Denese Norris is pictured, back row, second from right. Devastation, chaos, and gut–wrenching pain tore at Denese Norris’ heart as she experienced first–hand the plight of the Haitian people when she arrived to help them after the most recent earthquake. Cries of destitute, wounded children pierced her ears. Initially, the stench from the dead and wounded took her breath away. A city submerged in rubble would become her temporary Home.

Norris journeyed from Hopkins/Columbia, SC to Haiti to use her nursing skills to care for a wounded, terrified people. Compassion for those who call this poorest country in the Western Hemisphere home had already been instilled in her so this was not her first trip to Haiti. Since 2005 she had gone on medical mission trips to Haiti and the Dominican Republic several times.

When she learned about this opportunity her heart rejoiced.

She would join Youth With A Mission (YWAM) in St. Marc, Haiti, to help a Haitian medical team, as well as teams from many other countries.

Because many days they had no doctor, Norris showed local healthcare providers some of her expertise regarding more advantageous ways to care for wounds and make dressing changes.

“We applied at least 50 dressings to some pretty bad wounds most days. That’s in addition to caring for patients who had already taken up residence there,” Norris recalls.

She persuaded some Haitian nurses and doctors into giving ibuprofen or hydrocodone to patients with significant injuries

before doing dressing changes. What a difference it made.

“They also want to pick off every scab as part of the patients’ care. So I’m still working on changing their minds on that painful one.”

But she felt blessed that she could help change the plight of those wounded who will now suffer less pain when treated. The locals stitch up incisions days or even weeks after an injury occurs. Norris suggested that doing the procedure more than 12 hours later can trap bacteria inside the wound. A few days afterwards it can reek with infection.

Norris relates, “I saw one man’s knee swell up overnight. I had to remove the sutures, which exposed a 3” X 3” incision, two inches deep. I had to stick my fingers inside to clean it out. Yuck!”

She then started an IV and antibiotics to take care of the infection. One lady came to the clinic with a bandaged hand and a swollen forearm. Her pinky finger had already turned black and reeked with an appalling odor. Twelve days earlier a piece of wood, possibly a splinter from a broom, lodged in her palm. But she had nowhere to go for medical care. She came to St. Marc’s YWAM refugee camp/clinic to get an ID card so she could get food and medical care. While there, she asked if someone could look at her hand.

“Doctors at a local hospital had to amputate her entire arm above her elbow, necessitating several surgeries,” laments Norris.

The woman was grateful that the doctors caught her infection before it got any worse.

Two little girls, injured when concrete blocks fell in on them, required skin grafts to cover large areas of their bodies.

“Eventually, their wounds would have healed. But it would be hard to keep them clean in Haiti. And time was not something they had.” Fortunately, the nearby hospital where doctors performed the skin grafts had anesthesia capabilities by that time. The local workforce looked forward to getting tetanus immunizations to give to those wounded before complications set in. The team hopes to contact someone in (PAP) with WHO (World Health Organ.) about obtaining the vaccine.

A few days after Norris arrived in Haiti, a medical team from Brazil brought with them an entire pharmacy. They came with many useful and much needed medicines and supplies.

Patients and staff alike called Norris a doctor. “I am not,” Norris states emphatically. “But I’m as close as they get to one some days.”

Medical deficiencies in Haiti are further complicated by routine living conditions. Electricity and running water stop without warning. In addition, the heat was almost unbearable. Fortunately, surroundings were comfortable at night after the scorching sun gave way to darkness.

The 27 patients and many family members stayed in an open–air basketball court. Mats made from palm fiber sufficed as beds. But no one ever complained. Everyone was thankful for the medical attention they received. Norris’ workday began at 6:30 or 7 o’clock and ended around nine at night. After her long days ended, scrubs needed hand laundering and a cold shower helped to refresh her for another day.

Eventually, she flopped into a three tier bunk bed, exhausted.

“I was fortunate to have had a flushing toilet and sometimes running water. Others in outlying areas didn’t fare as well.” Many had to sleep in tents on the roofs of undamaged buildings. Many others slept on nothing more than a two inch thick mattress.

After the arrival of a stateside doctor and nurse, she enjoyed some free time but, off–and–on, she continued checking to find out if the staff had questions, needed translators, more help, or supplies. A surgeon from Brazil reinforced Norris’ teachings about not closing wounds after a significant period of time has passed. He also confirmed that daily wound cleanings with betadine and peroxide are not very conducive to healing and are very painful. The surgeon confirmed that ibuprofen and hydrocodone, which was all the clinic had, brings relief from pain.

Norris felt good that she contributed to the comfort of the wounded survivors, instead of continuing to cause needless pain. Norris, who left her own six children and hubby stateside, was saddened when she got to know six orphan boys there. She learned that during the ravaging earthquake they witnessed friends and brothers trapped or killed near or under the falling rubble.

Knowing they were traumatized by it, the team showed them lots of love with lots of hugs. Some of the boys were crying and running away when they learned they had to go to another orphanage somewhere in Port–Au–Prince.

Norris confesses, “I was pretty torn up because of it. I had to walk away so they wouldn’t see me crying.” If paperwork could be worked out, she would adopt a couple of them with consent from her hubby, of course. The boys are around 15, still sweet and innocent, not at all as worldly and mature as a typical teenager in this country.

Norris and a co–workers’ Christian beliefs of love and compassion were demonstrated to two of the boys the following night. Their faces beamed with smiles. Later that evening, she attended a worship service led by a live worship band composed of YWAM members. It was culturally diverse and included many Haitian refugees, staff, and volunteers from every corner of the world. She was very encouraged to see so many people from so many nations come together, working as one.

“That’s loving your brother,” Norris smiles.

She encourages anyone who feels compassion for the hurting people in Haiti to get involved.

“Donate money or your time and skills. I know you will be blessed!”