Hello
friends and family!
My adventure is 6 days in, and I can finally say I am typing in the humid
Haitian air. I wish to first off express my deep appreciation for my prayer
warriors out there… I have been feeling the impact of your prayers as I have
gone through these first days of transition. There are certain discomforts,
surely, but much joy as well!
The trip here went as smooth as one could hope. I arrived in Port au Prince
early in the morning, and Sandy was there to greet me. After a couple hitches
that prevented us from leaving the airport, we went around the city for most of
the day to collect supplies for the pharmacy and also did some errands for the
construction work that is ongoing at HHM. I hadn’t been down the roads of PAP
since the earthquake, but I was amazed at the work that has been done since!
I came to volunteer with Haiti Health Ministries at a very exciting time. HHM
was previously located very close to the epicentre of the earthquake, and they
lost all their buildings (as did most of the town they were in). They have
since purchased the site they now operate out of in Gressier, and rebuilt from the
ground up. Had I arrived three weeks earlier, I would have seen them in action
providing their care in tents… however, they are now in their brand new
facility, and what a blessing that is!
The clinic opens at 7:30 am, and fills up quickly! The clinic staff lead a
hymn-sing and devotional in the morning with their patients in the waiting
room, while the medical staff gathers for a short education session and to pray.
The rest of the day is filled with seeing patients. Right now, I am being
oriented by a missionary nurse who has been working with HHM since September.
She assists with surgeries, administers vaccinations and medications, assists
with dressing changes, takes vital signs, and really just jumps in where extra
hands are needed! She is awesome, and has been a great teacher.
It’s been an amazing learning experience these first four days in the clinic! I
have seen many things, and have many more to learn. I have had the opportunity
to sit in on minor surgeries for the removal of keloids and even a lipoma (a fatty
tumour), seen a gangrenous rotting foot,
I’ve been taught how they do prenatal assessments, I have seen breast biopsys
and warts removed… I’ve taken many sets of vitals! It’s such a variety of
things to learn, and I am loving it!
There were some hard nights, but the transition has been made much easier by
the lovely staff here that has been so welcoming. A couple of the ladies have
had me over for scones and tea and a couple episodes of “Call the Midwife”.
They have also had me along for walks outside the clinic walls… I will be sure
to bring my camera along next time so I can show you pictures of this beautiful
country! I am really looking forward to
spending the next 9 weeks here.
As I had my quiet time the other day, I remembered back on a patient that I had
back in Lethbridge who was a cinematographer. I remember talking to his
daughter, and she had told me, “Growing up, my dad would always pause to show
us things he found beautiful. He had such an eye for capturing beauty. It got
to the point, once I grew up, that I could see my dad’s work and know it was
his before I even saw his name on it, because I had learned to see things
through my dad’s eyes”.
I feel that is so profoundly what I desire in my relationship with my Heavenly
Daddy. I find that I am still that little girl, needing Him to direct my gaze
to see the things of His heart. And that’s part of my prayer as I spend the
next couple of months here. I know full well I didn’t need to leave Canada to
see as He does, but I believe He called me here at this time, and I hope to make the most of it. I long to be trained by my
Daddy to see the beauty that He sees in His created, and to call that out! But
I need much prayer as I learn to be still with Him and open my heart to do
that. The Lord is so gracious in supplying for my needs, and in His lavishing
of grace as I stumble through learning the many things I don’t know here.
I hope my thoughts have not been too disjointed as I try to paint a picture of
what my role will look like for the next couple of months, and in the stirrings
of my heart as the adventure kicks off!
If you are praying, I’d like to highlight some requests.
- Pray for the Lord to shine His light through all of us at HHM
- Pray for opportunities to minister not only medically, but to share the gospel
- Pray for me as I stumble over learning the language
- Pray for me to learn well how to be still, and to see with my Father’s eyes
Thanks again for your support, love and prayers! It means more to me than I can express with my words.
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