Clinic at the village

It's amazing how God answers prayers... just yesterday I was praying that God would open doors if He wanted me to do medical work here in Haiti, in addition to loving on these precious kids. And last night a small medical team showed up! So this afternoon we set up clinic here at the village and the PA and I saw 70 patients this afternoon! Most of it wasn't that serious, but it was great to people to help them. These are the people that weren't affected enough to go to the hospital but still had pain from falling or respiratory infections from sleeping outside. Tomorrow the plan is to set up clinic at a nearby police station that probably will have greater need. Please continue to be in prayer for all of us here, for health and strength as we work nonstop and for wisdom and direction in setting up the medical clinics (This group will be here til Monday).
It's been a busy day and is more exhausting because I sleep with the babies at night so never get to sleep through the night (Did I sign up to be a mom yet? :)) I gotta run cause we still have to pack up meds and supplies for tomorrow, but wanted to let y'all know that things were going well and to thank you for all the prayers! And I haven't been able to respond to all these great and encouraging emails but I appreciate y'all so much!! Thank you so much!! Love you guys!!!

Pictures

Here's a couple of pictures... I thought you have seen enough of the destruction on TV so wanted to share some of the precious faces... here's one of Maki (my baby and patient), of the cute little kids eating lunch, and of the kids at the airport, the first ones I got to love! :)

Daily life at the orphanage

I finally have a few minutes where I'm baby free and able to write. I still have too much to say and not enough time or the words to write. I haven't left the orphanage since I arrived, but there has been plenty of work to do. One of my main jobs still continues to be to care for Mackey, the 8 month old that was sick. I carry her around all day and she even sleeps in my room tonite. On Monday night she was up from 12-3, but last night she slept better (Thank you, Lord!). Today she is a little better and happier, but I think what she needs most is love. That's what all the kids here need the most. And there's just not enough people here to give them all the love they need. Besides us and the babies, the older kids and the adults are all sleeping outside. It's not so much that the buildings aren't ok, but more that everyone is just so afraid. I think I felt some tremors last night, but nothing too bad.
Mom asked me yesterday if it was chaotic and I guess it is, but not in the way you would expect. I am nowhere close to the riots, the crowds, the desperation (although it does exist... there are some journalist guys staying here and they come back with stories at night. They actually found another survivor yesterday - 15 days after the earthquake! Truly a miracle!) But here, we are trying to give a halfway normal life to these kids. And the work is nonstop. There are probably 50 or 60 kids and many adults as well... I'm not really sure how many people are really here. But we are blessed to have food and are feeding all of these people, so it's been a big job to make food and wash dishes and I've been able to help some. I think much of the city is without electricity, water and food, but we are blessed with a generator, a well and lots of donated food.
I've not been able to do as much medical stuff as I hoped (although I have been able to treat some of the kids and a couple of people come to the village in need of help), but there are some more medical people coming in today or tomorrow so we've talked about setting up a mini medical clinic here at the village. For now I'm just treating what comes in and helping in any way I can.
Ok, it's time to get back to the babies! Thank you again for all your prayers and encouragement!! All the comments, facebook messages and emails have meant so much and I want you to know how much I appreciate it! Continue to pray for me as I serve, for strength, for health and everything I need to treat and love these people. And pray for the people, especially for peace. Pray for God's love and salvation for the people of Haiti.

Made it to Haiti

I don't even know what to write or where to begin and I am so tired and ready to try to sleep, but I at least wanted to write and let y'all know that I made it. I left FL this morning at 5 am on a private 8 seater plane and flew to Port-au-Prince. The plane ride was awesome and I got to sit in the front with the pilot! He is a man who donated his time and his plane to fly 3 flights into Haiti to take volunteers and supplies in and kids for adoption out. Barbara, the lady in charge here, flew in with 7 kids on Saturday and 6 kids today. I got to play with the kids at the airport today and help them on the plane... so precious!! Pray that everything would go smoothly with all the adoptions.
I got here to the village (the orphanage), which is partly destroyed like most everything else here. Driving in the city seemed somewhat normal in parts but then you pass a building that is in crumbles. I arrived here and was handed one of the kids, an 8 mo old who was dehydrated from vomiting and diarrhea and have literally carried her around for 5 hours until I finally got her to sleep a few minutes ago. Today I mostly helped care for the kids... at one time I was entertaining 5 infants/toddlers. These kids have been through so much and there's so little help here.
I have so much more I could write, but I'll stop with this. I don't know what these next few days will bring, but I know God has me here for His purpose. I may be treating people or I may be loving on kids, but I pray that He might be glorified. I pray that I could bring His love to a people without hope. Thank you so much for all your prayers! Please keep praying for me and for the others here and for the people of Haiti!

