Home Again

Wow, those last few days flew by so quickly! The team split into two camps and we held our last two medical camps on Friday. After the camps, we boarded the bus again and headed 10 hours north back to Ahmedabad. We arrived back 'home' early Saturday morning, got some rest, and then headed out with our friends for some souvenir shopping. Some of us were even able to take a motorcycle ride and experience true India traffic and driving! :) Later that night our friends dropped us off at the airport and we made the journey home.

It is good to be back home, but what an amazing time we had in India. It was great to see how the group melded together and worked so well as team. God's grace and mercy truly allowed us to work those long hours together and to see about 2500 total patients. He gave us the strength and energy we needed for each day and each medical camp. We are thankful for the opportunity we had to serve in India and also the opportunity to see and experience a new culture. Most importantly though, we were able to help local leaders and pastors spread the Good News. Please continue to pray that our work there would open up doors for the gospel to be spread and churches to planted. Pray that our friends would be equipped for the harvest, for His honor and His glory.

Fifth Camp

Today we had our fifth day of medical camps. The group split into two groups and each had seperate camps on the outskirts of Silvassa. On the drive up, we passed through some gorgeous countryside. It was also interesting to see how the bus managed to get everywhere on the tiny country roads. The area we worked today has never had a medical camp before and our friends and the ministry center are currently trying to reach that area with the gospel. We were each given a rose before the beginning of camp, an expression of their gratitude for our serving in the first medical camp there. Approximately 250 people were seen and treated at each medical camp. Please pray that our work there today would open up doors for the spread of the gospel and that our friend and his team would have many opportunities to reach that area with the good news of Christ.
Tomorrow, we split up into two different camps again. We will be working in an area north of the city and after the camp, we will be driving 10 hours through the night back to Ahmedabad. Please pray for strength and endurance tomorrow, as well as safety traveling. Also, several team members have been experiencing some stomach sickness. Please pray that they would feel better and be able to finish strong.

New Location

We had our fourth camp today in the rural town of Pervad, about 45 minutes outside of Vyrana. Approximately 300 patients were seen and treated. Please continue to pray that we work diligently and with wisdom. Please pray for those patients that we were not able to help with medicine. Pray that God would move amoung His people to save them for His glory. After we were finished, we had some extra time to play with the kids and hand out candy. Such cute and lovable kids! We are now about three hours further south in Silvassa. In the morning we will break up into two camps. Please pray for endurance and strength for the team. Also, there is no wifi, so our updates will be less frequent.

Headed South

We have arrived safely to Vyrana in south Gujarat. We were able to rest yesterday morning, though some ambitious members did get up early in the morning to run. After a more leisurely morning, we boarded the bus for our eight hour trip south. When we arrived, a delicious dinner was served to us by the local ministry leader and his wife. Sanjay is the pastor in Vyrana and he has helped to arrange the two clinics running today. The team split up into two camps today. We are working in areas that the ministry center is hoping to reach with the gospel and plant a church. Please pray that God's grace would be at work and the people would be reached with the gospel.

Snapshots

One uncertain little girl.

The team at Doha International Airport.

A common site in India, cows roaming the streets.

Brandi and our friend in the pharmacy.

Snapshots

Caleb blowing bubbles with the kids.

The waiting line for the clinic.

Rachel and Lakshman showing for punjabes, well mainly just Rachel.

Micheal draining the cyst...note all the fluid in the syringe.

Rachel and Mary counting scripts.

Snapshots

Micheal's patient before having her cyst drained.

Some of our more eclectic looking patients.

Beautiful young Indian woman.

Chris on watch!
Lakshman and Craig at their stations seeing patients

The Slums

Our second clinic was held today at the slums on the outskirts of the city. Once again, the ministry center provided us with a makeshift clinic big enough for all our providers, the pharmacy, and the triage station. What a blessing! We saw roughly 400 pts today from 930am to 0630pm. It was a busy day but a very productive day. Barry, our dentist, extracted rotten teeth from all the willing patients, even taking seven from one elderly lady. Some patients did however run away at the sight of his instruments. Apparently the fear of the dentist translates to all cultures. :) Doctor Mike drained a cyst on one woman's leg. Bunni was able to confirm a woman's suspected pregnancy, making her very happy. She was also able to treat worms in multiple children, which had been causing them to have poor appetite and growth. Craig and Lakshman were able to diagnose and treat a range of illnesses from arthritis to reflux and to asthma.

