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| We would like to welcome back Campbell University Medical School for their second year. They brought with them many gifted and talented team members. I would like to introduce to you the three different groups who came to serve the Lord in El Limonal, Choluteca, Honduras. The upper middle group was the pharmacy school. The team leader and Pharmacist, Bill brought down with him Haley, Ashley, Rebecca, Taylor, Shauntia, Orin, Krystian, Tiffany and Rachel. They worked the pharmacy and observed and work in other stations of the medical clinic. The left bottom group is the Physical Therapy. Stephen and Matt who already are Physical Therapist came along to assist and teach Brittany and Sara in the Physical Therapy station. Brittney also brought along an extra plus, she could speak Spanish. The bottom left two gentleman are Dr. Brian and Pharmacist Bill. They led the team and work side by side to make sure the students were getting a very thorough learning experience while serving the Lord through a medical clinic. The team was able to see three hundred twenty six patients and Physical Therapy saw fifty two patients which does not include their regular visitor, eighty three year old Santos. He came back each day and walked right in to gets his physical therapy treatment. to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, I Corinthians 12:9 |
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Welcome our Second Medical Team from Campbell University
Other responsiblities and blessings
The medical team came in ready to serve and to fellowship with one another. Once again I thought these folks knew each other. They go to school together but they all shared because of the business of their days and weeks and months they barely knew each other. This week was one with many blessings. They were able to help cook breakfast together which was always filled with lots of laughter early in the morning. The girls rotated washing the dishes and making the daily sandwiches. The team enjoyed sharing meals together each and every day. They gathered around each meal time and began it with a word of prayer to thank God for HIS abundance in all areas of their lives. The team showed grace to each other as well as to Mike and I throughout the entire week. Thank you Campbell students for giving your week of spring vacation to come and serve our God. I can honestly speak for each one in saying they were truly blessed in so many ways.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
2 Corinthians 13:14
2 Corinthians 13:14
First day was worship
The team arrived on a Saturday so their first visit to the job site was church on Sunday morning. We arrived promptly at 9:00 AM for worship. Those of you reading this and have been to Honduras church does not start until all have arrived. So the team went to check out where the medical clinic was going. Pastor Santiago, our housekeeper, Rosa's brother met us with open arms to show us where they could sit up the medical clinic. All the Sunday School classrooms were cleaned and ready to be used for all medical needs The sanctuary would be the waiting room for all the patients coming in for medical care. Registration would be held as you entered the church doors.
Before arriving to Honduras, team leader Bill, asked Orin if he would preach on Sunday morning. He said he would be honored to share the love of Christ with others. He said this was his passion talking about Jesus. He shared with me his preaching style and I said no problem my brother, "preach the word" would be awesome for all of us!!!!! That he did. He had a captive audience as Maida tried to keep up with his excitement for Jesus through his message out of John 4:3-30. This was the story of the woman at the well and Jesus asking her for a drink of water. Orin titled his sermon "When the Loaded Jesus Closes the Distance" In life we plan, pack and prepare for any task at hand. In this story of John 4 Jesus had prepared himself spiritually for the task at hand at the well. Jesus was a carpenter by trade so he knew to carry his tool belt for his work. He knew what tools to carry with him as he approached the woman at the well. Are we prepared for life's work with the right spiritual tools for the task ahead of us? Jesus arrived at the well knowing the time the woman would arrive at the well. He knew all the details of this woman. Jesus knew she was searching for something as he proceeded to ask her for a drink of water from the well. This was not any well, this was Jacob's Well. Jesus asked her if she wanted to receive the "Living Water" only God can give her this "Living Water". She said who are you and what do you mean? The "Living Water" is purifying and refreshing as is the physical water. But the "Living Water" is the only water which provides eternal life. A life of freedom of all our sins. This woman had lived a very hard life with many different husbands. Jesus shared how she could have release from her past and live a new purifying life through the "Living Water". The beauty of this story is Jesus did not judge the woman for who she was but offered her the free gift of eternal life by cleansing of her heart. The woman must receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior to have a cleansed heart, a heart which pure and refreshed. A life full of new beginnings. She knew Jesus was the Messiah because HE knew all about her. Once she received the "Living Water" Jesus told her to go tell others of her new life in Christ. The woman scurried off to the town and told all she saw about the man named Jesus who knew all about her and her past. How she had received the "Living Water" and was made whole and her past was forgiven and forgotten. Do you know this Jesus who was at the well that day? The Jesus who died for our sins so we can have eternal life through HIS blood that was shed on the cross but only to be buried in a tomb to arise on the third day to leave behind an empty tomb. I pray if you have read this today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior please do not let this day go by without receiving the sweetest gift of all, JESUS. Tomorrow may be too late.
