I Heart Uganda!

WARNING: This has the potential to be a really long post. Sorry if I lose you! I have a lot to tell, but and working the next 4 nights =)

The above picture is what we saw as we were flying to Amsterdam. Of course, the picture doesn't do the moment justice as the beauty was breathtaking. We knew we were going to spend the next 10 days with 12 other women, loving on babies and taking in a nation recovering from war, tragedy and Aids. That sight was how I felt inside. A new start, a fresh day with the potential to change anything. A little side note...You know God is in it and gathered each of us by name to be on this trip when 13 women are together 24/7 and there was not even a hint of pettiness or catty attitudes once on the trip. In fact, we all couldn't wait to see each other again the next day at church. I felt sad when I woke up alone and not in my bed inbetween Janet and Whitney...when Janet is threatening to cook the rooster who has no idea what time it is and Whitney and I are cracking up.

So we arrive and our fantastic guide Phillip and the driver stuff all of our 27 bags and 13+ carry on's into 24 seat bus. From there we were off! We got a night of rest and went to church the next day where we had a little orientation and had the honor of watching one of the children's choirs practice for a tour in a few months. We sat in the front row, smiles glued to our faces and choking back tears. When you hear an orphan sing "I am not forgotten, God knows my name"and "praise him, o my soul praise him" in a sweet child voice while busting out beautiful African moves all at the same time...your heart does more than melt. Finally we got to the place our heart had been desiring for the past 8 months.


THE BULRUSHES: a babies home right in the middle of the city full of 50 babies. The environment here was a controlled chaos, as they have a schedule and stick to it, everyone is always busy doing something. Since I work in an ER...this was my favorite place...I love the busy surroundings! Once nap time was over, it was game on. We got to feed them, change them, and did our best to hug and kiss as many as we could. We played for a few hours on blankets on the floor where we quickly became the toys. I remember looking up at one point and all of us had 3+ babies in our laps, on our backs or using our bodies to stand up and get our attention. One day we took "the toddlers" out for a walk and to the mall to play at a playground. This required us carrying them through Kampala traffic...which is basically playing frogger everytime you need to cross a street. They LOVED it! The next day we took the itty-bitties out for a walk at Serena Gardens. I had little Emmanuel, who was asleep before, during and after. But being 3 weeks old, there was no need for him to care and I could not have been more content to have a baby resting against my chest in a Baby Bjorn. My hardest moment came when we had to leave. As we put our babies down, they started WAILING! How do you walk away from that? So I picked them up again, hugged them tight and kissed their little heads and put them back down. I had to walk away before I started crying as hard as they did.



Sunday we went to WATOTO CHURCH: which the Holy Spirit was all over and I decided in that moment, it would be great to be African. Our group experienced a little piece of what heaven will be like. We worshiped, in awe of God (a huge theme of our trip that He made known from the beginning). It wasn't our typical American style service...although similar in ways...it cemented that God is the same in every part of His creation.

After church we went to BBIRA: a Watoto Village containing over 900 children. Our team broke up into small groups and ate lunch with a family who had made us traditional African food. Which I thought was quite tasty, but outside of seafood, there's very little I don't like. Each home is made up of a house mother and her 8 children, there are 8-9 homes in a circle with one being set above to look over the circle. I think there were 15 circles there. All the children refer to other kids as their brother or sister. Biology means very little in the villages as they truly take to heart that "It takes a village to raise a child" It's responsibilty of everyone. I fell in love with our family and they gave us a tour of the entire village, which includes schools, a store and church that is open to people outside the village as well. I know the kids were probably on their best behavior, but NOT ONCE did I see children fighting. I saw more older children picking up and taking care of their younger siblings, walking with arms around each others shoulders and hand in hand. Watoto children are some of the most polite children I've ever come across...and I come across different children everyday.



Next up SUUBI: a breathtaking community in the mountains. Watoto has a production line here that makes everything that goes into the babies homes and villages. They offer older children and men of the community outside of Watoto the opportunity to learn a job skill and employ them. We visited the school, many beautiful young women in their sewing class, and tons of other kids learning different subjects. I forget how many circles are here and the amount of children...but it was A LOT as well. The babies home at Suubi is beautiful. The complete opposite of the bulrushes. It's removed from the city, crisp air, incomparable views. There are about 30 babies here, 11 with special needs. Moses 5 yrs old, who has hydrocephalus, is the funniest kid there, bossing everyone around, answering for everyone and if I had a question about what to do, he would tell me. As of a year ago he wasn't even walking or talking. God does miracles.

