Joyful Laughter

November 23, 2012

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Medical training after a day in clinic.

From the December newsletter:

The other day I had a friend ask me, “Do you have fun when you are in Haiti?” Although my answer was a quick YES, it caused me to think about some of the really fun times with Haitians.

There are many sounds that we often associate with Haiti — donkeys, goats, barking dogs, motorcycles, crickets, roosters — but we often forget to mention the joyful laughter! As HFH has slowly changed its focus from “how many patients can be seen” to the education of Haitian staff, I’ve heard lots of joyful laughing.

Each afternoon at the closing of the very busy clinic, the teams take time to have an education time with the Haitian staff. We call these didactic teaching sessions, or as the Haitians call it, a “ti seminar.” We start by sharing a few snacks and a Tampico (a favorite fruit drink in Haiti) and then a medical team member presents a topic.

After a short presentation with a translator, the subject is open for questions and answers. Questions and sharing go both ways and we all learn from each other. The sessions are often interactive, with participation by all. This has served as a great
way to build relationships with each other, and to share knowledge and our lives. We
have found that often during the clinic, the Haitian staff will ask an American to join
them in seeing a patient and vice versa. What a joyful fun time we have in Haiti!

Written by Linda Markee HFH board member

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