One more day....

I managed to be up much of the night remembering bits and pieces of my 2009 trip to Port au Prince and wondering how different it will be in Haiti after the earthquake that was experienced last year...... and with the cholera outbreak......and now the political unrest.  And I begin to worry.  But I try not to for long, because I also remember the beautiful community we will be with, and how much they filled my heart the last time we were there. 

This past week, I was fortunate to be invited to sit in on a meeting with Dartmouth-Hitchcock's Medical Director and a group of clinicians who will also be traveling to Haiti while our group is there.  It's an awesome feeling being a part of something bigger than us - something that will make a difference for/to others.  It is also a reality check of what we are heading down to: the continuation of tent cities, disease, hunger, and ongoing crime.  From what I heard at this meeting, the United Nations is in full force (a good thing!)  And although a good thing, it is quite the "odd" feeling when you are driving to your work site, and you witness armed men in the streets, guns, helicopters....you are not in the US anymore.

I think an awful lot about my son Tray, and how much he means to me, and how I want to be the best person I can for him.  And how important it is to give back, and quite frankly, how much I am given through such a trip. I would love for Tray to learn about this other culture, how we as humans can do good, and from it all, to remember how lucky we are.

One day before we leave, and there is still sooooo much to do.  Getting projects wrapped up at work, running around picking up donations, and still needing to pick up my DEET, sunscreen, and water (weird to think that I will need these things in less than 48 hours with our temps here in VT/NH!) 

Anyhow, I am rambling as usual, and will close for now.  I hope to post here each night that we are in Port au Prince - and even have a camera this time around (thank you Pete!) so will also try to post a few pics each day.

Thanks for following....peace.

Robin

*please excuse any typos this week....merci!