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 '05 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.
Monday, October 18, 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.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Today was much like yesterday. We finished painting the girl's rooms and painted the hallway outside their rooms. The hallway and balcony outside their rooms are blue, tomorrow we are going to have the girls put their handprint, in white, on the walls. The girls who share each room will put their handprint on the wall next to their room. Tomorrow morning I will be helping in the clinic and finishing our painting job in the afternoon. When I think about the girls in Jean Claude's orphanage and how fortunate they are, I think of one thing: they have running water. That is extremely uncommon in the country of Haiti. Something that I guarantee most people of the United States take for granted each day. We take for granted so many little 
things such as: running/clean water, privacy, showers, beds, electricity, bathrooms, clothes, and the list is infinite. I assume that when you have a headache, you take aspirin. Not here. People execute their daily endeavors with a constant headache. That is why this is such an eye-opening experience on so many levels for me.
More tomorrow.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Today, in the morning, we performed a clinic for the boys at Jean Claude's school and the girls in the orphanage. We wrote down their names, age, and main problems. After the information was taken, the kids were sent in to my mom and dad, Dr. Mannix, and our personal translators. Also making up our staff is Calanita, Jen, Cathy, and Luluce (who is the full time nurse, mother, guardian of the kids). The kid's symptoms were taken care of and then they were given a toy and some candy. In the afternoon, 
Jeff and I finished painting the upstairs and then had the girls put their hand-print on the wall. Each girl put a white hand-print next to the room that they stay in. It seemed as though it gave them a sense of ownership and belonging; only because when I asked any of the girls where their hand-print was, they knew right where it was. An anchor, if you will, in a completely chaotic world. Looking at the wall and how much fun they had, I realized 
how we have made a difference. Maybe not to the whole country, but to those girls, we did.
More tomorrow.
October 21, 2010
Today, our last day here, was extremely sad. Leaving all the little kids and the two translators who live in a tent village is hard. It has been so much fun helping the kids, making a difference in there life. I know that the people who we came in contact with are very thankful. One little girl, a girl that my sister and I became very attached to ( she was five years old and had a bad case of worms, but was adorable), cried as we said our, "Au Revoir." I will send a picture just to show how cute she was. When I think about this trip, I think about how hard Jean Claude works; from driving to and from the orphanage, to putting up with our loud group. When people say that Haiti is a country that is so far behind anything and there is no hope for them, I usually agree. But, when I see how hard Jean Claude (or as some call 
him J.C.) works, it makes me think that this country can change. It just needs more people who are willing to put forth all of their energy, like Jean Claude, to change. But, then when we drive through the city of Port Au Prince, my mind changes.
