Game Changer

My wife is a game changer. Most dentists would come to Haiti and say I’m gonna pull teeth because I think that’s what people need. But Anna listens to the local dentist, Dr. Benoit, and decided to do cleanings. In the morning, they pull teeth, and in the afternoon they do cleanings. And the people love it. It’s great service because it’s what they people want, not what we Americans think they need. 

Anna is beginning the process of expanding dental care in the community. She wants to work with and educate local dentists to improve their craft. If she can help them be more gentle, then more people will seek their care. They get more business and the community gets more care. Dr. Benoit improved his ability in just the four days they were working together. The goal is for people to have overall better health year round, not just acute care once a year. But acute care is good, too. Anna pulled 12 teeth on one lady. We met with the team last night and they shared their favorite parts of the week. One of our drivers, Owe Owe, shared that the woman had been seeking dental care all over the city, and could find no one who would pull her teeth for less than $800, money she did not have. His favorite part of the week was seeing her get the care she needed. I think that tells you about the impact we make, and also about the people we work with. They love their community, and they want to see it improve. 

We think that community thinking is a rare quality in Haiti. We have experienced a very individualistic culture, where people don’t volunteer and won’t work without direct benefits to themselves. The people we work with say that they love their country and their people, and they want to see life improve for everyone. Pierre expressed that he loves having work, and I am certain that he meant more than just making money. He loves having a mission, a purpose. In a life where most of the year he is simply trying to survive, he has a purpose that is bigger than himself when we come. He is part of an organization that is making a difference in his community, not just a part but a leader. Pierre, Jean, Santi, and the others are rare human beings. Their hard work, determination, and resilience show me Jesus in a way that I don’t experience much in the US. 

I went to Pierre’s house up on the side of the mountain. He doesn’t have a toilet, and when it rains, water runs through his house. He built a chicken coop, but has no chickens. I gave him $11 to buy 2 chickens. The stairs we are building will make the walk home shorter and safer for him, especially when it rains. It will really be a game changer, too.