Then we went 5 hrs north to GULU: an area that up until the past couple of years was considered to be very dangerous. Ripped apart by war, children hiding in the bush. We visited Living Hope, a place where vulnerable women have been restored their dignity and hope. Their stories are to tragic to share, but they would rather you know about how Jesus changed their life anyway. They have been through some of the worst atrocities women can face and yet, they have smiles a mile wide. They have gone through rehabilitation counseling and 4,000 women have come to know Christ! They are given jobs to make scarves, purses, dolls and jewelry. They make peanut butter and have discovered ways to make sanitary pads out of papyrus. Most girls drop out of school when they start menstruating. Now they can complete school and become well educated citizens ready to change the face of a nation. Where Living Hope is housed used to be an Internally Displaced Peoples camp where children would run to at night for protection and the fear of being abducted and forced into being a child soldier. Baby Gulu had about 20 babies. All just as precious as the first 80 we'd met. This is the newest home. You could tell the difference of the nannies here and in the bulrushes. The babies know who is responsible for them and are more attached. There are just so many in the city that it's all hands on deck. One of my favorite moments of the trip came when we walked the streets back to the guest house. We were walking where so much pain had taken place. War was here, but now freedom is here! Within minutes we had a pack of kids following us, walking with us and running out to greet us. It was a special trip and we all felt so blessed to have been able to see it and experience it. We also got to cross the Nile (AMAZING!) and it was the roughest water! Philip told me it would be considered a Level 6 rapid. We fed monkeys and laughed as a few of the girls had to go to the bathroom in the bush and Philip kept watch of the baboons that were only a football field away.

I left with mixed emotions. I thought I would leave wanting to move back for 6mos, but now I think I'll just do a month or two when God tells me the time is right. Uganda takes care of Uganda. Even Watoto takes the extra clothes for babies and give it to other local orphanages who don't get as many donations. 50% of the population is under age 15 and 70% is under age 30. There is huge potential for this country! The church in one weekend had 1500 families step up to sponser children in need in the villages. The men go to villages every week to be fathers to the fatherless. The women give up their lives to raise a responsible generation. Watoto is a well thought out organization. I did not see one aspect of life that was not effected by the Church. They know the ecomony will cause support to drop...enter production line, a self sustaning business. They know the value of education, so they find a way to change life for teenage girls. I did not walk away feeling sorry for the people of Uganda. I walked away praising God that He is SO ACTIVE and ALIVE in that nation! Thanking Him for the vision he has given Watoto and the faith of the church to believe that He is able to do it! We came back to Atlanta knowing, because we have seen it is possible, that we need to dream big. That God is able and wanting to do major things in our city. We want to be his hands and feet here. Burden and hurting for our own city that has it's own fair share of needs and hurts and least of these. We don't know what the future looks like for us, and it could still be years off, but God's Hope is coming to Atlanta. His name will be glorified.

This was our last view as we walked to our terminal to come back to ATL. God's promise. A fitting way to end a trip but start a lifetime.

Send us out!

Wow...what a journey this has been so far and the best is yet to come! Almost everything is packed and in its place. My eyes are so tired, but my brain just won't stop. So many hopes and dreams for these little lives we are going to be entrusted with for a few days are constantly on my mind.

Every now and then there are days that you are pretty sure will stick out in your mind for forever. Sunday, September 12, 2009 was one of those days. So many precious moments of family. While I will cherish them in my heart always, it made me ever more excited to get over to Kampala! Our church prayed over us in such a mighty way. I shed more tears this past week just out of excitement and gratitude than I've shed in a long time. I think that being sent out with blessing has to be one of the best feelings in the world. There are 13 of us going out with about 3,000+ people going behind us. We will represent you well, but our goal is to BE Christ well! We take you with us, and are greatly depending on your prayers. Names you can be praying for...Janet, Rachel G, Deeann, Aynsley, Whitney, Natalie, Kerri, Morgan, Rachel J, Tindell, Joy, and Brandy.

I'm so glad that God has chosen me to be a part of this church filled with people that are passionate about knowing God and living it out. Tonight we found out a little more of where God is taking us to...it's going to be good! We are going to be moving into a neighborhood. We will have a building, but that's not what it's about and I hope we keep that at the forefront of our minds.

This past week at work I had a friend ask me, "so why do you do it? what to get out of it? I know you go to help people, but what else?" He had already asked me again about my tattoo. We've already had these conversations before. I answered the only way I know how. It's not about the great feeling you get from helping people. I am called to love and to serve. I do it because I want to please God and I know that helping his creation makes him happy. This particular person doesn't believe in God and is sure that church would kick him out since he disagrees with everything in it -I want these babies, my friends and my co-workers to have their lives undeniably changed for the Kingdom of Christ. My goal has never been to just help people...that's just a humanitarian effort...my desire is that when I walk away people have a better picture of just how much God loves them regardless of their circumstances.

So we head out Tuesday. We will be gone Sept 14-25. You can keep up with us at www.ugandaonmyheart.wordpress.com and we are going to update as much as we can. We go out with confidence in the One who has brought us this far. Thank you for your prayers! I'll hug and kiss a baby for you!

Calling all mommies!

Most moms I know are great at finding a bargain or know the best prices around town. So I am asking for some of your knowledge...

Our team going to Uganda received this urgent plea today. If you know of any way you can help...please let me know! We don't care if it's formula being sent to our houses, donations to buy it or connections to the manufacturers.

