Day 10

Our final day in Haiti began with a leisurely morning. For many of us, the additional hour or two to sleep was much needed. The physical and mental strain of travel, especially in a developing country, can suck the energy right out of you. Breakfast was served, consisting of mango, papaya and fried eggs (all fresh and local). A few of us took some time to admire and purchase handmade items from Merchants set up within the guesthouse. Billy, fascinated by the work of the Haitian artisans, browsed the selection of hand-carved pieces and purchased a few to take home with him. I found the paintings particularly intriguing; artists paint what they see on what material they have at their disposal. As I flipped through the colorful pieces, I noticed that many of them used recycled fabric for canvas. One piece, in particular, was painted on a discarded piece of digital camouflage left by a U.S. soldier.
After we paid for and put away our newfound treasures, the van arrived and we started the day’s work. Timmy, having responsibilities back on campus, had to leave us a day early and so we quickly said our goodbyes before sending him off to the airport. The rest of our morning was spent in a small tent camp known as Patronsville in the heart of Port Au Prince. Contrary to what you’ve seen in the news and in magazines, this tent camp was organized and relatively clean. A few newly built structures (made of 2x4’s and sheet metal) housed many of the community’s social events. The Compact was given the building designated for Sunday service to conduct our work for the day: sex education, STI awareness, and sexual assault prevention. Yesterday, we were given the opportunity to hear what community leaders think about “family life” and it’s presence in Haiti; today, we were given the podium to say how we see it. The objective: pulling two cultures together through a universally human topic. We sat down with these new community leaders to debunk myths about infections and protection while raising awareness about abuse and prevention. Katie stepped up first to explain the ways in which U.S. kids are introduced to sexual education. She put special emphasis on the parallel between sexual maturity and knowledge, explaining that sex ed. is normally taught gradually over time as kids start to develop and ask questions. Brian spoke to the congregation about the fundamentals of sexual intercourse and sexually transmitted infections along with the myths associated. I finished with a brief presentation on rape and sexual assault and ways in which to address both. Before adjourning, the community leaders asked questions and voiced concerns. Time spent in the tent camp was productive and positive.
After a quick (and bumpy) car ride back to Grace Children’s Hospital, the team sat down to eat. Epi D’Or, a Haitian Panera Bread Co., was served along with sodas bought from the corner street vender. We sat in the boardroom (the only air conditioned space in the building) and enjoyed our baguette sandwiches.
To end our day and conclude our trip, the interim hospital director, Wesley Romulus, met with us to discuss our time with ICC. He was a fascinating person to listen to; he had some great analogies. Many of us were surprised to find that he knew exactly what we had hoped to accomplish while in Haiti. Understanding that we came to actively learn and help Haiti heal on its own, Wesley spoke as if he had read our minds. He addressed our concerns about our experiences earlier in the week including the Visa Lodge and the “poverty tour”. Most importantly, he challenged us to push ourselves even further, encouraging deeper relationships with the department chairs of the hospital in our future Haiti endeavors. At the end of our discussion, the team and I were relieved to know that we were understood—something that troubled us all week.
We finished the day early and spent time at Wall’s packing our things and enjoying our last few moments in the Caribbean sun. Dinner was served: a meal of white rice and a meat (beef?) stew accompanied by the usual Haitian slaw and salad. Dessert: banana bread. We spent the evening watching the moonrise and reminiscing about our time in Port Au Prince and Limonade.