I love reminiscing. My poor husband is all too aware of this fact. I frequently remind him of the dates of our first kiss, first date, first break up, and all the other firsts. There’s something about seeing the passage of time and reflecting on how far you have come that really speaks to me. I think it gives you inspiration in difficult moments. Being able to stop and remember… “wait a second, we have been through this before, it didn’t kill us then and it wont this time either” is powerful. So if you haven’t guessed already, two of my absolute favorite tech features on my phone and in general are Google Photo Memories and Facebook Memories. I love the constant #throwbackthursday of it all. Seeing what happened 2 years, 5 years, even 10 years ago on the same date really puts life into a wonderful perspective. 

About 5 years ago, Jr and I met Dr Nelly Osias and her husband Duly Charles on our first trip to Limbe, Haiti. We met this incredible couple through a mutual friend at our church here in Loudoun and jumped out on faith to go and visit them in Haiti. PSA: I DO NOT REGULARLY ENCOURAGE THIS KIND OF MADNESS 😊 Only once in a while 😊 We had an instant connection with this family and with their heart for the Haitian people and we agreed on the spot to partner with them. They had a dream to create a community focused medical center with urgent care and surgical facilities in rural Haiti. As an obstetrician, Dr Nelly had lost too many patients and too many babies in childbirth due to a lack of equipment or access to proper facilities over the years and she was passionately determined to do something about it. Jr and I spent the week with driving through the community and saw the lack of access to affordable medical options firsthand. But we also saw the community’s love and support for this family and One Sparrow put our full support behind this project.  

The Serving Sante Clinic grew from a small family practice office in a rented space to a stand-alone urgent care facility over the last 3 years. Every time we go back to Limbe, I wait with excitement and anticipation as we drive up to the new building. Each time there is progress, from the foundation being completed, to the first section of the building, to the new operating room, and now the outdoor waiting room and teaching area.

These pictures tell a story of determination and passion over time. Dr Nelly and Duky are two ordinary people that saw something that was wrong in their community and they looked for a way to make it better. Our team connected to their passion and their hope for the future of accessible healthcare and we have been able to provide funding, medical equipment, training, and business administration mentoring which has enabled exponential growth. 

This is what I love about #throwbackthursdays, seeing the picture over time. Right now, in the midst of COIVD quarantines and the social unrest in the States, it can be really hard to see progress over time. Honestly, it’s hard to just keep track of time. But these pictures give me so much hope for the future. Because if there is anything I know, its that ordinary people working together consistently over time to accomplish a goal can do anything. It sounds cliché but it’s the truth. This clinic didn’t happen overnight, but its been built to last. And right now, when their surrounding community has needed them most, there is an affordable, accessible, urgent care facility in rural Haiti that is providing front line care in the midst of a global pandemic. And that’s everything.