John 4:3-30
Happy Birthday Orin
We went to church and out for lunch nothing was said about Orin's birthday. His birthday was discussed on the bus ride down Saturday. Orin said, "How did you know it was my birthday?" I just smiled. So on Sunday the day passed by and no one wished this young man "Happy Birthday". But we all knew that evening he was going to get a surprise. Mike had asked several of the students how well they knew Orin because Mike wanted to share a special Honduran birthday tradition with Orin. This was only the first day so everyone said I just not sure how he would receive a special birthday tradition. So Mike toned it down a bit. He put the two raw eggs in a sandwich bag and as everyone was singing Mike smashed the eggs on top of Orin's head. The bag had a small leak and Mike got some egg on Orin's neck. Orin was a great sport and thanked everyone for his birthday cake and even the eggs. Later on in the week, Mike said if your birthday had been later in the week I would have given you two raw eggs without the sandwich bag.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
Psalm 139:13
Psalm 139:13
Gathered each morning for prayer
Prayer was a big part of the week for each team member. God was leading the way daily. Each morning before leaving the mission house we gathered together for pray and once arriving at the church the team gathered up and prayed for the day ahead. The team may have brought physical medicine but God provided all their spiritual medicine. Thank you God for these godly young people. These young people who shared their faith on a daily basis. These young people who took time to pray with the Hondurans at any given time of the day. They gave God all the praise and honor for all things this week.
The Pharmacy
In the pharmacy there was a special job to be completed for pulling out the meds. The crew got in there and got it done before the first patient was checked in and seen. The pharmacy students with the help of Paul did an amazing job setting up the shelf and then disbursing of the medicines in this somewhat small Sunday School classroom. Bill had a certain group who got the medicines ready at the school before coming to Honduras. This was a very well orchestrated mission and the team got it up and running before their first patient arrived to pick up their medicines. Bill did an amazing job before arriving to have such a well greased machine all week.
Paul was there to encourage the pharmacy to drink their water and take their breaks as needed. This group of ladies was driven to get every pill where it needed to go on the shelf and wherever else they could find a home for them. They used benches stacked on top of one another as shelves for the medicines. They used the trunks the medicines came in as shelves. This group got very creative in a very short time. As I may have shared earlier they knew each other sort of but after setting up their pharmacy they really knew each other and appreciated each others many gifts and talents. This was a very impressive pharmacy to say the least. God's provisions for the medicines was miraculous. Our God is so large if we would only allow HIM to do all things for us. This medical team had a grade A pharmacy all because of God's provisions. All God's people said AMEN..
Haley, one of the pharmacy students shared a devotional on Monday evening out of Ephesians 1:4-11. She shared how they were all here in Honduras for a reason, to share and serve the Lord while here in Honduras with the many gifts and talents God has given us. We are here according to HIS PURPOSE and HIS WILL. They exhibited this each day while in El Limonal.
