He didn't stop there...

On Sunday - November 22nd - I had a 'God-moment'. It's taken me awhile to decide if I should share it with you all as it's fairly personal. But I think I should.

I was sitting in church...we'd sung "Great is Thy Faithfulness" - one of my favourites! And I was just thinking really...and He surprised me.

I was thinking about getting back to Haiti, and giving my missionary family the gifts I've started to collect for them...

That led to deeper thinking...or bitter-sweeting ;) I guess you could call it.

While the first thought was giving me joy a second thought, a much deeper, darker thought coursed through the channels of my mind. This bitter thought was a reminder of my loneliness (writing it here it was probably an attack from Satan) because as soon as I felt the 'sting' of that thought I started wishing I was married and had someone special to give gifts to or even some special someones.

I was feeling thus, when I heard His gentle whisper.

He called my name. "Elida."

"Yes", I breathed out the question.

"I love you."

I smiled.

But He didn't stop there. He knew I needed to hear more. He knew I needed to hear truth.

"I love you more than you can fathom."

At this point I had goose-bumps and was awash with overwhelming thankfulness...

But He didn't stop there.

"I know you are lonely, and scared of growing old, of growing old without kids."

At this point I started to cry - these were all true, but things I barely admitted to myself. I waited breathlessly to see if He would stop there? With my fears? With my failings? With my frustrations?

But He didn't stop there. He continued:

"I know this - all of it - and I want you to know..."

Yes, yes? Lord, what DO You want me to know?

"It's OK...It's going to BE OK...I've got a beautiful plan for your life."

A fall back to His promise in Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." He had given me this verse when I was a teenager, struggling in a barren place. And here He was reminding me of it once again.

But He didn't stop there.

"Remember - I love you."

I was almost crying out loud at this point.

But He didn't stop there.

"And I love to give good and perfect gifts to My children. Just as you, My precious child, get so much enjoyment out of blessing others with your gift of giving which I've given you."

There.

There is where He stopped.

Not until He had spoken to me with words of affirmation, not until He had stripped me bare, not until He had voiced the fears I try to hide, not until He had let me KNOW His plans, not until He had offered me a glimpse of Who He is - LOVE. Not until then, did He stop. Not until this one tired, frightened, lonely child of His KNEW she was LOVED in the deepest way possible.

Blessed is the one who waits.

Today's reading from Streams in the Desert has once again been exactly what I've needed as I face another uncertain day.

Many of you know that I flew out of Haiti on November 12th for a quick trip home to surprise my Mom for her --th birthday!!! She was COMPLETELY surprised!!! For I think only the second or third time in her life!! 

Video still of her saying: "I think you got me." When I asked if she was surprised?

 This trip was part of a week's vacation that I was taking and I should've already returned to Haiti. My flight back was on Saturday, November 16th. 

But because of recent health issues - namely unexplained chest pain. My reservation was cancelled and I am currently in limbo. The MD advised NOT returning to Haiti until this issue was sorted. 

I had a stress-echocardiogram done on Monday morning. And am now awaiting results. I've heard from the MD, he has my results and thankfully, due to a cancellation will be able to see me this afternoon at 1pm to go over them and talk about the next step. 

So, I am waiting. 

I don't know for how long I'll be 'held' here in the States. I *want* to get back. 

I am enjoying my time back with my family - currently staying with my parents, and my live-at-home-single-mom-sister, and nephew. It's been great! Especially as Teddy is 8 months old, crawling...EVERYWHERE, upstairs even! LOVES to laugh - is as sweet as he can be and LOVES his "Tanti" Lida.

While this is true, I did have some anxiety over leaving Haiti and the possibility that I might just get 'held'. but Sweet Jesus! He dealt with my feelings of anxiety over leaving Haiti for longer than I expected before I even left! Reminding me it is MY job to follow, it is HIS job to lead. 

Just a few days before I left, in my devotions was the reminder that Abraham had to sacrifice Isaac WHERE GOD DIRECTED. It was not just enough to be WILLING to sacrifice his son, his beloved son, whom he loved, but to do it WHERE God directed. I was impressed by the fact that God has called me to sacrifice - usually I see that as ON the mission field - but this time He showed me it was the Mission Field I was sacrificing. And doing it where He leads me, following Him.

