Flying home from Haiti, my mind replayed the events where God's hand had repeatedly provided, protected and guided. The many miracles brought smiles as I reflected on them — especially one.
We arrived in Haiti but were initially unable to contact the part of our team that came a week ahead of us. Desperately looking for them, we were directed to a new M*A*S*H unit being built by the University of Miami School of Medicine. They invited us to work with them and sleep in their large circus-sized tent (with cots!). They even fed us supper.
In the morning, we heard from the initial team who still wanted us to join them. Now what? We had committed to help the M*A*S*H unit. While we prayed for guidance in walked a man, dazed and weary, saying, "This unit has plenty of staff. You need to go out where the people are." He then told us how he had been trying to save 100 people when another quake brought the roof down and killed all of them. He again pleaded with us to go where the people were and then left. We had our marching orders.
We headed for a new home base. At night we could hear the Voodoo drums beating, people chanting, singing and yelling at a fevered pitch all around. Gun fire could all be heard throughout the night.
Each day we set up our makeshift clinic with tarps for shade, and crates and plywood borrowed from a crumbled school nearby. A steady stream of patients came as our two doctors, two nurses and four or five EMTs treated them with the help of translators. There were wounds of every size, shape, depth and condition. Most were infected. We had to clean them up, often a painful process. After cleaning the wounds, we applied antibiotic ointment and dressed them. Oral antibiotics were given as well as Ibuprophen for the pain.
The young men who pulled this team together had just recently formed International Hope and Rescue and filed for non-profit status when the earthquake happened. Without the luxury of time, God sent the people they needed to make it happen. Even on short notice, Brad Personius, medical doctor, was able to procure medicines and supplies from Three Rivers Community Hospital in Grants Pass, Ore.
The needs continue to be great in Haiti. For more information, contact International Help and Rescue at Inhisrescue.org or ADRA at ADRA.org.
From left: Brad Personius, cardiologist; Oliver Personius; Celso Esquivel, contractor; Jordan Personius, EMT; stand with donated medical supplies, heading for Haiti.
Chuck Sandefur, ADRA president, holds an impromptu meeting with ADRA volunteers.
A M*A*S*H unit receives another load of incoming wounded.
Buildings throughout Port-au-Prince and beyond lay flattened by the 7.0 earthquake.
A mother and daughter come through the makeshift clinic.
Brad Personiusm, medical doctor, and son Jordan Personius, EMT, prepare to suture a man's wounded foot.
