Working x-ray, hurray!

I’d like to thank every one of you who have been praying about our x-ray department at Bethesda Medical Clinic and let you know that the Lord has answered our prayers! Two weeks ago we got in a shipment of a portable x-ray tube head and an automatic processor. Denise Pearson, a lady I have been emailing back and forth with since I got here, sent them along with film, cassettes, and developing chemicals. Denise and her husband Kevin arrived on the 21st to help us get everything up and running. Before they arrived, Bud who is a missionary here and does maintenance work, mounted the tube head on our already existing machine. I got the room all cleaned up and cleared out, we had some tables built for the processor, and mounted the bucky machine on the wall. When they came Thursday, all we had to do was get the processor working and we were ready to start taking x-rays and testing out techniques. Praise the Lord, at about 5 that night we had everything working as it should and took a beautiful picture of Kevin’s hand.The next day I took a picture of Julie’s back that’s been hurting her for years and it came out great! We made an announcement on Radio 4VEH on Saturday and a few of the surrounding churches announced it on Sunday as well. The workload has been slow, but we are optimistic that once word gets out things will pick up. Our clinic charges much less than anyone else here and we are hoping that when people realize that, they will start coming here for their exams instead.

Julie and I are still working at Milot Mondays and Wednesdays. They have been discharging patients who came from Port au Prince every month and there is only about 80 people left in the tents. Things have slowed down noticeably and it allows us more time to sit and visit with the patients. We have made many good friends with the patients, translators, and others who work there and really enjoy going out there. However, now that things are slowing down there and the x-ray machine is working at our clinic, I’m not sure how much longer we will be going out there on a regular basis. We know our time there was only for a season, and although we are going to be sad not to be seeing these people as often, I feel this season may be coming to a close fairly soon.

I recently visited the dental clinic on our compound because I lost one of my fillings after biting into a cashew. I was nervous and not sure what to expect. When I got there, there was a line of people outside the door and I went to go put my name in at the front desk. Right away they took me back, made me a chart, and within 2 minutes I was in the dentist chair getting numbed up. I prayed I would be able to withstand whatever came next, but was pleasantly surprised that the whole procedure was relatively painless and quick. It feels great and it was a huge answer to prayer that the solution was so convenient and immediate.

I also recently visited Dr. Rodney at the clinic with an ingrown toenail on my left big toe. I had had it for awhile and thought that it would just go away. But it didn’t and was starting to get really sore. Dr. Rodney did an operation on it Friday, cut out half of my nail, and finished off with a few stitches. I had the same operation a couple years ago, and I was nervous going into it this time as I remembered that it wasn't much fun. Julie came with me for support and distraction, and everything went really well. Between Dr. Rodney's jokes and Julie's teasing I didn't have much time to worry about anything besides defending myself so that kept my mind off of what was going on pretty well. I’m going to have to stay off of it for awhile and keep it covered to make sure it doesn’t get infected, but no amputation was needed and it's already healing nicely. We have recently discovered a star fruit tree out behind our house that has hundreds of ripe fruit waiting to be eaten. We have been picking some every day and bringing bagfuls of them to share with everyone at the clinic. Most of the Haitians have never heard of them, let alone ever eaton one. They seem to be a big hit and we love having free fresh fruit at our fingertips :) I am so thankful that the Lord is beginning this “new” phase of my time here in Haiti and answering our prayers about the x-ray machine. I am daily encouraged by how tangibly God is working here and proving His faithfulness over and over and over again.

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”
Psalm 115:1

REFLECTIONS OF HAITI by Julie Perry

June 30th-July 9th

1John 3:17-18 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love in words or tongue
but with actions and truth.

Hannah read these verses to me over the phone before she came home in June and was somewhat troubled. She expressed that she felt God was convicting and challenging her regarding the many Haitian people she came in contact with every day who were in great need. I didn’t realize the magnitude of the situation until I was able to witness the many heart-wrenching interactions for myself. I began to feel an urgent sense of responsibility to help. The verse Hannah shared in her blog Luke 12:48 “From everyone who has been given much, much more will be expected” came to mind many times throughout my stay in Haiti. The country is much poorer than I expected and their basic needs are overwhelming. They seem only to be "surviving" in the midst of disease, hunger, extremely poor sanitation, lack of running water in many places, limited health care, violence and the list goes on and on. I read that 7 out of 10 Haitians are jobless and many have had little opportunity for education. It costs 100.00 per child /year to send their children to school which is a fortune for these people. I met many parents who are sacrificing all they have just to pay for their children’s schooling. I felt ashamed for the many times in my life I thought I needed more.