These past few days I have felt fixed on Him. Ps 57:7 and Ps 112:7 have both been the verses I've pointed people to as they've asked how I am. 

Ps 57:7 - My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

Ps 112:7 - He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

So, this morning, as I woke up at 5:15 and could NOT get back to sleep, I decided to have my devotions an hour early...I'm so glad I did! 

From November 20th, Streams in the Desert: 

"Blessed is the one who waits. (Daniel 12:12)

Waiting may seem like an easy thing to do, but it is a discipline that a Christian soldier does not learn without years of training. Marching and drills are much easier for God's warriors than standing still. There are times of indecision and confusion, when event the most willing person, who eagerly desires to serve the Lord, does not know what direction to take. So what should you do when you find yourself in this situation? Should you allow yourself to be overcome with despair? Should you turn back in cowardice or in fear or rush ahead in ignorance? 

No, you should simply wait--but wait in prayer. Call upon God and plead your case before Him, telling HIm of your difficulty and reminding Him of His promise to help.

Wait in faith. Express your unwavering confidence in Him. And believe that even if He keeps you waiting until midnight, He will come at the right time to fulfill His vision for you.

Wait in quiet patience. Never complain about what you believe to be the cause of your problems, as the children of Israel did against Moses. Accept your situation exactly as it is and then simply place it with your whole heart into the hand of your covenant God. And while removing any self-will, say to Him, "Lord, 'Not my will, but yours be done' [Luke 22:42]. I do not know what to do, and I am i great need. But I will wait until You divide the flood before me or drive back my enemies. I will wait even if You keep me here many days, for my heart is fixed on You alone, dear Lord. And my spirit will wait for You with full confidence that You will still be my joy and my salvation, 'for you have been my refuge, [and] a strong tower against the foe' [Ps. 61:3]." - from Morning by Morning

      Wait, patiently wait,
      God never is late;
Your budding plans are in Your Father's holding,
And only wait His grand divine unfolding.
     Then wait, wait,
     Patiently wait. 

     Trust, hopefully wait,
     That God will adjust
Your tangled life; and from its dark concealings, 
Will bring His will, in all its bright revealings.
     Then trust, trust, 
     Hopefully trust,

     Rest, peacefully rest
     On your Savior's breast;
Breathe in His ear your sacred high ambition,
And He will bring it forth in blest fruition.
     Then rest, rest, 
     Peacefully rest!


I think that which stands out to me the most is this thought: I will wait even if You keep me here many days, for my heart is fixed on You alone, dear Lord.

L-R: Grama (Mom's Mom), Tiffany (Teddy's Mom), Mom (My Mom), Me (?' s Mom ;) )

Just as cute as he can BE!

Just a quick note

I took my Advanced Creole Exam on Friday at 4:00 p.m. I was just able to get the results back this evening at 6:45 p.m.

Hallelujah!!!!

The exam included grammar, a short composition, watching (a DVD) and writing (paraphrasing what was seen - NO NOTE TAKING DURING THE DVD!), and conversation - speaking and listening.

Each section was worth 25 points.

I scored 20/25 on the Grammar, 24/25 on the composition, 23/25 on the watching and writing and 23/25 on the conversation!

So thankful to Charlotte and her WONDERFUL teaching!!! To HaitiHub for getting me started! For Wadner who was my first Creole 'teacher' back in 2007. For Frantzy who helped tutor me, to Greg, Calaine, Ketlye, Miss Prudence, and countless others who have helped me all along the way!

Praise be to God, great things HE hath done!

First Baby

Well, I just got well enough to go back to work today, and Prudence calls me to let me know we have a mom about to give birth at the Clinic!!!!

We don't 'do' births at the Clinic - we usually send them to the main Hospital in town - Justinien - or wherever the family wants to go.

But every once in awhile there are emergencies. Today was one of them. Mom, Nella (Nay-la), came into the Clinic this morning to get a Letter of Reference to go to Justinien to have the baby, but when Prudence saw her she knew she wouldn't make it into town on a Tap-tap - the baby would probably be born ON the Tap-tap.

So, they set her up in the still-yet-to-be-used-on-a-regular-basis Mother-Baby House.

I got there within a few minutes - Marthe, who is a midwife, (she's also Doctor Rodney's mother) was there. And I got to 'assist'!!!

