How I deal with it

People here drive motorcycles as if they were on a video game. Most of them are young males.

Scene yesterday morning: Head on collision motorcycle accident. Thankfully both wearing helmets. Helmets cut both of their heads really bad. One guy complains of knee pain. I roll up his pants and see an old wound. I joke that it was from his last motorcycle accident. No joke.

Lori: When are you going to learn to slow down on that thing?
Young, hot-shot kid: But riding it is soooooo sweet. I have just started getting cut up.

Awesome. Not looking forward to the next time I see him.







This guy was cut somehow by a rock. The cut wasn't too bad, but he did cut a vein which I thought was pretty cool. It is the dark worm-like thing in the middle of the cut. You can see how it already had clotted off at the end. Isn't the human body just so cool???



And just as we were about to go up for dinner last night, this little boy was brought in with what we heard was a bad cut from a rock. The story was never exactly cleared up but somehow someone was aiming for a dog and this kid was caught in the crossfire. We brought him in and did neuro checks (looking to see if he was having symptoms of a brain injury, pupils, speech etc.) The head bleeds a lot so it took a while to get in there and see how bad it really was. We shaved his head around the cut, anticipating sutures. However, it was much deeper than we thought and as we felt it around it became clear that his skull was fractured. Give dexamethasone (steroid to decrease brain swelling). Big needle. Kid jumps and pulls the needle out as I am giving it to him. Awesome, let's try this again. He hates me, but he is awake!

Ok so here is where it gets sticky, we can't do anything for a skull fracture besides sew him up. But the chance of infection or severe brain swelling is really high. Brain could be bleeding already. Alternative is to send him into town. Problem is, Doctors without Borders will not see a patient who has already been seen somewhere else. We shaved his head. Dangit. Ok so what about General Hospital? Never once when Lori has sent a skull fracture into town has it been fixed. Child still laying on the table. Dad does not understand why we cannot do anything.

In her infinite wisdom, Lori decides not to waste anymore time and sent them into town. Tell them to go and they hang around outside for a while. Explain the urgency, they still don't leave. Breaks our hearts but we give it up to the Lord and beg him for that child's healing. Haven't heard anything today. Still praying. Will you pray with me?





I know that probably seems very confusing, and of course I cannot explain all of the reasons for the way things are here. But this is how I deal with it. I have to know and believe that God is in control and he loves these people more than I ever could. Lori and Licia have an incredible amount of experience and they love the Lord and love the people of Haiti. They will do everything possible to care for them, but they do have limits. There are situations and things they have seen that all the equipment, money and resources in the world could not help.

The sermon at church this morning was on the importance of walking close with God because he is going to call us to do crazy things that don't make sense to the world. It is not our job to do God's work. We are just supposed to be obedient when He wants to use us to do His work. He gifts us with abilities and he calls us to go to people and places but He is the one saves. It's not on us. I have to believe that because there are days when the needs are so overwhelming and the hurts we face in this world are unbearable.

Days before Jesus died on the cross for me and for you and for sick kids in Haiti, he said this.

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulations. But TAKE HEART for I have overcome the world." John 16:33

This is how I deal with it.