It was amazing how we woke up, with no alarm clock, just when we needed. God is good. The sunlight was our alarm :) As the days before, we were dressed and ready to relieve our night shift nurses by 0730. For the first time really since we'd arrived, Lindsey, Jenny, and I had the chance to work together in the post-op ward. Naturally, we were excited to work together. We made our morning rounds with our seven patients on the post-op ward. It's amazing how attached you grow to your patients, even within a matter of days. I loved them all, so dearly. For the first time, things had somewhat slowed down. We had a chance to foster our relationships with our sweet patients: love them, laugh with them (mainly at my broken French...which they so graciously helped me translate into Creole), and shed tears with them. Jenny soon left our ward to be a part of the triage team out in the villages (She's a pretty amazing ER nurse :)... so naturally right up her alley).
One of our sweet patients, who was 67 years old, had suffered a right leg (tibia/fibula) fracture. Her sweet daughter and son-in-law, never left her side: they spent the night by her bedside. In the AM they had some more family members bring them fresh clothes/food. While Lindsey and I were finishing with administering IV antibiotics, this woman's sweet family called us to her bedside, "Sarena...Lindsey...come!". We came over, and they graciously gave us some of their food: freshly fried fish brought to them by their family that morning. My nose rapidly turned pink, as my eyes filled with tears. To think, someone with so little, giving you their food. Lindsey and I were speechless, and humbled. Such a beautiful testament to the love and sense of community Haitians treasure so well.
The day picked up, as we moved patients in/moved patients out. Jenny came back by late afternoon, so we all three were in the ward. Towards sundown, once again we prayed for night relief. He graciously provided. As we waited for our relief to make it to the ward (around 10:00pm), we were radio-ed that another patient was going to be transferred from the PACU to the post-op ward.
Her name was Dani (short for Danishelle). She was 16 years old, and had suffered a left arm amputation. Later she told us she had to partially cut her own arm, to make it out of the rubble alive. She had been transferred to the general hospital of Haiti where they performed her amputation, but she was later transferred to us because her amputation was infected. Our surgeons did an amazing job, by cleansing, disinfecting, and re-dressing where her arm had been amputated. She was brought in on the stretcher, and we quickly (with the paramedics' help), transferred her to a fresh bed. I grabbed her some water, as she repeated "J'ai soif (I'm thirsty)". The second phrase out of her mouth was, "I want to know Jesus Christ." (we had a 15 year old boy who lived at the orphanage serving as our translator). In that moment, Lindsey, Jenny, and I all locked eyes. This is the entire reason of why we are here. We immediately gathered around and knelt at her bedside. Lindsey led in prayer, as we laid our hands on her (the 15 year old translated our prayer to her). My heart broke as tears streamed down her face. We prayed that Jesus would rescue her, that He is wooing her, He is her redeemer, and prayed His Holy Spirit would reside in her. We prayed for her healing, to know she is beautiful, to know that she is loved and Jesus is with her always, He has called her by name. With that she responded that she had lost contact with her Mother after the earthquake, and she hadn't even seen her Father since the earthquake. She presumed he was dead. Tears began streaming down all three of our faces. We kept praying. As we concluded, the 15 year old boy broke out into a Creole worship song. Dani began worshipping with him, and slowly, every other single patient on the ward (including their family), began singing in unison. With this, my tears became sobs. It was the most beautiful music I had ever heard in my life. Next, he led us all in, "Hungry I am Falling On my Knees"...which they all had apparently learned in English. As he did, we all, by God's beauty and grace, worshipped Jesus in unison, in one language. It was a moment so powerful, I pray I will always recount His powerful presence in that moment. As we sobbed, sweet Dani would alternate wiping Lindsey and my tears from our faces. I couldn't believe this 16 year old, who'd lost her arm and had no idea where her parents were, was comforting us.
It was a beautiful, broken, and redeeming night orchestrated by Jesus. He is mighty to save.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.
- Ephesians 2:4
But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
-Isaiah 43:1
Currently Playing: "All Creatures of our God and King" - Patty Griffin
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