May 12th is the day to celebrate nurses!  Since we have so many great ones here at Real Hope For Haiti, I want to celebrate them and tell you about these wonderful ladies.  Thanks for making it possible for them to work as they care for over 3000 people per month.

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Carol began working with us in 2005 right after my mom, Gretchen, passed away.  I felt alone and scared.  I didn’t see how I could care for all of the patients without mom.  Carol was willing to learn and open to correction – two things that are hard to find here.  I tried to teach her everything that I knew and researched all the good questions that she asked me to improve both of our knowledge levels.  She comforted me and encouraged me.  In the days that I was weak, she stood in for me.  And she still does.  Carol is a great nurse, but an extraordinary person.  You see, her mother has been blind for years.  Carol was the oldest and felt the responsibility to care for the family.  She worked to put her siblings through school and guided them until they were able to care for themselves.  Then, she went to nursing school.  She graduated top in her class.  She put her life on hold to care for those that she loved without worry or regret.

I wanted to become a nurse so that I could take care of sick people and help families live better together.  I wanted to take more studies in pediatrics, but I didn’t have the money for that.  I graduated school in 2000 and started working with the mission in 2005.  I’m happy to be a nurse because I can help my family and others at the same time.  There was one time that a patient that had TB became very discouraged.  I told him that he didn’t have to be discouraged because God can do all things.  He cried for a long time and said that he would never be healed.  He thought that he would die.  I told him to have confidence in God and pray for his healing.  Over the next few months, he got better.  When he was healed, he said, “God is good.”  There are sometimes when people come to me they say “Thank you for what you did for me.”  I am happy, but I tell them that they should thank God first and then those that make the clinic possible second and then they can thank me.  I am very happy that I became a nurse when I have the opportunity to give education to young people.  I would tell anyone wanting to become a nurse to have lots of patience because it’s not easy.  Some days you want to cry.  Some days people make fun of you for the things that you have to do.  I know that some people don’t give nurses much importance, but I still think it’s a good profession.  

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Benita has worked for us the longest of all of our 120 employees.  She started as a health care worker in September 1998.  She weighed patients and assisted everyone as needed.  She loved to learn from us and soaked up all the knowledge she could obtain.  She is very quiet, but has a good memory.  She always strives for excellence and never does anything half-way.  We moved to Cazale from another part of Haiti in March 1998.  We were newbies…outsiders.  This was a very tightly closed society and no one trusted us in the very beginning.  They had their share of foreigners that had come and gone.  No one knew what to expect.  Benita helped us navigate those early days of uncertainty.  She gave us the inside scoop, so to say.  She taught us the history and culture of the village and nearby areas.  She was able to understand the family, social, and economic components of treatment because she knew the patients personally.  After working for us for a few years, we sent her to nursing school on full scholarship.  She really enjoyed maternity, so when she graduated we had her see pregnant ladies and newborns.  Over the years, she’s learned more and this has become her specialty.  Eventually, she would like to get additional training to be a nurse midwife.

I wanted to be a nurse so that I could take care of others and my family.  I wanted to live in good health.  I graduated in 2004.  I receive all the pregnant ladies and their babies.  I don’t think my work is too hard because I’ve been doing it for several years and I understand what I’m doing.  I’m happy that this job helps me take care of my family.  I’m a Christian and talk to the ladies about God often.  There was one patient that was pregnant that wanted to abort the baby because she already had children.  I told her about God and His Love for all His children.  God doesn’t want harm to come to them.  He loves them and He loves her.  She listened to me and she didn’t do it.  She followed in the clinic every month.  When she had the baby, she told God thank you for this nurse that gave me good advice.  I only had sons and now You have given me a daughter.  There was another mother that had a baby and she didn’t want it.  She was going to sell it or give it away.  When she told me this, I took a long time to talk to her.  I know that bad things can happen to these children.  I begged her not to do this.  She didn’t.  She still comes to the clinic with this child when she is sick.  This has been several years ago and she’s not been able to have any more children.  She  comes to find me to thank me because I helped her not give away her only child.  She loves her daughter and I am happy because she understands the importance of her life.

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Magdala worked for us in 2006-7, but left for several years to start her family.  She returned to work for us a few years ago.  She does consultations for older children and adults.  She has also helped in the cholera hospital when there are lots of patients.  Many of her family lives in another town in northern Haiti.  When the cholera epidemic struck, many of her family members became ill and some died.  She did her best to help us get the situation stable here in Cazale before going to be with her family for mourning.  She strives to be precise in her work and always do the right thing.  Though things don’t come easy for her, she still tries to learn as much as she can.  She has patience and determination to continue practicing until she masters a skill.

I wanted to be a nurse so that I could help my country and my people that are suffering under all kinds of sicknesses.  I do consults for all adults, but I really like geriatrics.  I don’t like doing emergency care.  It’s hard and there is lots of stress.  What makes me happy in my work is when I take care of someone and they find healing.  I’m a Christian and I’m able to talk about God to the patients when I give them education.  Without prayer nothing is possible, but with God all things are possible.  I feel like I’ve really changed someone’s life when I give medications and education to a patient and they return for their appointment healthy.  I would encourage others to become a nurse so that they could help others that are suffering.

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Geslide started work for us in Dec 2009, just before the earthquake.  She was trained by a visiting UCLA medical student team on how to do cervical cancer screenings and other tests for STIs. She became the women’s health nurse and has done screenings on over 1000 women.  She teaches how to do breast exams and talks to women on delicate matters. After receiving special training, she now does the paperwork and counseling for all victims of rape, molestation, and violence.  She is currently on sick leave so she would appreciate your prayers.

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Chrisna came to work for us in January 2010.  I didn’t have much time to properly train her, but she jumped in with both feet.  I think that she worked in every position that was possible – consults, dressings, caring for the RC kids, etc.  When cholera hit, we moved her to working in the cholera hospital (CTC). She wasn’t strong in placing IVs at first, but has gotten much better with lots of practice.  She is the head nurse there and works 5 12-hr days a week.  She not only cares for the patients, she manages the other cholera staff members.

I wanted to become a nurse so that I could help save lives.  I see that in my work, I do save many lives because of God’s help and the experience I’ve gotten.  There was one patient in the CTC that came in almost dead.  She was having lots of cramps and pain.  She lost hope that she would live.  I talked to her and told her to believe in God and His love for her.  He was the only one that could help her and that He was with her in her suffering.  I prayed that God would heal her and He did.  When she was better, she said, “I understand the love of God because I saw it and experienced it.  I believe in God now.”  With God, I’m able to help many people during a bad time in their lives.  It’s not easy, but I encourage people to consider being a nurse.  The road is not easy.  You have to fight to arrive.  You have to accept that you will have to suffer to become a good nurse.           

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Daphnee worked for us for one month back in 2002 in the Rescue Center when she had just graduated from nursing school in 2001.  She went on to work for a few more places in other parts of Haiti, but eventually moved back closer to her parents.  She recently approached us about working again and we had a spot in the cholera hospital open.  Though she is in training, we have confidence that she will be a good nurse.

I’ve always wanted to be a nurse because I like helping people.  It makes me very happy when I take care of someone and they get better.  I’m a Christian and one time I was with someone when they were having a baby.  They were calling out to Jesus.  I was able to talk to her about Jesus and prayed with her.  When she had the baby, I said, “See what Jesus can do.  He can do even bigger things than this.”  I want to encourage anyone thinking about being a nurse to understand that you have to have much love in your heart and lots of patience.  It is a beautiful profession.