Haiti Mission Begins

The Girl Scout Motto and Law states to “be prepared” and to use resources wisely to make the world a better place.  These are words to live by as I write this blog with Girl Scout Troop 591’s banner on my desk next to my 3 bottles of donated propofol, surgical headlamp, and an old general surgical textbook.  With $77 of hard earned money, a group of 10 girl scouts voted to donate their money to our mission to Haiti.  I received it yesterday in a small plain envelope with a message, “Making the World a Better Place”.  Somehow, these 12-year-old girls may understand more about the disaster in Haiti than many of us adults.

Well wishes from Girl Scout troop 591

Over the last two weeks, our team has scrambled to assemble the resources to provide a self sufficient medical unit for a small orphanage 1 hour north of Haiti.  Despite early reports of the futility of providing medical care so close to a natural disaster in a country, our team thought it was worth trying.

Our goals were clear:

1. Help build things.  With an ability to use a private jet and our large network of resources, we could build, improve, and restock an existing operating room to better handle disaster victims.
2. Help people.  A team with surgeons and nurses even with limited supplies could help care for people with life and limb threatening injuries 4 weeks after an earthquake.
3. Learn something.  After spending a week in the foreign environment of a disaster, we hope to learn more about the human condition and about ourselves.
4. Tell a story.  The more other people learn about why we want to respond to Haiti and how they are suffering, the more people may want to help.

Through the use of social networking and real life networking we have succeeded in amassing 600 lbs of medical material.  We found a jet generously donated by the Ariel Corporation in Mt. Vernon, Ohio.  We had people donate an anesthesia machine and an X-ray machine. Individuals from Cardinal Health, Kimberly Clark, Stryker, Wright Medical, DJO, Medline, Clinical Trays, OhioHealth, and OSU East Hospital went out of their way to help find critical equipment. A documentary film team from Malaysia has reached out and offered to help while in Haiti. I have met people daily who volunteered to go. I never realized there were so many people who I knew who had a background in the military or missionary work who were willing to help. ..immediately.

What I’ve learned through this early phase of preparation is that we live in a larger community than we think.  We are far more connected than we give ourselves credit for.  And if you ask for help, the natural tendency of man is to give.  I can see why Goethe’s guidance continues to ring true, “be bold and great forces will come to your aid”.

Our great force is well symbolized by Girl Scout Troop 591.  Thank you for your aid.