Tuesday's Drive to Petit-Goave

During the past couple years, I have been collecting used eye glasses to take to Haiti.  Five different optical shops in our area determine the prescriptions before I pack a suitcase full.  Including this trip, I have delivered about 1800 pairs of used eye glasses to the Haitian Methodist Church.

I have been wondering what an Haitian eye clinic looks like.  Today, we drove to Petit-Goave to visit a Haitian Methodist eye clinic.  The drive was about two hours, much of it along the coast.  As we passed through some towns and villages, the street markets were just as interesting as in Port-au-Prince.

The Petit-Goave eye clinic's main building was destroyed by the 2010 earthquake.  That building is being rebuilt.  However, we were able to see how the staff has adjusted in order to continue seeing patients. Haitians are very flexible and resourceful.

As we asked questions, here are some more interesting facts.  There are three Haitian Methodist Church eye clinics.  At Petit-Goave, about 500 pairs of glasses are prescribed annually.  The glasses are sold for the equivalent of US $2.50.  About 25% of the glasses are given freely to those unable to pay.  This clinic has evolved into a general medical clinic.  Occasionally, it even has a dentist.

I was surprised that the staff depend on consultation fees for their pay.  Since the earthquake, the clinic has had fewer patients.  Thus, the staff has had to cope with reduced pay or no pay.  We were told that the staff had not been paid for three months.  Why don't they go elsewhere?  There are not any jobs, or they would go.  Now, they just hope to eventually be paid.

Although I did not see any glasses that I had brought with me, I did see some glasses very similarly packaged in zip lock bags.  So, I am not the only one bringing glasses for the eye clinics.

On the return to Port-au-Prince, we stopped at a sea side restaurant that also had a beach.  It was fun watching the bathers and the small fishing boats trying to sell items to those in the water.  One boat was a bar with beer and rum.  Another had fresh coconuts.  These boats were only a few feet from those in the water, but they did not seemed concerned about their safety.  I would have!

Meanwhile back at Croix des Mission, Stevenson worked with the children all morning until lunch.

 (We called to check.)  Tomorrow's performance should be fun.

This evening, I finished making the pictures.  There are about 125 of them.  So, I have over 50% of our average daily attendance including adults.

Tomorrow is our last day.  Bob