An Update from COTN
SUNDAY – January 25, 2010 (7:05am)
Barahona, Dominican Republic – The third COTN medical team arrived safely last night after traveling from Arizona. Two of the women who joined up with the team traveled from San Diego—they are members at Flood Church.
The team arrived at COTN’s Casa Bethesda in Barahona late last night, but had the energy and interest to listen to the stories of one of the first COTN medical teams of people here, who are also staying at Casa Bethesda since they are flying out tomorrow.
One of the first medical teams—from South Dakota—showed photos and told stories about their somewhat surreal last couple of days. It was a good processing opportunity for the first team and also allowed the third team to feel somewhat prepared for what they might begin to do today as they minister to the people of Haiti.
Please donate to COTN’s “Hands on Haiti” Response Effort TODAY! Your help is needed for immediate relief and long-term support.
SUNDAY – January 24, 2010 (12:45pm)
An update from Debbie Clark, COTN co-founder…
Silverdale, Washington – As I got off the phone a few hours ago after talking with Chris I was both heartbroken as well as filled with an overwhelming sense of God’s faithfulness. The beginning of the phone conversation was a conference call with Chris and a number of the doctors, as Chris wanted me to hear firsthand some of their experiences.
One of the doctors (Christine Nieman) told about the chaos which happened yesterday as the patients (most with something broken on their bodies) fled from the hospital two different times when they experienced aftershocks. I had talked to the staff the night before shortly after this happened and they all described the experience as incredibly sad—sad, I think to see the fear and terror that the people are living with. They said it was especially sad to witness the children in an adjacent building who ran out in terror.
Dr. Nieman told of how they had just established some order in the wards and then everything was out the door again as patients were separated from their charts and many things lost in the chaos. I was struck however by Dr. Nieman’s incredibly positive attitude in the midst of all this and was later told that she is one of many who stands out as a true servant—willing to assist in any way possible. It was an incredible blessing to hear Dr. Nieman say, “No other group here is as well taken care of as the COTN groups!”
Chris reported that our team—both the DR staff as well as those onthe ground from the US—have been an incredible blessing to many! He was overwhelmed how they are serving with no expectations and such amazing attitudes. He described it as “Awesome” to see these individuals serving day after day with very little sleep and doing oftentimes what he described as “dirty jobs” because they have been willing to jump in wherever there is a need and never a complaint.
I know that most of the team has slept only a few hours at a time—some nights less than two hours’ sleep—and when I asked Chris how he was doing it he replied, “Debbie, it has been incredible. While I am exhausted and overwhelmed with all the details, the Lord has sustained me!”
The team greatly needs our prayers as they continue the work with no break. Please continue to pray for Chris and the team as well as our DR staff today and throughout this week. Pray that God continues to sustain them as they lean on Him for their strength, pray for wisdom in decisions that need to be made, pray that servant’s hearts will be evident in all (staff as well as teams), as the needs continue to be overwhelming. We have two new medical teams arriving on Sunday and then two additional teams arriving next Thursday.
Please donate to COTN’s “Hands on Haiti” Response Effort TODAY! Your help is needed for immediate relief and long-term support.