A warm hello from the
mountains of Haiti! I am Sharon Swartzentruber, the newest member of
the clinic team...(and still trying to figure out this blog thing).
=)
December 19th
found my plane landing in this beautiful country. December 20th
was the last day of clinic before the annual closure for cleaning and
a short vacation....that day I was able to visit clinic and observe
operations. Then clinic re-opened January 9th, so last
week was my first week working at clinic. It is difficult to convey
in words the mixture of heartbreak and beauty, joy and pain, that are
experienced in the small building we call “the clinic”.
Part of my
responsibilities in a normal clinic day involve checking fetal heart
rates of many unborn babies, in varying stages of development (hint:
I might be working in the prenatal program). I am much more
comfortable now with listening for that tiny, sometimes faint,
lub-dub sound, than I was a week ago. But it never ceases to send a
little thrill all the way to my toes when I hear it.... the sound of
a very tiny little heart, perfectly made and formed by God, beating
away, full of life. What a miracle!
Then, I wonder.... what
will this child's life be like? Will he/she be loved and cared for?
Will they learn of God and His love? Endless the questions could be,
but what I know is this....that each day at clinic we are given
precious opportunities to touch lives.... lives of mothers, fathers,
children, babies. Even though it may be for only a few minutes, we
have an opportunity to convey a glimpse of the love of God to these
hearts. Something that strikes me at times is the emptiness and lack
of emotion or joy in the eyes of people, even some of the children. I
cannot imagine what all they have seen and experienced in their
lives, however long or short.... the Haitian people do not have easy
lives. But the Father Who created each and every one of us seeks
their hearts and a relationship with them...and how can they hear,
unless someone will go, and tell them....show them....love them?
This isn't always easy to
do in the middle of a chaotic and busy day, with people everywhere,
and a crowd of people still waiting each time you look out to the
benches that compose our waiting area. There are trying and difficult
patients at times.... ones who have wounds that smell so bad your
nose nearly goes on strike....ones who demand that they be seen by a
nurse immediately no matter what else is going on. Sometimes it takes
a deep breath and prayer sent heavenward, and you just keep praying
for the grace to keep smiling and being kind. And that grace is
abundant.
One morning last week as
we took the short walk down the trail to begin our day at clinic, a
brilliant rainbow stretched across the sky just above the clinic
building and out across the valley. It was a beautiful and clear
reminder of the faithfulness of God....how He keeps His
promises...even here, way back in the mountains of Haiti.
Here are a few random
pictures from the last week at clinic. One day we had a very tiny
visitor...a perfect little preemie baby who was actually doing very
well, but weighed less than 4 lbs.
And then there are the normal
views that you would see if you walked into clinic in the middle of a
day....for example, Mis Alyssa doing one of her many consultations.
These are some happy nurses with a little guy who safely made his appearance last Friday morning just after 1am. =)
Please continue to pray
for us, as we strive to reflect the love of Jesus to those we meet
and serve here...and God be with you as you do the same, wherever you
are serving Him!
-Sharon
