No Fooling, Samuel's Here

I may have burned some bridges last April 1st; if you are still following and believing, we have great news!

Our third child, and second boy, Samuel George Price was born at 2:11pm. It was the quickest and most straightforward delivery for Teresa yet. We are so glad to be out of the pregnancy woods and into the new life light. Samuel weighed 8 lb 6 oz, which is average for one of our kids. He's got quite a bit of brown hair and his eyes are brown, if I'm not deceived (no one's handed me an ophthalmoscope).

Samuel is a name Teresa had reserved for a boy since the time she was a little girl.

George is Ryan's maternal grandfather's name. 

Many thanks to our family who have supported on and before this day. Thank you, as well, to Dr. Cynthia Cater and RMC's labor and delivery staff. Mom and baby are doing great.

Trade from Green Bay

The calendar keeps changing. Thank you, God, for moving the hearts of these eye doctors. We pray you would move their bodies well too--especially Dr. Landwehr, who will have four flights before she reaches us. Sandra Landwehr, O.D. is our latest acquisition in an off season move from Green Bay, Wisconsin. She will be the anchor leg for our visiting docs, as my family hopes to be back in Haiti for the start of May.

Like Mike

From his website, www.greatervisioneye.com .

I'm happy to say the clinic will benefit from the work of Dr. Mike Hutton during April 2013. Mike is one of three doctors that has stepped up to keep the clinic going while my family is out this Spring.

Dr. Hutton, or D-Mike as he's known to many of the optometry students he has mentored, has been leading teams to Christianville for over 20 years. He's just as likely to roof something or throw on his clown suit while he's at the mission, but his Nittany Lion-festooned scrubs have been a fixture in our morning clinic during the five years I've known him. I appreciate his expertise and servant's heart.

If you want to be like Mike, there are a few slots left in the calendar below.

Grateful, Great Empty

I was really happy to hear from Lori Geddes O.D. and Rob Svensen O.D. this week. They will be able to fill in for me the first part of our trip in March.

We are still looking for volunteers for the end of March and the month of April.

The only way to replace the unsettling green with soothing blue in the chart below is to find docs that will be willing to see our patients, here, while I am gone. Thanks to Lori and Rob and the other doctors davans.

Volunteers NeededHow my New Baby Could Affect You

As with the first two Price babies, we will be looking for some open hearts and open hands to staff the clinic while I am gone. Contact me through email or the comments section if you are interested in learning more. The first clinic day I will be absent is Monday, March 4. Our absence will continue into April as the baby is born and we make preparations to return.

Any volunteers will be able to stay in our house, which is within walking distance of the clinic. Thanks again to Drs. Mike Lock and Jenessa Lock, Dr. Molly Walker, Dr. Sabrina Reed, Dr. Mike Hutton, Dr. Lori Geddes and Dr. Shelley Kaluf who have volunteered in the past.

Five

Last summer we got some wonderful, if surprising news--Teresa is expecting our third child. The following is more her story than mine, but we have shared and I will share again.

The day before we found out, God's message was before Teresa in Psalm 127. The reading for the day seemed especially prescient in the first section which spoke to some of our recent trials...

Map of PAP--Mais Gate--Toussaint Louverture Airport

Click to see larger version.

Update - The PAP airport has changed for the better as of December, 2012. The following post is now just for historical and hysterical purposes.

So this is partly because I know a few people that are coming soon and partly because I just wanted to do it. I made a basic map of the airport in Port au Prince. I used one image from Google Maps for the exterior, but everything else is just my memory/interpretation.

If you are using PAP airport there is really no reason for a map because you just follow everyone else and there are always plenty of people to yell at you point you in the right direction. If you are using Port au Prince airport a map might make you feel more comfortable because all those people you are following don't really give off an air of certainty.

Highlights are the semi-air-conditioned jetways, Chants d'Esperance vendors and breezy customs stations. Lowlights are the low lights, steamy cattle corrals, baggage claim and late flights.

Click the image to check out the map and tell me where I messed up.