Our team piled into the back of the truck at 6 am Saturday morning at the OMS compound. We loaded up all our meds and supplies that we had counted and sorted out the week before. We set off on the hour long ride to where we would begin the 2 hour hike into the mountains to the church in Souffriere. Ms. Prudence had arranged for some men from Souffriere to meet us with donkeys and motorcycles that would help carry our supplies and food up the mountain.
Despite scattered showers throughout the hike, the scenery was breath- taking and it was a blessing to be outside enjoying God's beautiful creation and in the company of our Hatian brothers and sisters. Four out of the 6 seminary students were a part of the team that went with us to Diquini Port-au-prince last March. It was so great to reunite with them and once again work along side eachother as family. Ther passionate and enthusiastic love for the Lord and for His people is an encouragement to everyone they come in contact with. The Holy Spirit's presence is alive and constantly at work in and through them, and it was a priviledge to be able to serve with them again.
As soon as we arrived in Souffriere, we gathered in Ms. Prudence and her husband's home to pray and have lunch together before getting to work. Ms. Prudence's Husband has been the Pastor of the church in Souffriere for 20 years. Both him and Ms. Prudence helped Julie and I with the food and sleeping arrangements for the team(most of us slept in their house) as well as drinks and food for every patient we saw. Ms. Prudence has over 20 years of nursing experience here in Haiti and has done many mobile clinics before. We basically would have been lost without her this weekend. She made sure there was order amidst the chaos of hundreds of patients, took care of the needs of the team, and on top of that consulted with patients all day Saturday.
When we arrived there were already hundreds of people gathered in the church waiting to see the doctor. So after lunch Ms. Prudence began handing out tickets to the patients and trying to assemble some sort of order. Julie and I were assigend to our own room where we started unpacking and arranging all the meds and supplies. Both Ms. Prudence and Dr. Phil started seeing patients at about 10:30. After they had their consultation, the patients brought the piece of paper which had both their exam and perscription information over to us in the pharmacy. We handed out their meds with instructions on taking them. After they got their medication, we directed them over to where the seminary students were and each person had a chance to talk one on one with one of the students about Jesus, and pray with them. It was really amazing because some of the students who were with us were from Port-au-Prince and had been in the earthquake. There were many patients we saw that had been in the Earthquake as well, so it was a great opportunity for the students to personally connect with these people. They were able to empathize with their pain and loss and share ways that God has since then produced beauty and new life from terrible circumstances and proved Himself faithful, loving, and gracious in all things.
The plan was to take a break at 2 and right before we did, the rain started to pour. However, this turned out to be a blessing because there were so many patients who had come for the clinic and there was no way we would have been able to see every person that came. The downpour caused the crowds to disperse a bit, and we were able to see everyone who was left. As soon as we finished our break, the rain stopped and the sun came out. As always, the Lord knows exactly what we need when we need it and is faithful to provide.
By the time we finished, we had seen about 200 people. Two people that I know of asked Jesus into their lives and were saved that day and many more were prayed over and encouraged in their faith. Everything ran quite smoothly(given the circumstances) and everyone worked extremely well together.
After dinner we all spent the rest of the evening sitting in Ms. Prudence's house talking, laughing, singing, and sharing stories together. One of the songs we sang was a Kreyol song that is one of my favorites...partly because I know it, but also because the combination of the student's voices blended together in harmony and the passion and emotion with which they worship is truly beautiful. Ms. Prudence must have agreed and after she heard us singing it she decided we would sing it in church the next morning.
We got up with the sun, got washed, and had breakfast of hard boiled eggs, toast, coffee, and fresh pinapple(pinapple is in season right now and is delicious!). Me, Julie, Nicole and Yolen taught children's Sunday school at 8 that morning. It was Mother's day in Haiti and our lesson was on honoring your mother and father. We helped them memorize Ephesians 6:1 and 2, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"-which is the first commandment with a promise." Then Julie and I got up and sang some songs with them in Kreyol and taught them a song in English called "Rejoice in the Lord Alaways." We performed the song and recited the memory verse at the beginning of the church service, and the children did great!
