Blog Marnie's trip to Haiti

PPS session 1

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:01:19 +0100

Pps_session_1

Haiti Village Health

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 19:58:09 +0100

As you may know, I'm passionate about Haiti and was fortunate enough to visit there in March 2011. I continue to work on the Healing Hands for Haiti website and love every minute of it. I've started working with another organization called Haiti Village Health and they are also a medical NGO based near Cap Haitien, Haiti's second largest city. Dr. Tiffany Keenan is a tireless proponent for the rural Haitian population and she, along with countless volunteers and some staff, tend to the medical n...

Learning about Prosthetics and Orthotics

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 01:20:52 +0100

Today was a real education in some of the hands-on projects that Healing Hands works on. I spent the day at the P&O (prosthetic and orthotic) clinic where they manufacture artificial limbs and braces. This facility is a joint effort between HHH and Handicap International (HI).

Presidential Palace in Ruins

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 15:16:30 +0100

Here is the presidential palace. Or, what's left of it. This massive structure remains in ruins, untouched since the earthquake. Perhaps it sits as a symbol of the corruption of politics and the crumbling state of governance in Haiti. Across the street lies the rubble remains of the parliamentary buildings. Sixty government employees lost their lives in this building on the day of the quake....

Middle Class Haitian Life

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 21:43:26 +0100

Fri Mar 11, 2011 Today topped them all. As if that could have been possible! My objective at the start of the day was to join Marette Monson (social worker from Utah) to the Klinik where she would be working with the staff social worker and I would be interviewing patients and taking pictures. Well, it turned out we had an opportunity to go to Jurel’s house. Jurel is one of the drivers and he lives in a small shack-like space....

Notre Maison Orphanage visit

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 01:50:58 +0100

Our team headed out this morning around 8:30 (Thu Mar 10) which was touch and go as a few of the girls were suffering from ill tummies. But Dave provided just the right medication to help us get out the door.

This is Mimose. Biggest smile I saw today!

Smiling Children Brighten the World

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:07:11 +0100

What more do we need to push us forward than the beautiful, genuine smile of a child? What did you do today to make someone smile?

New Life Orphanage Visit

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:40:20 +0100

This morning (Wed Mar 9) we visited the New Life Children's Center. This was the first time our team has visited this orphanage and they were delighted to see how clean and well-run it was. What a rewarding experience! No, I'm not bringing any children home - but I sure wanted to!!

Safe Arrival - Humbled and Speechless

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 03:24:53 +0100

It's 10:30 pm and I'm sitting in the guest house at Healing Hands for Haiti headquarters on Rue John Brown in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The building is beautiful with barrack-style accomodation so I'm sharing a room with 5 other girls. This was the only building to have survived the earthquake of last year.

Bags Are Packed

Sun, 06 Mar 2011 01:09:43 +0100

Finally got the bags packed today. Eric and I packed 4 hockey bags with various things needed down in Haiti such as hand sanitizer, tools, brochures, back packs and children's toys. We had to check each one to make sure it didn't exceed the weight allowance. I packed my carry on and my backpack will hold my laptop, notepad, book and snacks. I'm feeling more anxious than I usually would when packing for a trip. If I forget something on this trip, it won't be so easy to 'pop out' and grab it at ...

Fundraising Friends

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:19:22 +0100

My heart is full after my wonderful friends pulled off a surprise birthday/fundraising party on Saturday night. Since my birthday is coming up while I'm in Haiti, I thought I was getting together with my girlfriends to hang out and have a few laughs. This is tradition for all our birthday celebrations with variations in theme and venue. One week from tomorrow and I fly to Haiti to embark on this adventure. Having the support of the people who mean the most to me - my family and friends - is a wo...

And the Medicine continues...

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:50:03 +0100

The number of medications required for a trip to Haiti caught me off guard. I knew I'd have to update my regular shots like tetanus (as everyone should do since you only need it every 10 years). But the addition of pills for malaria and a fancy cocktail to prevent cholera, those weren't entirely expected. So now that it's exactly three weeks from my travel date, I had to take my first dose of Dukoral this morning....

Staying Safe on the Journey

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

When travelling to a part of the world with it's share of trouble, it makes sense to be as prepared as possible. Haiti has seen earthquakes, cholera and political unrest over the past year and intense poverty persists in much of the country. In order to be as prepared as possible, I've purchased travel insurance through CAA that will insure my safe return home should anything happen to me....

Let the Adventure Begin

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 03:22:13 +0100

I have officially booked my flight to Haiti so my first official volunteer/working trip is a definite 'go'. This week I received my Twinrix (Hepatitis A and B) shot and my tetanus shot. My arms were very sore when I tried to do pushups at karate that night.