Dear team….

At any given time we have several infants in our Baby Watoto homes who for one reason or other cannot tolerate a regular baby formula.

There are specialty formulas on the market that are designed for various medical issues, that we use in these cases. Unfortunately they cannot be purchased in Uganda and so we have to rely on donations from abroad and our current stock is out.

As this can make a life or death difference for a baby, we are appealing to you to help us with this urgent need. If your team has the space and means to bring even a few tins, it would help tremendously. If you have space, but would need us to fund the purchases, please let us know so we can work this out. The formula’s we need are:

Pregestamil – very hypoallergenic and quite expensive formula
Nutramigen or Alimentum – moderately hypoallergenic and moderately expensive formulas
Pediasure – A formula for over 1 year olds who can’t eat a regular food diet or have to be tube fed.

Thank you for all you do for Watoto!

Our teams momentum is building as we are just so excited to go and and I've been so blessed by how our relationships have flourished in the process of preparation. Thank you so much for being a part of it whether in prayer, money or buying T-shirts...little lives now can have big expectations. =)

Sometimes life stinks...literally

July 2010...a month I am glad to say goodbye to. A month full of defeats, frustrations, misunderstanding, stress and thanks to a local GI virus...crap (thankfully, I was unaffected, but the little kiddos at work...well, that's why they were there). Basically, a month I needed to go through in order to look more like my Father. A stretching, wearing, learning and surrendering time.

So thankful for August. A new month. A new beginning. A new opportunity.

So much to look forward too and reminders of all I have to be for which to be thankful.

TRUST in the LORD with ALL your HEART and LEAN not on your own understanding, but in ALL your ways, acknowledge HIM and HE will make your path straight.

Time for a sports metaphor..."It's all in the wrist"

So I finally did it. I got my tattoo. This action did not just come on a whim, but actually out of great consideration…and 4yr thought process. While I’ll never be able to fully explain why NOW was the perfect time to get it to the entire world (or the two people that read this thing), I’ll do my best to explain a part of scripture that has meant so much to me for so very long.
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' "
I remember hearing this growing up in Sunday School, youth group and mission conferences. I heard lots of things during those times, but this is a passage that stuck close and was always on my heart…along with the “peace that surpasses all understanding”. It’s who I was created to be. It’s been the anthem over my life for as long as I can remember. It’s why I am a nurse. I always knew I wanted to help people, and through nursing school (a beast all its own) all I could think about was how I was gaining such a practical skill that I would be able to take around the world. It was what got me through nursing school. It’s why I even do medical missions. I’m not changing the world…only Jesus can do that. In light of reality, I do very little for all the need that surrounds me…but I feel compelled to let others know the love of Christ. To care for them, to educate them, to help them, to give to them, to come along side them, to listen to them, to pray with them…not because it’s charity, not because the government has a program for everything so I can be hands off and lazy…NO..it’s because my Jesus loves them and cares for them. He wants to listen to them, guide them, to intercede for them. But how will they know? They will know Jesus by the love I show them.
I got it on my wrist for a reason. Numerous ones actually. It has to be covered at work and my watch is the perfect size. No one has to know it’s there, but it will be a constant reminder to me…always staring me in the face. Yet, if ever I am not wearing my watch, it’s facing out purposely so others can read it. The perfect opportunity for someone to read it and ask “what’s up with that”. The wrist is where cuffs are placed. If I am going to be a slave to anything in this world, it will be only to my Jesus and the life he has set before me. The wrist is where you literally FEEL someones pulse, their life…these words are my heartbeat. The wrist is a sensitive area. It’s where young mothers used to test the milk to see if it was too hot. It’s a pressure point. In some cultures, they lead you by the wrist to where you are going. You can’t extend your hand to help unless the wrist is involved.
On a funnier note…during a staff meeting we were talking about identifying factors that we’d use if ever there were a major disaster. Kelli…who affectionately calls me ‘Sister Laura’ and always asks to make sure I am praying for certain staff members, had been teasing me about my tattoo. I told her it was now my identifying factor and we had a good laugh. In all seriousness though, should anything ever happen to me where I had to be identified…there’s nothing I’d want more on my body than that to distinguish me from others.
Like I said, it’s a sensitive spot. It hurt. The three dots were fine, but when the artist made the “e” all I could think was “great. I have so many letters left to go.” More annoying than anything, but the only time I really did not appreciate the art was when he was on the word “least”. Ironic. That’s life…isn’t the “least” the hardest to deal with, the one that hurts the most, the one that makes you think if it’s worth it?
It is. Everytime I see what I am now branded with, I smile. My heart gets a little burst of joy. Not going to lie…work has been pretty terrible since I got the tattoo. I had a feeling it would happen. Staff moral is down, I got crapped on and had to change my scrubs, I saw more nasty snot come out a trached child’s nose then I ever care to see again, I’ve had to be sweet and understanding to parents laying me out with their words, saw a newborn infant with old healing fractures, sat next to a mom with my arm around her as the doctor told her that her very young child has a brain tumor. That’s the least. Those are the feelings, those are the smells, those are the sights. It’s made me all the more thankful for my Savior, and everything he has protected me from…and that he’s placed me here, in Atlanta, at my job, at my church and with a heart for the nations that will soon be going out to Africa in just a few months.
This is a time of my life that I never want to forget. I want to be able to look back at my times of singleness and be so glad I did something with it! I’m not going to sit around and waste time waiting for life to come find me. BORING! I make the most of every opportunity…

