Bonjou Haiti!

What an interesting couple of days it has already been in croix de bouquet, Haiti. The airport was quite chaotic and small so it was hard to accommodate the big flights of people arriving. I got all my bags and found my ride! Thank god! We are living at a catholic seminary among seminary students, nuns, Haitian patients, and medical professionals. Most of the nuns speak spanish or Italian while the patients all speak creole, which is like french. I have met people from many different countries including Spain, argentina, Columbia, Indonesia, Mexico, Italy, Canada and of course Haiti and the u.s. Everyone is very nice and has a joyful spirit around them which makes it fun to be around! We have spent the past two nights playing music, singing and dancing in the courtyard! It's so great how music brings people together even though it's difficult to communicate due to the language barrier.
On Sunday the other 2 therapists and myself spent the morning cleaning and organizing the rehab clinic. They have some really great equipment and materials that have been donated. In the afternoon we rode into town to see some of the devastation from the earthquake. The roads are filled with rubble and trash making it difficult to drive on them. Huge cathedrals and buildings just like collapsed. Even the president's palace was destroyed. Yet life has continued for these people. Many suffer injuries and most lost their homes and loved ones. I saw areas where 1000s of tents were set up for peoples homes. People living in close quarters without running water or toilet facilities making disease very easily spread. I lie here tonight with my own bedroom and bathroom as it is thundering and pouring rain while millions of people are in tents. It isn't fair. I don't get it.
We had our first day of treating patients today. Many of them suffered from crush injuries from the earthquake. Most gave been operated on with internal or external fixations holding their bones in place. I also saw several patients with lower limb amputations. I was impressed with their strength and stamina. In rehab we are mostly preparing them to return to their family, which now most likely live in a tent. So these patients need to be strong enough and mobile enough to lie down and get up from a cot on the ground. They also are trying to return to their job that most likely required them to be physically able. Many of the patients show perserverence and strength despite their hardships. It serves as a good lesson in gratitude for me. Why complain about eating rice and beans or having bugs in your bedroom or being so stinking hot- when what I was blessed with is far more than enough.
I continue to be excited about this experience and am eager to learn from my fellow therapists, nuns, students, and Haitian workers and patients. Bonswa! (good evening)