This week sure was hot in Haiti! I know being Haiti you would think it's hot all the time and it is, but this week was miserable! Finally rained last night and cooled things off. I think we all we happy for that. As I was laying in bed at night with my balcony door open and the fan directly on me and still hot, I couldn't help but think of all the people out there trying to sleep in this weather in a hut with no circulation and no electricity for fans. I was settling in last night to sit down and check email and then go to bed when there was a knock at the gate. Our cook had come back around 8pm and asked if I could make a house call. I got dressed and gathered some supplies and set out into the night trusting she would take me to the right place. When it is dark here-it is dark! She at one point asked me if i was scared and in my shaky voice I said, "No, because God can see everything even when I can't." She smiled. We arrived at the little shack to find an old woman sitting nearly naked on her front stoop with about 40 people surrounding her. After convincing her family to send all the people away, I talked with her and checked her Blood Pressure. It was 180/100. Her family told me it couldn't possibly be that high b/c they had a Haitian nurse come by earlier and take her BP and she said it was low. They insisted I take it in the other arm. I tried to convince them I knew how to take a BP and I was absolutely sure it was really high. Boy was that fun in my broken Creole! She was sweating (well we all were) and her Heart rate was 170. She said she hadn't slept and hadn't eaten or drank anything that day except for the water with her blood pressure meds. I asked to see her medicines and found she was taking 3 different kinds of BP meds. She says the same doctor prescribed them all at the same time. I told her family she needed to relax and one of her granddaughters bathed her and I put some Biofreeze gel on her neck and shoulders and had her sipping some cold water we sent someone to buy. All they had was room temp and I knew how hot the room was! She really enjoyed the cold water. I gave her a Dramamine to help her sleep too. After praying with her and making sure she was tucked in (they insisited on a blanket-I almost passed out at the sight of it) I came back home.

I checked on her today and she looked great. Was dressed and sitting up by herself. Told me she ate breakfast and was drinking more. I talked to her about staying hydrated and going back to the doctor regarding blood pressure medicines. Her BP was 150/82 today. High but better. She said she slept great! And I thought well you should have- I gave you a full dose when I usually only take 1/2 dose of Dramanine myself! She thanked me over and over and let me know that she knew how to get ahold of me now if she needed me again! When I was leaving She said she would see me later "si Bondye vle." (if God wants)

Thank you Lord for the Healthcare system in the US. Even though it is far from perfect. And thank you for the opportunity to help a neighbor...

Proverbs 14:21
"It is a sin to hate your neighbor, but being kind to the needy brings happiness."