Tuesday began day two of teacher training which provided a focus on math. The math guest teacher was to come but it got changed to Wednesday. We decided to go ahead with math on this day with the thought that tomorrow's teacher will build on what we taught today. We know that math is part of the Haitian assessment and so math is valued in their curriculum. Our day began with a new strategy called mainstreaming which we used to review yesterday's lessons - standing in partners with one person reviewing what they had learned for one minute while the other encouraged then the roles were reversed. We used a math ball to toss around as they solved the problem where their left thumb touched the ball. The rest of the day was filled with math manipulatives - square and circle fractions. We also extended work with our hundreds chart and added to their ideas on how it could be used to enrich math for their students. Today was also a day for babies in the clinic. The line was long but the two patients that captured our interest was a young lady giving birth for the first time. Her labor was well over 12 hours and we took turns entering her room to encourage. Shalini, Amanda, and Lindsay spent hours with her as she struggled to bring her little one into this world. She was in need of a c-section but the ride down the rugged mountain road would more than likely kill her. This clinic is not equipped for surgery, so labor continued.
Another baby who captured our heart was the one I mentioned earlier who was malnourished. He continues to struggle. His body has shut down and even though he is now being fed consistently, his body is not responding as it should.
In the afternoon the guys continued with their work around the clinic. They built more chalkboards and trained Haitians to use the tools to make these learning tools. They drained the cistern which has a crack in it. Repair will take place tomorrow. They unclogged shower drains and cleaned a closet of 
rotted produce, releasing the largest cockroaches we had ever seen. A group left to visit a local village but was caught in a giant rain storm. They took shelter under the roof of the market place and experienced these roads as they turn to mud. They came home both muddy and tired. 
Our late afternoon was a celebration as the woman who had labored all day gave birth. He needed oxygen and an IV drip, and we scurried to make sure all lights were turned off with the hopes that electricity would stay on to run the oxygen machine. We visited her and the precious little one during the day to give our congratulations. 
As evening came, we set up an assembly line in the clinic to fill the suitcases for the 20 schools. They were filled with pens, pencils, papers, books, notebooks, and folders. Dice and other resources were carefully divided between each suitcase along with a backpack to protect the texts.
The teachers staying at the clinic continue to study a list of English words and phrased knowing that to know English can open doors for them. Later in the evening we sat on the balcony to reflect on our day. Scott and Paige took out guitars and sang soft songs. Word came that the newborn baby was not doing very well so Paige took down her guitar to the clinic, and we gathered in the nursery to sing "Alleluia" to the mother and her family, all gathered to watch the new one struggle to stay in this world. We felt helpless and singing was all we could do for this precious life. We gave our sympathies but still held on hoping he would make it but knowing there was little hope.
This day ends with knowledge that math facts were not the only facts we dealt with today. We each faced the fact that life is precious and sometimes people must walk a fine line between life and death. We hope for the best but know that it is not within our power to change the inevitable. We can only pray that mother and baby will not be parted.
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