Update from Haiti

Here are a couple of updates from Josh in Haiti. The first was written by their team chaplain. The second was written by Josh.

Chaplain's Report 3/9/10
We had a blessed /tough day. Our team’s medical Dr. had health issues and could not arrive. Arrangements were made and we joined with a medical team out of Louisiana lead by Dr. Charles Rodgers along with two other medical doctors and two nurses. When we arrived the site discovered that there was another church expecting a team. We were now divided into two teams and Dr. Rodgers came w/us. We went back to the Florida House to get supplies and after a couple of hours were set up and ready to start. Had prayer and off we went. Ministered to 108 patients. As Dr. Rodgers worked w/his patients, my assignment was to organize the group to be seen by the doctor in an orderly manner.
My interpreter helped me to organize and we asked the people present there if they would give us ten minutes to share a few things w/them. They agreed, I disclosed my intention to share the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and that it was not a requirement of prerequisite to listen nor accept the message in order to be treated my the medical team. I proceeded with the plan of salvation. Gave an invitation and 22, with a show of hands, confessed Jesus as Personal Savior and Lord. I counseled with them and continued working in the order process.

Significant Victim/Relief Worker/Other Person Issues and Interventions Applied:
At 2:00PM a mother came in with a very hostile attitude complaining about her teenager been hurt by a stone thrown in the air by other kids and had his face lacerated. Obviously this was an emotionally distressed woman, about 32 years of age. I approached her and listened, validated and worked on bringing her distress to a manageable level. Now presented the gospel to her and complained about God. She was motherless since age 11, was struggling as a single mother and the “quake” made any hope an impossibility for her. I asked if she new the story of Mount Calvary, she knotted. Then asked her to imagine God the father watching what was happening around and during the event of the cross, “He’s child in the one suffering, can you imagine the pain. And Jesus was dying to save us from our guilt. God forgave us ‘cause of His love for us.
That woman’s eyes were opened, and stated: Oh now I understand. I asked would you be willing to forgive? She said: “I will try”. Then I insisted: “Jesus makes it possible if you allow Him in your life”. …She accepted the Lord with tears running down her cheeks. Praise the Lord! Our team lead 23 souls to the savior and provided help for their physical health.

Reoport from Josh 3/10/10
Our internet satellite is down so I am writing this ahead of time so I can send it right through.
We worked at the Miami University field hospital today, helping in our areas of expertise. One nurse worked in Neonatal (and young children) ICU and the other worked in the pediatric ward. Mauro our Chaplain worked as a Chaplain throughout. I worked in triage which is much like the clinic we ran yesterday. Most people who come for care are treated in the triage area and then released back home. Very few actually go into the hospital area. We needed a privacy area so I strung up a tarp like we do in fire dept medical units. We had a full day but I think our SBC medical teams do a little bit better job running clinics.
In the later afternoon I worked with the Tennessee SBC team who are running the hospital’s supply unit. They had probably 100 pallets worth of donated medical supplies that they have been sorting and organizing. What a job! Most of the pallets have not been gone through yet.
Nurse Cheryl was taking care of a 5 year old and the child showed tremendous improvement today. She found her a new outfit and the girl was very happy. Then the girl asked Cheryl if she could take her home. The girl had lost both parents in the quake. Needless to say Cheryl had tears in her eyes as she was coming back to the Baptist house.
In a slow time Mauro was asked to find some shoes for a little girl who was being discharged. He found some shoes that would work but did not look too great and then he found the perfect shoe but there was only one. When he asked the lady sorting shoes, she said that she had found the other one and had put it aside hoping to find the other one. He gave them to girl (who has been in the hospital since the quake). When the girl saw them she was overjoyed. However the family now has no were to go because there house is destroyed and they don’t even have a tent or bedding like was distributed to the other families.
As we were leaving, a family came in because there ill little girl had been brought in by some of our US soldiers. However, the girl was dying and the doctor said that she was going home (to heaven). The mother’s face lit up because she thought he said that the girl go home now because she was well. When the interpreter conveyed the true message, she broke down and wept. Mauro was able to comfort them and the soldier working with them who was very distraught also. Before they disconnected the ventilator, the parents asked Mauro to pray for the baby and the parents were comforted.
I wish we could come as a family and work with these people for a few months but I know we are not yet in the right time of our lives. The Lord has answered my prayer and given me a motivation to help these people out of love and not out of excitement.

Josh