Friday 5 March 2010

Preparation, Praise and Prayer

I was just thinking today its amazing how God prepares you for things. Just a couple of examples, I worked in 3 different hopsitals in the year and a half I was home. The last one was the royal on the stroke ward for just 4 months, and out of that I was off nearly 3 weeks getting my tonsils out. At the time it seemed almost like there was no point in starting somewhere new for such a short time. But before that I really did not know much about treating someone who has had a stroke. Now Im in Haiti, Im treating quite a few and I feel like I actually know what to do and only because of that short time I worked in the royal. And the girls there (Thank you Emer and Jenny) taught me everything I know!If it wasn't for them I would not be able to treat my patients who have had strokes here!One thing that is difficult though is trying to explain what a stroke is and how is affects a person...all in Creole!


Cap Haitian Haiti
 
Then in school from 1st to 5th year we had to do french. I can't say I ever enjoyed french class (apart from French orals especially when one of friends told our teacher her granda wears a skirt....definatley a language mistake!) but thanks to Mrs steele I did actually learn some french and it has helped me when learning creole. French and Creole are so closley related (thank goodness Creole is much easier) and knowing french before I came and learning it at school has really helped me learn Creole here in Haiti.

 
At home Im always complaining Im cold....frequently my mum says 'you have no blood in you, your always cold!' Yet look God has called me to the Carribean where it is hot all the time (although today and yesterday was cold, there was no sunshine and I had a hoodie on all day). I have no difficulty coping with the heat because I love it.

When it rains, it really rains alot!
 
One last thing which may seem a little silly, at home there are 5 of us, along with 3 dogs, 4 cats and when I was younger a rabbit, a guinea pig, a hamster and probably a couple of goldfish. Mum is a childminder so there are always kids there to. What Im trying to say is our house is always busy, very rarely would I be in  the house by myself. Then at uni for one year there were 7 of us in a house, then the last 2 years 5 of us shared a house. So Im used to there being a lot of people in my house and it being busy and I really like that. Then I came to Haiti and there was just 3 of us in our wee house with no cats or dogs (although alot of gecko's about and occassionally rats.....thats not fun at all!) and I found it hard to get used to the house being so quiet. When I got home, I lived with just one other friend apart from all the wild parties we had (thats how I get the nickname granny briggs) it was pretty quiet. I think part of that was God preparing me for coming back to Haiti and living in a quiet wee house.


My house
 
I know many of you are praying and I appreciate that alot so here are some specific things to pray about
PRAISE
  • For the people who are still becoming christians in Port, 2 of our missionaries were down this week and 30 more people got saved this week.
  • For how God is working here in Haiti and changing the country
  • For our mission family
  • For the patients Ive been able to help so far in the clinic
  • One thing Ive been thinking about is the privilege it is to be called a child of God. Thank God for that.

PRAYERS

  • Continue to pray for people who have lost family & friends in Port
  • For families who have lost everything and are trying to rebuild their lives again
  • For more patients in the clinic
  • For myself for emotional strength. It can be overwhelming at times to hear and see people suffering everyday and not be able to help.
  • Continue to remember Rosette and Carlos, that the Lord will heal her and she will be able to work again
  • For our mission family feeling stressed, burnt out and need God's strength.  

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