Going to Haiti

Yes, I'm really going to Haiti! I wanted to let y'all know that I am leaving for Haiti on Monday and to ask for your prayers. I didn't think my next adventure would be less than 2 months after getting back from Ghana, but this is an opportunity that I feel God has given me. I woke up the day after the earthquake and the first thing I heard on the radio about Haiti was people coming out of the ruins saying, “I need a doctor!” I thought, “Here I am with gifts God has given me to be able to help people physically and the free time because I just returned to the States and am not working full-time.” Ever since that day I have been praying that if God wanted me to go to Haiti, that He would open the door. And my church has so graciously offered to support me. I have searched out many opportunities but have mostly found closed doors until today.

I will be going to work with an orphanage right outside of Port-au-Prince. (check out the website at www.reachouttohaiti.com) It has been there for over 20 years and helps with Haitian adoptions. Since the earthquake, in addition to taking care of the kids they have opened a “walking wounded clinic”. I will be helping take care of (and love on) the kids as well as helping in the clinic. I really don't know a lot of details (this is just one step deeper into trusting the Lord for me!) and actually found out about the organization from someone I barely know... but in looking into it, talking with the coordinator in Florida and praying a lot, I feel that this is the door God has opened for me and is calling me to walk through. As much as I want to help the people in Haiti, I am getting on that plane on Monday because of obedience – because there is a God who loves me and has called me to follow Him. I obey Him, knowing that I go to the place He has called me to and that He will walk with me every step of the way.

I am flying to Orlando tomorrow morning and then fly to Haiti on a private plane Monday morning. I found out about the orphanage earlier this week but didn't think it was going to work out for me to go. But then I get a call from the coordinator this afternoon saying she has an open seat on a plane and thinks I'm the person that's supposed to go! This is all crazy last minute for me and not what I'm used to, but God has totally confirmed to me that this is of Him.

So I'm writing this to ask you all to PLEASE PRAY! I honestly do not think I could go down there if I did not know there was going to be so many people praying for me. I know that many of you are already praying for the people Haiti but please continue to pray for them. Pray for the ministry of Reach out to Haiti and the orphanage. And please pray for me – for safety, health, for compassion and the strength in what I'm gonna face. I know it's gonna be hard, probably harder than anything I've ever been through and so this is why I need your prayers more than ever!

I was told there is a computer and internet at the orphanage but since I'm not taking my laptop I'm not sure how often I'll be able to write. If and when I'm able to update you it will be on facebook and on here. I'm not sure exactly when I'm coming back, probably in 2 weeks, but I'll try to update y'all as I can. Thank you SO MUCH for all your prayers!!

What's Next

Hello everyone!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I have been back home for 2 weeks now but things have been so busy with the holidays that I'm just now getting the chance to write. But I wanted to let you know that I completed my 4 months in Ghana and am now back home and am feeling good. What a challenging, amazing experience – probably the hardest 4 months of my life but I am so thankful for what I experienced, for the help I was able to offer and for all that God taught me.

I want to thank each of you for your prayers, encouragement and support during these past few months. I seriously couldn't have done it without you and I want you to know that even though most of you have never set foot in Ghana, you were there with me each step of the way. Thank you!

I also want to ask for your prayers as I'm back in Atlanta and trying to decide what God has next for me. Please pray for His wisdom and guidance during these next few weeks as I spend a lot of time praying and thinking about what I'm gonna do next. I know His journey for me doesn't stop here, but I'm really not sure what the next chapter is going to be.

None of us know what 2010 holds, but we can rest knowing that God is with us and that He has a plan for each of us. I pray that each of you will enter this new year with hope and trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. May He use each of us for His glory!!

Day in Accra

This is my last blog from Ghana... I can't believe it!! We made it safely to Accra yesterday. We left BMC at 4 am and drove the 2 ½ hours to Tamale... last time on the bumpy Wale-Wale road... and then flew 1 ½ hours to Accra. We were able to rest some yesterday at the Baptist Guesthouse. Megan is feeling better so thank you for the prayers. And besides feeling a little sleep deprived and dreading the long flights ahead of me, I feel good. :)

Today we were able to see a little of Accra. I love tropical cities! After spending 4 months in the dry Northern region, I was happy to see city life, palm trees and the beach!! Praia, que saudades!!! Yes, I was able to see the beach! We did a little shopping and then had lunch at a little restaurant on the beach. It was a great last day!

We're back at the guesthouse and getting ready to leave for the airport. I'm almost home but it's gonna be a long next 24 hours – 6 hour flight to Frankfort, 5 hour layover and then a 10 ½ hour flight to Atlanta. Please pray for safe travels and that I'm able to sleep some. Thanks for being on this journey with me!!