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Time to Readjust
Posted by Walt Vernon on January 19, 2011 at 1:36pm
Leaving a foreign country, and returning to the US is always, for me, a kind of trauma, as I have to shift my frame of reference away from what I am leaving and back to a US perspective. To me, though, it has never been harder than when leaving the poorest country in the hemisphere to come back to the richest.
A Different Kind of Mission
Posted by Walt Vernon on January 17, 2011 at 2:07pm
...in the afternoon, I went on a different kind of mission. A couple of weeks ago, in preparation for this trip, at some point I suddenly remembered the kids I had seen playing soccer, here. I decided to see if the kids here would like me to bring them some soccer gear. I contacted Tim, here, on the ground, and he said yes, the kids would love it.
Let the Work Begin!
Posted by Walt Vernon on January 15, 2011 at 8:22pm
So, today is Saturday at Hôpital Sacrè Couer. I wrote my last post on Friday morning on the plane, and it seems like a long, long, time ago. I was finally able to figure out how to send it last night, and so, in real time, it has only been a very short while since it went up. We are now at a point where my limited skills make me virtually useless to the real work that is going on, and, in fact, the guys have so many Haitian Helpers who could actually benefit from their training that I was more in the way than not.
Live from Cap Haitien, it’s Saturday Night!
Posted by Walt Vernon on January 15, 2011 at 5:37pm
With a title like that, you would expect something special.
Back to Haiti
Posted by Walt Vernon on January 14, 2011 at 6:02pm
I remember in old movies and TV, the image of a journalist on a new adventure. Inevitably, the journalist is sitting on his bag somewhere, notebook in hand, knife-sharpened pencil scribbling away, while a voice-over speaks out the words the hero is recording for posterity.
Hôpital Sacrè Couer Rewire Project
Posted by Tom Cooper on November 19, 2010 at 9:39pm
Hôpital Sacrè Couer (HSC) is a 73 bed private hospital located in north of Haiti in the town of Milot. It is staffed by medical personnel through the aid organization, Project HOPE and run by the non-profit CRUDEM Foundation.
Haiti - Next Steps
Posted by Walt Vernon on November 04, 2010 at 4:38pm
Some of you are probably aware of the volunteer work that John Pappas and I did in Haiti earlier this year. We later raised money, through the proceeds of our annual golf tournament, to help buy an emergency generator for the Project HOPE compound in Port-au-Prince. I wanted to now take some time to bring you all up to date with our other efforts.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Haiti - Au Revoir
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 15, 2010 at 3:54pm
This will be my last Haiti blog - for now.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Adventist Hospital Haiti
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 13, 2010 at 8:44pm
So, our final hospital tour (this time) was at Adventist Hospital Haiti.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: The Great Port-au-Prince Adventure Continues
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 13, 2010 at 6:38pm
Fans who read yesterday’s post know that I elected to stay in Haiti another day. I picked the day that Venezuela shut down the energy flows to the country, and the President has asked people to stop driving. We have left our hotel and are staying at the Project HOPE compound with the Director of Project HOPE for the country of Haiti. He says he is not sure there will be airline fuel for us to get out tomorrow, so this trip may be a bit longer than I had thought.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Another Day, Another Change of Plans
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 12, 2010 at 10:20pm
Another plan change. Today, thanks to my friends at Health Care Without Harm, I was able to get in touch with people at UNICEF. We were interested in talking with the people who are making decisions about the development of new healthcare facilities within Haiti. After touring four Haitian Hospitals, we have a very good sense of the kinds of things that make these buildings successful to operate, and we wanted to see if we could extend our help beyond the Project HOPE assessments we did.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Back in Port-au-Prince Part II
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 12, 2010 at 1:45am
Well, I have hit and missed so many times, I am going to give up on the attempt to make this a chronological travelogue. I will tell you, however, that we had quite the adventures with lodging here. We came to Port-au-Prince (PAP) yesterday, after having been assured that we had reservations here at a hotel called La Plaza. My partner John Pappas had been talking to some structural engineers who were here last week who said this was the only hotel you should stay in in PAP, so we were looking forward to it. Unfortunately, reservations mean something different to the people in this hotel than they mean to other people. We had four energetic people working with the two front desk people, so I sat down and watched. Eventually, my fellow Project HOPErs wrangled us two rooms, and were delighted at the thought of John and I sleeping in the same bed. We said we were going to get a picture of us so engaged, but we never did – something I am sure our fans will be disappointed to hear.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Back in Port-au-Prince
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 11, 2010 at 11:59am
We have returned to Port-au-Prince. We are surveying various facilities here, including the Hôpital Notre Dame de Lourdes.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Hôpital Sacré Coeur Part II
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 10, 2010 at 7:44pm
Every time I leave a place, I mourn it; missing desperately the people and the need I have left behind.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: A Photo Tour
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 09, 2010 at 7:38pm
This post contains what we’ve seen so far during the time we’ve been privileged to spend here in Haiti.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Day Four
Posted by John Pappas on April 09, 2010 at 7:32pm
It’s Day 4 in Haiti, and I guess we have had it pretty good as far as weather goes—only in the upper 80s and not unbearably humid, just sticky all the time.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: More on Hôpital Albert Schweitzer
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 08, 2010 at 10:44pm
Not too much traveling today, though it was another adventure worth telling; too much report writing, traveling, and hospital surveying. More tomorrow.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Buried for 7 Days
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 08, 2010 at 9:03pm
This little boy was buried under the rubble for seven days.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Orientation Tour of Sacré Coeur Hospital, Milot, Haiti
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 08, 2010 at 6:05pm
Hôpital Sacré Coeur is a Catholic hospital supported by the Knights of Malta (the same people who helped protect and shepherd the pilgrims to the holy land).
Haiti Earthquake Recon: The First Day & A Bit About Hôpital Albert Schweitzer
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 08, 2010 at 6:47am
I am sitting in our room on Thursday morning, having finally found access to the internet. Following are some notes from our trip from Port-au-Prince Deschappelles, the location of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS). Today, we will take a six-hour drive to the next town and hospital. During this ride, I will write more on HAS—people at this hospital are amazing; the work they are doing. They need help, and I hope we did something that will prove useful to them.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: Fountain
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 07, 2010 at 4:24pm
Hôpital Albert Schweitzer has a deep well. It brings up it’s own water, chlorinates it, and uses it for the hospital. At 6am, 12 noon, and 6 pm, they turn on six public fountains so the people can get clean water. This is the hospital’s attempt to keep people well.
Haiti Earthquake Recon: The Eagle has Landed . . . .
Posted by Walt Vernon on April 06, 2010 at 1:39pm
John Pappas and Walt Vernon landed today in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where M+NLB is taking part in a Project HOPE volunteer mission to assess Haitian hospitals.
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