Mom wasn't *too* interested in pushing - not really - this is her second - but she was still not really doing that much work? We kept encouraging her to PUSH!!! Baby was in the canal - we could see his/her head...she was more interested in scootching around on the bed, and crying out to Jesus, and flailing her arms around then PUSHING...

As far as birth's go I don't think it was too bad/painful - towards the end she got a little more vocal - but she was pretty relaxed up until that point...asked for a Tampico juice drink and sat up to drink it! I said - well, now, I know - Tampico gives you strength!!!

She had a beautiful Baby Boy at 9:55am. I was able to suction him out, cut his cord, lay him skin to skin with Momma, help him feed, and assist in getting him cleaned up and weighed. Put a cute little outfit on him and took him through the Clinic. He doesn't have a name yet - so I just put "Garçon" on the top of the paper - "Boy".

So there you have it!!! :D Here are just a few more pics to tell the story :D

Marthe the Midwife

Nella

Cutting the cord

My face as I was cutting the cord

Skin to skin!

All cleaned up and ready to see the world

In the 'recovery' room :D

Jam-packed!

Started off seeing kids in the morning. Had a couple I put in the food program - BUT as we HAVE food in the Depot - this was WONDERFUL!!! And, Lord willing - we will have food for a while!!!

A new project number was just approved to be able to raise money for the Clinic to have funds to get Plumpy'Nut  directly from the supplier as the World Food Program has been unreliable in providing food and providing adequate amounts of food.

To give to this project you can go to One Mission Society. The page will look like this:

Give a   Special Gift  Monthly Gift  Annual Gift   gift of $  to 

Select what you wish to give, and the amount, and enter 408048 in the 'to' box!!!


On a sad note, a lady in the local on-campus church who's son has been in the hospital for awhile passed away yesterday at the age of 40, leaving 4 children, and a wife. She was at my house this morning with her husband before 8 asking Erica for help, crying and praying together.


As soon as I got to work I had a patient who I'd helped with rent just last week - they pay a lump some once a year - he already had 2/3rds of the money - come and tell me that his 11 y.o. son had just died in the Hospital yesterday :( he needed money to make a coffin...I didn't think I had anything to give, but as I prayed silently as he told me the story, I realized that I still had some tithe money left - and I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to give it to this man.

Once I came back from getting the money, I had a talk with one of the pastor's on staff - Pastor Daniel, to verify the story and the need. It was as I had been told.

Today I learned more about Ronel then I had known before. I knew that he had something wrong with his foot, because he's on crutches, and the foot turns in badly and is open and weeping until we bandage it for him - about once a week. What I did not know was that up until three years ago he was a mason. It was then that he fell off a roof and broke his back - they didn't know at first that is what he had done - apparently the X-rays didn't show anything. It was unclear to me exactly how long he was without proper medical attention. Eventually the break was found and a metal rod was inserted in his back - which is very visible - a miracle that he is not a paraplegic! He said that when it first happened his hands just hung at his sides - useless...eventually he was able to use them again. He has lost the ability to wiggle his toes on his left foot, and his right foot turns in badly and is the one that has brought him to us.

The accident with his right foot happened a little over two years ago and I was not able to get details on that.

Today, before I just gave him the money I spoke with him, about a  lot of things but in particular - dependency - and just because I am 'white' does NOT mean I am rich; and just because I've been able to help him out the past two times does NOT mean I will always be able to do so. That he needed to see if the church could help him, this was part of it's responsibility. He said he understood - which I've gotten a lot - from other people...and then they show back up at your door fifteen times...but this time? This time was different...as I listened to him tell me how he knew he couldn't keep asking and how that even when Dr. Rodney offered to put him on Indigent care to help pay for his visits to the Clinic he had refused - feeling he needed to pay...I felt encouraged to be helping and felt as though I wasn't adding to a problem...

