It's been a full couple of days. Yesterday, I was on labor and delivery. I'm finding of the many things us volunteers do here, this is the hardest setting for me. Women deliver on simple stainless tables with no linens unless they bring their own. They bring in their own bucket for voiding and family members empty it. We have no clean water to give them. We have seen (too many) newborn/fetal deaths, hydrocephalus, spina bifida, twin deliveries, multiple infections, severe preeclampsia. Of course there are also many (50/week) uncomplicated deliveries. The woman I labored with yesterday, Adeline, was there alone. I love the "labor songs" they sing in Kreyol. So beautiful. She seemed wary of me at first but I stuck by her - wiping her brow, massaging her back. When it was time for me to go, she held onto me. We couldn't speak to each other, but we could. I sent some clothes in for her baby today with another volunteer. 

Today, I was teaching midwifery students (we use interpreters), visited an orphanage, and took a Kreyol lesson with an awesome 15 yr old for 5$/hr.

On my walk today.

This little girl followed me home from the hospital yesterday (about a mile walk). She chattered to me in Kreyol the whole way. I gave her this fan and she immediately started posing with it. It was hard to say goodbye to her.

These children are on there way back to school after lunch. They wear uniforms to school which always look immaculate. When the children see us they often shout (in a friendly way) "blan!" (white woman). They ran up to us and wanted their pictures taken. 

This afternoon we visited a girls orphanage. The girls were so sweet and engaging (which tells me they are well cared for). Many are eager to practice the small amount of English they know. We brought nail polish and painted their nails. Here, another volunteer, Janelle is getting ready to jump in on the jump roping. We taught them ring-around-the-rosy which they thought was hysterical.

Sweet girl with her freshly painted nails