Since it was a special day, the children's choir performed a couple songs for their mom's and were so adorable in their matching uniforms and ribbons. Ms. Prudence introduced our team and one by one each of us had a chance to introduce ourselves to the congregation, and afterwards we sang our song we had practiced the night before. One of the students named Jean Marc preached on Ephesians 5:22-33 and 6:1-4. He asked the church if God was honored within their families, and he talked specifically to each person in the family, father, mother, and children. He used the passages to encourage them to love, obey, and respect one another just as Jesus loved, obeyed, and respected God. He did a fantastic job, and he preached this fitting topic with conviction and energy that engaged everyone who was present. The service lasted about 3 hours and was great, but it was really hot and by the end we were ready for some water and fresh air!
We had our last meal together, packed up all of our stuff, and began the journey back down the mountain. It was a lovely walk home and I had the chance to talk more with some of the students. I practiced my Kreyol and they practiced their English :)
We had a few learning opportunities that will help us improve the clinics in the future, but overall the weekend couldn't have gone much better and I praise God for His presence in all of the planning stages and throughout the entire weekend. We know that NONE of this would have been possible without the Holy Spirit's involvement in every detial, and I am humbled that the mighty, all-powerful creator of the universe chose to put His Holy Spirit in us and enable us to serve Him in this way. I am excited for how God is going to use these mobile clinics to magnify His name and increase our faith. I await with eager anticipation and expectation, knowing that He will do a mighty work beyond anything we could ever predict or imagine. Please join me in praying for this ministry and the lives that will be touched because of it.
"Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!"
-Revelation 7:12
After dinner we all spent the rest of the evening sitting in Ms. Prudence's house talking, laughing, singing, and sharing stories together. One of the songs we sang was a Kreyol song that is one of my favorites...partly because I know it, but also because the combination of the student's voices blended together in harmony and the passion and emotion with which they worship is truly beautiful. Ms. Prudence must have agreed and after she heard us singing it she decided we would sing it in church the next morning.
We got up with the sun, got washed, and had breakfast of hard boiled eggs, toast, coffee, and fresh pinapple(pinapple is in season right now and is delicious!). Me, Julie, Nicole and Yolen taught children's Sunday school at 8 that morning. It was Mother's day in Haiti and our lesson was on honoring your mother and father. We helped them memorize Ephesians 6:1 and 2, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"-which is the first commandment with a promise." Then Julie and I got up and sang some songs with them in Kreyol and taught them a song in English called "Rejoice in the Lord Alaways." We performed the song and recited the memory verse at the beginning of the church service, and the children did great!
Since it was a special day, the children's choir performed a couple songs for their mom's and were so adorable in their matching uniforms and ribbons. Ms. Prudence introduced our team and one by one each of us had a chance to introduce ourselves to the congregation, and afterwards we sang our song we had practiced the night before. One of the students named Jean Marc preached on Ephesians 5:22-33 and 6:1-4. He asked the church if God was honored within their families, and he talked specifically to each person in the family, father, mother, and children. He used the passages to encourage them to love, obey, and respect one another just as Jesus loved, obeyed, and respected God. He did a fantastic job, and he preached this fitting topic with conviction and energy that engaged everyone who was present. The service lasted about 3 hours and was great, but it was really hot and by the end we were ready for some water and fresh air!
We had our last meal together, packed up all of our stuff, and began the journey back down the mountain. It was a lovely walk home and I had the chance to talk more with some of the students. I practiced my Kreyol and they practiced their English :)
We had a few learning opportunities that will help us improve the clinics in the future, but overall the weekend couldn't have gone much better and I praise God for His presence in all of the planning stages and throughout the entire weekend. We know that NONE of this would have been possible without the Holy Spirit's involvement in every detial, and I am humbled that the mighty, all-powerful creator of the universe chose to put His Holy Spirit in us and enable us to serve Him in this way. I am excited for how God is going to use these mobile clinics to magnify His name and increase our faith. I await with eager anticipation and expectation, knowing that He will do a mighty work beyond anything we could ever predict or imagine. Please join me in praying for this ministry and the lives that will be touched because of it.
"Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!"
-Revelation 7:12
You are so amazing Hannah and I love you! Please tell Miss Prudence and all I said hello!
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