2016 was a year blessed by both productive and encouraging trips and projects. By the end of the year, I had traveled to eight different countries. Of those countries, Haiti, was visited three times. The trips included project assessments, new equipment installations, support for two surgery teams, mentoring of biomedical engineering students, and service on a wide variety of medical devices. As much as I wish I could, this blog could never begin to share the countless stories of what the Lord is doing in the individual lives of those I was able to serve and serve alongside.
In addition to the technical support, there were multiple opportunities to encourage missionaries and national healthcare workers, assist short-term medical team members, encourage hospital patients, and speak at several churches and schools. One of the highlights for me was to be able to share the Word with the extreme poor in India. In addition to presenting the Good News, I had the amazing opportunity to dedicate a baby girl and her parents to the Lord and even name the baby girl. I chose Grace as her name.
This year also allowed for an exciting opportunity to take two biomed engineering students to both Haiti and Dominican Republic. This trip provided Matt and Katarina with hands-on experience, giving them the opportunity to understand what technical support for mission hospitals looks like. An added bonus was working with Joe Leier and his special training on anesthesia service. Please pray for both Matt and Katarina as they seek God’s direction after they complete their education.
The Haiti/DR Biomed Team
God continues to raise up men and women to serve in the biomedical field and I have had the privilege of seeing some exciting plans on the horizon. There were many educational/biomed training opportunities this year, which included a meeting with a Christian university in Kenya that is developing a biomed engineering training program. Not only in Kenya, but there are ongoing discussions with a Christian university in Indonesia that is also developing a biomed program. We plan to continue to work with both universities to help them develop programs that will educate and support national biomeds to work in Africa and Indonesia.
2017 is already developing into a busy year with exciting opportunities. My first scheduled trip is to Bolivia to serve with the Samaritan’s Purse cleft lip team in January. The second scheduled trip in February is to Indonesia to begin discussions with the Christian university regarding their biomed engineering program development. Sadly, the needs for technical support around the world exceed the willing and available biomeds. My schedule restraints have resulted in me having to decline multiple requests for help. This is heart breaking and reminds me of Luke 10:2, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
As I travel to remote areas of the globe and witness the devastating effects of sin, I am thankful that God has loved us despite ourselves and offers hope and forgiveness to those who will turn to Him. Providing quality healthcare in His name is a great demonstration of His love and opens the hearts of those who are physically hurting.
I want to thank all of you who have faithfully prayed and financially supported this work. You are an encouragement and make these opportunities to serve possible. I praise Him for allowing us to be a part of what He is doing among the nations.