Mobile Medical Team to Iraq
W e returned from Iraq where our Mobile Medical Team served with our Life Center (LC) partner. Our Team was able to see 572 people in 4 different Displacement Camps and at a city community center where we are praying about starting a Life Center.
City Clinic
I met Brother K a few years ago and he's faced sometimes severe persecution due to his faith in this city. I promised him that I would come back with a team to help him with the community and we began praying about starting a Life Center here.
Patients waiting to receive care at the city center
We were able to fulfill our promise. Our team came to his city and conducted a clinic in the middle of the city, but we were quickly overwhelmed by the vast number of people, mostly men, and many retired military. We went out of our way to do our best to see everyone and the community leaders were so grateful. Afterwards, we spoke with Brother K and the community leader who said that he would help us do whatever we want to do such as starting a Life Center.
Brother K, his daughter, and the community leader (on the left)
Camp #1
Our partner ministry has a presence in almost all the camps. Over a year ago, we brought our Mobile English and Computer Teaching Team to this camp to help with their camp outreach. This year we were able to see more than 130 patients here. We had to end registration early as there were too many people than we could handle and we started running out of certain medicines on the first camp day. We would see this level of desperation and need throughout all the camps.
We now steadily increased our diagnostic capabilities such as using portable sonograms and x-ray machines.
A sonogram being shown to the expecting mother
Camp #2
A few years ago, we did a medical clinic in a Syrian refugee camp This year, we went to a different Syrian camp where our local partner has been holistically ministering to the people. This Camp is where we have our WCF LC English and Computer classes now.
We saw some serious needs here including a young boy with cerebral palsy with severely infected toes. Dr Sam was able to do minor surgery to heal this boy. Please pray for the healing of our patients.
Dr. Sam performing minor surgery
The children in all the camps were very friendly and were eager to interact with us. Some of the kids gave me small gifts which really touched me as they had so little. I didn't have anything to give beyond the medical care we were providing so I started writing their names in Korean on pieces of paper as a small thank you. This became a big hit and I was surrounded by children and even adults asking for their names throughout the day. Please pray for the kids in these camps.
Children in the camp
Camp #3
Our team was able to see more than 100 people throughout the day at this Camp. This was where we had our LC medical team minister in the past.
Dr. Romala examining a young girl
Camp #4
We were able to see close to 100 people in this camp, but this was another camp where we were nearly overrun. It reflected the desperate situation for the people.
One of our patients was a woman who had been burned all over her body including her eyes from a chemical attack by ISIS fighters when they committed their genocidal attack on their home city. She fled with her children, but has suffered since. Our nurses offered words of comfort and prayer. Please pray that we can follow-up with her and other victims.
Patient with burns all over her body
Character Leadership Training
I had the privilege of preaching at the main church during Palm Sunday, which was special. In addition, I was able to teach from our Character/Leadership curriculum to about 30 leaders. Our curriculum involves group discussion and the questions and answers from the group were heavy, but powerful. For example, one of the minority religious leaders asked if they were supposed to forgive the people that did terrible things against his people. I said this was a very hard, but important question. I asked what did Jesus say about how we deal with our enemies? I quoted from Matthew 5:44 - that we were supposed to love, forgive and pray for them. But also that this is impossible for us as human beings. Only God's power could give us this kind of forgiveness. We were able to cover many important topics and questions.
Much thanks to our volunteers from Brooklyn Tabernacle and donors who have supported our Life Center and Field Workers here.
