Change in Mission

As I have said in previous posts this mission has taken on many different shapes as it has progressed. That's part of the adventure - always needing to be ready and willing for what comes. With the patient census aboard the Comfort rapidly dropping and the Haitian government wanting to start taking over more of the medical responsibility in collaboration with the on the ground international NGO's it started to look like as the census here dropped - it would not be added to. With that in mind those of us aboard were left to wonder and wait to see what would happen and how our medical expertise would be utilized - or if we would be sent home. This uncertainty as you can imagine was met with varying degrees of angst but for the most part everyone was understanding and flexible. Those that decided to part ways with the collaborative efforts of the Navy and Project HOPE did so on their own and with the well wishes of everyone aboard. I wish each of them good health and safety as they join the mission of Paul Farmer (my personal hero) on land at the Partners in Health Hospital. The remainder of the HOPE volunteers aboard left today to redeploy back to their homes. Four of us remain aboard and are due to leave in the morning to take a boat ashore to meet a two person on the ground Project HOPE team to continue our work ashore. The mission there will be two fold. First, a site survey/ assessment needs to be done to identify sites for future on the ground work, program sites, and capacity building projects for Project HOPE. Second, three of the four remaining volunteers will be joining the efforts of the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Haiti. As many of you know my fiance Frederick heads up these humanitarian missions and collaborations along with his employee Matt so I have the great fortune of joining him in Haiti as he heads this team on the ground. Wish us luck as we navigate new territory. I don't know what internet access will be like but will try to post again.