Lubbock Cares Haiti Trip
On May 23rd – 29th 14 volunteers, consisting of a team of doctors, nurses and community members, went to Haiti on a medical mission trip.
A view of Port-au-Prince, Haiti from the plane displays the abject poverty in this country.
Six months after the earthquake, Port-au-Prince was yet littered with rubble from collapsed buildings. Here is one of the countless buildings destroyed during the 41 second earthquake in Port-A-Prince.
The landscape is dotted with hundreds of tent cities like this. After the devastating earthquake, tents became homes to thousands of Haitians. An estimated 30,000 people live in this “smaller” city.
A few team members visited one of the many tent cities in Port-au-Prince.
Numerous children surrounded the team when we entered the tent city. Stephanie taught the children the game “duck-duck-goose” through our translators. Our members played along side the children. The laughter brought out the adults who took in a rare moment of fun.
Hundreds of Haitians gathered around us as we prayed for them.
The medical team helped at the hospital by performing several surgeries and assisting in the clinic.
Nurse Choi assisted Haitian nurses in the clinic when lines of people gathered for medical aid each day.
Dr. Arledge performs a minor surgery on a Haitian patient.
Stanley, a medical student who aspires to be in medical missions, assists the doctors.
Anesthesiologist Dr. Powell carefully watches the patient during surgery.
Dr. Cordero (left), Dr. Powell (center) and Dr. Thomas (right) perform surgery on a Haitian patient.
Dr. Thomas carried out many surgeries throughout the week.
Dr. Cordero completes the surgery on the Haitian patient.
The community team worked in the villages handing out hygiene packs, pampers, formula, flip flops, peanut butter and many more items.
Julie feeds an orphan peanut butter.
Non-medical members of the team played with children who had been orphaned by the earthquake within a make-shift orphanage .
Blake plays beach ball with the boys.
Sandi and Gary comfort a boys injured toe—those darn rocks.
Members of the team shared a photo op with the orphan boys. Joseph (left) opened his private home to these children when God opened his heart to their dire need.
Haitians have a heart for soccer. And our team came ready to check out their skills.
Haitian boys gathered together on the beach to play a pick-up game of soccer when members of the team brought a soccer ball as a gift.
Team USA and translators
Team Haiti
Texas Tech Football donated t-shirts for the soccer game. Team members (including our translators) played against the Haitians for a World Cup match. Who won? —Well, winning isn’t everything….
Haitians will play a pick-up game anywhere. We played our game on a dirt lot outside a fenced neighborhood. Anything goes in Haitian soccer--like dodging pick-up trucks crossing the field, a few dogs and even a goat. Neighbors gathered around the field cheering on Team Haiti.
On the last day our entire team visited a school. We sang with the kids and then served them a nutritious meal.
Dr. Thomas lent a hand to the Haitian cooks at the school.
200 bowls of fortified soup were donated by Breedlove to the children and passed out by members of the team.
Being a part of this moment with these beautiful children bought members of the team to tears.
The children enjoyed the “American” soup.
We finished our day by painting The Mission; an orphanage for the children of Montrouis.
Julie brushes up on her paint strokes.
Jonathan and David add more coats of paint to the dining area.
Even the medical team was not exempt from painting after they completed their morning surgeries. One doctor stated, "it’s good to see the community outside the hospital".