No hope for this boy...only love

One of the most touching moments of our trip was when Peterson was carried into our clinic. The four-year-old blind and brain-damaged boy is dying from fluid in the brain. An operation went wrong two years ago and he has been in a sort of hospice care ever since. In this photo, Kris Maki and Dr. Stephen Badolato change the dressings on the boy's head.
Team members took turns rubbing the boy's arms, legs and tummy, just to let him know that he is loved.

Lisa Bahary did an awesome job in Haiti. She's already expressed interest in my next mission -- Nicaragua in January! Keep coming back to the blog. More photos will be posted.

Mission Accomplished

The clinic faced a mad rush of people today (Saturday) looking to be treated. By mid-afternoon it was mission accomplished and time for some R & R. The team went to Wahoo Bay where we enjoyed shrimp, lobster and a swim in the ocean. We are playing with the children now that we surely will miss.
Thanks for the prayers!

Some emotional cases

Father Tony from a neaby orphanage of severely handicapped children stopped by our clinic with two of his neediest -- Peterson and Robert. Robert was literally left on his doorstep by his parents. He suffers from cerebral palsy and other serious maladies. The doctors did ther best to make them comfortable, but it was Jennifer (above) who gave the special little angel what he needed most from us today -- someone to love him.

Clinic is Open!

News of our medical clinic spread quickly through the village and surrounding neighborhoods. Dr. Stephen Badolato (above checking an unborn baby's heartbeat) and Dr. Lance Maki were assisted by nurses Kristine Maki and Lisa Bahary in seeing more than 40 women and children on Thursday. Also assisting were my wife Jennifer Torres in the pharmacy and my son Danny.Today, Friday, more were lined up even before the doors opened.
The people have been friendly and eager to accept our help. So far the trip has been nothing but a blessing.

Smiling Kids

Here is my son Danny playing with some of the kids. We're exhausted. Tomorrow some photos of the everyone else including the docs in action. They saw more than 30 women today.

We're Here!

After a challenging situation at the airport where Spirit initially declined to let us take two bags apiece in, we got them through and landed in Haiti. The village in Bon Repos is beautiful and caters to single moms and women who have been abused, It also caters to parents looking to find takers for their children. Above is me with Melvin. He received good news today -- though I found it sad for his mother. He has been adopted and leaves for Washington State anyday now.

We're Off

My son Danny and I spent a busy night packing, shopping and washing clothes for the trip. I am exhausted but excited to get the mission under way.

AsI packed the bags I was awed by the generous outpourng our mission has received. Just today a pediatrician friend of ours dropped off bags and bags of baby formula. The people at Florida Today, where I work, were also extremely giving. Every day this wek there was a bag of clothes or formula or baby bottles waiting for me on my desk.

We barely had enough room for everything.

Thank you, thank you, thak you.

But I am not done asking.

Please pray hard and often for us over these next few days. Pray that our trip is successful and that the Lord keeps us safe. Please pray especially that the people we visit will be lifted by hope and faith.

Amen.