Here I am,Lord.  Is it I, Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go , Lord, if you lead me,

I will hold your people in my heart.

At California Heights United Methodist Church in Long Beach, California, this is one of the hymns that touch many hearts.  Many of my friends and I have commented that it always makes us cry.  I feel like it touches my heart and I struggle with the words.  I hear you calling?  Is that really God?  I will go if you lead??  I have a very busy life!!  My husband Steve says so!  My son, Michael and his daughter, Arabella who is 11 days old today are very important to me.  And I couldn’t leave work--I have students!  My Tuesday class of gerontology and  my Friday class of Nursing Fundamentals,  I can’t go anywhere!!  Wait until January and winter break!  But then Pastor Amy wanted to know if I wanted to go to Haiti??  Are you kidding??  Got on the CDC web site.  Lots of TB, AIDs, malaria, Hepatitis and the list continues.  Michael goes to the State Department web site and the risks to personal safety they detail is quite daunting!  But, Amy says she is going.  And Leisl and Kathleen, and ICC know how to keep you safe.  They know where the food is good, water is safe and are very careful to ensure our personal safety.  And so, it all starts falling into place.  I got my passport renewed in 9 days, my mother is quite excited about the adventure.  Steve gets on board.  My boss, Sue arranges for another Karen to cover my classes.  My students promise to be flexible.  And suddenly, Karen White is going to Haiti!!!!

It is Thursday here.  Our week is winding down.  We have seen beautiful people amid great poverty.  We have seen babies getting their inoculations  and people living their lives.  Keith from ICC has shared a country about which he is passionate.  This morning we experienced  the Haitian rush hour and spent longer than we wished breathing the diesel fumes.  We arrived at Grace Children’s Hospital and went on the grand tour!  The outpatient clinics combined treatment, counseling and education about  TB, AIDs, and also focused on maternal and child health.  The facility is expanding and as we toured the eye surgery we observed good hand washing and clean facilities,  Then we went to a meeting of the Grace staff.  It could have been a meeting anywhere including cell phones buzzing on the table except for the translations from Creole to English and back.  We did have a interesting discussion regarding End of Life care at the hospital.  Grief for loved ones lost is universal and the staff at Grace is working to support patients and their families as they cope with loss and support them in their beliefs.  Especially as Voodoo and Christianity exist side by side in this society.  Staff stated that they were encouraged when the Voodoo doctors referred patients to Grace.

After our visit to the hospital we were off to the next adventure,  An hours drive up the mountain we reach the Baptist Mission with a great Tea Room and we have lunch complete with a wonderful banana split,  The view and gift shop are wonderful and then its up the hill to Wings of Hope.  The special children are full and joy and very loving.  A quick but hard rain shower makes the trip down the mountain an adventure but the van driver does not seem to notice and takes the hill at full speed!  

Our next stop is the Ayiti Dance Ensenble to watch our friend Gregory and his group dance with such grace and enthusiasm and skill!  It was beautiful to watch and one of the drummers let me drum!  And we all danced!!

A quick stop at the local supermarket!  Wow, they had everything.  Even the man in the Jamaican hat who tries to sell us paintings.  We ran into someone we know at the grocery store in Haiti!!

Then its back to St, Joseph’s, our home sweet home for most of the week.  We had wonderful meals and great company.  The bathrooms were not so much but the spirit of Michael and his boys make it the place to be!  After a wonderful meal, we share our day, maybe play a game of Scrabble and retreat to read.  I have a princess cubby complete with pink curtains and a pink mirror-a great place to retreat, read and rest.  This has been an incredible adventure!