get her out. At first it was thought that 2 to 3 hundred dollars would be needed. After that was secured it was discovered that they wanted $3200.00. With a lot of negotiating and maybe a little intimidation from there being several medical professionals present, the doctor backed down and released the baby to her parents. A vehicle was dispatched from here with oxygen and the little patient was transferred successfully. She rallied under the care of our staff but was found to have a collapsed lung with the other very congested so it was decided to transfer her to the Miami Field Hospital about half an hour away. Several of our staff accompanied her on this night trip which paid off. Reports are that she is doing fine. On a sad note, there were two sick babies at that hospital. The other one didn’t make it.

Friday August 6

2010-08-08T20:14:00.000-07:00

Friday: This morning we still had very little water here so I went with Samuel to walk the waterline to look for leaks or places where someone may have tapped into the line but it checked out ok. We went over to the University and ADRA which are all adjoining properties. ADRA had one leak they were working on but in our travels we found a guy who was there and helped put the waterline in. He told us that our problem was most likely in the sand filter. It should be cleaned every two to three months but he doubted it had been done at all since installation six months ago. We spent the rest of the morning searching for a key to get in to the locked filter vault. Back and forth from one person to another but no luck. We do have a limited supply of water but at least we have some. We’ll try again on Sunday. In the afternoon we mixed and poured that reinforcing beam which was a big job and tedious as we had very little room to work. We got it but we were at it until 6:30 pm and then clean up. Last night about 8:00, Ron and I went up on the Hospital roof to close the lid to that old reservoir incase it decided to rain over night. We were just standing up there enjoying the lights of the city and the gentle breeze and having a really enjoyable conversation and watching the lightening show off in the distance when the odd small drop of rain started to fall. So we decided to go down incase it decided to get serious. We weren't back to our room for more than 2 or 3 minutes when there was a terrific crash and instantaneous darkness as the power went out. I don't know what it hit but it was close. The generator does not start automatically so after three or four minutes someone started it and we had lights again. It actually didn't rain much and there was only one more audible clap of thunder. But something I wouldn't have thought about was the fear that comes to the people here from something like that. Many start crying and hiding thinking it is another earthquake. The staff here at the hospital immediately went down the wards reassuring patients and trying to comfort them. They feel just like they are reliving that experience all over again. Yes it has been very hot here. The humidity doesn't help of course. Friday the high was 37.8 and the low 27.7.

Thursday August 5

2010-08-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Thursday: My first impression as we taxied in and than boarded a bus was, Wow it looks pretty normal around here, but as we rode over to the Customs Office, which was a tin warehouse ,we drove over some pretty uneven broken up concrete. It took about half an hour to get through customs and then at least another half hour for our luggage to arrive. Then one more time through document inspection and I was outside under a tent. I had been told to stay under the tent until I saw someone holding a sign saying something about the hospital, HAH, CURE, Loma Linda, or ADRA. As I walked out under the tent, a well dressed Haitian lady was standing about ten feet away holding a sign saying KOZAK. I said that’s me and she motioned for me to follow. As we emerged from under the tent, we were assailed by many men in red caps wanting to help me with my luggage which was on a cart. I had to make it plain that one was all I needed. She lead us through areas of broken pavement and concrete walkways and to a waiting Nissan Pathfinder where the driver was standing and holding a Taxi License. Then I was greeted by Phil Hudson from CURE who told me he had all ready paid the driver and would pay the Bag Boy.

François turned out to be an interesting driver who spoke some English, Spanish, Creole and French. His Nissan appeared to be in very good shape. I wondered why he would need a 4x4 in the city but after we traversed some of the streets and back allies I thought if it rained very hard you might want to use four wheel drive.

It took us about one hour to get to the hospital from the airport. Upon arrival, François wanted a tip. I said you’ve already been paid. He said, “yes but tip, tip.” I said, “how much?” He said, “$10.00.” I said, “no, $5.00.” He said, “ok” and shook my hand. I realized that they will get what they can so go for the gold if you can get away with it. After all rich Americans can afford it right? After a tour of the hospital with Amy and introductions to Nathan Lindsey, her husband and assistant administrator, and Gary and Ron, who I will tell you about later, I found an empty corner to put my stuff and joined the work crew.

The hospital developed a problem with the water system on Thursday. We ran out. Now that’s a problem for anyone, but for a hospital in the type of climate we are in it is disastrous. Samuel the on sight Maintenance Man was working on that while I started working with Gary (an ex-construction contractor turned science teacher) and Ron (a teacher from northern Alberta) who were building a form and prepping a concrete beam, which was compromised in the earthquake, for reinforcement. A cage of rebar was constructed around and anchored into the existing beam and a form built to house all of it. It was quite a technical work of art. It was great to have Gary’s experience here to orchestrate that.

On the roof of the hospital is a water reservoir. It used to be used for water storage. After the earthquake an engineer was brought in from Loma Linda to asses the building. He told them not to use it anymore as it could compromise the structural integrity of the building. Someone must have forgotten to close the hatches and the day before I arrived it was discovered that rain had nearly filled it. Ron and Gary, the two guys I'm working with, had drained it and now we are trying to dry it out as moisture is seeping down through the cement wall and ceiling under it.

