Sunday, March 8, 2015

Back to Africa

Ebola.  Where to start?  It's so neat to see how God coordinates different events, this situation being one of them.  In June I got an email from Samaritans Purse looking for nurses to work with the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, specifically in Liberia.  I was on the fence, part of me wanted to go, part of me didn't.  So I prayed about it and emailed SP back stating the date I would be available after my work commitments - July 28th, flights were being looked into.  I then remembered we were having a friends weekend at the lake coming home that day, so I emailed again asking if the departure date could be pushed back by one day to July 29th.  Not a problem, so flights were booked.

On my way home from the lake July 28th I received a call informing me of different safety issues at the hospital - riots, etc and in the country.  The borders were now temporarily closed.  This was the same time when Dr Kent Brantly was infected and evacuated (first Ebola case in the US), as well as the SP international staff being evacuated.  I have no doubt God was at work in that situation with the timing of everything, if I would've left on the 28th...who knows where I would've been stranded.  

Even with this situation I did not feel that door was completely closed.  I was sent to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) in Alabama for the 3 day training course by Samaritans Purse then referred on to MSF and MedAir.  God made it possible for me to get connected with MedAir, including jumping some hoops for me to be deployed by them.  Feb 23rd I left home, flying to the MedAir headquarters in Switzerland for field debriefing for a few days, then on to Freetown Sierra Leone - March 1st.  I'm scheduled to be here for 3 months, Lord willing, then return to Lausanne Switzerland for my 3 weeks of 'temperature monitoring' time.  
  
A Dr who I worked with in the Philippines with SP said it perfectly in relation to the story of the good Samaritan:
‘The well-known Bible story of a person who was hurt, helpless, and needing to be rescued is easily accepted intellectually.  And credit is given to the Samaritan who chose to help.  When the plea came for me to render my skills in the Ebola outbreak, I was challenged to examine my convictions.  Will I be like the Samaritan, or will I pass on by, remaining in my comforts?  ‘Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so’ Proverbs 3:27 ‘

A few other verses that have encouraged me:
Psalms 91: Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.’

Luke 9:24 ‘For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it’.

Job 14:5 'You have decided the length of our lives.  You know how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer.'

Matt 6:25 'That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life - whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear.  Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing?  Look at the birds.  They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them.  And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?'

There were things I had to work through in my mind about this whole situation, but God taught me new things and I have no doubt His hand was in this all.  The quote by Fred Deviito is so true 'If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you.'  


I've been so blessed by my family, church family, and friends by coming alongside this ministry by prayers, encouragement, and support.  Thank you doesn't seem adequate!  

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