I asked him if he was saved, and where he went to church. He began to explain that he was a Christian and that everything that happens to us has to pass through the hand of God. (Remember he's just lost his son.) I asked if he knew how to read? or had a Bible? He said he could read, a lot - but didn't have a Bible. I asked if he listened to Radio 4VEH - One Mission Society's Christian Radio Station. He said that he could listen from time to time if he happened to visit a neighbor's house who had a radio - but not all the time. I felt impressed to get him a Radio. My first thought was that maybe the team from Greenwood, may still have a few left over and could give me one - but a few texts revealed they had none. Another idea was to ask Met Son (director of radio distribution) if he had any - a phone call revealed he was in a meeting. THEN I remembered that we do have some Radios at the Clinic to give out on a discretionary basis. I told him to please wait and started a search. I found Dr. Rodney and asked him - but he said they'd all been given out! Undeterred and stayed in his office imploring him to think if there was ANYWHERE we might have ONE? He thought maybe we *might* have a few in the Depot? He called Magda and Magda and I had a look...and...sure enough there was one!!! (or two or three? I don't know - she just pulled one out for me :D)

Delighted I walked back to the room Ronel was waiting in and presented him with a pre-tuned Radio with the New Testament in Creole! I explained to him how it worked! He broke into a BIG smile - lifted his hands to Heaven and thanked the Lord.

I had Magda take a picture - and even though it may not *look* it - he WAS grateful!!

All of this took place BEFORE noon!!!

When I was to drive to the beach with the team...get some mountain driving experience!!! To get to the beach though, one was to drive through town...always a bit nerve wracking...even for experienced drivers!!! Never mind ones like ME who are just learning a manual!!! Tap-taps, people, motorcycles all OVER the place...

We did make it - even with the Tap-Tap that was loaded to the GROUND in front of us! Every once in a while it would stop - and two or three people would squeeze out and then it was like a vacuum *schloop* two or three would be sucked in..but it STILL looked just as loaded on the outside!!!

Amos let me drive *almost* the whole way - there was one stretch up the mountain where the road was more riverbed than road so he took over but it was only for a very short while and then he let me take over again :D

And it was worth it!

Team enjoying some sun :D after getting some 'water-time'

 The team had already had lunch but some of us hadn't so we cheeseburgers and fries!!! A real treat! PLUS when we went to pay...instead of it being the usual $10/person to get on the beach it was only $5! Amos joked and said it was because I was a 'bel blanc' - beautiful white (person)!

Leonie - one of the translators for this team, Amos - my PATIENT driving instructor, and Erica - friend and housemate :D

The drive home was almost as hectic as coming in - I DID get to do the whole thing myself though :D Traffic was still a bear as school had just gotten out - so lots of kids, and motorcycle taxis, and Tap-taps, there was a School bus in front of us for a good portion of the way through town that was JAM packed! Standing room only..with the back door swinging open and shut to let people on as needed...I don't know what music was being played over the sound system but the guys in the back were REALLY into it and jumping up and down all OVER the place!!!

We got home in just over an hour. Safe and sound - Thank you, JESUS! And found another surprise: dinner at the Holiday House! The family that was supposed to be on schedule had inadvertently double booked with their 'date-night' so...we got to get in one last meal with the team!!! Wahoo!!! 

Amos gave me a 90% 'grade' on the overall return trip and said I was now free to drive 'alone' where-ever I pleased!!! Hallelujah!!! Thank you, Lord!

As I was leaving the Holiday House, I saw another friend who's wife recently passed away due to complications from a beating she had received when thieves broke into their house earlier this summer. Thinking he was here to ask for money again, I tried to steel myself. Instead? he simply wished to thank me sincerely for everything that I had done to help him. And that everything had been taken care of. That his kids were in school, that he'd been able to get the money for them and they were continuing in their education. Again, Praise the Lord!!!

At this point in my day - 6:30ish I was pretty much all tired out and ready for bed? But, not a chance - it was chick-flick with the Singles at House 10 - and we watched "While You Were Sleeping!" Thanks to Matt and Stacey - fellow missionaries who have a 'plethora' of movies that I was just able to delve into!

So, got to end this day with a bit more fun packed in the end...my day resembles the Tap-tap - Jam-packed...so now? I am heading to bed!!!

