Seeing hope
Fear – and hope
Every time a plane passes over or a car drives up, we all brace ourselves and jump until we realize that it is not another quake. Aftershocks are stressful. We often have a false sense that the ground is moving.
People are afraid to go into buildings. Our building is structurally OK, but I do not like to be in my bedroom for long – it is too far from the door. Laurens sleeps on the couch, to be closer to the kids for evacuation. We sleep with the front door open for quick escape.
This earthquake was like no other. Mainly because it hit a country with such poor infrastructure. It was completely unexpected. It is like kicking a baby down before it knows how to stand.
But we are moving on. We are alive and our house is fine. Mission of Hope is an oasis compared to the city. The kids are good. They are resilient.
Despite the destruction, we are seeing hope. God has big things planned for this country. He has used us in mighty ways this past week. He has used us for the Haitian people.
I have learned more in one week than most in a lifetime. I now know how to reduce compound open wound fractures, I know how to cast, I know how to suture and have become proficient enough that I sutured the flap of someone's nose back on (quite good, too, I might add :)), I know how to take a stab at coordinating disaster relief and to run functional field clinics.
Rachel (a missionary here) and I were just saying today that if someone had told us that this is what we would have had to do this week prior to this event, we would have quit. We would have said, "No way, God!" I can't do all of that. We have learned that God knows more than we do, that He knows what we can handle and He has more faith in us than we have in ourselves.
We thank you for your prayers this past week. This is not over, it is a long road ahead. Please pray for the Haitian people. Please pray for supply chains to open up, pray for the port to be fixed, pray for timely food and water distributions, pray for organization of relief organizations and military. Pray that, now, eyes will be opened to the need we had prior to this earthquake; our clinic and hospital, and that funding will come in. Pray for our family and the other staff.
Cheryl
Editor's note: If you would like to make a donation to the Mission of Hope Haiti, please visit ftccanada.ca/moh. Select "Hospital/Clinic of Hope" to make a donation to the clinic where Cheryl works.
