We had a wonderful trip to Haiti!  It was completely different than any I have made to Haiti in 20 years.  I was challenged from day one and returned home exhausted.

Initially, I left my backpack with passport and camera at the airport in the Dominican Republic. We had to return to the airport at 11:30 PM to pick up three ladies that had missed their flights. I was wiped out as it was!  Anyways, after arriving, I began to help them load their luggage onto the cart to head out to the truck.  We were twenty minutes into our drive back to our hotel when I realized I left it there.  What a shocker!  But it ended up a security guard had found it and nothing was missing. So for the whole trip one of the gals reminded me constantly to make sure I had my backpack.

I also got a burn on my forearm when the radiator reservoir blew up on the pickup truck.  As well, I got my leg scraped up when a heavy bag fell out the back door of the school bus onto it.  I had plenty of doctors and nurses to take care of me! So the Lord had everything figured out for me ahead of time!  I sure appreciated everyone’s prayers for us!  God is good.

Our team of 28 doctors, nurses and helpers arrived in the Dominican on the 14th.  We spent the night there and left the next morning at 5AM to head across country to Port au Prince.  It was a seven hour trip by bus.  We spent our first few days in Port au Prince.  The team brought lots of medicine and was able to help everyone that came through the clinics.

So, on Tuesday, we did our first medical clinic at a refugee camp in Port au Prince. The camp we set-up a clinic in is located where the epicenter of the earthquake was. The team ministered to 350 people that day.  Some of the problems included cuts, children with scabies, dehydration, mental stress from loss of family, coughs and congestion from dust inhaled, children with high fever and diarrhea.  One lady had a foot injury with open wounds and infection was setting in.

One man at the clinic had had a stroke and his left side was paralyzed.  He came to the clinic in a wheelchair.  He could just barely move with help.  Martha, a physical therapist there, took off her shoes and gave them to the man to see if that would help him walk better.  After working with him, she asked Reese, an 85 year old prayer warrior on the team, to pray for him to be healed.  After he was prayed for, he stood up and walked with a cane out of the clinic with Martha's shoes on!  Praise God!

Altogether, 1,600 some people received medical help at the five clinics we held during our week spent in Port au Prince and in the Les Cayes area.  We saw many miracles of healing take place. We saw backs healed, eyesight restored, and fevers leave children.  I, along with Reese and some others on the team, prayed for everyone that was seen in the clinics.  We would pray with them after they received the medical help.  God met us there and confirmed His word with signs and wonders!  After this, Pastor Ignace would talk with each person and ask them if they knew the Lord.  Most everyone that wasn't a Christian accepted the Lord.  282 persons accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior!  Pastor Ignace told me that since the earthquake there have been thousands coming to the Lord through churches across Haiti. They are seeing a great revival.

We are so grateful for the hard work and dedication of all the members of the medical team.  This team of medical missionaries led by Doctor Joe Cacioppo is under the covering of International Christian Resources.  These teams travel worldwide offering their assistance.  I considered it a real privilege to be able to work alongside them.  May the Lord continue to prosper this ministry.  In the coming days, I feel they will be needed more and more.

Pastor Ignace is concerned about the needs of the people.  Rainy season is coming in April and sturdy shelters are needed as well as improved sanitation facilities.  Of course, the need to provide food and water will always be heavy on the hearts of God's people.  As you know, this situation will continue for years to come.  The media may have left the country but we cannot leave them.  I pray the Lord will always keep these people's needs foremost in our prayers.