Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The worst day of my life

This is no exageration. Never in my life have I experienced or witnessed such pain and suffering as I did today, a day empty of hope and full of despair. I visited the General Hospital in Les Cayes today. This is the only public hospital in the city. I don't know how to begin, so I'll just write the first things that come to mind. Forgive me if my thoughts seem random.
There weren't enough beds for the patients. Mothers stood by the bedside of their dying children. Children fanned the flies off the faces of their dying parents. Most of the beds were nothing more than a sheetless and filthy 2inch thick mattress resting on a rusty metal frame. The smell of death filled every hallway and every room. The pharmacy was no bigger than a closet, full of rusted metal shelves only half full. The AIDS ward is an outside area of benches where the patients are left to sit away from everyone else, awaiting treatment they were promised but will never receive. The pediatrics ward was the worst. Children who are so starved and malnourished that their bodies have given up. Babies who were born only to die a few days later. I can go on and on but I'll save you from the details. I don't know how much longer we'll have electricity.
I find myself praying daily. The prayer is always the same. God, give me the strength to aid the weak, the poor, the sick. Guide me to the darkest corners where the suffering is unimagineable and help me to brighten them. That I never forget what it feels like to see a child die unjustly before my eyes. Give me the strength to fight and never lose faith. That I make the right choices and never lose sight of myself. Amen.
I'm exhausted, but I can't sleep. What I see, haunts me. It's impossible to forget. Once you've seen it, you've lived it, and that's unforgettable.

6 comments:

V said...

Will, I don't know you, but your blog has touched my heart. I pray for you and those you are helping. Someday if it is God's will I will go to Haiti to help. In the mean time, I will pray for you and those you care for every day.
V

Lori said...

As I was reading what you experienced today, my eyes were filled with tears and I literally visioned seeing it too. Your prayer is Beautiful and I will pass it to everyone that I have on my list. God gave you the chance of being there for a reason and you are the savior to these families. You and everyone else there are in my prayers and heart. Kepp praying because there is light at the end of every dark tunnel. GOD BLESS and BE SAFE!

Hannah Winkler said...

Will, be blessed, it takes a strong person to be able to do what you are doing.
(See you in on June 23.)

Anonymous said...

Will, I've had the opportunity to spend a small amount of time in Leogane and PAP and I although I did not see horrors as tramatic as what you describe, I know they are there. I'm working hard here in the states to clean my plate so that I may come to Haiti and help as well. We are called to help our fellow man and these beautiful people need us. Thank God you are there. I will pray for you my friend.

Dave

Anonymous said...

Dear Will,
My husband and I can relate to your experience since when we were at ESPWA last March, we went to the General to visit a patient in the ER. There was no electricity and only one oil lamp on the nurse's desk.
Also the lack of refrigeration in the clinic at ESPWA is very difficult. We have been bringing tetanus-diphteria vaccines every year and coolers do not work very well. We like your ideas.
Thank you for your dedication to ESPWA. We hope that you will still be there when we go back in the spring.
Danielle and Larry

Unknown said...

Forgot to give you my email in that last comment.
grahamsowa (at) gmail.com

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