Less for the Poor

Haitian doctor outside his posh office yesterday.  Just saved man with serious head injury

Last night I and the Hospital team in Haiti sweated it out in a long Zoom meeting.  Trying to get the Hospital’s income and expenditure to balance.  In the face of economic recession and falling Hospital income, increased medical costs caused by Covid-19.  And of course, Covid-19 itself.  These Hospital leaders are good people, but the meeting ended with no solution, no balanced budget.  They just cannot believe we cannot tap into UK donations and UK foreign aid.

But friends, UK foreign aid is at the moment nowhere to be seen.  My colleagues in Hope Health Action have been active.  UK Government overseas aid (DfID) have put aside millions to help tackle Covid-19 in poor countries.  DfID said to us – apply.  Then last week DfID said, just wait a minute….  Yesterday we found out why.

Little Angels and The Angels

My grandson surprised me a few weeks back.  We were drawing “spooky” drawing, when he suddenly turned and told me ghosts did not exist.  Well do I agree, so he does not have nightmares?  But then condemn his imagination to sterile literalism?  Is what exists, only what you can see, measure, touch?

It’s not true either.  Beyond sight there’s a world of spirits, unusual presences (which we give names like angels, demons, archangels).  And beyond them – God.  Kids see or sense more than we do.

Ring Ring Ring

Ring, ring, ring – and the thread of your discussion goes ping!  We’re discussing a complex accounting issue with my Haitian colleagues, in three languages (English, French, Creole).  Then … a shrill jingle… the phone is picked up.  And poof! The thread of thought is broken.  On another day I was in a personal 1-to-1 conversation with a Haitian friend … a shrill jingle… the phone is picked up.  And poof! A sheepish smile “sorry, I won’t be a moment.”

If I’m honest – after many visits to Haiti, I still get annoyed.  For a people who value personal relations so highly, I wondered why is an incoming call given such priority over face to face conversation.

Haitian Medical Director responds to Aid scandal

In light of the recent Haiti aid scandal and on-going questions over international aid, the Medical Director of Hospital HCBH, Dr Paul Toussaint, has written the below reflection.  It’s a longer blog than normal, but a very insightful reflection from the perspective of one of Haiti’s leading Paediatricians:

Charities work in many sectors: Water, sanitation, health education, human rights etc. But why so many organisations?  What are the results?  We are asking these questions perplexed.

Cinderella Service

Want a hospital service that can: help the cure; needs no equipment, nor medicines, needs no electricity or internet, and runs on very little money?  Well I’m standing with them in the picture.  These are the Hospital Chaplains. A Cinderella service.

The Poor Relation
Here am I, in Hôpital Convention Baptiste d’Haiti, in Cap-Haïtien. Standing alongside the chaplains.  Pastor Yousvel (one of the senior administrators), Pastor Sadak, and Pastor Samuel (in the wheelchair- not a fashion statement).  Chaplaincy tends to be seen as a poor relation.