"What? How is this possible? I said. “Pastor Valcourt, we only sent you enough money to cover 400 physicals. Did I hear this right? 465 physicals given to children and teachers over 6 days! How is that possible?"

Pastor Valcourt shared that Wilbert (the head doctor from Compassion International) noticed many children needed physicals. So he gave the physicals at a reduced price, allowing more children to see doctors and get health care.

The gift of compassion shined through Wilbert and his team, who could not turn their back on our students and families desperately needing health care. His staff worked longer hours and more days and received less pay to meet the needs of seeing every child. My guess is that he and his team received a far greater gift of serving than the tangible gift of money. 

The Merriam Webster definition of compassion is: sympathetic consciousness  of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it. These physicals embodied the action of compassion by many who wanted to see children receive the gift of health.

Completing these physicals took many people working many hours together to make this possible. It was a partnership between the Haiti Scholars team of volunteers, gracious donors, Pastor Valcourt and Lea (our full-time nurse) and community members.

Physicals do not only provide health care; they offer this community the gift of hope. When Haiti cannot handle much more; due to the high inflation, lack of food, extreme gang activity, the community gets a reprieve. The community comes together to make this impactful and essential mission happen.

This week our Haiti Scholars team is overwhelmed with gratitude for the support of our donors, nurses, and volunteers who made our health physicals and all our impactful programs possible. It is overwhelming looking at the pictures of parents waiting for their child to receive a physical, nurses and doctors examining children, and parents sharing their thanks and gratitude. Compassion shined through every person who was giving and receiving the gift of health and the hope of healing.