Food for the hungry
Water for the thirsty
Clothes for the naked
Worth for the widows
Mothers for the orphans
Jesus to the world



In other news...we (the women going to Watoto) are going to be selling t-shirts. Below is a picture of what it will look like. They are going to be $20 and all the money goes straight to the $1000 we each have to raise as project money for the babies. Let me know if you want one!!!

The video from Passion 2010

As I sat in Passion 2010, if I wasn't convinced I was going to go already...this sealed the deal. God is doing amazing things! God's story is HUGE! I'm not sitting on the sidelines waiting for it to happen, I'm not missing out!

http://vimeo.com/9832009

Sorry, I can't the link to work, so just do the 'ol copy and paste and you'll get there...and be ready to Praise God at the end of it!

Thank you to Africaprincess who gave me the link!

High Hopes and Heartbreaks

Good grief...a lot has happened in a month. Just a little over a month ago, I came back from having my life rocked in a major way through the honor of helping survivors of the Haiti earthquake. I've gotten a few updates about a couple of my pt's (Denise and Annika are doing well! They were evacuated to the Comfort Ship). I've been able to continue here in ATL with the recovery of little lives from Haiti and when I saw an update on a local TV spot and saw my little one LOOKING GREAT, I had a moment of "wow, God is powerful!!!" Not a day goes by where I don't think about them and pray for them.

Along with that comes a new season of life. Back in Oct, I met Rachel through our friend Janet. Rachel is pretty much amazing and we are cut from the same cloth, yet with different strengths and weaknesses. Immediately the Lord let us hit it off and she quickly became one of my very closest friends her in Atlanta. Our first conversation was at church as we were tearing down a mock apartment created to show what we needed to bring the next week for refugees randomly placed in ATL. It completely revolved around God, his call on our lives...and of course...our heartbeat, missions and loving people. Before this time, I had always been willing to go where God wanted me to go, but Africa had never really been on my radar. The second Rachel mentioned she had heard about a hospital in Uganda that needed nurses to help out and educate...I was hooked. She had hurdles to overcome, but our conversation ended with me saying to her, "if no one else can go, even if it is just the two of us, I will go to Uganda with you. There's no reason I cannot go and teach people everything I know and serve God while there in however He chooses." All of the sudden, I could not get Uganda off my mind, constantly googling for information, plane ticket prices, requirements, ect. I mentioned it to Janet, and lo and behold, she had been praying about Uganda for 3 yrs!

At Passion 2010, the founder of Watoto was there as a speaker, shared her heart and in one of the sessions a video was created to show what Watoto does and how it works. By the end, I was just a cryin' away. (Once again, I do not cry over my own life, but show me need and hurting people...I'm a mess) I text Janet immediately asking "seriously, when are we going?" She also received about 4 other texts from 4 other women at the same time. Word spread, people met, circumstances and opportunities that only can be put together by God came together...and WE ARE GOING!!! I wish you could see the video they showed at Passion...but you can go to their site to find out more information http://www.watoto.com/ It's an organization that Passion City Church knows well and has worked with before, and we hope to continue to build relationships with these amazing and wonderful people. I can stand behind this group with full confidence.

Details are still being ironed out. Some people still have some things to work out and seek the Lord about. It looks like we will be going in September, about a group of 10-11 women. We will be working in Baby Watoto with the 90+ babies, coming along staff to help, care, feed, change, play and love on these precious little ones...some of which haven't even been born yet. 2, possibly 3 of us are nurses and may be doing medical things as well with the kids while we are there. The price is overwhelming...I'm not going to lie. $3200-$3500 for a 10 day trips seems like a bit much. $1000 of that is straight project fund to Watoto. I am assuming they use that money to help with costs of food, diapers, wipes and all things needed to care for babies. It's hard enough to pay for 1 child much less 89 more! I am totally trusting God for the funds to do this. The call to go is undeniable, so I KNOW God will make a way for something as little as money to be taken care of. The money doesn't scare me. (Side note:I did have to promise my parents to not come home with a child, but I did not promise to not return for one at a later date!)