4 For he chose us1 in him before the creation of the world2 to be holy and blameless3 in his sight. In love4
5 hea predestined5 us to be adopted as his sons6 through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure7 and will--
7 In him we have redemption10 through his blood,11 the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches12 of God's grace
8 that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
9 And heb made known to us the mystery13 of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed14 in Christ,
10 to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment15--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.16
11 In him we were also chosen,c having been predestined17 according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose18 of his will, Ephesians 1:4-11
Registration
The Campbell Medical students each participated in registering the patients. All hands were needed the first day and the afternoon of the second day. They registered eighty one patients the first day. As the day progressed there was discussion of many of the patients on the list worked in the melon fields and would not be able to get to the clinic before five o'clock. The team worked each day from eight o'clock in the morning until five o'clock or so in the afternoon. So there became a small concern of the forty plus patients who worked in the melon fields. It looked good to have the names on paper but the medical team wanted to serve the people and as many as God could provide for them. So Pastor Santiago shared he could go to the neighboring community and invite them to come in that afternoon. So Jose and Pastor Santiago went after lunch to pick up the patients they had previously spoken to earlier that day. Oh my goodness. God provided eighty more patients that afternoon. The team saw one hundred and twenty plus patients on the second day. Thank you Rachel, Orlin, Rebecca, Taylor, Stephen, Matt, Shanita, Sara, Brittany, Ashley, Haley,Krystian and Tiffany who rotated out each day registering the three hundred twenty five plus patients. God is good all the time and all the time God is good.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
Philippians 4:19
Dr Brenda's healing room
As I walked from room to room observing everyone busy at work getting their rooms ready I noticed a picture hanging up on the wall of the room Dr. Brenda had chosen. It was the story of the friends who took a very sick friend to see Jesus. The house where Jesus was sharing the gospel was full of people listening to all Jesus had to say. The determined friends wanted their friend to be healed by Jesus. They climbed to the top of the roof of the house where Jesus was speaking and opened up the roof to lower their friend down in front of Jesus, the Great Physician.
These men went to a lot of trouble that day to help their friend. They did not let any obstacles get in their way. They were determined to get their friend to Jesus no matter the cost. As I watched the week unfold in this little community church I saw North Americans and Hondurans go to any lengths to help those in need. We had numerous God moments similar to the bible story above.
Tiffany on the very first day met a new found friend named Santos who was eighty three years old and she helped him get registered but Tiffany did not stop there she took him to where he needed to go to see a doctor and took him to the pharmacy to help him receive his medicine. During this process Tiffany had a tugged at her heart, God saying pray with this man. Encourage this man through praying Tiffany. Tiffany grabbed Maida and ask her to translate as she prayed with her new friend, Santos.
I am very sad I do not have this picture of Orin carrying a little girl home after the medical team started treatment number one of many more treatments to follow on her foot. Her foot got infected due to a bite. She could not walk after the procedure so please envision a huge giant of a guy carrying a little girl through her village to her home. Maida followed along to make sure she got to the correct stick and mud home. Orin placed her down in a hammock as he slowly walked out feeling humbled by his experience. The little girl, Marlan thanked Orin for helping her home.
Paul had many jobs this week and one was keeping Marlan, little girl with infected foot from crying during her procedure. Paul had the perfect demeanor for this little girl. His soft gentle voice soothed her as the team worked on her infectious foot.
Several team members made a home visit not to provide medical care but to provide encouragement, spiritual encouragement. A week earlier the mother of this thatched house died after two year battle with an injured hip and leg. Two years prior to coming here to Honduras, team leader Bill and some other staff from Campbell came down and got to meet this lady who had been hit by a orange school bus and was left for dead. Somehow she made it home. The accident was in January and Bill met her in March where she had received very little medical care. Long story short the lady never walked again. So Bill and several of the team members with the help of Maida the translator went to the home to visit the father and children. The husband and father with tears running down his cheek thanked them for coming to his home. The husband and father shared how hard the last two years had been for everyone. The team prayed for the family and cried tears of sadness with the family. The husband and father were humbled they came to pay their respect for the family.
This team was more than a medical team. Thank you for taking time for this hurting family.
Matt from Physical Therapy shared he taught a gentleman a simple exercise to prevent leg cramps at night when he went to bed. The man came back the next day full of joy and shared with Matt he slept for the first time without any leg cramps. A simple act of service for the Lord.