It was both a joyful and sobering experience today. We were so glad to be able to help treat the people and to pray for them, but it was also sobering to know that there were so many more people who need help. There are five slums in Ahmedabad with roughly 20,000 people. The ministry center has been burdened with the desire to reach out to the people in all five slums. Progress has already been made as the slum where our clinic was held has a congregation of 80 people being lead by a local leader, who was commissioned by the ministry center. The leader and his wife, felt called to live and work in the slum, planting a church and holding classes for one hour everyday for the child labors, teaching them to read and write. Our clinic today was held in the home of the couple. Please pray that our work there would open doors for the ministry of the couple. Pray that there would be a harvest for the Lord and that He would open the hearts of the people, saving them for His honor and His glory.

Bunni praying for her patient.

Ben triaging a little girl.

Barry with a big needle and a willing patient :)

One of our cuter patients.
Children playing on the roofs off the slums.

Snapshots

Ben, Asha, and Scott triaging patients

Steve, Rachel, and Brandi in the pharmacy.

The open air clinic.

Patients waiting to be seen by our providers and our 'pharmacists'.

All went well today had 220 patients, gave all vitamins. Expecting 500 tomorrow!
<P. Steve>

First Day of Clinic

Today we had our first successful clinic! The ministry center, lead by our friend, set up a spacious outdoor clinic that we used to see over 200 patients. There were four provider stations, one dental station, a triage, and a pharmacy.  We were supported by students from the center, by volunteer translators, and by our friends and their gracious family.  Today teeth were pulled, blood pressures and blood sugars were checked, dressings were done, nebulizer treatments were given, and many many medications were passed out.  However, most importantly, people were prayed over today and we continue to pray that God hears and answers them with healing and the spread of His glory and salvation.  Please continue to pray that we would serve joyfully and with the discernment of the Spirit. Pray that God's name would be made known and glorified.  And please pray for our friends and their family as they continue to help organize and arrange the clinics.

Arrival to Ahmedabad

Hello from Ahmedabad, India. We all arrived safely early this morning after an uneventful flight from Doha. We were greeted by some friends, who graciously arranged the transport of our luggage and the team to the hotel at 0430 am. The city of Ahmedabad was still full of hustle and bustle, even in the early morning hour. We have all settled in our rooms, caught up on some sleep, and are now ready to explore the city! Thanks for all the prayers for safe travels and please continue to pray as we have our first clinic tomorrow.

Hello from Doha International Airport! We have all arrived safely to Qatar and are now awaiting our flight to Ahmedabad. We enjoyed a safe, restful flight as well as the excellent food and service of Qatar Airways. Our physicians got an earlier start than anticipated on their duties, as Craig, Michael and Ben treated an elderly passenger that was experiencing chest pain. However, they were able to stabilize her with Aspirin and Antacids...avoiding landing the plane in London! Thanks Ben, Michael and Craig! Craig had double the excitement as he had to also treat a young man that passed out while wearing "eight" layers of clothing. Maybe not eight...but he did have a lot on. Thank you again Craig! Also a big shout out of thanks to Lois for arranging our flight and layover at Doha. We were picked up in a limousine shuttle and are now enjoying refreshments at a private lounge.
We are so thankful to have made it thus far safely. Please continue to pray for safe travels to Ahmedabad and that we wouldn't have any trouble with customs. Pray that we continue to form as a team and that we would be lead by the Holy Spirit as we prepare to serve in India.

Test post
<P. Steve>

Getting Prepared to Travel

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to our Blog about our medical team to India. My name is Steve and I have the pleasure of leading this medical team.

We hope to keep you updated frequently during our trip, as the Lord gives us Internet access!

What an exciting team of folks this is: the team is made up of 14 men and women who desire to bring their skills, training and gifts to a distant land with the end goal of the Gospel going out through mercy ministry-maybe even to see some new churches planted in unreached people groups. What a diverse group of folks as well: 6 Sovereign Grace Churches are represented from 4 different states! We have 5 medical providers, 4 nurses, 1 EMT, and 4 support folks and a goal to see and treat as many people as the Lord will allow (maybe between 2500 and 5000).

PLEASE pray for and with us that we will accomplish all that the Lord would want us to on this trip. Pray that the Gospel and it's truths stay in the forefront of our minds as we serve and maybe suffer together. Pray that we would stay unified and holy in all that we do, say and think! Please pray that we put to death selfishness and impatience and put on a comittment to enjoy Christ daily!

If you'd like to follow along in our devotion, we will be reading from: A Gospel Primer for Christians by Vincent. Feel free to post any words of encouragement, etc. from that book or others (The Word!) that you think might give strength and courage to the team while we're' on the ground'.

Thanks for your support, especially in prayer for our team...we will need it every day. Be prepared for the Lord to wake you up to pray (since we're half way around the world!) as He may use you in that way.

Love in Christ and eagerly expecting God to do great things,
Steve