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Words from Gretchen~April 1995

It is very early on a Saturday morning. The sun has not come up yet but I am trying to get some letters written before the day starts. The times passes so quickly here. Our “need to do” list keep growing. We have some visitors coming in next week. They plan to help our with work projects. They are also going to help set up radio communications for 2 nurses that live up in the mountains several hours away. Once they returned to the USA I am planning to go up into the mountain with the nurses to get some training in suturing, wound care and deliveries. These past 3 weeks I have really put my nursing skills to the test. We’ve had several burns, auto accidents and wounds. There is not any hospitals or clinics that are close by. I do what I can to help. The burn patients come each day to get the dressings changed.

We are finally getting a little bit of rain- 3 times this past week. The grass is beginning to turn green it is so beautifully. I am tired of the dried up brown stuff. One rain was almost 1 1/2 inches even with that small amount we had lots of rocks pour down the mountains and go across the road. It slowed traffic to a crawl for over a mile at the end of the lane. One of the men here is going to turn my garden over today so it the midst of everything else. I’m going to put a few things in the ground. We had some vegetables all winter and delicious tomatoes, but now it is time for spring planting. We are doing work on the kitchen. It takes a lot to just get the materials here to get the work done. We are planning to paint inside as well if we can find the paint to purchase. Someone with a big cloth factory in Texas donated the material for curtains and bedspreads for the house. What a blessing that is. The color and style will be a surprise to me.

Do you see any signs of spring yet? There is supposed to be a big american delegation of businessmen coming to Port-au-Prince Monday. They are interested in investing and starting new businesses here. This would be great as so many are in need of work. Crime has gone up the last couple of months here. Lots of robberies in many different locations. Our truck load of food for the feeding programs in the mountains was hijacked and we have been unable to replace that food for the children this month. The organizations that provides the food is planning on sending a police escort next month to see if that helps in getting the food to us. Well I guess I need to close for now. The sun is just getting ready to come up over the mountains. Hallelujah a new day. Our car is here still on the boat. They are working on the paperwork and hopefully we will be able to unload it soon.

EPSON MFP image

Comments(2)

  1. Jeri Sandefur says

    Loved reading this! I always loved hearing from Gretchen! Her mom and I used to correspond back and forth too. I always looked forward to those letters.
    I miss Gretchen. I know I will see her someday soon!

  2. Sharel says

    It’s like setting talking to her over a cup of coffee. I miss her so much.

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