realskiers

Ok, I just got back from a bike ride and decided to post this little trip summary for Lynn.? My guess is that she will be a bit embarassed, but I think its pretty objective and captures the essence of her frustration.

I think it is natural for all of us to take our individual uniqueness and characteristics/gifts for granted, and always have higher expectations of ourselves.? From that perspective, even though she had a really good question and answer session one day, Lynn's exposure to Haitian hospitals and (at least) this set of midwives was very disappointing.

But somewhere in an all boys orphanage that is run by a couple of Jesuit Brothers and is, therefore, missing motherly love, there are two little boys who felt so loved by Lynn practicing their English with them that they painted some very nice pictures (one in the shape of a heart) as going away presents for her.

And (this is the sad one) somewhere in Haiti there is a man who will always know that this rich (by everything he understands) white lady from America cared enough about his wife that she gave a pint and a half of her own blood trying to save her life.? What he may never know is that, for some reason, the native midwives didn't think that a woman laying in a pool of blood from head to foot with more pooled on the floor was a situation that needed attention.? By the time Lynn's roommate found out about the situation the woman had effectively bled out and didn't have the ability to clot.? It should never have gotten to that point except for the lackadaisical care and lack of concern of the Haitian midwives.? ? ? (At the time Lynn left the woman was still alive, but in renal failure and dialysis is not available in Hinche.)

You can teach skiils and provide medicines, but how do you change a culture or a person's heart?