We did one last outreach clinic up in the mountains today. I triaged for a little bit (in Haiti I'm apparently qualified to be a nurse) and then spent the rest of the time in the "pharmacy" (small room in the school we were set up in with a table full of drugs we had brought). I'm getting pretty good at reading doctor's handwriting and writing "1 fua pa dua" one pill a day. I also got to actually be a nutritionist (finally using my degree) and give counceling to one lady with diabetes and a lot of high blood pressure patients. It's hard to councel on what to eat because, like the woman with diabetes said, they don't get to choose what they eat, they just eat whatever is available. It's heartbreaking really.
Also, some of the teachers were asking if we could somehow help them with a school food program. They said so many of the kids come to school but can't learn because they are just too hungry to pay attention. Hopefully we can get them in contact with a "food for the poor" type program. We were up in the mountains and the ride up was really beautiful. Because of the deforrestation, there is a lot of errossion, but someone has come in a taught the people terracing. It's amazing to look across to the other side of the mountain and see crops moving up the mountain on terraces. There were also a lot of vegetable gardens and cows. It's good to see that they are able to produce food in large quantities.
My hands and arms were black by the end of the day. We had a lot of fun though. A few of the workers spoke some English so that was fun to be able to talk to them. We took a break for a minute and a few of them danced for us. Madness (yes, that is his actual name) did quite the booty dance. He also has a brother named Fitness. I don't think they know what their names mean in English. The power has been out at the guest house for most of the afternoon. We also ran out of water to our bathroom on the 3rd floor last night and this morning, but it really wasn't that important that we were clean before going to the warehouse. Luckily the tank got refilled so we could shower when we got home. Tomorrow I'll be going out to another outreach clinic. 
On a happier note, Big Mac went to the embassy this morning to try for his 3rd time to get a student visa. He got it!!!! We are all so happy for him. He will be staying with Sandy and her family and go to Salt Lake Community to study physical therapy. 
On our way home from the orphanage today we drove through City Soleil. Up to a couple years ago no one ever went through there because of the danger. Apparently all of the head gangsters that used to live there are either in jail now or have died. I guess things in Haiti are actually improving. They will be announcing the election results on Thursday night. The two candadits are a Haitian pop star and a former first lady whose husband didn't help the country much when he was in office. This should be interesting. 
We saw 100 people today and gave them the medications we had. Mostly head aches and stomach aches, rashes and fungus, and lack of nutrients. I wish I could speak Creole.
Becca was doing some counseling with some of the workers at the school. One of them said, "Our government doesn't support us the way yours does. What can we do to sustain ourselves withour our government?" With as much as we complain about our government, at least we don't feel that way. Tomorrow I'm going to an orphanage with 100 kids to do a caregiver's school to the employees. 
As we drove to the Healing Hands property, there was some signs of improvement in some areas. But other areas look just the same as last year. Lots of rubble. So many tent cities. Only the tents look battered and torn. Sad.
