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Apr 30 2012

April 2012 Team Update #2

Blog Post by: Carrie Chambers

When you hear people say that an event is “Life Changing”, you don’t really give it much thought until it happens to you. Haiti has truly been life changing for me. I was blessed by God to spend 7 days with some of the most amazing people and children that I will ever know. Our journey began with a tortug plane ride into Jeremie. I did not know anyone on my team, but everyone started to bond instantly. After all, a tortug plane allows you to get really close with each other. We went to the orphanage as soon as we unpacked at the Guest House. I was overwhelmed by the sweet children and the love that they showed to us instantly. I was also overwhelmed with emotions. Feelings of gratefulness, sadness, excitement, and just plain tiredness were just a few of many emotions that would continue to find me for the remainder of the week. We had the opportunity to love on the children for a while, and then off we went to prepare for the rest of the week.

Days 2 and 3 were filled with “Picky Picky”. This means shots and actually, I liked the Haitian name better. Being a medical trip, our team was responsible for giving the children their immunizatins and check ups. Our team was able to work quickly even through the tears and wrestle matches with the children. Even in Haiti, children despise the doctor. I was tired at the end of each day, but thankful that God was able to give us the strength to get through it.

Days 4 and 5 included opening up the clinic to the community. Wow….I thought days 1 and 2 were busy. This was a whole new ballgame. We took vital signs, diagnosed infections, and administered meds. I also had the opportunity to prescribe and give a few hugs. I was amazed at the strength that the people of Jeremie possessed.

The last full day in Jeremie was bittersweet. I was so glad that we were able to see over 700 people at the clinic and know that we truly made a difference. I was also happy to have had the opportunity to love on the children, even if only for a few days. The children sang us a few beautiful songs and we were able to say our goodbyes. I, of course, was the biggest cry baby that you have ever seen.

Coming home, all I could think about was that I originally set out on a journey to Haiti with the expectation that I could help people and make a difference in their lives. However, what actually happened was that I went on a journey to Haiti where amazing children and people helped me and made a difference in my life. I have been touched by God and feel that I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to visit Haiti.

The day we came home was the day of my birthday. What a beautiful gift I received. I only hope that everyone gets the opportunity to visit Haiti.

Apr 25 2012

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Haiti, Missions

April Haiti Medical Team Update: 2012

As we were unable to update the blog while we were away due to “technical difficulties”, I have had a little time to process all that we experienced. We had some obstacles, to be sure: a smaller team, with several non-medical people, as well as difficulties with electricity, communication, and transportation. Yet, those seem so trivial in the face of God’s power which was evidenced in so many moments over the week.
The kids were a little hesitant to greet us at first, as somehow they seemed to know that we were the team with the dreaded “pikis”, aka shots. Soon, however, they were pretending to give us injections and trying to argue that they should receive a sucker for each poke they got, not just one lollipop. I think a few of those kids have a great future ahead as lawyers. We vaccinated all the orphans in a day and half, pausing only to give hugs and wipe tears (theirs and ours). We rewarded ourselves for our efficiency with a morning at the beach where the waves were wild and beautiful and very refreshing.
We started community clinic earlier than planned on Tuesday afternoon. We called this time our “dress rehearsal”‘ as it gave us time to discover what worked and what didn’t with our smaller crew. We were so blessed to have that afternoon as it prepared us for what would be a very busy 2 1/2 days more of community clinic. We were able to minister to almost 650 people in the community providing treatment for many types of infections, injuries, and problems such as high blood pressure, arthritis, and diabetes. Several moments stand out in my memory: the young girl with Down’s syndrome whose mother was told she should be thrown away giggling throughout my exam, the little boy who had suffered with an earache for 3 months, and the woman who was diagnosed with AIDS on our last trip, looking healthy and fit thanks to medication she received with the help of ESMI and Long Hollow.
As a team, we struggled with all that we could and could not do in the face of needs that were so great and resources that were so limited. It is humbling to see how grateful people can be for things we take for granted: Tylenol, vitamins, and Tums. It is heartbreaking to run out of medicines or not be able to see all those who wait so long to be seen. Yet, God allowed us to see that He is the ultimate healer and that caring for the physical needs of others is intended to serve a higher purpose: that of tangibly showing the love of Christ. My most memorable patient was a 92 year old lady who presented with congestive heart failure and symptoms of esophageal cancer. She was so ill we initially tried to take her to the local hospital. We soon found out it was closed (it is open only 4 hours a day) and was poorly equipped at best. She had loving family with her and I explained that we would do our best to help her, but that she was very seriously ill. She improved somewhat with medication but the real change came when one of the team members asked her if she knew Jesus. She answered with an emphatic “yes!” and her weary face lit up with joy. She was able to walk out of the clinic later that day, and though I do not know how many days remain for her, I know her eternal future is certain.
On our final day, we taught a class for a group of nursing students on ways to improve survival of newborn infants. One of them asked why we came to Haiti. I answered that we come because we serve a God who calls us to show His love to all people. Whether we are here or in Haiti, God does not want us to just go through the motions. He wants us to truly care for others. He wants us to show love to them by our actions more than our words. And I believe he wants to show us that, in His power, much can be accomplished.

