December '09 Medical Mission Trip to Haiti - SHN Boxes Delivered

During the first week of December, Dr. Susan Nelson and Deacon Drew Woodruff led a 15 member medical mission team to St. Vincent’s School for Handicapped Children in Port au Prince, Haiti. 

They operated a medical clinic for the children and staff of the school, and saw over 200 patients during their stay.  They carried with them medicines and supplies to stock the pharmacy for the clinic, and they purchased antibiotics, worming medicine, and antimalarial drugs at local pharmacies in Haiti. 

The entire cost of the trip was funded by private donations, many of them from the GSL community.  Members of the team included 2 medical students from Tulane Medical School, a nurse, 2 physicians, a physician’s assistant and a paramedic, as well as other non medical personnel who helped operate the pharmacy and assisted with triage of patients; some of the team was able to help with translation into French, and we all learned a little Creole and even some sign language.  We treated lots of worms, a few cases of malaria, and lots of skin infections, and were amazed at the joy we shared with our Haitian friends, in the midst of such abject poverty.   

In addition to the medical aspect of the trip, one of the main reasons the trip was scheduled for early December was to confirm that our shipment of Stop Hunger Now meals arrived safely at St. Vincent's. Given the devastation going on in Port of Prince now, those meals will be critical - if they are even accessible - so please include St. Paul's and St. Vincent's in your daily prayers!

Dr. Susan Nelson wrote a few stories to describe some of  their experiences in Haiti; click here for the pdf version of the stories.

To view the photo album of the trip, click here.