Hey everyone,
I just sent you yesterday's email......semi incomplete, but the internet ran out of money at the Hospital so I couldnt finish it. The update portion was mostly done though.
Anyway here I am in Port-au-Prince now staying with Bob and Rae until my flight departs tomorrow at 11. They have wifi too.....man that's nice haha. No sooner had I finished that email yesterday and lost internet then someone dropped off a cards the kids made me that they all signed. It was pretty awesome, so I guess they answered the question of whether or not I affected them :)
After finishing up at the children's home, I pretty much packed, relaxed, and slept to be on the early road to the Capitol. If I thought the road was crazy going there.....try driving in an "ambulance" driven by a crazy, very brave (stupid? Insane?) Haitian guy. I know I said they drive wherever.....but throw an ambulance siren on a car and you just hope for the best. Few times we were just cruising right at oncoming traffic in their lane, and waited till they swerved last second -- the ultimate, ongoing game of chicken. Thankfully we did win and I'm alive lol. We were also crammed, the three of us, in the front seat (basically like a small pick up).
Bob and Rae gave me a tour of the Salvation Army base in the Capitol and then a tour of the area in Port-au-Prince. We then drove up the mountain to get a great view of the area, and I'll send you a bunch of photos later -- actually might just start like a blog or something like that to post pics on....we shall see. I hate blogging, but it's basically what I'm doing with y'all lol. Anyway, just amazing views and really cool to see the whole city from above. Bout 3 million people crammed into the city and "suburbs," and Port-au-Prince was built for 40,000 with 1 million residing -- so it's crammed, very dirty, and pretty much like Chicago lol. Really is as far as any city goes (minus the sky scrapers I guess).....it's hard to describe, but go to lower wacker and you'll get an idea maybe slightly. We went to a couple other places in the area, including their "zoo" -- basically a goat, rabbits, snakes, cages where the monkeys were (they died), the dead alligators cage too, and a mangy looking peacock. This was all on the mountain btw. Also a little museum with Haitian history that was cool to see. We grabbed a bite at a restaurant, stopped at the market (looks like a super walmart), and headed back where I'm chilling out at their home. Really nice place. Salvation Army pays for their house and car, and then gives them like a $140 food allowance per week. Not bad for missionaries I guess. It's nice and big so they can house guests (like me).
Anyway, shorter update today -- just sight seeing and relaxing before I head back....and I'm typing on iPad, which is much slower and limiting lol. Don't all applaud at once. Thanks so much for reading my updates and supporting me during this trip. Without you all, none of this happened. I can't wait to come back and continue to gain the experiences in other cultures I need to serve the people around the world. I head back to Chicago to start my 8 week surgery rotation, which will be busy. My last few prayer requests:
- that God will continue to bless my efforts in growing support for medical missions. Including financial, supplies, partners, etc
- that God would bless all those in Haiti that I touched and that he would continue to heal them
- that I stay healthy!
- that I muster up the strength and determination to keep pushing through medical school so I can even more effectively help others. Med school is tough and I don't like it, but trips like these remind me of why I have to keep going and learning.
- especially on surgery, pray for me and my 3 partners on rotation (Mike, Christina, and Kainat) as we push through the next brutal 8 weeks. Surgery is one of the tougher ones with long hours (at hospital by 4:30am and out late, sometimes 7-8pm) and the docs aren't as forgiving. Pray that we learn fast, function as a team, and perform well.
- PRAY I RETURN ON TIME TOMORROW EVENING!!!!!!
Sorry if there are typos, autocorrect is crazy sometimes. Thanks again. May The Lord bless and keep you all, restoring unto each of you many fold the blessings and support you have give to me. I will let you know the progress of tomorrow's return.
Humbled and blessed,
Aaron
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