Thankfulness

You know what's nice? When you work REALLY hard and someone appreciates that! This little girl came in today for consultatio but her Dad had left his Rendez-vous card at home - which means we had little hope of finding her dossier. I told him to give his name in at the Archives and tell them he was going home quick to get the card and would be back, he said ok and off he went. Came back a little later saying that he was told he couldn't do that b/c even tho the MOM lives here in Vaudreuil, he lives too far away to be able to go and come back. So I told him to just go and have a NEW dossier made and NEXT time he comes in to bring BOTH rendez-vous cards in and we'll put the two dossiers together. So off he went again. But came back saying they wouldn't let him do that? I finished up screening the last of my 'consultation' kids and before starting on Vaccinations took him to the Archives and talked with Nelly - and explained to her the situation and could she PLEASE make a dossier for him? She asked if he'd already given his name? and he started going off on a rabbit trail - we had to ask FIVE times before he finally just said: "No." so she wrote it down - told him to take a look - #95 - she was just starting on #32 - so he was going to have to wait awhile - but to be patient. He was thankful and told me so. I thought that was the end of it? Later on he came back AGAIN while I was in the middle of screaming kids, giving vaccines, drawing up medication, writing down which ones I'd given, who got what and when they should come back to tell me that he'd only come with 250gds = 5.80 USD. But consultation was 400gds = 9.30 USD (it'd gone up he said since the last time he'd been here? Prudence was just telling him that any problem he had she could help him with EXCEPT a money issue. I took a blank card and wrote to Nelly in the Cashier's office and told her to charge the extra bit to me - I told him to go and pay what he had in the Cashier's office. Prudence then told him not to come back ;) So, at the end of the day = 60+ kids later when he showed up outside the door - I was just a little sarcy when I asked - before he could say anything: "What did the Nurse tell you earlier?" I was quickly humbled as he started pouring out his thanks to me. And that though he knew he'd not be able to repay me, God could and He would. He would repay me for what I'd done. And thanking me, and hoping that I would stay a long time to help out in Haiti and to continue to be a blessing. And thank you, thank you, thank you! He just couldn't say it enough! (A lot of times when one does something similar one will get the initial thank you/God bless you - but that's it - but this guy came BACK to specifically thank me...profusely!

Ismaël Sephora 

In thinking about this - and recounting it to my housemate, Erica, and friend, Lisa - I was reminded of the 10 Lepers and how only ONE came back and said "Thank You." You may see ten people and only ONE of them comes back to say it, but it's that ONE that makes you realize why you do what you do to help. - Wisdom from Erica. 

I also thought - wow - if I feel that touched by some one coming and telling ME thank you, how much more must the Father heart of God feel when we go back to Him and say "Thank you."? 

Jean, Paul-Pierre - revisited!

 

Another Hallelujah Day!!! Paul, Jean-Pierre got his Graduation certificate today!!! He's been in the TB program for 6 months (I can't believe it's been THAT long!), has finished his regimen and is TB free!!!


His Mom, Paul, Miss Prudence

When he came in this morning to hand me his Rendez-vous card he was beaming and gave me a huge bear hug!!! Not that you'd know it from his pictures - but he does have a great smile!

I've been sick the past two days since returning from a quick 5 day trip to see friends and family in FL for a Cowman International School reunion. And therefore have not been at work :( But I managed to be feeling much better today - and am SO glad that I was able to work - if ONLY to see Jean again! Well - ok - working again felt pretty good too!!! As did knowing I was helping Prudence and actually getting to put the finishing touches on a numerical system I designed to help with matching TB patients with their dossiers quickly and easily. We tried an alphabetic system but that didn't work - and didn't help Prudence. So this way is quick and easy, and...we'll see if it works in the upcoming weeks!!! :D

January 2013 - just accepted Christ!

 

May 2013 - just over 1/2 way through treatment

 

July 2013 - just graduated from the TB program!!!

Odette

Meet Odette. She is 25 y.o. and has quite the story to tell. 

When she came to the Clinic two weeks ago (June 6th), she was 8 months pregnant with her sixth child. But she had not felt the baby move in 4 or 5 days. Upon physical assessment we could tell that the baby had not only died but had already started to decompose...inside her. We sent her to the hospital in town for a D&C or for them to induce labor to deliver the dead baby. And put her on LOTS of antibiotics - the big risk with a spontaneous abortion/miscarriage is that infection sets in and the Mom is at severe risk of getting septicemia (a blood infection which can very easily lead to death.)

Last week (June 12th) when she came in again she looked a lot healthier and was smiling. Happy to still be alive. 

