Serving Those In Greatest Need

My experiences in Haiti could fill a book but let me just tell you this one that affected me directly.

I was standing between two parked vehicles holding the door of one when another vehicle slammed into the side of one of the vehicles. It pushed the two vehicles together “pinching” my hand between the door I was holding and the second vehicle. After freeing my hand, the blood began flowing. Two of my fingers were “cut” almost to the bone on one side.  This started a flurry of events.

First, there were calls to find out where to go as there aren’t hospitals with emergency rooms, emergency clinics or even a working ambulance service in most communities, readily available.  After several calls, I was told of a clinic to go to (a distance away and struggle to get to due to the poor infrastructure, traffic, etc.). I was able to secure a vehicle and driver to take me there.

Upon arrival at the medical facility, I found the “emergency room” to be a single room with one bed and a couple of chairs. The floor was covered with blood, gauze, and there was a man in the bed that they had just stabilized after a “motor” accident.  I was surprised when the visiting, volunteer Doctor from the U.S. began talking with me, while carefully inspecting the damage and injury to my hand.

After inspecting, cleaning and stitching, I was bandaged up and told I needed a tetanus shot, but they had none.  This issue was to be resolved by sending an individual throughout the local areas looking for other clinics or pharmacies (not as we have here in the U.S.), anywhere to find the tetanus shot.  After a period of time, it was located, and we returned to the clinic for it to be administered. I am truly grateful for the Doctors that had found it in their hearts to volunteer and give of themselves, their time, gifts and talents to serve those less fortunate. My Doctor made a difference in my life; I have a fully functioning hand and fingers with only a couple of minor scars. And the man I encountered in the hospital bed? His life was saved by this same Doctor. I am certain there were many, many more like us who were saved.

I lived and served in Haiti for almost two years, managing numerous projects and doing humanitarian-type work, including clean water, sanitation, feeding, medical, education (as a response to Zika) and construction.  This was the most rewarding time and work of my life. I will never forget it, and I know that some of my work saved lives and relieved suffering.  I went because of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His directing my life. “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many” Mark 10:45.

Shortly after my position ended in Haiti and I returned to the U.S. as a way to continue to serve, I joined an international disaster response team, Samaritan’s Purse International Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART).  If you are looking for a “part-time” way to serve those in need, I recommend you look into DART. You could be touching and saving lives of the poorest, most vulnerable of people, and in doing so, your life will gain a whole new meaning, and you will be rewarded beyond what any paycheck could ever give you. As I write this I am considering and preparing to return to Haiti. 

For the story of how Jim Kline’s journey to become a volunteer began, visit Hispanic Outlook’s website.