Reaching the site was extremely difficult. Overnight rain had washed so much debris into the roads that traffic throughout Port-au-Prince came to a standstill.

When the team arrived, the entrance to the camp was blocked by a thick strip of mud. Residents, armed with picks, axes, and shovels, were clearing it themselves. Water had accumulated overnight. It was dirty. It smelled foul. Panic spread quickly.

After repeated calls from the camp president, City Hall sent an excavator to remove the obstruction. As the water drained away, relief moved through the camp and through the team.

And then came the update. Of the 69 patients seen days earlier:

• 45 have recovered
• 4 were transferred
• 20 are improving

Of the 21 who had a very poor prognosis:

• 17 were cured and transferred

The team arrived at the site around 7:30 AM. The camp had flooded the night before after heavy rains that
lasted nearly all night.

A small room had been prepared so patients suspected of cholera could be seen.

The camp sits beneath a hill. When it rains, water rushes down carrying earth and debris. Residents scramble to clear mud and rubbish because each storm threatens landslides. With every rainfall, families closest to the hill must move quickly to avoid tragedy.

The camp president shared that they had already experienced 19 deaths. Thirty residents had been urgently transferred to the hospital. Only 11 had returned. He explained that oral rehydration alone was not enough to manage what they were facing. He thanked the team for coming into the mud and instability to help.

By the end of that day:

• 69 patients suspected of cholera were seen
• 21 were critically ill with severe dehydration
• 4,583 residents received their first dose of homeopathic cholera prevention

The team received formal instruction: do everything possible to save lives.