We are stationed at a makeshift hospital in Jimani. There are probably 100 medical personnel, and 500 or so injured Haitians. Helicopters coming and going with patients. Doctors and nurses from all over the world. At least 7 orthopedic surgeons, and we hear more are coming. The surgeons are pinning broken bones in the or. We are dressing wounds, placing chest tubes, fixating broken limbs, giving antibiotics, and pain medicine. Most communication is done with broken French and interpreters.
There is nowhere for these people to go. They have to sleep, eat, and take care of bodily functions with people lying all around them. They scream when we set their broken limbs. We are scrambling to discharge them to make room for the incoming injured.
Port-au-Prince, as we have been told, stinks. All efforts are aimed at evacuating as many as possible to areas all over this island. So we expect more to arrive tomorrow. The injured people are devastated emotionally, but they are appreciative, generally. So far there hasn't been any violence.
The team hasn't slept since we left DFW yesterday. It is 2:30 pm and we are driving back to World Vision headquarters to try to find a place to set up our tents. I'm sticking with beef jerkey and power bars for nourishment. There is plenty of bottled water. Prayers for ortho supplies have been answered. Thank you.
The best description of it all might be good juxtoposed against awfulness, nausea and sweetness together. Pray for replenishment of our physical and emotional tanks. Pray for our Lord's comfort for these people while their wounds and broken bones heal. Pray for the Haitians who have lost limbs and loved ones. Pray for the organizers of this medical treatment center.
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