Thursday - Friday PaP Update/Wrap Up

What a week it has been! We gave our time and effort, God added his glue and great things happened! Our group has endured sticky heat, cold showers and the lack of most every other convenience we 're used to. Not  a whiner in the bunch. But don't be misled, we have eaten well and been treated with wonderful kindness. We wish the entire 20 member team could have been together, but their mission was there and our's was here,  part of God's plan.

We almost completed our painting on Thursday, but time ran out as we finished up on the waiting area and we had a few hours left to do this morning. Except for the operating rooms and the odd broom closet, we put a coat of white paint on the entire inside of the hospital. As we were finishing today, a young man asked Gail about her "Show Love for the Children of Haiti" tee shirt. He said he had not heard of our group before. Gail and I explained that this was just a shirt made by our team and that FBC Dalton was where we were from. He complimented the job we had done and said he had heard good things about our work. After a long week, those words were music to our ears.

Kelida saying goodbye to Gail

We spent our last time with the children and once again they sang for us and gave us a hand painted picture for us to bring home.  It was very difficult to say goodbye, so maybe "au revoir", until we meet again.

Dr. Fromm and Sylvia were assisting in a very delicate operation on a 7 year old girl who was born with a horrible condition where her colon could not properly function. Along with a pediatric surgeon from Port-Au-Prince, the operation took most of the day and sadly, this won't be the last one for little Elanka.  Please join us in remembering her in your prayers.

Market near Port

The rest of the team rode down to the port and we saw worse conditions than we had seen all week. It's hard to believe that worse conditions could exist, but they do. The earthquake damge was more fierce in that area and so were the expressions on the people we encountered.  The area around the port contains a large market area and from all appearances was not in good condition prior to the earthquake.  The sanitation in this area is about as bad as one can imagine.  We then rode into the mountians over looking PaP and saw somewhat better conditions altough the problems faced by the people of Haiti seem universal. The landscape was incredible with the clouds dipping down into the lush valley below.

Mountains near Port Au Prince

Packing has begun and we have talked about the memorable moments we have experienced this week. The lives we have touched and more so the lives that have touched us. Thank you all for your prayers while we have been away. They mean more than you know. Thanks to our families for allowing us to answer God's call, for by doing so you too have answered His call. We head to the airport at about 9am tomorrow and we will touch down in Atlanta about 9pm. We hope you have enjoyed the blog and we look forward to seeing you Sunday.   Pray for Haiti, God is good!

Lamar McClure