Things are not always as they seem. . .

When we were in the streets doing a medical clinic last week, a man came up and asked one of our team members if we could come to his orphanage and treat the children. Dr. K. spoke with him and we decided to go on Tuesday of the following week; which was today. The man told us that there were about 70 children, all very sick and in need of medical attention. But, as the title says, things are not always as they seem! When we arrived to treat the 70 orphans, there were 250 mothers with babies waiting. The pastor of the church where we were working said this was the staff and we needed to see them first. Now, let me explain. The problem was not the mothers nor the babies, the problem was that we were not prepared to see all those adults. We had packed medicines and supplies for 70 orphans, not for 250 mothers with babies. This was a problem for me especially since I am the “pharmacist” and when we arrived, I was immediately concerned with our lack of preparedness. Also, there was no way to keep the large crowds of people from gathering around and being all over the place. There were people everywhere! Children everywhere! Babies everywhere! Men yelling, babies crying, children laughing and mothers desperate to be seen by the doctor. I was overwhelmed. But, God reminded me that He had brought us here and that He could give us strength and calm in the storm that was raging around us. The pharmacy team stopped and prayed for strength and the ability to share with the people the Love of Jesus Christ.
I would like to say that after that everything was wonderful, it was not. It was still stressful, but through God’s strength we were able to finish the day out well, as good witnesses of who God was and His unconditional love. I can say that we did have a small miracle in the pharmacy. We forgot to take medicine bags and dosing cups, but God allowed it to all work out and we were never without the things that we needed to dispense the medicines to the people! God provided!
Also, we were able to physically show God’s love to the people of this community and now the church can follow up with the doors that were opened through this medical clinic. The pastor told us that others have come through the community after the earthquake, but we were the first to stop and help them. I have no doubt that God ordained and planned this from the beginning.

-Jessica Matthews


Well, it wasn’t exactly loaves and fishes, but…

After leaving the clinic at the orphanage community, most of the team was taking a rest, getting some water or grabbing a bite to eat. Dr. Brenda came and explained we were going to walk just down the street to a tent village where several dozen families were living under makeshift shelters supported by ropes tied to nearby trees, by hand hewn posts with sheets and blankets for walls. We were taking lolly-pops for the kids and rice, beans and cooking oil for the families.

We headed out in teams of two and three, walking through the settlement, greeting the families and giving the food in the name of Jesus Christ. As to be expected, the kids went crazy and became instant fans of anyone with candy on a stick. They were extremely polite and well behaved. Not speaking Creole or French myself I’m not sure what they were saying all the time, but the French merci-“thank you”-was often very clear.

The highlight of that time for me was the ministry of a team of young German guys who have been here for a week. Contorting themselves into the human equivalents of carnival rides they carried kids, spun kids and generally had a ball making sure the kids had a ball. After giving away all we had carried, we went back to our house.

After returning, quite unexpectedly, Dr. K ran up the stairs and yelled, “Ok, everyone, come with me.” As it turns out, he had purchased some bread and wanted to go distribute it back at the tent village.

Now, when I say purchased some bread, I mean several large trash bags filled with loaves with other very large sacks with French bread loaves. Some of our team were a little apprehensive about how this might turn out since a food riot at a giveaway spot last week had resulted in three people being trampled. We brought the food up a back alley so as not to be unloading it on the main street. This was a very wise move.

After sneaking through the alley way, we set up shop in the middle of the tent village. One call and people we had not even seen an hour before appeared in a huge mass in the middle. While not aggressive, it was clear that there was a fear of not receiving anything so lines quickly broke down and masses formed. Two or three team members gave bread, threw bread, and attempted a semblance of order while others mingled in the group or took pictures.

While watching that and thinking about the ways that food deprivation has been used around the world to control people and how famines or floods have caused time of great need, it is easy to see how people who never know where their next mouthful of food is coming from quickly fall into hysteria; bread or rice is within arm’s reach and might not make it to them. While watching on TV, Westerners tend to think, “If they would just get into lines, they would all get some food.” That is a very simplistic view. When your child is sick, dirty or hungry and there is no promise of ever getting medicine, water or food, the survival instinct can be overwhelming.

Thankfully, Helping Hands has already set up a church meeting place in the tent village with meetings on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. It is good to know that those who also need the Bread of Life are able to have at least as easy access as the physical bread with which they were blessed today.
-Marty