Back from Haiti

We just returned from Haiti. We had an amazing week traveling to seven orphanages, seeing around 500-700 children.  We were able to provide medical attention at 5 of the 7 orphanages.  So that we understand the great need for medical missions trips, these orphans see doctors maybe once every year or two (I emphasize maybe), and they see doctors only when medical missions teams come through their villages.

From my perspective, our team of 14 accomplished an incredibly significant task, giving to these little ones medical attention.  While we may only take our own children 1-2xs a year for “well-child” checks, I think the main difference here is that these children are not “well” but severely malnourished and starved for affection and attention (averages are that about 4 women provide care for every 150 children in these orphanages).

I was very proud to be associated with a Grace Chapel medical team that provided not only a knowledgeable and skilled group of providers but also poured out love onto these children kissing them, hugging them, playing with them, singing with them and bringing so much joy to them (and they to us) for a 2-3 hour period.  It seems like such a small effort, but for these children, this kind of effort means everything and is of the greatest significance to our Father in heaven (see Psa. 68:5ff. and especially v. 5).