Update from Haiti

Always good to hear from Charles Dubuque. He and Tina are in Haiti this week.

"Greetings from Milot.

It's the wettest trip I've ever had. Daily showers & all night rains. It has kept the temperatures cool but has challenged the many volunteers living in tents. We currently have 50 volunteers here. Our normal numbers, pre-earthquake are usually 12-15, so it's an interesting dynamic.

I just can't believe the energy, compassion and commitment of these volunteers. Their stories of how they came to choose CRUDEM are simply incredible. Each night I learn something new about each volunteer. The human spirit is amazing & it energizes all of us to hear their stories.

Each night we have a meeting to discuss the necessary items that need to be communicated to all of the staff. At the conclusion of our meeting I ask the team leaders to share the compelling stories of the day. These teams include, Pediatrics, Physical Therapy, ICU, Physicians, Orthopedic Surgery & Nursing.Yesterday was an amazing day, so the stories shared were simply inspiring.

Yesterday morning I received a call from an aid agency near Port au Prince asking about a particular patient. His name was Felix. They mentioned that his wife had inquired about her husband & they suggested that he might have been transferred here after the earthquake. After certifying the patient log & then radioing the nurses working in that particular tent, we were able to confirm his presence. When the nurse went to the tent to inform him that his wife was trying to locate him, the entire tent of patients erupted in cheers, you see Felix had thought his wife had died in the earthquake. He was stunned for a moment & then just wept in gratitude. His fellow patients began to alternately comfort & congratulate him.

We have a young girl who is a double amputee. She is a beautiful girl, but has been extremely depressed & the staff has been so worried about her. Her mother who was thought to have died in Port au Prince arrived yesterday to be reunited with her daughter.

What a joy for the doctors & nurses to witness after caring for this girl. This morning she was laughing & singing & exhibiting a new found joy for living.

Yesterday was a good day.

Today I can only pray will be even better.

As always, thank you for your prayers, support & pass along the news about us.

regards,

Charles."