This is going to be short, because I am extremely tired and I only have about 20 minutes before the power goes off. I feel like I've been going all day. Morning clinic took till after 1 p.m., then malnutrition clinic at 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Right after supper, I was called to see one of the young boys, Wendy. He's six or seven. Why do boys play so rough?? He got kicked in the cheek by the shoe of another young 'un, and had a one inch gash on the inside of his cheek, behind the upper teeth. What a horrible place to have to suture!!! Hard to get to, especially with no equipment to hold it open. I debated for awhile if it was within my scope of 'daring to do', and decided I'd give it a try. OK, it was definitely not my choice of location for my "first ever" suturing! He lost two teeth in the hit also. Blood in the mouth galore. So I spread him out in the dining room table (best lighting) and took a deep breath and a quick prayer, and recruited my new helper, Bobi (who was ever so good, considering she doesn't handle blood very well and had to leave the room for an IV at the clinic). On top of the regular light, I had to have someone hold the flashlight. Anyway, I got it done and hope it'll hold and not get infected. Please pray for little Wendy. He was more brave than any patient I can imagine, including adults. I couldn't believe him. I was very impressed!!! So now I feel like if I can suture that, I can suture anywhere. I wondered what my first would be like. So there, Doctor Ric!
So this week another tropical storm is hitting Haiti. We don't have a lot of rain here, but in Port and Cabaret it's been raining, and is suppose to continue for a couple days. Cabaret is now flooded again. The poor people! They're still shoveling the mud out of their houses and ditches from the last storm!! Pray for them!
Please continue to pray for the work here, especially the leaders. Sister Gladys is struggling with the pain of the passing of a very close cousin of hers, and she can't go spend time with her family. Plus other difficult issues here and the burden of the Haitian people suffering. It's a lot for one person. This week we brought some of the people from Gonaives here - they're staying awhile. They lost everything but their lives there from the flood. They tell stories of watching people float by in the water, and they helpless. One heart-renching story is of a mother with two children. Losing the grasp of one she had to make a quick decision of which to let go. Sad thing, they probably all lost their lives.
God bless you all as you serve him in the spot where you are! Make life count!!
ELSIE KORNELSEN
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