Dominic Fumo is a senior at Marquette Catholic High School.  He, along with his parents, Drs. David and Maryann Luce '76 Fumo, his sister Nicole and her friend Jeff are on their second trip to Haiti to provide medical care to the Haitian people.

 

Dominic is sending in his daily journal entries along with a few photos in order to share his experience with us.

 

From Dominic:

 

This is my second medical mission trip to Haiti since the earthquake January 12, 2010.  The group is comprised of physicians from both St. Anthony's and LaPorte hospitals, nurses, teachers, interpreters and student volunteers.  Haitian Support Ministries, based in Rolling Prairie, supports the work of Pastor Jean Claude Pierre and Calvary Church in Jacmel, Haiti.  Jean Claude runs New Life Children's Home with about 55 boys and girls and has established several schools to educate these and other local children.  He has also established five feeding centers around Jacmel which feed thousands of children and families each day. 

 

The current mission of this group is to provide healthcare to the children in the orphanage as well as to go out into the community and provide healthcare to those in need.  The ultimate goal is to establish a permanent clinic and pharmacy that is staffed by a Haitian nurse who will have access and support from a core group of physicians here in LaPorte County. 

 

The church and orphanage were severely damaged in the earthquake, and we will also be involved in the rebuilding.  Given the lack of resources, including money, tools and supplies, it is a painfully slow process.  I will be providing a daily account of our activities and the progress of this group and our mission.

 

Sunday, October 17, 2010

 

Today we arrived in Port Au Prince, the capital, and drove three and a half hours over the mountains to Jacmel.  As I looked out the window while we drove through the streets, I realized something:  not much has changed from six months ago. The rubble from the earthquake and garbage fill the streets and chaos still prevails.   Once we arrived in Jacmel, I had the privilege of talking to a few men who work here, but live in Port Au Prince. When I asked them what Haiti needs to advance and reestablish their economy, they told me that this country does not need money or more food. They need jobs, a better infrastructure, and education.  In other Haitian news, one thousand convicts at a state penitentiary in Port Au Prince broke out  2 hours after we left the airport and are now armed, running the streets.   All in all, there does not appear to be any eminent change in Haiti; if there is change at all; it seems to be in the wrong direction.

 

More tomorrow.

 

October 19, 2010

 

Each day here is more interesting than the last. Today we traveled through the city to the hardware shop, if you can call it that. The thirty by thirty foot store was crowded with people who were participating in this chaotic system. Although we walked to the market, the walk back was much too far to endure with multiple cans of paint in our hands. The solution: motorcycles.  My sister's boyfriend and I flew thru the streets, snuggled behind a random Haitian man; each on a different bike. We weaved in and out of obstacles such as: people, animals, cars, and vending stands. Later in the day, while my parents and the rest of the crew treated all of the children in the orphanage and an outlying school, Jeff (my sister's boyfriend) and I painted the orphanage where the girls live.

 

We met two teenagers today, a boy and a girl, ages 16 and 17, who help me to believe there is hope for this country. They lost their home in the earthquake and had been living in a tent city in Port Au Prince until yesterday when Jean Cluade brought the two into his home.  Both had been enrolled in school and dreamt of becoming a doctor and a diplomat.  They were given the opportunity to be interpreters for this mission. Every time I come here, although it has only been twice, this country makes me want to come back more and more.

 

More tomorrow.