OREM,Utah- Stepping onto the tarmac a mixture of humidity and the faint smell of body odor enveloped the group of doctors and a dentist. As they adjusted to the bright sunlight, a faded yellow building with bold blue lettering, Aeroport International Toussaint Louverture, greeted them.
They had arrived in Haiti.
Gathering luggage filled with medical supplies, dental equipment, and hygiene kits the group of doctors and dentist; accompanied by nurses, pharmacy technicians, and dental assistants, piled into a blue arrow school bus heading to Timo, Haiti.
The non-profit organization International Aid Serving Kids traveled to Haiti March 7-14 with 21 medical and dental personnel to offer free medical and dental care to Haitians in and around the village of Timo.
Treating anything from a tooth ache to severe iron-deficiency the team was able to see over a 1000 women and children.
For labor and delivery nurse, Jodi Hall, patient 1000 came after six hours of labor by his mother. Accustomed to helping deliver babies, Hall had the opportunity to deliver newborn Jodius with the assistance of a traditional Haitian midwife.
In addition to welcoming a new baby the team was invited to visit families in the village. Timo is a rural, farming community where many women are seen carrying produce on their heads up to the main highway to sell.
Seeing this great effort to make a living, Donnalee Day, a registered nurse at an OB/GYN clinic said, “Working with those amazing people in Haiti made me realize that they sacrifice so much more on an everyday basis than I could ever sacrifice.”
Returning to Haiti for a second time Doctor Joel Porter, a family practice doctor, knew that traveling to a developing country was out of his comfort zone and normal routine, thus incurring some anxiety.
“However, traveling with good people who are all interested in helping those who are less fortunate is very reassuring,” Doctor Porter said.
For those who would like more information on how to become involved in these volunteer opportunities please visit the IASK website at www.iask4kids.org.
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