With that...here comes the hurting of the heart. With expenses being what they are, I am not going to be able to go back down for my normal 6 month check up of the students in the Dominican. Praise be to God that Lauren P.A. is there now, so medical needs will not go unnoticed or undone. I'm just not needed there right now! God provided for those children in a great way! The group is going back down in Novemeber, and I hope to hop on a plane to join them...but once again...that will be ALL God as well. My heart hurts when I stop and think about not hugging my little Yunairi, watching Ambi's toothless smile, washing more feet than I care to mention or hanging out with the staff and joking with the locals. But my heart breaks when I think about not going to Baby Watoto. If I were to force my way into the DR and make that trip happen, I would be being disobedient. I don't feel like my relationship in over in the DR...I'm just getting a great GLOBAL view of what God is capable, willing and wanting to do!

I'm excited. The women on this trip have all had the desire placed on our hearts and I believe hand picked by God to go. We had our first meeting together and I look forward to each month as we get together and prepare, get to know each other's stories and hearts...and spend time in prayer. Expectant of the future and overwhelmed by God's capability!

Humbled on the Homefront...

This whole experience has humbled me in a lot of ways. We said from the beginning, we didn't want to be at ground zero and we would be happy out on the fringes. God put us there and it was such a blessing to serve. Had we been near the center of it all, I may not have gotten to know and serve my pt's as much, I wouldn't have been able to witness God working the exact way He did before my very eyes in Jimani, I wouldn't have had to learn to trust for His guidence in such a practical way.

We all have roles in life and I am no different from you. If you were given the skills God gave me and then gave you an opportunity to go...you would do it. I'm not special. I just had the honor of being obedient. You were obedient in your own way. On the first post about this trip the day before I left, I mentioned that I had bought $500 in medical supplies that I honestly didn't have money for. By the time I got home, $300 of it was paid for...two days later it all was paid for...and then tonight at church...someone handed me money and told me to use it however I saw fit. I promised that anything over the $500 would go in a check straight to Makarios and that is exactly where it is headed tomorrow. I met most of the givers at Passion 2010 as I served with them, I serve with one at church, and another is from a house church back home...many of whom do not know me. That is obedience. And I am so humbled. The fact that people would A) ask how they could help was amazing B) Actually follow through and give money blew me away and C) to someone they had just met or never met. Bride of Christ...you are generous! You gave with your heart, you gave with your time (PRAYER, messages, texts, calls, posts) and you gave with your resources. I cannot thank you enough! Those that have clean wounds cannot thank you enough...and may grasp how high and how wide and how deep is the love of Christ! I can say truthfully that the Church was represented well. I have never been so proud to be a part of it! I pray our words and our actions, not only reflected Jesus, but that it also stirred those around us that do not know him. The only difference between what we were doing and what humanitarians do is Jesus...but what a difference one man makes.

The Dominicans say "gracias", the Haitians say "Merci", this American says "thanks", but this Believer says "To God be all glory and honor and praise, I serve You as I serve others, I count it a blessing and privilege and thank you for the opportunity and for making it possible through your people."

Denise and Annika

Upon arriving the first day at the little hospital/orphanage, that we now know is called Good Samaritan, and put straight to work in the ER, I was put in charge of little Annika. She is a month old with third degree burns and a fracture to her right arm. We were told her parents were killed in the quake and her aunt brought her in. This super cute, kinda sassy, little one was not going to lack for care! I had her and loved her, felt personal responsibility for her (being a human and a peds ER nurse) and every person that walked by felt the need to lay a stethoscope on her even if just for an excuse to have five seconds of light in his/her day.

I got her ready for surgery, Kurt the pediatrician walked her up for surgery, and I was left praying. Praying she would make it through surgery and that they would somehow be able to save her arm. A while went by and then I saw Kurt sitting on the bed watching Annika to make sure she was recovering well. I took over and started talking with one of the translators who was helping in the ER while Kurt went to find the aunt. He spoke spanish and creole, so our conversation proceeded in spanish. He asks about her a little bit and asks where her parents are. I sadly tell him I was told they were killed. He looked at me like I was crazy..."What? No, her mom is right over there." and points to a woman laying on a mat under the pharmacy window, one of the busiest places, turned on her side facing the wall and shaking. Mitch was her nurse and I had seen him giving fluids and antibiotics. I thought, surely my spanish is failing me and I am hearing wrong. We went back a forth a little bit, both of us insisting on the story we were told. Kurt came back with "aunt" who was actually "cousin" and both of us had huge smiles on our face. "That's Annika's mom!" Apparently he had got the story from cousin as I was getting the story from the translator. THANK YOU, JESUS! Not only was Annika's mom alive, but she ended up in our ER at a completely different time! Then my heart broke as I looked at Annika's mom as she facing the wall, without strength to turn over and unable to care for her baby, Denise (pronounced Deese)looked bad...like real bad, didn't know if she'd make it through the night bad. I'm sure she was thinking, "do they see me here? I am going to die here." We decided to move her so she could atleast face her sweet baby. After I finished doing all sorts of nursing stuff, I just couldn't take it anymore. The cousin was kinda hands off, we had to teach her that it's important to change the diaper and feed her (although feeding her was a point of solace during the day that I looked forward to). By the time we left, she was a pro, but at the time she was content to sit on the bed...I went over, scooped Annika up and took her over to Denise. We didn't have a bed to put her on yet, so she was on a mattress on the floor. She was still on her side, but now facing her daughter. I said her name and it took all her strenth to push her hand out to lay on the mat. I leaned down with Annika and put her head in her mothers hand. I was holding her awkward and she was crying, but she heard her mom's voice and immediately stopped, turned her head and nuzzled her mom's cheek.Denise had one tear traveling her cheek, rubbed her cheek on her head, speaking soothingly and had a smile like I've never seen. During my labor and delivery practicum in nursing school, that was always my favorite part. Cleaning off the baby and handing the baby to mom for the first time. Watching them instantly become a family face to face. This might have been even more precious...like a second birth. Denise might have thought her sweet liitle baby had died, she might have thought she herself was dying, but to see each other and hold each other for the first time since such a life altering event was an absolute miracle in front of my eyes that I will remember forever.
The next day Denise was sitting up in a wheelchair and looking at her daughter face to face. Camera's were snapping. I took a couple, but I wanted to soak in the moment.

