First Hand News

I am glad to finally have first hand news from Haiti! I interviewed someone yesterday who has just returned from a week of medical work in Port au Prince. In fairness to those who don't know me personally, I want to tell you that the"someone" is my youngest daughter, Patience Fort."

Patience is a Pharmacist at the University of Kentucky Hospital. When the earthquake occurred, she began investigating avenues to join a medical relief team. I treated our conversation much as I do interviews when I am writing for the paper, and I asked her a number of specific questions about her trip. With that explanation of our family connection, and of her professional background, I'll proceed with her perspective of the work they did and of her reaction to the people and the whole experience.

Patience said that she knew she needed to go to Haiti as soon as she heard of the earthquake because she could immediately envision her skills with medication would be valuable to a medical team. She was right! Her team said that they had not had a pharmacist on medical teams in the past, and her knowledge of medications and her preparations of medicines by dosage in the evenings in preparation for the following day's work enabled them to care for significantly more patients.

One day, they cared for over 500 people, and they averaged over 350 per day in the time they were there.

The team traveled under the auspices of International Medical Relief, and consisted of two doctors, a nurse practitioner, several nurses, and other medical support, a total of eighteen people. Patience was the only pharmacist. Few of them knew each other before the week began but she said that she had never worked with a more quickly cohesive group. Their purpose was aid, and there was never a time when personalities complicated that purpose.

They met in New York, and flew to the Dominican Republic. From there it was a grueling trip across land to Port au Prince. I asked her if she were ever afraid, and she said only once, when a group of Haitians who obviously had need tried to stop some cars in front of their transport. They needed the medications they were carrying, but they knew they could be abused in the wrong hands and could also be the kind of property thieves would want to steal. Prayerfully, she said she trusted God to get them through, and he did!

Patience has worked in disaster relief before and has traveled to Europe, South America, and Africa on short term mission projects; however, she said she had never encountered the kind of devastation that she saw in Haiti. The team set up camp in a school yard, but they did not go into the buildings which were not secure. They slept in tents, pitched on a rocky ground, and tried to see all who came. Some had minor injuries; others were serious. They saw one case of typhoid fever, and feared at first they could not save the woman. However, with prayer, competent medical professionals, and good meds they stabilized the woman and sent her to a temporary hospital nearby, set up by an American university. They also treated one case of pertussis (whooping cough), hoping this disease would not begin to spread in the crowded and limited camps set up by and for the Haitians.

Patience said she had never seen such resilient people! Though absolute devastation was everywhere, she said children laughed and played with whatever they could find. She was deeply touched by a little boy who had tied a string to the remains of a plastic bag and was pulling it through the rubble, amazed and entertained as it bounced in the debris! Patience said, "They don't know that they don't have, but I know, and that is what hurts."

Two situations caused her most distress. The team went to an orphanage, filled with children of all ages. The children had absolutely nothing, but they laughed and smiled as the people cared for them, always seeming appreciative of the smallest attention and care. The other was a young boy about seven who came bringing his three year old sister for medical attention. He carried her in, held her paternally, and comforted her during the procedure. All they had was each other, and he tenderly cared for her with ability far beyond his young years.

I couldn't leave our conversation without finding out about two things: food and bathing accommodations. These were the only funny moments in our hour-long conversation. Arrangements had been made for two meals a day, breakfast and dinner. She said breakfast was good and hearty. She had no complaints. Dinner was also tasty, and after working all day with little time wasted, they were always tired in the evening. So they ate what was given them, even though they often had no idea what it was. "But it was good. If you don't' ask, and just eat, you can enjoy what you have."

Bathing was another story! They used Handiwipes, but that hardly affords the daily showers most Americans are accustomed to. The girls on the team found a spring behind the remains of a house nearby. They got someone to "watch for them" to maintain some degree of privacy, and they went to the spring, stripped down, and bathed head to foot, even to pouring water on each other's heads to complete the "spring shampoo." She said, "You know, you can just stand being dirty so long, and then you have to resort to drastic measures. We did!"

Patience Fort's experience in Haiti will probably impact her life for years to come, if not forever. She said she left with mixed emotions--an almost desperate need to see her husband and children safe and sound in Kentucky and a strong pull to stay and go on with the work begun. She hopes to return in better times, to go back to the spot where they worked and see how it is reclaimed. She even said that she can imagine herself working with the Haitians long term, for she found them to be such an accepting, grateful, gracious people. She knows her team helped many. She wonders if they know how they changed the lives of the team.

I confess that I am proud of my courageous daughter, of her unselfishness and her eagerness to live what she believes--that all human beings are precious and worthy of care. Well done, Patience! I am thankful for the privilege of being your mother.