It has been frustrating in that I am unable to go to Haiti immediately with disaster teams like with those where I helped out in Honduras, Macedonia, Lebanon, Iraq, S Africa, Byloruss, Vietnam, and Cambodia; but it is just as well since I am hooking up with Aloha Medical Mission here in Hawaii to go to Samoa in early to mid Feb. Being in Hawaii at this time where life is good makes me almost feel guilty, but with prayer and being with good church folks here is preparing me for His Works ahead.
I know that if the Lord wants me to go to any of these places it is His Will and not mine. So I will be patient unto Him. Haiti will have terrific needs for a long, long time; it already did before the earthquake. I had been there on 2 medical missions in the mid 60's.
To those who question God as to why these terrible things happen, the real question is how do we respond to help those in need in the Name of Jesus. I will await His Word.
Well, be careful for what you pray for: I was invited and now Feb 9, I have been here in Haiti for 4 days. I will try to cut and paste my emails to this blog. I cannot descibe all the people, events and feelings at this time, except to say that it has been overwhelming, tiring and yet I would not have had it anyother way. It tops all the other missions I have been invloved with. I will never ever forget it.
Last night I spent my 2nd nite in the Hospital-For Little Sisters and Brothers--aka St Damien's--I did so at the behest of the night shift pediatrician just out of her residency. A few moments later she came out of bathroom crying: at my wondering she said she lost her parent and her brothers in the earthquake. One of the other volunteers prayed with her. Later we brought her some dinner.
-
EMAILS sent:
-Feb 6---Aloha and Bon Jour BW, C, GG, WH, and all Acts 2, SS, Bible Study and Snyder, & friends in Hawaii!! Wow over whelmed here in peds Ed. Structure and organization is spotty and kinda wild but busy and naever catch up. At 430P a DKA diabetic is brought in by Doctors w/o Borders and therefore our ride back to the compound is out of the question at 530--so 2 of us stay to take care of him--5 yo sick x 10 days. Rx iv fluids and insulin and watchig his Blood sugars all night. all the beds here about 20 have been filled with little kid w IV for 1-2 days; the wards are alos filled. No beds.Language is problem but have excellen RT lady named Jackie Currie who was here x 5 years in 80's and still know her Creol. She had visited L' Pital Bon Samaritan in Limbe.A Haitian nurse name Sue is excellent and knows diabetics. I have tried to sleep on hard cot here in hospital but spotty at best. The pedaitiric hospital here was virtually undamaged and had been a life safer to this part ot Port of Prince in that it took care of adults also.It is a Catholic Hospital well run and clean and organized well. There seem to be plenty of supplies brought in from everywhere. GI's the 82, the UN , Franklin Graham's--we heard him speak our first night-- are all present, Choppers and planes are ever present, the roads are jammed. Tthings are better, folks say, now its organized chaos. It's still like a war zone.Sounds like things are better than when Steve Logue was here--I talked to him right after her cme back.Where the NC Bapt team is staying, 28 of us. after a 11 hour ride from Santo Domigo, is about 15 miles N of POP and is a sereal compound on 60 acres that Global Missions contracts to us; Samaitan's Purse is also here; it over looks the Caribean Sea, and far quieter than the chaos if POP. Missionary homes are where we stay; the missionaries left to go bak to the states after the earth quake; they had been here 17 years. Ok back to bed and try to sleep some. our team should be back about 7Am. More later. Thanks for your prayers, Al -
To SusieR, MaureenK: Feb 7--Father Rick, Director of the St Damian Hospital for Childrenand Babies, is also a physician; at mass this early morn he gave a most poignant homily about one of his parishers who lost his family, the memorial sevice being given on the ruins of the home where the deceased still rested. "This was true calvary, where Christ was placed on the cross; this was not drive by service in an air conditioned bus."I wish I could convery what all this about.
Feb 9--Aloha FraN&Horace&Shirley and Amy!!! Copy Dr Sisi:
How did the dinner cruise go?? Sent the mess below to John and Grace but guess they are away. Spending another 24 hrs here at this Little Brother and Sister Hospital; the lady peds nurse asked me to stay and help her; then she broke down and cried; her parents and brothers were all killed in the earthquake. We took her to supper here in the hosp and then stayed until we cleaned out the out pts.This is really very nice hosp--Catholic and well endowed and clean. It is so hot though and the work is burdensome w translaters and the ped ed is just not well organized. The DKA diabetic is finally turning the corner and peds endocrin is taking over--got him admitted to the ward. Spent wonderful morning yest with ped spec w HIV babies. He even had all of his pts on EMR!!Hope yall have had a good time. I am sorry I felt compelled to leave you and go on a another crazy tear. Youve got 2 more days--sure yall will make the most of it--how many suit cases on the plane!!!!????Regards to Amy and kids; Will be in touch w you asap when I get back late Fri nite in Honolulu. That will be some time travel from Haiti--Shrl will have to pour me out of the plane.Apprec your prayers for Haitian people. Love, me
No comments:
Post a Comment