She is HIV+ and has already lost 4 of her 5 children and her first husband to the disease - though she didn't know she was HIV+ til coming in two weeks ago.  Thinking the reason her family was dying was a spiritual issue, she turned her back on God, stopped going to church and sought out help from a witch-doctor. Who told her that Satan was 'eating' her family and she needed to offer a 'gombo' (sacrifice) of a mother hen and a cock to stop/appease him. 

Prudence let me pray and share Scripture with Odette. I'd just read Romans 8 in my Devotions that morning and so much of it was applicable. THANKFULLY I had my Creole/English New Testament with me! I read both from Romans 8 and Romans 9. I explained that even if she had left God, He had not left her, and He still loved her and was waiting for her. That she was His child. We prayed together thanking Him for the plan He still has for her life. And asking for forgiveness, coming back to Him and wanting to LIVE for Him. 

We asked some more questions about the witch-doctor and if she'd already offered the sacrifice? She said she had NOT and that, "Mwen chute boko - map viv Jezi" - I've rejected the witchdoctor and I'm living for Jesus."

I was able to get a Creole Bible for her and the next time she is in for HIV meds she will be able to take it with her. Prudence 'happened' to know of someone in a church near to where she lives - even though she is quite far from Vaudreuil - and wrote to let him know about her situation and her coming back to Christ. 

When asked if I could have a picture with her and share her story she smiled and said she had no problem with this. 

Continue to pray for her and her walk with the Lord. And continue to PRAISE Him for the amazing work He is doing in changing lives!!!

I trust Him

So, the past week and a half has been difficult.  If you know me, you know that I tend to bottle-things up and then one little incident will push me over the edge. This was the case on Monday. I'd had some news about my family, and some issues with friends and co-workers, and deaths in friends families, all which I kept inside until, the internet was out and the jump drive I'd bought for such occasions did not work. That was the last straw. And the tears flowed. I got to work and just sobbed in Prudence's arms - but work for the day had already started and I had to pull myself together. I saw a posting recently: "You never know how strong you are...until being strong is the only choice you have." - Cayla Mills. Friday felt like that. All I wanted to do was collapse into a heap and sob my heart out. Instead I had to pull myself together, I NEEDED to pull myself together. Praying for strength I plunged into the work day ahead.

Specifically in regards to Nate, I'd had some disturbing news earlier in the week about his latest with Cancer - he's started on a chemo drug and finding it rough - barely having the energy to get off the couch, plus a new oncologist appointment that I'D put hope in went horrible. I'd written to my prayer partners over the weekend and said:

"I sit here and the tears well up in my eyes as I hear a Still Small Voice whisper: "My hope is in the LORD" - but I cry out and say - but Lord, is it? I know that's what your Word tells me - I know that's what David said - but can I?
In the Dominican last week on retreat we had a time of prayer for some of those of us in pain. We didn't share - we just sat in a circle and people prayed as they felt led. I sat there and cried. I had two people who prayed for me - strength and encouragement in being away from family at this time, for hope in the Lord, and one - one who just held me and that may have been the best thing. I clung to her and cried and let the prayers of others wash over me.

God knew this was ahead. He knew that I'd been hoping on this appointment - this 'second opinion/second chance' and He knew that I was going to need to be lifted up.

I need to make sure that my HOPE is in Him and whatever the circumstances, whatever He's going to allow to happen in my life, in my brother's life is not beyond His control. Nor is it beyond His grace."

Today, I admitted out loud some of my recent stresses in life. Life itself is stressing. Broken water pipes are stressing (see Friday Night Fun?.) Having no one to share with is stressing. Feeling the weight of teams is stressing. Trying to be a good hostess but barely knowing where to start is stressing. It's how I handle the stress. And lately it's not been so good.

But at the same time I realized that I have to trust Him and His timing. With the little things as well as the big things in life. I trust Him.
 
I need to let these words, and their truth echo in my mind when I feel discouraged.

I trust Him.

May they ring in my ears when I lie awake at night and the tears wet my pillow.

I trust Him.

When my arms ache to hold some loved one close, may I cling to them instead.

I trust Him.

When my heart is heavy and I feel alone.

I trust Him.

Today, He pressed me to read Evidence Not Seen  by Darlene Deibler Rose. It is the story of her life and faith in the midst of a Japanese POW camp during WWII. 

As I read through her incredible story I was brought to tears  so many times. I've written out below a portion that fitted with my earlier "I trust Him" phrase.

