Title : AFD Final Reflection
This particular has right now been a solid two weeks since our team returned through Haiti. Overall, the experience was amazing. We all could collectively say in which we learned along with also saw more than we ever could have prepared for.
We were able to see a total of 75 patients. We did a combination of several cleanings, fillings, root canals, along with also a few extractions. We did everything we could to hold people over for another full year until we are able to make This particular back. Dr. Zollinger along with also his entire staff could agree in which This particular will be very hard to leave dental work undone. Not only did we leave work undone, yet we left people in which were still in dental need. Leaving was the most difficult part for me personally. Not only were dental needs left behind due to time restraint, yet overall general need for our help.
When we were in Haiti we learned in which just our smile, our touch, along with also happiness can cure people. We saw people living inside most awful conditions possible yet yet they were still happy. Children, parents, infants etc.. Everyone was grateful for what they had. They had next to nothing. I’m not sure if I could survive for any amount of days living inside conditions we saw. Most of the people of Haiti we encountered were happy to see us. They are all smiles along with also very nice. When we were in close contact with them they were appreciative of the work we were doing even though there was a strong language barrier. They speak Creole. Since none of us know Creole, most of the communication was done through a translator. Some of the best highlights were the moments where a translator was not needed. A smile along with also a head nod meant a lot. Little kids knew little English yet they knew in which saying “Hey You” gets our attention. Hearing all the little “hey yous” through all ages was one of the cutest things ever.
The worst of what we saw will be when we were in Cite Soleil. Cite Soleil will be about an 8 square mile area niched inside Port-Au-Prince-Bay. This particular will be known as the largest slum inside western hemisphere. I didn’t definitely understand what in which meant until we got there. The overwhelming smell of rotten garbage along with also feces was unbearable. We saw a large pile next to the bay in which was a burial ground for people in which perished inside 2010 earthquake. They did not hold the resources at the time to dig graves for such a large amount of people so This particular just became a pile. Overtime, This particular also became the region where the townspeople use as a latrine along with also for building up trash. We walked right by This particular. The amount of emotion we were feeling was hard to contain. The children basically led us to This particular area- They were hopping, singing, dancing along with also running barefoot through glass, garbage, feces along with also sewage. We spent about 15 minutes down there. They spend their lives here.
As most may have noticed, we blogged for the first 3 days while we were there. After in which, our correspondences seemed to have disappeared. Although internet was in along with also out, I think the biggest reason for the lack of communication back home was due to our emotional state of mind. The first 3 days we were not inside thick of This particular. After day 3, I think things set in.
We did so many Great things. Pictures along with also blogs don’t quite do the job of showing/describing what we saw. What I will say will be in which we will be going back. One year through right now, we will assemble another team. We will pull together more supplies, along with also everything we can to do even more. We have heavy hearts yet we are motivated.
Adjusting to life here inside USA will be not easy. Only being there for 7 days improvements the lens I see life through. I never thought spending one week in a 3rd world country could change the way we see things. Haiti isn’t in which far through here. I thought I’d have to travel halfway around the planet to see poverty like This particular. I was wrong. In fact the some other side of the island (The Dominican Republic) will be flourishing. This particular will be still a tourist destination along with also This particular will be beautiful. This particular’s crazy to think in which just a border separates paradise through what I call hell.
Things in which were once a huge deal are right now trivial. People are struggling to survive. They do not know where the next meal will be coming through. We saw in which there are so many things in which are not a high priority when your life will be inside hands of the next water delivery. All of the sudden paying bills along with also having to go to work each day isn’t something I will complain about. I am grateful.
This particular experience was more than just a mission trip. This particular was a gift. This particular was the type of gift you can’t buy. I feel in which everyone at some point in their life need to see what we saw. the planet could be a better place if we could open our eyes along with also embrace what we have. If we all got a glimpse at the ‘some other side,’ life could be different for everyone.
Thank you to everyone in which made This particular Mission Trip possible. Advance Family Dental will continue to help where we can, along with also keep you updated inside future.
Annie Lutterman
Annie Lutterman
That is all articles AFD Final Reflection This time, hopefully can provide benefits to all of you. Okay, see you in another article post.
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