Dr. Hal Crosswell Dr. Hal Crosswell, ophthalmologist at Columbia Eye Clinic, takes a team “Haiti United Methodist Volunteers in Mission” to Haiti each year to consult, train, and perform major eye operations for the people in Jérémie. The team was originally scheduled to arrive in Port Au Prince at noon Tuesday, January 12.

According to The Washington Post, “the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Haiti devastated parts of the impoverished island nation Tuesday (at 5 pm), leveling a hospital in the capital, severely damaging the U.N. headquarters and other buildings, and sending panicked residents into the streets.”

Several months ago, Dr. Crosswell’s team changed its flight schedule for a cheaper rate to arrive on Wednesday, January 13. By putting off the flight one day, they were not in Haiti during the earthquake, and, of course, the Wednesday flight was cancelled. As of Wednesday, January 12, Dr. Crosswell had not been able to find out anything about the physicians he works with in Port Au Prince, and he is very concerned about one of his interns in Cap–Haitian.

In a ten day period, the team can do 800 consultations and 30 major operations. They also work in orphanages as well as train Haitian ophthalmologists and nurses in microsurgical techniques. The Columbia Rotary Club and other Rotary clubs in the area have provided equipment and The Lion’s Club has provided thousands of pairs of useful eye glasses.

See “Message from Haiti” below.