My arrival in Haiti

Well....I have a lot to report. The flight from Miami to PAP went well...but the scene at the PAP airport was wild. So many people swarming all over us wanting to carry bags everyone asking for money...the driver Moliere rescued us and put us in his car with our huge assortment of bags including all of our 300lbs of medical supplies. The devastation from the earthquake is apparent everywhere, the tents are any where there is space. It is about 90 degrees and humid. we drove 5 hours from PAP to Hinche. The roads were sometimes good but mostly horrible. Incredible people, animals, mules, and motorcycles everywhere never saw a stoplight or a stop sign. The town of Hinche is moderate sized very poor, very little economy...but the people all trying to sell things everyone is out on the streets. Everywhere women are carrying big plastic containers on there heads full of water and things to sell. We are staying at an orphanage, about 200 children plus 60 refugees from PAP. The guest house we are at has electricity and running water some of the time. The water is cold but that is great as I am as hot as I have ever been. We have mosquito nets for our beds that work well...I kind of feel like a princess in it.... Our first night I got very little sleep, the dogs bark all night and the roosters start crowing at 3am. . At 5:30 in the morning the children were up reciting their lessons. I have never seen cuter children...they swarm all over us and sing to us wanting us to take their pictures so they can see themselves. We got picked up at 8am in a "TapTap" truck. we went to the hospital. i truly am in cultural shock. The hospital has no running water, no bathrooms. People get a bucket in labor and their family is responsible for any dirty clothes and for their wastes. Everyone sleeps on the floors and there are few sheets...already we are a hit with the medical supplies, drugs, suture equipment and sheets and towels. I saw 3 births today...the midwifery students are smart and wonderful...I am so saddened I do not speak any french or creole. Barb and Tricia were able to communicate but i am not. We do have a translator that helps but it is burdensome. The Induction of labor today had free flow Pitocin and no monitoring at all. The next 17 y/o had pre eclampsia and was given cytotec and no monitoring. Every patient has lost at least one baby. One woman has been here for 4 weeks and had a cesarean. she has a wound infection that is oozing constantly and her lungs sound like crap. Only one Obstetrician...no communication, and no system. we walked home and the streets are full of people, no one has anything but everyone is as friendly as can be. Tomorrow we teach a class on birth positions and home birth. Then Barb and I will do a stint in the hospital overnight. Wish us well. This place is of the greatest need, that I have ever seen.