Mini Update

Jacques my close to 80 year old patient brought some plantains and pineapples to the house just because he  was 'at a garden and thought of me'...I couldn't help but kiss his sweet wrinkly face.

A girl could get used to this! More goodies from a patient. I love my job :)

This last week has brought with it our new staff midwife, Sarah Taylor; three babies; 60 patients; 5 days without electricity; Youtair (one of our translators) heading to PAP to try and beg for our car back; Marie leaving for Hinche for 2 weeks and Sarah working with a TBA/matron here at the clinic. TBA's are traditional birth attendants who are trained from a young age but not formally. They usually follow other matrons and learn their skills that way. We heard all sorts of horror stories about how they practice but I had never witnessed it on my own. Sarah needed a helper for a few weeks and one of our staff suggested his family member who is a matron. She is very sweet, very religious and very much a traditional birth attendant. Sarah is working hard to teach her how we do things here and to make sure she is practicing gentle birth...it has been a learning experience that is for sure!

Dieula's son, Womanoff. She keeps asking is I can marry him but I think he is a bit young.

One of my other favorite things about living here is that the kids in the community come by and hang out, in particular the kiddos of our staff members. Womanoff is the spitting image of Dieula our cook and is one of my favorites. He helps me in the garden, plays soccer with me and of course, like all kids, asks me for, "kado" or gifts.

Carrying bamboo on a hand cart trying to turn a corner...your day is not that bad now is it?

 I rarely get to take pictures when we are in Cap as it is hard to do so without feeling like an invasive tourist. Luckily I got a chance to ride in the back of Sharon's pickup and snap shots out the side window on our way back from Shada after a clinic.

It's sugar cane season!