Hope in Haiti

Quote of the Day: The following is a excerpt from a book I read called Grace Under Fire - Letters of Faith in Times of War - Edited by Andrew Carroll

I am convinced as I have never been convinced before that the Gospel is the only solution - that is, when people are more concerned with giving than getting, with self-giving than self-fulfillment, with loving than being loved, of understanding rather than being understood, of genuinely being interested in doing good without expecting any returned reward, recognition, and benefit, when people realize that complete forgiveness and selfless service are the only way - only then will everyone be really living! (Chaplain Ray Stubbe, stationed in Vietnam, letter dated 25 November 1967)

Sometimes I wonder, If the world wasn't so busy trying to kill each other off, what great things we could accomplish.  We could channel that need for a cause to things like knowing when an earthquake would hit.  Or, even if we couldn't predict every natural disaster, we could be ready to help anyone in need.

Soaking Feet by Joey Halvorson

My friend Joey Halvorson is a fantastic photographer.  She's done many of the shots for my articles that appear in our local women's magazine, Her Voice.  She joined up with a team of doctors and nurses from the Brainerd area and traveled to Haiti after the earthquake.  Imagine the healing of body, mind, and spirit that the woman above is experiencing from a tub of water, a chair to sit on, and soon - caring hands rubbing her feet, giving her rest.

Guitar Man by Joey Halvorson

The medical team and Joey got to Haiti through an organization called Lifeline Christian Mission.  Over several different trips, they brought instruments to the Haitians.  Music has the ability to transport you beyond time and circumstance.  It fills you, like healing waters, and gives you hope.  Joey said that without a lesson or bit of sheet music to read, people were playing these instruments, raising their voices and dancing like no other place on Earth.

Joey Halvorson at the Q Gallery in Brainerd

Joey brought her stories and her photos back to Brainerd and displayed them at our local gallery, the Q Gallery.

Joey talking about her experiences in Haiti with Jon

I asked Joey if she'd had any medical training since she was there with a medical team. She said, no, but could find ways to help, and her main goal was to take pictures and bring along her suitcases filled with medical supplies.  They arrived with two surgeons and were told there was no surgery center.  They improvised.  Shortly after they arrived, they performed emergency surgery on a mother of twins.  All three would have perished without their team.

Not all of us can pick up and go to another country to help.  We're not all equipped to perform surgery under improvised conditions.  We have people right in our homes and neighborhoods to care for.  We can use the talents God gave us to connect, to care, and to share the stories.

Thanks, Joey and the Brainerd Medical Team.  Thanks to everyone who reads this and shows love and caring for someone else.  Those are our glimpses of Heaven.

Journaling Prompt:  Describe a time when you cared for someone, or when you needed someone to take care of you.