Our South Carolina medical mission team returned Saturday night from a ten day relief trip to Haiti. The stories we heard, the sights we saw, and the experiences we had will forever change us. One of our team members referred to the trip as a defining moment in his life.
I’ve heard people say that miracles don’t happen anymore. Following our trip last week I will now respond, “They do in Haiti!” I have been blessed to be a part of around 25 mission and disaster relief trips, but this one was unique. The goal on every trip is to be the hands and feet of Christ and share His love with the people in need. Last week we saved lives! There are actually people alive today that probably would not be if not for our team of medical personnel and the other teams who joined us there!
Our team arrived at the clinic in Petit Goave, Haiti on Friday, January 29th around 5pm. Less than an hour later a child was brought in with a pick-ax wound to his head. The father was clearing debris and the child came too close. The pick struck the child in the head exposing “grey matter.” The medical personnel stabilized the boy and immediately called for him to be flown by helicopter to a surgical unit in Port-au-Prince. One of our Haitian American nurses flew with the boy to PAP, and surgery was performed immediately. The word we received last Wednesday was that the doctors were talking about when to let him go home!!
This is just one of many stories our team could share. A few would make you laugh…many would make you cry. At the end of them all, however, I think we all would agree…WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!!!
Miracles do still happen. To see one though you might have to visit a small clinic in Petit Goave, Haiti under the mango trees.
Yesterday started out very busy with Dan heading off to deliver supplies and Carl heading out to pick up the South Carolina team, which included his sister. The SC team arrived in the country yesterday by car. Carl had picked them up at the border, and was able to drive them to the guest house just in time for lunch. We had a couple hours to spend with the team and their leader Greg Edmunds. Greg is also a Global Partners missionary currently raising support to come to Haiti where he will oversee the hospital rebuild on La Gonave. After lunch Greg and his team left as fast as they had come, heading out to the Petit Guave clinic where they will be for the next 8 days.
They hadn’t been in the clinic for very long before they received a patient, a young boy with a pick axe wound. The boy had gotten too close to somebody who was digging through debris. As the digger was swinging his pick axe back, he struck the boy in the head. The injury was very serious with grey matter exposed and paralysis in part of his body. This injury was far beyond anything that the outdoor clinic is setup to handle.
Dan, Greg, Fritzlene and Dr.Sloan as the team is loading up.
Fortunately, the team had a back up plan. Just that morning Dan Irvine had made contact with an aid worker from Samaritan’s Purse. This worker told him that they had medical helicopters available and offered his services to the clinic. Later that day, the team in Petit Guave took Samaritan’s Purse up on their offer. Though the organization was surprised to receive a phone call from Dan so quickly, they were more than happy to help. They responded quickly to our call, airlifting the boy to an American hospital where he will be treated for brain trauma.
Pastor Greg Edmonds and his father Rev. Preston Edmonds pack the Graham Chapel bus before he and a team of 14 South Carolina Wesleyan church members, including five registered nurses, head down to Atlanta to leave for a medical mission trip to Haiti. The trip to Haiti was planned before the earthquake on January 12th, but the disaster caused the team to change their planned trip into a medical mission.
Greg’s heart has been burdened for Haiti for some time now. The recent earthquake, and the damage it brought has intensified the need for Greg and Heidi to raise their support and move to Haiti. Their mission is to rebuild hope in Haiti through compassionate ministries and the message of forgiveness and hope found only in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pastor Greg left this week to go to Haiti for ten days, and will return Feb 6th. He and Heidi are still building their support team for the long-term mission they will begin at the end of this year in Haiti. You can find all the resources on how you can help Greg and Heidi’s mission to Haiti on this website.
The intensity of passion for Greg & Heidi’s mission work in Haiti has been intensified by this quake. Please be in prayer for the work they will be doing.
