Drink and eat with caution

In Haiti we had one very strict rule: be careful. This rule was applied to everything; be careful with where you go, who you trust, what you do... But most of all with what you eat and drink. As you can imagine food and water in this area are scarce, but then to top of that you must be careful...

However, with my luck I had the misfortune of getting sick. I took all the medication which I wa advised to take, but yet my body still rejected all food and water. I spend 3 miserable days laying on a mattress that was placed on top of a picnic table, trying to feed my dry mouth crackers and water.... I was miserable! BUT I can admit that the only advantage of being sick while volunteering at an orphange is that I had 85 amazing little children taking care of me day and night. I have never felt so loved!

Everytime I opened my eyes I had 6 little hands rubbing my head trying to help me go to sleep...my little guys were always competing to see who could hold up the largest palm tree branch to help wave some cool air at me... They sung and danced around my outdoor bed to try to help me forget about the pain I was experiencing... Pure kindness and love.

Yet, all the love in the world was not enough to keep me sick in Haiti. I had left on the next trip back to Santo Domingo. I left Sunday morning and ended up in the ER Sunday night. The doctors laughed when I told them my symptoms, at first I was offended. It was when they followed their chuckles with - let me guess you were in Haiti - that I laughed too! It put me at ease to know that I was not the only one with this problem and that there was a way to cure it!! :)

I was placed on an IV and was given 'several' medications. Eventually they gave me permission to leave and told me that I would soon be back to my oldself! (Thank God!!!!)

I receieved a call that same day from my contact with Raidon International- they were headed back into Haiti and asked me if I wanted to join them...

I packed my things and headed back to Haiti!