Day 4 – An emotional day…
Today started just like yesterday, up and in the cattle truck by 5:30am! The team is really starting to form bonds and friendships with the people that we are working with… not that this trip needs it but these bonds that are forming makes coming into the village that much more exciting!
After our morning devotion, led by Aarzoo, we broke off into our 3 teams again… kids ministry, medical clinic, and construction. It’s only been a few days but we are all already in arrive and know exactly what we need to do. Each team got straight to it with no time to waste… there’s a sense of expectancy in the team to make sure we accomplish everything we possibly can for this village in the time we are given here.
The kids ministry team started the morning with worship, a skit by the valley forge team, a puppet show, and the story of Jonah and the whale. That’s a lot to pack into a morning for anyone but these kids seem to soak it up with no signs of being bored or tired. Yesterday we had fun teasing the kids dances and today they continued to practice them with what seemed like all the energy in Zorange. It’s so much fun watching them get more and more into it!
The biggest hit for kids for all ages seems to be the craft station. They even made a fish out of their handprints and loved it! It is amazing to see what God is doing in the lives of these children and we all feel so blessed to be a small part of it. There may be a language barrier but everyday we are getting better and better with communicating with each of them. Because of Gods everlasting love the language barrier doesn’t stop these friendships that we are forming from growing stronger and stronger. We’re not focusing on it but we are all already sad about the thought of leaving them later in the week.
At the medical clinic they we’re extremely busy. Yesterday they say about 53 patients and today 80 villagers wanting to get checked out showed up! The doctors, nurses, and dental hygienists saw everyone from babies to the elderly. what was so special was watching how after each person was checked out, Pastor Jim prayed with everyone one of them. Some of the team members were busy all day sorting medical supplies and medications we were so blessed to be bale to give them. Sounds simple but they had to cataloged all the different supplies & medications very carefully and be specific to keep order in the clinic. We were so excited when they found a baby scale, instruments, and numbing creams, these are items that are so needed. They were so on top of it all the team even made sure we have a list of what is needed for the next trip!
Most of the people Dr. Thomas and her team saw today needed a check up and some needed medication while others were severely ill. During one visit there were up to three generations of a family being treated, all in one room. Some of the team and translators were trained to take vital signs for each patient while the rest of the team gave out medication and provided resources to the locals in order to prevent them from having to travel down the mountain to visit a clinic or hospital in the city. Dr. Thomas is training a local medical nurse so that the village will be taken care of after the teams departure at the end of the week. Everyone left the clinic with something, even the children were able to take home a toy.
Incredibly the foundation of the house was able to be completed today by our construction team, these guys don’t play around! HUGE NEWS from the construction team… we have our first flushable toilet! That may not seems like a lot to you but in this village it is one of a kind and an extreme blessing to everyone. Not only did they install a working toilet, they also completed plumbing for the shower and the sink! But… there is more… they also completed the septic and were even able to build a porch for a kitchen that will be outside. To say they did a lot would be an understatement, this team does not know how to slow down and have been working tirelessly. The progress they are making is amazing… God is good!
Although we are here for the people of Zorange we can see God moving in all of our lives here. Nothing could have fully prepared us for all that we are experiencing… this mission is absolutely life changing for Zorange AND us!
Until tomorrow…
Team Operation Hope
Onward – Upward – Outward!
OPERATION HOPE - Haiti 