Last night at 7PM, Emilio Alexis (pictured above, L) was at home and received a call from a midwife in the little mountain community of Bouzi, known as “Crochu.” A woman was in trouble. She was in labor and her previous births had been complicated to the point of requiring a Caesarean section. Despite the late hour, Emilio called Lespwa Timoun drivers Andre Junior (pictured above, R) and Clerson to help. Clerson was born in Bouzi and has made the trip many times. The two decided to make the trip together.
Driving after dark is dangerous, particularly in Haiti. This is not only for security reasons; the road up to Bouzi is difficult even in the daylight. Over the course of the gravel track, you have about a 2,000 foot elevation change. The roads are unlit, so you’re relying solely on your car headlights if you leave after dark.
When they arrived at the woman’s home, her labor was still presenting problems, so they loaded her into the clinic’s Toyota Landcruiser and started the 1.5 hour drive back down the mountain.
They arrived at a hospital on the outskirts of Croix-des-Bouquets, but they learned that it was full and not taking patients. They then sped to Hospital St. Damien across town. In the back of the car, however, the baby decided that it could not wait any longer*
At 3am this morning, Andre Junior and Clerson helped the mother successfully bring her child into the world. By all accounts, the child and mother are both doing well.
*pictured below are a few photos of the Road up to Crochu. Imagine making this drive in the pitch black dark!
