Trip facts:

Tues Mar 9- Fly to Port-au-Prince; met by Keith and Tom; spend afternoon at Grace Children s Hospital; stay at Palm Court Inn Wed Mar 10- All day at GCH Thurs Mar 11- All day at GCH Fri Mar 12- Morning at GCH; fly to Miami

Log Entry #1- Sat Mar 27

Preparing to go:

Am aware of some areas of preparedness-- spiritual, emotional, professional, physical. Here are some ways I'm doing it.

Spiritually-- made an appointment with our bishop for prayer and private time after I woke up the other morning with a cry of "I need my bishop!" That is scheduled now. I'm seeing Mel (Sister Mary Elizabeth Loomis), my spiritual director, for clarification and direction. She suggested that I meet with some folks from a Haitian congregation here in SD for their wisdom. I found Josephine Maitre and will meet with her on Monday.

Professionally-- am talking with several friends/counselors/psychologists for approaches to trauma counseling, including Marilyn Carpenter, Kay Ostensen, Sheryl Redpath, Linda Robison, and Catherine Ellis. Great progress there. What skilled and caring friends.

Emotionally-- well, centering prayer is serving me well. Silence, honesty, Ray, and more time with Ray. Talking and emoting with the fam.

Physically-- walking daily and eating low-fat and healthy foods. As far as physical needs in Haiti, am covering lots of bases. Now, don t laugh. Coffee is really important and tho it may be available, I have a back-up plan! Starbucks Via, plug-in heating element (some electricity where we ll be), and my Haiti mug. Rain gear. Will take some granola bars and jerky. Went to REI and got water filter bottles. Meds: check. Bug stuff: check. Clothing: O man, it will be hot. I don t like heat. Loose, cool clothing but professional. The staff dresses for work even when they live in a tent and wash their clothes in a basin. Amazing. If they can do it, so can I. And it will help my own mood as well.

What I am expecting to do there:

The staff and patients (few children) are hurting emotionally, so I m expecting to do a lot of listening, praying, crying, thinking-thinking-thinking together. Want to take some art supplies for water coloring, maybe painting rocks to transform the power of the rocks and rubble. The story of Jacob resting his head on a rock and wrestling with the angel is in my mind. And the stories of rocks as altars. Maybe we will create a chapel area there in the rubble. But I think openness to them will be the most important. And love. Lots of love.

Enough for now.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Read and learn about Grace Children s Hospital, Port-au-Prince.

Take time to imagine/think/pray scenarios of healing, caring, recovery.

Send money. haha. No, really. To UMCOR designated for Grace Children s Hospital; or to ICC via website, www.internationalchildcare.org.