Mar 15 2012

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Haiti, Missions

March Haiti Team Update #5: ESMI

This update is one of my favorites so far! It highlights our amazing ministry partners in Haiti. They sacrifice tremendously as they serve God faithfully in Haiti. We are so blessed by their friendship and partnership as we minister to orphan children in the Jeremie area and beyond.

-Erica

Our team has been blessed to eat dinner each night at Pastor Dony’s. However, that means that most of our team had not had an opportunity to see downtown Jeremie. We were able to do that first thing this morning.

We then proceeded on to the beach for a swim. The tide was MUCH higher than when I was here last. We were not even able to make it out to the sunken submarine.

After quickly cleaning up and eating lunch, we headed to the orphanage for VBS. Our message today was on loving our enemies. We told them the story of the Good Samaritan. After acting out the story, the kids were asked who their enemies where and that they needed to pray for them. One girl started yelling out other kids names!!!! We have all laughed about this.

We attempted to show them the rest of Chronicles of Narnia this afternoon, however the generator ran out of gas……no refunds were given:)

After dinner this evening we were blessed to have Pastor Dony share with us the vision for ESMI. Each time I hear it I learn a little more. Therefore, I’m going to recap it briefly.

ESMI has four legs of their ministry – Evangelism, Education, Empathy and Economic Development. Most of us have heard the explanation of each of these legs. I’m going to only include things new things I learned.

Evangelism
A new church was started at the university in September. Since then 240 lives have been saved! Praise God!!!

There are 250 pastors in the ESMI organization. They are currently working on training them and developing resources for deeper messages for their congregations. There is
The country has a 70 percent illiteracy rate. ESMI currently has 39 schools with 6,500 students.

Education
There is a 70 percent illiteracy rate amount Haitians. ESMI has 39 schools with 6,500 students.

The next goal is to build dormitories at the university for future students. The last three years of school will be done at the university (finishing school).

The school at the orphanage currently goes to the 7th grade.

Empathy
A few weeks ago one of the couples in the community went into labor and was not able to deliver the baby. She needed a C-section. Pastor Dony loaned them their car to drive the 7 hours to have the operation. The mom ended up having the child in the car 3 hours into the drive. The family has not been saved yet, however they are attending e church. God uses many methods to reach the lost! Pray for this family.

The orphanage plans to bring on 25 additional kids at a time until they reach 200. The plan is to stay at this number for some time to make sure it is manageable. The next 25 kids will be between the ages of 5 to 7. They will come from the surrounding communities and have already been identified.

They are working on bringing on some Papas to have some male role models at the orphanage.

The church is ministering to the local widows. The other members of the church brings extra supplies and part of the offering is given to them.

Economic Relief
There are a few “businesses” that have been started – a dump truck, ice house and agriculture. The current undertaking is to start a chicken farm. The property has been purchased and construction has began. The plan is to have 6 chicken coops that will hold 1,000 chickens each. Two of these coops have already been funded.

At one point there were 2,000 orphans in the ESMI organization. Many have been reunited with their families. Currently there are between 1,200 to 1,400 children.

There are 21 ESMI orphans studying at the university in Cayes.

There is a plan to allow some of the students to go to university in the USA with an American sponsor.

ESMI has 700 employees – 7 executive level employees, zone coordinators, campus pastors, momma’s, teachers, etc.

What a blessing it is to be here! I fall in love with these kids and the country more each day! What a PRIVILEGE it is to serve along side ESMI!

-Kim Powers

Feb 14 2012

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Missions

A “going” problem

I recently had the privilege of co-leading a break-out session at the latest Long Hollow women’s event. Our session was called “The Great Awakening Begins With You!” What a title. The session focused on “going” at home, in your church, and into the world. There was a point in the session where the phrase “going” was used so much I started thinking about the pharmaceutical commercials for bladder issues. I had to suppress a giggle on stage. So in certain situations going equals funny. But in most situations going equals being sent and sometimes going even equals fear.

I encounter this fear on a daily basis as I chat with folks interested in our Long Hollow mission trips. Fear of planes, fear of dirt, fear of bugs, fear of disease, fear of loneliness, fear of inadequacy, fear for family, fear of money…. and on it goes. I have to suppress the desire to lay hands on these people and cast out the fear! Instead I pray silently and give words of encouragement. I speak truth, Isaiah 41: 13 “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.”

It is my prayer today that we would not let fear stand in the way of going. We are not inadequate, we are not ill-equipped. We represent the God of the Universe and he is asking us to go. He is promising to equip us! He is promising to be with us in the plane, in the orphanage, in the slums of the third world. He lives there. He dwells there, he loves the people there. He wants them as sons and daughters. Why do you think he asks us to go? So we will be changed? Yes. But more than that he wants us to show His love, to be His message.

2 Timothy 1:7

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

He will give us power. We only need to trust him. Let’s leave the “going” problems to the pharmaceutical companies.

-Erica

Nov 10 2011

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Haiti, Missions, Uganda