Medical and Dental Opportunities

Sunday afternoon we welcomed a small film crew from Tulsa, OK, led by producer Jonathan Coussens. They spent a whirlwind of 2 full days with us, filming and interviewing for a TV show scheduled to come out this Spring. (I'll update you as the time nears.) We loved working with these guys! I was floored as I listened to some of our student interviews. They have such a deep love and respect for Pastor Lex. The other remarkable thing to me was that between Pastor Lex, Pastor Dan Lee, and myself, there were still many things we didn't think to show them up front. Moments like this inevitably cause us to praise the Lord for HIS goodness to us all.

We had many wonderful experiences with the latest team from Bless Back Worldwide - our partners in medical ministry here in Haiti. Of course they don't often limit themselves to medical ministry. This team was half medical and half educational, as students and staff from Charlotte Christian School joined in.

Kaylah Holland led the education part of the team. There were all sorts of games and learning activities going on, as well as quiet reading times and personal interaction. It was great fun to see the sixth graders with their final projects: Marble Coasters

The medical team hit the ground running with several emergency situations on Monday. One patient was so dehydrated they couldn't get a line into her veins. Another's sugar was so high it didn't even register. Still another came in the middle of a full-blown asthma attack. These were but the tip of the iceberg. All week long, the team worked hard to meet the many patient needs. They also were able to do an outreach in Petit-Paradis one day.

Bless Back Worldwide has joined with Spaugh Dameron Tenny to offer Go to Grow scholarships for medical and dental professionals to join a team coming to Mission of Hope.

We had two such scholar recipients join us this past Fall. Now is the time to apply for a 2019 scholarship.

Saturday the team flew back to Charlotte, giving us a moment to reflect on the anniversary of the devastating earthquake of January 12, 2010. I often recall that moment in Grand-Goave as the most hopeless I have ever experienced.

Hundreds of thousands died that day and in the days that followed. My heart breaks for the families and friends who lost loved ones that day. The pain of grief can be unbearable. There is no fixing death.

I think of the story of Jesus' friends, Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Lazarus had died. Mary comes to Jesus and is very distraught. John 11:33 reads, "Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled." Verse 35 goes on to say, "Jesus wept."

Jesus had already declared and HE knew that Lazarus would rise again and yet HE wept. I don't believe HE wept for Lazarus. Jesus knows our sorrows, our pain, our suffering. He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. When we don't see what HE already sees, does HE mock us or look down at us for our lack of faith? No! HE is moved with compassion for us. Just as HE wept for those crying over the death of Lazarus, HE is compassionate toward each of us when we lose a loved one from this world.

January 12, 2010 and the days that followed were a time of great sadness in Haiti as we were separated from so many of our loved ones who went on before us. But Jesus is rich in mercy and full of compassion for us. HE binds up the brokenhearted and HE gives peace.

On the 12th of January, 2019 I remembered the feeling of hopelessness from 9 years earlier. It was awful. It was temporary, however, as today I am overflowing with hope. I am still alive and I can still make a difference in this world as long as I have breath - and so can you. Let's remember that our lives are not our own. We can work, together with Jesus and with each other, to spend our lives for HIM.