Denise seemed to be a new women over night and Annika was showing no signs of infection and going back into the OR the next day for debridement again. But like I said in the last post...the aftershock came and everyone was pulled out into the open air...Robin and I found Denise shaking and it was not good. We grabbed a doctor (one that we actually ran into in the airport two days later) and worked on getting her under control again. I got pulled to start organizing and moving pt's and I knew that Denise was being taken care of. Medically I didn't care for her...Mitch was taking care of that while I had Annika, but emotionally I felt it was my job to do something. At one point, I looked up and a sheet was being held up to give her some privacy and I saw blood all over the sheets. I prayed! What else could I do? She had doctors and nurses giving the best care they could and I was needed elsewhere. Finally things had calmed down and Denise was recovering well. I walked over to her to point out where Annika was for her and see how she was doing. She grabbed my hand, smiled and looked like a million bucks. I am not sure what all medically they had to do, but The Great Physician guided their hands and was caring for Denise. I have no idea how they are doing now. I think of them often and wonder how their continuing operations went...but God is in control and loves them regardless. I rest in that. This was Denise right before the aftershock.

There were plenty of stories that I listened to of parents losing their children, literally right in front of their eyes. Building falling and crushing...fires burning. But this was a story of hope. Yes...plenty of suffering and complete devastation...but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Thank you Jesus for HOPE found only in YOU and the suffering YOU went through!

