An adventure can be described as an exciting or unusual experience, usually a risky undertaking with an uncertain outcome. I think that this word is appropriate for my two weeks in Haiti working at a cholera camp. Haiti is in a great state of unrest politically and is struggling to cope with the massive demands following the earthquake a year ago and the more recent cholera epidemic, and yet there are many Haitians who have a desire and hunger for the Lord.

Haiti is a very violent place, especially in and around the capital. UN troops patrol constantly, but there are many tragic stories from the people who live in a massive tented city which is still home to over 1 million people; women and children the victims of the most awful abuse.

These amazing people have poor access to water, food, electricity, healthcare and jobs making them very vulnerable to disease; yet they show amazing humility and dignity. The cholera camps are no more than self catering tented villages with wooden beds, no mattresses or pillows, a bowl to be sick in and a potty for the diarrhoea. The camps have been built on spare land with no running water or cabled electricity; everything that is needed for the camp has to be brought in physically each day. Rigid hygiene is imposed for all, with hygiene guards situated round the camp. The smell of bleach never leaves your nostrils (or your skin).

As a result of the cholera bug, patients have no time to rush to the toilet. You have to go immediately (or soil yourself) with no facilities for privacy; and yet I never heard even one complaint. There is one memory that will remain with me for the rest of my life. One of the tents held six male patients plus their relatives and staff, so there wasn't even standing room left. In this same tent, one old man was leaning across his bed vomiting, the man next to him was sitting on a potty on his bed with his foot almost in the other man's bowl, and so the image continued along the six beds...

Two minutes later these men were sat up, praising and worshipping God. The hairs on the back of my neck still stand up when I remember this. These men showed such love for the Lord and were thankful for the help we were giving them. I wonder how many of us would have reacted like this, if we found ourselves in the same situation?

It  was  an  honour  to  go  and  serve these  people;  to stand side by side   with   my   brothers   and   sisters   helping  them  cope  with  the  huge demands that are upon them at this time. Thank you for all your prayers before and during my visit! I had a great time and learnt so much from these wonderful people and also from the many other volunteers who went to serve. So, how does the adventure end? I don't know yet, but it certainly isn't over.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Dr Jacqui Lines, Samaritan's Purse