The Starfish

We wake up to the sounds of traffic each day as we are camped on one of the main roads. One of the team proclaims that it is like camping out on the interstate. But the sounds just become part of the background and like many things in life we tend to ignore them. This is the case I fear with many who have seen the news of Haiti’s plight but go on with their daily routines. Many have forgotten that God has called us to be there for each other. In Acts it talks about the first Church as they came together -that many would sell land to help those who were in need. No one went without and all gave with a cheerful heart. I wonder if anyone has sold any possessions so that they may help their Christian brothers and sisters who are hurting here in Haiti. Many people may think, “What can I do that will make a difference?” However, it is like the story of the little boy who walked on the beach after a storm. The storm had washed up hundreds of star fish that would soon die. A man saw the boy throwing them back into the water and asked the boy what he was doing. The boy answered, “I am saving the starfish.” The man replied, “Son, there are thousands of starfish, you can’t help them all.” But the boy said “Yes sir, I know, but I can help one and it will make a difference to this one.”

We can do the same, even helping just one fellow Christian in a time of need makes a difference to that person.

Today we set up clinic in a mountain village that made a difference to those people. Our team, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the middle of their week, now in the flow of things, helped make the clinic function in a well-oiled manner. Even Doug, from Kentucky, was swamped with wound care, but managed to handle each and every case. He had to take stitches out of one little girl, who started kicking him before he ever started. Doug said she was afraid she was getting more stitches instead of getting them taken out.

It is team members like Doug, Tom, Harvey, Zach, DuckAe, Angela, George, and Lourdes, who help make things flow, because they each give part of themselves to help the few. Today we ran out of medicines, which was a stress for Dr. B, but we came up with a plan, so that all of the people who did not receive medicines, received a ticket and they will be able to get their medicines on Friday, as we restock. It is times like these when we need to keep our faith and know that God will supply our needs.

The greatest need that we are able to meet is to continue to share the gospel, giving the people the hope of Jesus Christ. If you are reading this blog, we ask for your prayers and your support so that we may continue to serve God, and help those whom He has called us to help., whether many or only one.

-Dr. K