Sunday, July 31, 2016

Mercy Trips Summer Outreach: "Another good day of service"


Partnering with local healthcare workers and churches in medically underserved countries, Odessa, Texas-based Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach provides free medical clinics and surgical care as an outreach of Christian love for our fellow man. 




Mercy Trips Photo
Another good day of service"

Another good day of service, the village team ministered to over 950 persons and the surgical team did another 4 rather complex and /or very large hernias. Everyone remains healthy and working together extremely well. Couldn't be prouder of this team, what they lack in size they make up for in heart.

Free share tonight - whatever is on your heart

Today I had the opportunity to give out some candy and watch other team members give out goodies to the children in a small village. It was absolutely amazing to see those kids and their eyes light up! They were so excited to get a lollipop or a pencil. It was humbling and also just reminded me again of how blessed I am❤️ - Jetcy

I am always humbled by the reality of those we can't help because there is no medicine or no treatment for the condition or disease the they have. Unlike treating patients in the US, where I can send them to lab or x-Ray or physical therapy, giving people false hope for a outcomes that won't happen. As in Uganda I must learn to be honest with myself, & my patients at home. - Jack R.

I have no control here: on what time I wake, what time we eat breakfast, what time we leave, how fast or slow the driver drives, if we go straight to the village or if he decides to drive and talk to the next driver, how late we work, when we eat or sleep. This experience is humbling... Christine said this is Intensve type A therapy and I say thank you, I'm cured! -- Marie

As always when I am here in Uganda I have to remember where I am and that the people here move at a slower pace than we do. I try not to get to upset when the surgery doesn't start on time, they wait till the last minute to let me know what surgery is going next, the electricity goes out in the middle of a procedure, and then, a patient touches you after a procedure is complete, kisses your hand ,gives you a big smile and says thank you. -- Judi

This trip has been truly life changing I have traveled across the world for God to finally show me my calling in life, which is an OR nurse. I can't thank Dr. Daniel and Judy for pouring their knowledge into me these past couple of days. They answered all my question( I asked about thousand) no questions asked. The people here have enriched my life so much! I'm so blessed -Jasmine

Day 3 complete and I couldn't be any happier. Looking at the breath taking mountains, witnessing the tight family bonds, hugging the kiddos and learning in my field on this trip has made my heart full. I know God is working on this mission and I couldn't of asked for a better team to work with. I love Uganda sooooo much! Natalie

I so appreciate my pharmacy staff this trip...they are fantastic! We've had so challenging days and they have hung in there beautifully! They continue to laugh and enjoy everything on the way home each day. Christine

Loved my experience with the car sized potholes. - Johnette

So proud of my mom right now, she rocks this mission! Myself, I am having an internal struggle - leaving each village at the end of the day having had to turn people away, run out of meds and mosquito nets is crushing. - Shannon

I have had my own struggles with control issues over the years coming here, usually it involves work flow in the OR and trying to get as many cases as possible done each day. Ten years ago the kind of inefficiency we are experiencing this week would have had me bursting at the seams or having a stroke. Now I am able to recognize that events play out according to God's merciful and all encompassing plans and accept that I have done the best that I can do without making enemies of everyone and just "let it go". Don't get me wrong, there is still some inner tension between acceptance and comfort with not finishing a surgical schedule, but now I am able to calmly thank God for what we were able to accomplish and know that His plans for another person might include having to wait longer for a surgery, clean water, a mosquito net or medicine. I am not in control of a van driver's tardiness, the spotty power issues, the need for the cultural necessity to serve me a restful lunch or a myriad of other little things that happen in the course of the day. I am in control of doing my best work unto the Lord at any given moment and looking for ways to serve Him in the in between times. I think coming to Uganda over these years has made me a better, more compassionate, more merciful yet still imperfect servant and I can't imagine not coming now even if my frustration meter does occasionally peg out. Sorry for the long winded post but I've been chewing on this awhile and as you can see from the other posts it was clearly time to "spit it out" ---Craig

Visit Mercy Trips' Facebook page for this and other posts.



Mercy Trips Healthcare Outreach
P.O. Box 13795
Odessa, TX 79768

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