"Lord, I believe all that the Bible says. I do walk by faith and not by sight. I do not need to feel You near, because Your Word says You will never leave me nor forsake me. Lord, I confirm my faith; I believe." The words of Hebrews 11:1 welled up, unbeckoned, to fill my mind: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The evidence of things not seen. Evidence not seen -- that was what I put my trust in -- not in feelings or moments of ecstasy, but in the unchanging Person of Jesus Christ....More than ever before, I knew that I could ever and always put my trust in my faith, in my glorious Lord."

Paul, Jean-Pierre

It all began last week, January 18th to be exact.

When I met Paul, Jean-Pierre, he looked in pretty bad shape - he could barely walk beyond a shuffle and needed his mom and friend to help get him in the door of the TB clinic.

Prudence had me call Dr. Hall (a retired OMS missionary doctor, who's been back to help for a week and a half). Dr. Hall examined him and once he was done told me it was my turn - I listened to his lung sounds - horrible scraping/scratching - lung sounds are NOT supposed to sound like that. His stomach was tight due to liver enlargement. His feet were swollen, and he was anemic. Though Dr. Hall told me he had seen conjunctiva as white as my (snow white) skirt!

Dr. Hall sat back in the chair - looking at Prudence he said gravely - "He may not live through this." He and Prudence explained to the mother that her eighteen year old son was very sick - that he NEEDED to take the medication we were giving him and she needed to feed him multiple small meals throughout the day.

Fast-forward to today - January 20th.

Dr. Hall is consulting another patient and has me come in to listen to breath-sounds - "Listen, poke, and prod as much as you can - to learn as much as you can," he tells me. In the course of our conversation he laments the fact that a lot of times when treating a patient they never come back - the one he was consulting had been to the clinic back in '96 or '97 been treated for 6-8 months and hadn't been seen or heard from since! "Like the boy we saw last week," he says, "we may never know what happened to him." Nodding I agreed before returning to work with Prudence in her TB office.

I'd only just come back when Jean-Pierre's mother arrived and said he was MUCH better! I ran back to tell Dr. Hall - he came within a few minutes and when I saw Jean-Pierre I could hardly believe it was him - though still sick - he LOOKED so much better - the listlessness was gone from his body and he looked bright and interested in what was going on around him.

We were all very happy to see him looking so well. Though his lung sounds were still horrible to listen to, they were improved. At the end of the appointment, Prudence asked the mother if she was a Christian? Upon hearing the affirmative she asked where she went to church? The Baptist church in Plain du Nord was the reply. Then Prudence asked Jean-Pierre, are you a Christian? Hanging his head he said No...but then said - "I would like to become one now." Prudence motioned ME to pray with him! ME?!? I needed a little bit of coaching but she was confident I could do it in Creole as he spoke no English. I knelt beside his chair and told him to repeat after me - stumbling along a little in Creole I led him in a simple prayer of acknowledging his sin and asking Jesus to save him. To come into his heart and his life and to change him. That he was putting his confidence in Jesus. Thanking the Lord for all that He has done and will do - in His precious name. Amen!!!!

Just after 10:00 am Jean-Pierre passed from death into LIFE!

Prudence spoke with him a little after this and we got a picture together. Prudence took one of us sitting as we'd prayed and one standing up in front of the exam table - as we stood there Jean-Pierre slipped his hand into mine and I squeezed joyfully! Prudence gave them some instructions on what further medicine and treatment he needed.

Me? I was overwhelmed with joy and thanksgiving! This is the first person I have ever led to the Lord! :D I could NOT stop smiling - I called my Mom - but she was away from her desk - so got a hold of my Dad instead and couldn't hold back the emotion - I just started crying! I woke Erika up in Washington state at 7:00am to tell her the news. Her groggy 'Hello' changed to a voice of Praise when she learned the reason of my call!

Prudence talked to me afterwards and said, "Yes, this is the first thing you do for the Lord in Haiti! The nursing it is second."

All throughout the day I've been telling people that I am very happy because there was a patient that got saved today! Everyone from other missionaries, to our Cook - who'd seen him waiting for meds on the 18th, to fellow coworkers and friends at the Clinic.

God is so good - I wanted to let you join with the angels in rejoicing over this one that became a child of God today.