I must say there are so many pretty cute little black kids running around smiling and trying out their English on you and they all want to be in front of you if you have a camera. There is an orphanage close by with 160+ kids. Thursday, Lorna, Ron's wife, (I am sharing an air-conditioned room with this couple from northern Alberta) went with a couple of locals and a Haitian man who is here from the US a second time, to meet with the overseer of this orphanage. They found out he had no food for these kids so Lorna bought $300.00 worth of rice and beans and coal for him. He said that would feed the kids for three weeks. Can you imagine?

Amy had said she would find a place for me by evening as a couple of people were leaving later in the day. As I worked with Ron and Gary through the day, I was introduced to Ron’s wife Lorna. She would come by and watch us at times and talk with her husband. Later in the afternoon she approached me and asked if I had a place to stay yet. Then she said, “Ron and I have this air conditioned room and we are feeling guilty with so many others just sleeping on the second floor, balcony and hallways and there’s only the two of us. You are welcome to stay in our room.” Since we didn’t know each other and I didn’t want to impose on their privacy I told her such but she insisted that it was no problem. Later Ron talked with me and assured me they would be happy to have me stay with them. Wow, what a blessing for sleeping at night. That’s Canadian hospitality for you.

Wednesday August 4

2010-08-08T19:34:00.000-07:00

Wednesday: So I am in Haiti now. But let me back up just a bit. I left Bella Coola on Tuesday August 3 and drove to Kelowna arriving there 7:00 am. I did a little last minute shopping, some of which was for the hospital here in Haiti. I had gotten an email on Tuesday from the Volunteer Coordinator, Amy Lindsey, here at Hopital Adventiste d’Haiti, requesting that if at all possible could I please bring a supply of three kinds of Glucometer Strips and 18 double action spring loaded hinges. I was able to find two of the kinds of strips from two different stores but after going to three suppliers of door hardware and no luck and no more time, I had to give up on the hinges. I flew out of Kelowna with Horizon Airlines at 12:20 pm and arrived in Seattle at 1:30. I collected my luggage and went back through Security and checked my luggage in and got my boarding pass. They were already starting to board the plane on the next leg of my journey which was Las Vegas. We arrived in Vegas a little early, just before 5 pm. That gave me a few hours to relax and check emails and look around at the skyline. At 10:30 pm, I left Las Vegas on the Red Eye flight to Miami. As soon as we were air born I knocked out. It seemed like no time at all and they were announcing our approach to Miami. I had to scramble on this one. I walked for about half an hour to reach my departure gate. I was beginning to wonder if I would get there in time. When I arrived huffing and puffing I was told I wasn’t the last one they were waiting for and to “relax you’re here now, we’re not leaving you behind.” That was refreshing considering some of the other airline experiences I’ve had in the past As we touched down on the slightly rough runway of Port au Prince two hours later (8:00 am local time), there was a collective sigh of relief, a few “thank you Jesus” and then applause from the passengers onboard.

2010-07-19T07:45:00.000-07:00

I am Leonard Kozak from Bella Coola, British Columbia, Canada. Bella Coola is a small community of just over two thousand people nestled in the Coastal Mountains located about half way between Vancouver and Prince Rupert on the map but accessable by road 454 kilometres west of Williams Lake. This is something new to me. I have never "Blogged" before so this is a first. I have never been to Haiti before either but let me explain where I'm coming from and the purpose of this blog. For those who may not know me or my background, I went on a "Youth Missions Outing" with thirty five other youth to the Dominican Republic back in 1982 to help build a church and ajoining school in a little town called La Isa Bella. While there I met the person who would eventually agree to become my wife. Fast forward twenty six years to December 2007, we decided to take our three birth children, two of which were teanagers, on a "Christmas Family Project" organized by Maranatha International to El Achiote, Ecuador where we joined approximately eighty other volunteers in building a school. The school grew rapidly and soon out grew it's capacity. Again in December 2009 we found ourselves back in El Achiote with about sixty other volunteers and with our now three teenaged children having the exciting task of building onto the same school. In, I think it was March 2010, Maranatha International contacted me reguarding volunteering in Haiti at the Hopital Adventiste d'Haiti, the only Hospital in Port au Prince,I understand, that wasn't damaged in the earthquake of January 12. With having just come back from Ecuador and work schedules and other commitments at the time I wasn't able to go. However since I expressed an interest in helping out at a later date they didn't give up and kept calling me back. To make a long story short I agreed to go in August to work in the capacity of Maintenance and / or what ever else needs to be done. I currantly work in the Maintenance Department of the Bella Coola General Hospital here where I live so think this is something I can handle. The heat may be something else though. I fly out of Kelowna B.C. on August 4,2010 and plan to share my expriences and pictures of what is going on in Haiti on this blog and hope you will find this interesting as you follow me day to day on my trip. I do not have a return date at this point as I am leaving it open until I see how useful I am to them and how long they can put up with me but I am planning on being there for at least a month. Hope you enjoy this and check in often as I will try to add content in the form of pictures and comments as I get ready for this adventure.