Ravine

I had the opportunity to tag along with my friend Keziah for her weekly trip to "the ravine".  The ravine is basically a ghetto/slums area of Delmas 31.  It is an entire community of Haitians that are literally living in a ravine by a stream/river.

For three years, Kez has been going into the ravine once a week to offer medical care specifically for the children living there.  This "program" was started when another missionary living in the area started a school.  She realized that so many of her students were developmentally behind and struggling in school because they had grow up without proper nutrition or medical care.  So, she asked Kez to check on them weekly and distribute care and medicine as needed.

From the school in Delmas 31, we walked/hiked down into the ravine.  That required weaving in between concrete homes, tents, and tin shacks and walking through a street market with lots of delicious looking produce.....

...and some NOT so delicious looking "meat" products.  In the photo below, you can see where we were stopped by some men selling male goat parts (laying on the tarp on the ground).  They informed us that it tastes very good, and we should buy some and eat it each day.  Aside from the fact that the "meat" was sitting uncovered in the blazing island sun with flies all over it, there is no way on earth I would eat goat testicles and/or penis.  "No, mesi, monsieur."

After we made our way down a steep, narrow, rocky pathway, we had to cross a small stream by hopping from rock to rock.  Finally, we arrived in the area where Kez treats her patients. 

As soon as everyone saw Kez arrive, they began bringing all the sick children to us to be checked.  The majority of the problem were of the skin, which is understandable based on the conditions that the children are living in.  We saw small cuts, ulcers, toothaches, fungal infections, ringworm, scabies, sore throats, extremely swollen glands, and the list goes on.  For anyone that required treatment beyond a band aid, tylenol, a worm pill, or Selson Blue, Kez's assistant would take down their name and their prescribed medication.  Then, after preparing the meds back at the school, she will return each day and make sure that the meds are given exactly as prescribed to exactly the right person.

After about an hour or so, we had checked out pretty much everyone in immediate need.  So, we headed out of the ravine and back home via a narrow dirt path on the edge of the stream bed.

I didn't need to go along to the ravine.  Kez goes there every week and is quite capable of doing it herself.  To be honest, it was more just a fun outing for me, however, I think that doing things like this are incredibly important for me to learn more about Haiti, improve my Kreyol, and to better understand the people that I came here to serve.