Medical Trips and Soccer Games

May 25, 2013

Dr. Haggard and nurses
Dr. Haggard (in the blue shirt) and nurses Shelly and Steve Fessler

In May 2013, we did medical clinics in Savonne Brulee, Deslandes, and Pont Sonde. We saw 350 patients. This was our first clinic in Deslandes, a village clinic formerly operated by Albert Schweitzer Hospital Haiti. We continued to use 2 Haitian nurses along with our doctor and 3 U.S. nurses. We were also blessed with 2 pre-med students, Dan Scheese and Aaron Kline, who traveled with us for the first time to get medical experience. However, we used their muscles as much as their brain at Deslandes to carry many of our patients who were handicapped.

Whenever we go to Savonne Brulee, we take soccer balls for the children who play at the clinic while we treat patients.

After lunch time, we introduced Aaron Kline, a highly skilled college soccer player, to the children. They gathered around him while he demonstrated soccer ball handling skills much like the Harlem Globetrotters do with a basketball. Notice in the picture that Aaron, like all the children, played barefooted.

soccer player surrounded by children
Aaron Kline surrounded by children while demonstrating ball skills.

He divided the children into 2 teams and they played games throughout the day. Aaron does not speak the Creole language but he communicated beautifully with the language of the children, soccer.

soccer player surrounded by team
Aaron Kline and his enthusiastic team

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