Despite their many hardships, I found the Haitian people whom I met to be warm, friendly and always quick to laugh. They value relationships much more than material possessions and their faith is blatently evident in how they live out their daily lives. They trust God in every area and for many, He is literally all they have. The irony of it all is that as Christians, Christ should be all that we need in this life. I was truly humbled by these precious friends of Hannah and felt so honored and loved by each of them. I also loved meeting the other OMS staff and was greeted with open arms. In the beginning, as a Mother, I had mixed feelings about Hannah going to Haiti for a year but after this life changing visit, I have no doubt that this is exactly where God wants her at this time in her life and I know He is holding her in the palm of his hand. I can’t explain the peace that I had while I was in Haiti and I will cherish forever the special time that I had with my daughter watching her pour out Gods love to these wonderful Haitian people.

God has also blessed Hannah with her roommate Julie, a kindred spirit and sister in Christ. I am so amazed at how the girls have immersed themselves into the culture and are committed to helping these people (as well as the OMS staff) both financially and tangibly. Both girls are adored by their Haitian friends and are in some ways treated more like Haitians than foreigners. Julie is fluent in kreyol and Hannah is catching on. I tried to learn a little kreyol while I was there as I love the language but made a fool out of myself many times over. I was definitely their source of entertainment. I have had such a hard time trying to process my feelings about my trip to Haiti. I feel like I left part of myself there and long to go back at some point. I have written these people and their country on my heart and I will never forget them.

HIGHLIGHTS

July 1st-Arriving at the OMS compound after 2 days of travel by plane and bus. We were greeted enthusiastically by Hannah’s roommate Julie and Dave Graffenburger. He and his wife Marilyn have been serving Haiti with OMS since the early 70's. They are very special people and have a hugw heart for the Haitian people.

July 2nd- The graduation of the seminary students who have become some of Hannah and Julies closest friends. These young men and women have such a pure love for God and are fully committed to bringing the gospel of hope to their people. July 3 rd- A trip to Kormier beach with Julie, Hannah, Dr. Rodney, his wife Vedane, their children Wood(6) and Olly(2), and Freddo(17) a nephew who is living with them. I love this family!! Dr. Rodney is one of the doctors at the Bethesda clinic and also serves as a pastor in his church. He is an man with great vision for his country and a big heart for the Lord and his people. Once you meet this wonderful family, you feel like you have known them all your life. They have befriended both girls and they all love spending time together. July 4th- Hannah and I attended the Vaudreuil church on the compound where Dr. Rodney and his family attend. I did not understand much but the passion in their worship and preaching was so inspiring.

July 5th- I worked at the clinic with Hannah doing vital signs and helping in the depot putting away mediactions. The Nurses and other co workers were so much fun and overjoyed that Hannah had returned. I really felt loved and accepted by the staff. July 6th- Morning- Julies sisters Claire and Leah arrived from Ireland the night before and we ventured along with Vedane to the Citadel, a fortress built by a General from Grenada back in the fourteen hundreds after helping free the Haitians from the French. The day was extremely hot and humid but the mile hike up was worth it. Oh what a view!

July 6th afternoon- On the way back we stopped at Milot Hospital to meet co workers and visit with the earthquake victims who are living across from the hospital in large tents, receiving ongoing care. Hannah and Julie have been working there since February and have become very close with many of them, trying to help as much as they can. Everyone we met was so happy to see the girls and excited to meet the rest of us. I was really touched by these people. They have all lost so much and yet are still smiling. I saw many cots with bibles and was deeply humbled by their faith in the midst of tragedy.

July 7th- Girls day to the market with our guide Vedane. We stopped at an air conditioned fast food place and ordered ice cream. I don’t think it is a favorite on the menu as the ice cream was so frozen it took 45 minutes to be able to scoop it into cups. It was really good however and worth the wait. I had a blast hanging out with the girls and wished only that Em could have been with us. Hopefully she will be able go back with Hannah after Tom's wedding in September.

July 7th-evening- My last night we had a party with Dr, Rodney and his family and had a blast watching his two boys break dance to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”July 8th- morning(0740) It had rained hard the night before and we needed to be at the bus by 8:00 am to ensure that I got a seat. The roads were so bad from the rain that they did not even resemble what they looked like the day before. We definitely underestimated the traffic and congestion from the rain. The driving situation there is crazy at best but that morning it was insane. We had cars, trucks, tap-tap (taxis) and droves of motorcycles coming at us from all sides. I was so amazed at how well Hannah maneuvered the stick shift forerunner and remained so calm like she had been driving these roads for years. We got there in record time with minutes to spare. I can’t tell you how hard it was for me to leave Haiti and especially to leave Hannah. I Am in awe and so grateful for what God has done and continues to do in her life through her obedience to follow him. I loved my visit and have been forever changed by this experience.

More pictures of the the beach, Citadel, Milot, girls day out, etc. :
http://picasaweb.google.com/HannahMichellePerry/MomJulieSSistersVisit#

Change of scenery

I had a wonderful visit back in the states for a couple of weeks(15th-1st). It was such a blessing to be able to share that time with my family an dfriends, and to be in God's beautiful creation of Bend Oregon.

