So Will I

Verse of the Day: “Love must be sincere.  Hate what is evil, cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love.  Honor one another above yourselves.  Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.  Practice hospitality.”  Romans 12:9-13

I think I found a future PT

Today we fittingly added to the wide terrain of clinic visits and headed off into the desert.  Getting closer to the community, it is unique to see the variations in people groups.  Kids and adults alike all waved as we drove by—reminded me a lot of home and driving by the Amish kids actually  ;-)  Mahalia is a local woman here who has it in her heart to give back to her people.  She has employed several local doctors and nurses and they are the ones serving follow-up care in the clinics we visit.  Mission Mantana is the name of the compound we were at today.  In addition to an orphanage that is currently housing 74 kids, it has a small school and a large building that we were able to use for our larger clinic setup. 

Mahalia told me today that this has been the first time there has ever been in PT serving in their clinics.  As in a lot of countries like this, PT is either non-existent or only for the very rich who can afford it.  So this is bridging new territory to a people who need

The kids singing for us to end out our clinic day

it.  There are a lot of farmers and manual laborers in these communities that would benefit from simple changes in technique, exercises that can help them move better, or initiating rehab for old injuries where compensations have developed.  Doing PT is very different in a setting like this.  What would typically be a program developed and followed through over a course of 4-6 weeks has to be completed in roughly 20-30 min.  It basically includes some manual techniques to start to reduce their pain and then educate on at least a couple exercises to help address the root of the problem. 

Overlooking Port-au-Prince

One of my new favorite songs is “So Will I” by Hillsong United.  It is a beautiful song telling the story from creation to revelation in a way that reflects God’s worthiness of our worship in so many ways.  As I walked around tonight capturing gorgeous views of the city around me I was reminded “I can see your heart eight billion different ways, every precious one, a child you died to save. If you gave your life to love them, so will I.”  I was reminded my natural heart does not go there--it is so easy to get caught up in the busyness of treating pain that I forget the human behind it all.  I am in desperate need of God’s heart to stand in place of my own.