Jimani, DR...a place God led us to

I honestly have no idea what to say. I, first, must THANK YOU for your prayers! I know that that is the only thing that got the team of 7 through those days. Please know that amazing things were accomplished...and it was only through Christ. Everything seemed to have an amazing story and I am not sure how to organize my thoughts. I'll just tell from my perspective and tell stories I guess.
OVERVIEW: Arrived Tuesday, drove a very bumpy 8hrs to Jimani, told by the hospital that they would call if they needed us, there was plenty to do, obvious need, people everywhere, we left some supplies, found an orphanage and played with the kids a while, but they were fine. It was getting too late to do anything else and the church was full of Haitians so we drove 1 hr to Devaje to sleep. It was a bed and I was grateful. We ate dinner and prayed a lot, hoping to find the orphanage (in need of food and water we had heard about) in the morning. All in all, I would be lying if I didn't admit to being a little discouraged at the end of the day. I had paid a lot of money to be there b/c I truly felt like it was what God was calling us to do...so where were we supposed to go from there. Thursday morning we got up and went in seach of the orpahange...only by God's divine direction did we find the Good Samaritan. (Basically the Lord led us to that place. 5 MD's from TN had this vision and started building. The upper building was built to be a outpatient surgery and clinic, the lower building was built to be an orphanage for Haitians. It took five years to complete the orphanage b/c the guy that was building it wanted it to be earthquake proof and at one point fired a whole crew for not building it the way he wanted it. It was just completed about 6 months ago but since DR/Haitian relations are so bad, they weren't able to yet get the kids from across the street over to the new place. Well Praise God b/c it housed all our refugees!) We offered ourselves up and all of us were put to work. I was placed in the ER. I wish you could see it with your own eyes b/c you need all your senses to take in this place. It's hard to explain and frustrating to know that no one will understand it. There were people everywhere in controlled chaos. Charts consisted of paper tied around their necks like a neckace and then someone brought in folders and paper. (Makarios actually ended up buying more admin/office supplies for everyone with donated money.) In a matter of five seconds I saw a young girl with a leg amputation, a 12 yr old boy with blown out eye injury that lost his eye, multiple femur and pelvic fractures, wounds everywhere covered but in need of cleaning, everyone had broken bones with casts or external fixators, so much to do. I started IV's, emptied foley cath bags, debrided and dressed wounds, worked hand in hand with the doctors to get our pt's to the OR or up to the Ward when they were stable. At one point I had just taken a bedpan to dump it in the bathroom and on my way back I looked around with a dirty bedpan, saw a truck unloading food and water, Haitians sleeping or laughing with family, 1,000 things to do and the only thought that came to my mind was "God is so good!" It literally stopped me in my tracks as it seemed like such a weird time to have this thought, but tears welled up and I kept going thankful to see beauty among ashes. Amongst so much suffering and overall disgusting tasks, there was such joy and people that God had sent there. I felt honored to be a small part of it. We worked hard all day and found a place to eat and sleep...another bed! No floor! And a lovely pipe sticking out of a wall for a shower that felt like the most magnificent thing I've ever felt in my life. Friday we got up early, went straight back and went right to work. There was more organization than the day before and organization seemed to be the goal. Darren had 55 pt's and he, a nurse and a MD worked 12 hours to not only see pt's but get their meds together, explain use and discharge instructions, and get them ready for discharge. In the ER, we had a great little system going and I had an AMAZING team to work with. I grew close to my pt's over the day as I was constantly checking pain levels, giving antibiotics, shots, IV's, draining things, Changing dressings, feeding babies, and just loving on them. Blood administration was started upstairs, Surgeries were proceeding, each ward had about 7 rooms, each room had 12-20 people inside. I said bye to all of my pt's, which was one of the hardest thing I have ever done, they all wanted to know when I would be back, why was I leaving, what my name was, how to find me, and hug after hug after hug. All I could say, as I was holding back tears was, Merci (thank you) to them. Then it happened...one of the top 3 scariest things I have ever experienced in my life..and I don't know what the other two are yet! It was time for us to leave when someone asked me to run upstairs quickly to go see a woman that was "shaking", I was thinking seizure or septic...septic it is. The doctor asked me to run up to the main pharmacy grab some meds and come back to start them while the iv was started. By the time I got back, the other nurse had tried twice and needed me to start the line. The pt's and their families were laughing and joking, some singing and praying while I started the IV. I had just finished taping it down when I heard a loud boom and got knocked around a bit while 20 people ran for their lives out of the room. The woman I was starting the IV on grabbed my arm, trying to climb up me to get her out and begging me not to leave, save her or help her (I don't know, it was Creole, but her eyes said it all!!!) Another older woman was left in the room calling on Jesus as if she had just accepted she was going to die or God was going to deliver her. I looked out in the hall and just saw people running, dragging mattresses, carrying beds and people. For a split second I had the same fear (do I need to get out of here right now, how do I get these two women out, it's just me left here with them!) I tried to convince the lady I was coming back and ran out into the hall, a teenage girl with just a short t-shirt and underwear on grabs me to help her, she was sobbing and shaking, she couldn't even move. Her bandages had come loose and I could see all her scars and wounds, I just held her and looked down to try and find someone from the group. ROBIN! Praise Jesus I saw her as hundreds were running out. I was yelling for her and she yelled back that it was an aftershock but everything was fine, no damage, I didn't feel it (I did feel the one a few hours later). I took my girl down the three flights of stairs, weaving through people, wheelchairs, beds and belongings. In a matter of five minutes every single person was out with everything they had, including IV poles with IV's still running...how did they manage that!?! I felt like that point in the movie where the character is standing still and the camera is just swirling around her in circles. I frantically searched for my pt's from the ER to make sure they were ok, knew we were safe, and to comfort them. I found Darren and he was stunned as he told how he felt the pile of bricks he had his hand on move a little and then not a second later watched a man (who only had an eye injury) jump off the second story balcony. Not look down, not hang over the edge...just straight ran and jumped. He landed and Darren ran over to help him, he couldn't walk and ended up having compression fractures. Can you imagine? That was just such a small taste of the fear these people will live with for the rest of their lives, and you felt so helpless, and all the organization? Out the window. I was surprised at how many people still had their charts...they knew they were important. I've never seen people move so fast, helping others so fast, calling to Jesus and singing so fast. When they all got out, that was the first thing they did. It may just be cultural, but it was encouraging none the less. We worked for another 2-3 hrs to get people in rows and organized outside...they were not going back in out of fear that the building would fall. My heart broke when the translator I had been working with just looked frustrated and exhausted as he was trying to explain. "To you, this is not an earthquake, but to us, to Haitians, this is an earthquake. It is to us, we just lost everything, our homes, our families, our arms and legs, I was holding my sister when our house fell and killed my brother. To you it's not, but to us it is, don't blame us for reacting this way, I'm sorry" Some in english, Erika and I in spanish and Robin in creole couldn't convey enough that we understood, none of us were mad, and we were so sorry for what he had gone through.If i had just lost my arm or leg and watched a building kill my whole family, I would run too, no question, and a bunch of white people holding their hands up saying "No, it's ok" wouldn't make me change my mind. He grabbed my arm, took me to his sister and asked me to cover her arms...there were basically chunks missing and he and I both knew they need to be cleaned and covered before infection set in and being out in the open air with dust and other people, the chance is high. I hugged him and told him I would do it, no problem. I got her taken care of, moved some more pt's around and we were getting ready to leave when a woman came up to me and handed me the medication I had ran for with the tubing. Are you kidding me!?! I was amazed, the only thing missing was a needle and with all the running and mayhem, I couldn't believe that not only the medication made it, but that the tubing (a completely seperate package) was still with it! It was an IV medication and can only be given with the proper tubing! She led me to the women, I hugged her and explained to her new nurse what happened and why she needed it. We finally reached our limit and were beyond exhausted. It was time to go. We went back to the hotel with our keys that we had kept only to find out they had given our rooms away. They offered a house for us to stay in, but after we saw it and saw the neighborhood, we decided to just drive a couple hours to the nearest midsize city and get a room there. We traveled back on saturday, Darren and I had to say goodbye to the rest of the team as they headed back to Puerto Plata and we stayed in Santiago for our flight in the morning. On both of my flights we ran into doctors we had worked with and it was great to hear how God was working in their lives as well. I was planning on being back in time for church, but the weather in ATL had a different plan. After sitting on the plane for 2 1/2 hrs and being told it would be another 2 hrs before we took off I was at the end of my rope, I got a coffee, a cinnabon and cried for about two minutes. But God works all things for good and I was able to share what I did but also WHY I did it with three people...the gospel! Again, God is so good!
Alright, that is all I can process right now...but it will be storytime as days go by...I was told many and experienced plenty and they all deserve to be shared. Here are a few pictures...

