Lord, I can't ... But YOU can!

Bang, bang, bang, .... I awoke, rolled over and checked the time 5:58 am. A few minutes later, Janell came  to inform me that a cot was on the way. I enjoyed the few more minutes of peace and quietness. Soon someone came to the gate to inform me the cot had arrived. 

Arriving at clinic, I found a crowd surrounding a small cot. A boy 8 years old who had fallen 6 days ago and completely broke his left femur. However, in the time before coming to the clinic the family had sought other help which created more damage. The leg was tied off so tight there was little circulation. The lower leg had been plastered with a substance that caused second and third degree burns to 80% of the lower leg. The boy screamed in pain when we would attempt to clean or move the leg. After several hours we had the wounds cleaned and dressed. Thank the Lord, it was a beautiful day so we could fly him out to a bigger hospital with Ayiti Air Anbilans.

He was so brave!

The clinic was ringing by 9:30 am. We already had a lady in labour with her ninth child and several other demanding cases. Hans, Kayla, and Rachel took the little boy up to the helicopter. Ellamae and I started clinic. Thankfully, it was a small crowd waiting for us. We started consulting blood pressure people. It seemed continually I was being pulled this way and that.

We have another lady(#2) in labour arrived. We have another lady (#3) in labour on the way. She is decomposing can we send a ride? 

I sit back down to continue consulting when I here a commotion in the front room. I find an older man had collapsed in the front room. We got him up and into a bed. Got some fluids running into him and he started to perk up.

It was a welcome see Kayla, Rachel, and Hans walk in the door. We soon had everything finished for lunch.

After a short break, I went back down to check on a patient. She was perking up but, our ladies seemed to be making progress. I called Kayla down. We were sitting with the one girl (#2) when the other seemed to be having complications. We called Ellamae down. The girls went to sit with lady (#1) while I stayed with the other. Rachel came to be my assistant. We were waiting when Ellamae yells, “Alyssa we need you quick.”

I ran in to find a limp baby and a pool of blood everywhere. I grabbed the baby and started resuscitation. We called Hans down for an extra hand. We set to work assisting respirations. She had a good heartbeat but, was having difficulty breathing on her own. 

Meanwhile Kayla and Ellamae are caring for the mother. She continued haemorrhaging even though they were making all attempts to stop the bleeding. Lord, please stop the bleeding and may your will be down in the life of this baby I prayed. God heard our prayers and His will was done. His will was the best. 

Hans, Rachel, and I continue working with the baby. After 2 hours, she gave up. It was with teary eyes that we stepped back and looked at the small little frame. So innocent, so beautiful no one could deny the fact that she was fearfully and wonderfully made.

The mother by this time had stabilized and was doing much better. PTL!

Our babies over the past two days!

You may also wonder what has happened to other mother (#2) who is waiting to deliver. She seemed to cool off for a short time. We kept and eye on her but, I truly believe that God held that baby back. we cleaned up and got back to the house shortly after 7:00 pm.

After a nice refreshing evening, Kayla and I went back down to check our patients before bed. The lady (#2) in labour didn’t seem to have changed much. We decided we would give her 20 minutes if she would start in hard labour we would stay until she has the baby. Before 20 minutes were up she was wanting to give hard pushes. We called Bethany and Rachel down because they wanted to be at the birth. Before they had even made it in the door, a little boy made his appearance into the world. It was about midnight when tired, happy nurses rolled into their beds.

You may wonder what happened to lady #3 she never did make her appearance because she was already there :)!

This last collage is pictures from the past week. We have had many stitch jobs and extraordinary events. The one was a machete cut to the face in front of the ear due to a fight. Thankfully, it wasn't deeper and facial nerves had no apparent injury. 

The other a foot injury. The girl's foot had got caught in a Moto wheel while walking through market. We sent her out for surgery. 

The last is a head injury that came in the same time the foot did. A skull fracture due to a rock thrown at him. 

At times the work is taxing, stretching, and we can be tempted to feel overwhelmed but, God isn’t asking us to do it in our own strength. A verse that came to me the past couple days is “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him” (Psalm 28:7a)

Please continue to pray for the work in Haiti and provide support as God directs you! 

~ Mis Alyssa