Stephen, physical therapist, spoken ninety percent broken Spanish with Ezekiel. But the most important conversation of all was when Ezekiel asked Stephen was he a Christian. What an amazing and bold question for a person to ask you. But do we do this ourselves. The most important question you could ask someone is about their salvation. How many times do we loose the opportunity to find out about a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor or even a family member if they know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. This conversation with Ezekiel gave Stephen a blessed experience.
There was many more stories just like these.. This was so much more than a medical team this week. Jesus was at working healing more than physical ailments this week.
Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.
Mark 2:4
Dr. Brian, the other gentle giant
Dr. Brian, a man with a servant's heart and the love for medicine saw each patient with much compassion and concern. There was several times he took a small child who was scared to death who may have never seen a doctor before and coaxed her or him ever so gentle to trust him with her or his care. Dr. Brian along with Maida and some other students made a home visit with an elderly man who was eighty two. He had a stroke two years ago. This gentleman worked the fields all his life to provide for his family. Two years ago the stroke kept him from working the fields. He felt as if he had failed his family. He could no longer provide for their physical needs. Dr. Brian took his callous hands and explained to him how they were a symbol of all he had done for his family. His hard work showed through the callouses his hand wore. Dr. Brian told him he was an amazing role model for his family. Dr. Brian encouraged him to let his family care for him now. Let your family give back to you what all you had given to them. At this time the team gathered around the gentleman and his family to pray for each of them. Haley shared how she could not hold back the tears as Dr. Brian prayed and shared with the gentleman and his family.
Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
Matthew 22:37
Matthew 22:37
Physical Therapy
We would like to welcome our first Physical Therapy team to Honduras through North Carolina Baptist Men. Stephen and Matt took off of work to come along side the two Campbell Medical School ladies, Brittany and Sara. The second evening of God moments one of the ladies shared how they did not know coming in how much use they would be to the medical team. After the second day at the clinic they realized God had called them to assist in what they do best, Physical Therapy. Sara shared one day while working on a patient she knew going in she wanted to be a Physical Therapist. This week confirmed this for her. Brittany brought something extra to the Physical Therapy team, Spanish. Brittany was their translator during the week. There was only a couple of times they needed Maida to come assist them. One of the times is in the above video when their new friend, Juan, could not understand the proper way of picking up a bucket. They ladies and Matt taught him the correct way of lifting something off the floor. Juan job is lifting tires daily. He had severe lower back pain from the lifting. The team gave him some exercises to do to help with the pain but also showed him the proper way to lift the tires by using a bucket. This is all they had close by to use for the demonstration.
Also the team had a friend named Santos who came daily to let them serve him. Santos was eighty three years old and was hit by a car a year ago. He had damaged to his foot. The team worked on his foot daily and helped bring the swelling down. On the last day they shared with him how improved his foot was and how they were proud of his progress. Brittany and Sara asked him how did he feel and he showed them his shoulder was hurting. The ladies were able to help him one last time. I know Santos will remember these four special people for a very long time. They made a big difference in his life physically and spiritually. One of his visits the ladies prayed with Santos.
Matt had a patient come with cramps in his legs. Matt showed him some exercises to do in the evening to help him. The very next day the gentleman came back to tell Matt how well he slept and there was not any cramps in his legs. Each team member who observed the Physical Therapy group shared how much they learned from their short observations.
Thank you Physical Therapy Team for sharing with us and the people of Honduras your many gifts.
God knew what he was doing when He had you come with the medical team. Your assistance helped fifty two plus people who hopefully will go and teach others what they learned from their visit with you all.
Brittany and Sara had devotionals on the last night. They shared how Ezekiel ask them to go back to the mission house and read Matthew 25:31-46. He shared please read this twice. Once the ladies read this it simply gave them chills about the entire week. When the ladies read verse 45 and read it twice Ezekiel shared with them this is what you did this week. You helped the least of these and God was well pleased. This is why the ladies place here was so important. They learned they were here serving God and not man. They were obedient to their calling to come to Honduras and others as well as themselves were truly blessed.