Heading to Haiti...well kinda

Ever since the moment I saw the news of the earthquake in Haiti, my heart has been there. Myself and the medical team from back home were immediately on board for trying to get a team together and go down and help. I actually got a call to start seriously thinking about it as I was forking over $700 for car things (GA plates, tags, tax, transmission, brakes and rotors). I laughed when Darren mentioned it and then realized he was serious. Off went an email to my boss asking for time off and on to my knees for a plan to come together. Doors seemed to keep shutting and we were given the opportunity to learn patience. We sit here with trauma skills and willing hearts, but no way in. So we prayed.

Sunday night I got an email telling me to get plane tickets for Tuesday. I do not know much about the situation we are walking into. I do know that we will be working in the border town of Jimani at a local hospital that was found in desperate need. I think things are looking better as Makarios continues to send supplies, but on Wednesday a small medical group will arrive and it is an honor to be a part of it. I think there may possibly be 2 MD's, 2 PA's, and 2 RN's...which would be awesome! I believe we will be sleeping in a church. We will probably smell, but I look forward to the closeness and conversations. I told my family...This is why I became a nurse. I will do absolutely everything I can to alleviate pain, stop infection, and clean the wounds that these people are suffering. But more than that...I have the opportunity to place a hand on someone, to hug them, to care for them and their children IN THE NAME OF JESUS and lift their lives to God. Their souls are far more important than any physical actions.

Two weeks ago, I had the priveledge to watch God work in major ways in the hearts of 22,000 college students at Passion 2010. I was a volunteer on the International Students Team and at one point was literally sitting among the nations. Brazil, Ireland, Australia, Korea, England, Ukraine, Mexico, and Estonia were just a few of the people I got to serve while they were here. But now is the time to GO, to meet needs in other people's countries, and to follow the calling that God has placed on my life.

I am so very humbled to have received all the comments, messages and phone calls offering words of encouragement, support and prayer. They are truly what will get us through the next few days. Please pray for protection, endurance, wisdom and Hearts of our Savior.

Some of you have expressed willingness to give financially. First of all, that alone humbles me. Whenever I go on medical missions trips, I have a few months notice and plan my budget accordingly. I am not used to needing others for financial matters and basically work to go on these trips. This obviously was not on my radar and was not ready for it. I am solely responsible for my plane ticket, but I did spend $500 on medical supplies that we will need and what has been requested. If you want to give to that, the easiest way to get it to me would actually be to send a check to my mom (Sherri Simpson) in Ohio. She has access to my account and can put it directly in. Anything above the $500 will be sent in a check from me to Makarios. If you would rather give straight to Makarios International for tax reasons, you can do that at Makariosinternational.org. Just make sure you put Haiti medical needs in the memo. To get the Ohio address, email me at holalola1685@earthlink.net. I will not be taking my computer, so I do not know if I will be able to check anything until I get back Sunday night.

Thank you for praying! I cannot say it enough! I am so excited to be leaving tomorrow and watching God work on a global scale! This song has been on my heart for days...may it bless you and encourage your obedience.

By our love...Christy Nockels

Brothers, let us come together
Walking in the Spirit, there's much to be done...
We will come reaching, out from our comforts
And they will know us by our love...

Sisters, we were made for kindness
We can pierce the darkness as He shines through us...
We will come reaching, with a song of healing...
And they will know us by our love!

The time is now
Come Church arise...
Love with His hands
See with His eyes...
Bind it around you,
Let it never leave you,
And they will know us by our love...

Children, You are hope for justice,
Stand firm in the Truth now, set your hearts above
You will be reaching, long after we’re gone,
And they will know you by your love