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Debarking

In a couple hours I'll be leaving the USNS Comfort. Yesterday was a down day for me. It was nice to sleep in, even if it was only until 6:30 AM. I spent the morning cleaning and repacking the GATR gear, so I won't have to do that when I get home.

This morning I was up early to say goodbye to the Project Hope volunteers. I've been living in a stateroom with six of their volunteers. They had to muster at 4:30 AM and their lifeboat lowered away at 5 AM. I figured since I was up, I might as well do some laundry. After all, you'd think the laundy room would not be full at that time, right? Well, it was almost full! I had to wait a little to get my laundry done, but now it's out of the way. I tried to take a short nap this morning, but couldn't fall asleep. I guess I'm too excited.

I'll be spending the weekend in Haiti, visiting with MAF staff. Monday I fly home, and I can hardly wait to get there.

Posted by David at 09:33 AM

Beginning Of The End

This is my last day to set up the GATR antenna on this trip, and this post to the blog is going through the GATR. I was ashore early, and had the system set up and running just before 8 AM. It's been used all day for communications between the clinic sites and the Comfort. It's probably the fastest Internet connection in all of Haiti. It's been really a nice way to end the trip, with a couple successful and beneficial days in Port-au-Prince.

So far I've only been here in the Boat Landing Zone. Friday, when I debark the Comfort, I will have a chance to see some of Haiti. I'll be staying with MAF staff over the weekend before flying home on Monday. I've only had glimpses of what Haiti is like. Our personnel travel in convoys protected by police guards. Some of the Project Hope staff have shared with me their experiences. It sounds like Haiti is a very bleak place, and the little that we are doing here is only a tiny drop in the bucket.

In a few minutes I'll take down the GATR antenna, pack it up, and take it back to the Comfort. Thursday I'll clean all the equipment, and repack it for the trip home. Then on Friday I'll make my last trip in a lifeboat, down the side of the ship.

Posted by David at 12:34 PM

On The Air Again

After two days of trying, I was able to bring the GATR antenna onto the network in Haiti. I've posted new photos at the Photo Gallery.

Posted by David at 01:32 PM

Early Riser

We arrived in Port-au-Prince about 2 PM Saturday afternoon. Sunday was our first work day. I was on the first boat going ashore, at the crazy hour of 5:30 AM. My assignment was to set the GATR antenna up at the boat landing zone, and assist with communications there. Unfortunately as we pulled out of Colombia, the AC adapters for two of the BGAN terminals were left behind, along with some extension cords. So that meant using the GATR would really be useful.

After two days of getting up at 4 AM and being ashore by 6 AM attempting to get the GATR antenna on the network, I still have not been successful. It is really hot here, and the first morning I forgot my hat. I set in on one of the x-ray machines in the Casualty Receiving area while I was loading my backpack with an MRE and lots of bottled water. It wasn't until I was on shore that I realized my mistake. I had some sunscreen and a bandana, so was able to avoid a bad burn. In between bouts of working out in the sun, I'm able to take a breather under the big canopy that's been set up. The breeze that blows through there, along with the shade, makes the heat almost bearable.

I'll go back out again on Tuesday and work some more. I can find the satellite, get receive lock on it, but the problem comes with a strong enough transmit signal. It's really strange, since the antenna performed so well in Ecuador and Colombia.

Yesterday and today we've had medical personnel ashore, working at three clinic sites. Both days I've seen many Haitians get on the Hospitality boats to come out to the Comfort for surgical procedures.

Around lunch time today Greg, the MAF program manager, stopped by to say hi. I'll be staying with him this coming weekend. It was good to see him, and was a small sign to me that my time on the Comfort is coming to an end. A week from today I'll be flying home.

Posted by David at 04:17 PM

Comfort Photos

I just found this USNS Comfort Photo Gallery, with many great images of people.

Here is one of my photos, taken at the Gatun locks as we were almost through the Panama Canal.

Posted by David at 07:20 AM

Haiti

We're off the coast of Haiti, with about 115 miles to go until we reach Port-au-Prince. We should be dropping anchor mid-afternoon, making it almost two full days of travel from the Panama Canal. When your're steaming along at 20 mph, it takes a while to get anywhere.

Friday evening we had a brief that lasted over an hour, giving us details about Haiti and our work there. Haiti is going to be the poorest country that this ship visits; in fact, it's the most impoverished nation in the western hemisphere. We were told statistics about the slums of Port-au-Prince, poverty, lack of clean water, HIV, literacy, tuberculosis, kidnappings, and more, with none of it positive. The brief ended with a short presentation by a Navy pyschiatrist, who wanted to prepare us for what we were about to see, and give us some tools to deal with it.

Posted by David at 05:36 AM