He will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
Matthew 25:45
Matthew 25:45
Different tasks to learn
This team brought many different job duties with them. They came to serve and to learn from one another. Bill had each team member rotate the four different stations each day. Each day I would go and visit the team I would find someone new observing in physical therapy or in the pharmacy. They each got to learn what the others were studying in school. It broadens and enhances their thinking process to be able to observe others and to be hands on as well. This week was an intense time of learning for these students who gave up their spring break to serve the Lord in Honduras. It was never considered a sacrifice on their part at all. They learned so much from one another and had so much fun doing it.
Friday, March 13, 2015
The Children
This team enjoyed the children from Sunday morning until the very last day of the medical clinic. The team shared how impressed they were at their behavior in church and how well they knew their bible verses. During the clinic the children opened their mouths real wide to get their temps taken which was a treat for Orin, since Orin did not know Spanish. So he demonstrated to the little girl how to open her mouth and stick the thermometer in. The children were amazed with the tongue compressors as well shared Shaunita. Shaunita shared how one little girl wanted the toy. She wanted to play with the toy. The toy was the tongue compressor. Shaunita was blessed to be able to speak Spanish. So Shaunita shared the tongue compressor with her while Dr. Brenda did the little girl's examination. Rachel had a great time teaching a little girl a clapping rhyme she learned as a little girl growing up in the states. Of course soccer or futbol was a time of pure entertainment. Taylor shared she had never had so much fun playing such an unorganized game of soccer as she did one afternoon after the kids got out of school. This is the most unorganized fun Taylor had ever had. Thank you to each of you who took the time to enjoy the children while providing medical care for each of them.
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Matthew 19:14
Matthew 19:14
Marlan
Marlan came on the first day of the clinic carried by her father on his way to work. Her mother and little sister came with her each day. Dr. Brian was the doctor attending to her the needs of her foot. They diagnosed her swollen foot as a possible bug bite. Marlan was a brave little girl who came daily for treatment on her bite. Dr. Brian and with the assistance of many others scraped the bite, soaked her foot and many other procedures to try helping her. Paul, team member came in and stood by her side with words of encouragement to keep her mind off of the procedures. Marlan felt secure when Paul entered the room. The last day they took her into the Physical Therapy room where Brittany spoke to her gently in Spanish as they did their last procedure. The first day Orin carried her to her home but after the first day her Daddy came and carried her piggy back home each day. She looked at Orin to say my Daddy has me but I thank you for helping me as well. That big smile she had brought joy to everyone who helped Marlan. Rachel entertained the little sister while her big sister was with the doctors. This was a huge team effort in helping this little girl's foot to heal properly. Taylor's devotional one night shared out of Colossians 3:12-17, "Whatever we do we do it for Jesus." I feel like Marlan saw and felt the love of Jesus in each and everyone who touched her foot or spoke kind and compassionate words to her. Marlan saw Jesus that week.
Our staff receives medical care
Mike and I asked team leader, Bill, could we bring some of our staff to receive health care on the last day of the medical clinic. The numbers were low on the last day. We brought the boys and one lady to receive medical care. Andrea is seventy eight years old and works at Mt Horeb Baptist Mission Campus cutting the grass on the property with a machete. Dr. Brian said Andrea is a machine. He was the healthiest person he had seen. There was a few who went through physical therapy because of some injuries they incurred while working. The physical therapy staff jokingly shared we were working the boys too hard. Overall our staff was in good health, Praise the Lord!!!! We are very blessed to have such dedicated men and one young lady working on the campus. They all were grateful for the opportunity to receive medical attention. We got ready to leave and I started counting heads to see if I had everyone. I was missing someone who we found sitting in the pharmacy talking to the team and sharing his love for Jesus. We took them back to the ministry campus and off to work they all went. Saying thank you once again as they tarried on their way.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God
I Corinthians 10:31
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