I flew out of the Dominican Republic instead of Cap Haitien because it was cheaper. I had a little trouble at the border because I had been in Haiti longer than 3 months without a visa. I was warned beforehand by our leader, Dave Graffenberger, that this could be an issue because OMS didn't have connections in the DR that could help smooth out the process. I prayed most of the way to the border on the bus, was prepared to inform them(in Kreyol) of all I had been doing in Haiti the past 4 months, bribe them if necessary, and if all else failed shed a few tears. I'm so thankful it didn't come to that however, and praise God that He softened their hearts to let me pass after letting me explain and giving me a stern warning that next time I would not be allowed through.

I flew into LAX first for a 4 day Youg Life reunion of a Student Leadership project I was apart of in high school. It was like entering into a different world, or era even. Everything and everyone were moving so fast and the stark contrast from the poverty stricken streets of the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, to a place where the richest people in the world lived in complete luxery and excess, could not have been more opposite. It really was strange for me and I wasn't sure at first how to feel or respond to that reality. It took me a couple days of thinking and talking with God to come to the conclusion that I was grateful that the Lord was beginning to open my eyes and enlighten me to a few of the things that were happening outside of the world I grew up in. I thanked Him that He was turning my ignorance into awareness and asked Him to continue using all He was teaching me and all the resources He had given me to further His kingdom and bring glory to His name. This realization was also convicting, as the Lord reminded me that the day we see Him face to face we will be held accountable for all that we know.

I reconnected with some old friends and leaders and we shared all about where life had taken us the past few years. I was able to share about my time in Haiti, what the Lord is doing there, and what He is doing personally in my own life. I am really grateful for the time I had to fellowship, be encouraged, and pray with other believers. But by the end of the weekend though, I was ready for the clear fresh air and panoramic view of the snow covered mountains of Central Oregon...oh and to see my family of course :)

Despite a delayed flight and an extra night in Portland, I finally made it home and it was a sweet reunion with my family and closest friends. It felt surreal driving home all of us in one van back to the house where I had lived the majority of my past 24 years. I was overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude and thanksgiving as I marveled at the brilliant colors of the familiar scenery whisking by(it was strange driving that fast on such a smooth road after getting used to the driving in Haiti), and looked around at my beautiful family full of so much love. I thought about all of the many blessings the Lord had lavished upon us each individually and together as a whole. Luke 12:48, a verse that the Lord had first used to speak to my heart about missions immediately came to mind as it has in similar circumstances before: ''From everyone who has been given much, much more will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.'' The call to be faithful with everything God has given me and done in my life was once again presented so relevantly after being reminded of how vastly God has blessed me, and it was just as convicting as when I had first read it. I am so thankful for the Lord reminding me of this and allowing me to view this truth with a different, clearer perspective than I had before.

After we got home and had lunch, my mom, dad and I went for a walk near our house and did some catching up. That is one of my favorite things to do in Bend; walk outside and see the many beautiful things God has created right where I live. I then went to play in a slow-pitch softball game with a team of my friends(and brother and sister) that I'd played with in the years past. It was a great chance to see many of my friends, have some fun on the softball field, and share dinner together afterwards.

The following week was jam-packed with trying to see as many people as I could and do as many things as I could before I left. It included BBQ's with my grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins and friends, dinners with family, frisbee/volleyball, walks/runs with my sister, Bend Elks baseball game, night with the New Hope Youth Group, coffee with friends, singing worship with my brother and sister at the Shepherd's House and listening to my father preach, going to my home church and seeing friends and supporters, spending a night out in the woods with my family, praying around the campfire, movies, coffee dates with friends, getting frozen yogurt with siblings and cousins, a long walk at beautiful Shevlin Park with family, a trip to Costco and the hospital, visiting my old work, a movie and sushi with my brother and sister, and one last lunch out with my family. I was SO blessed to have been able to have all of these experiences in such a short time. I was fully reminded of just how good God is and I give Him all the praise and glory for allowing me to spend this time at home.

By the end of my trip I really felt that I was ready to be back. I missed all of my Haitian friends, Julie, and the simplicity of life there. I knew in my heart that I have a place in Haiti now for such a time as this, a work that God has begun there in and through me and a work that He is calling me to. The urgency to be there fulfilling that call was apparent as my time at home came to an end. I was also excited because my mom had the opportunity to travel back with me for a week and experience the country of Haiti and what I am involved in there. What a special time it was for us, and I asked her if she would write a post on my blog of her own experience during her time here. In the next post I will let her share about our week, the things God spoke to her about, and in what ways the trip has affected her.

Here are a few pictures of my time at home: