Where is Christine Mannarino when you need her?

This week is almost over and I am wrapping up my first nursing group mission trip. Yesterday, I helped run my first medical clinic with my co-worker Julian. What a day. I learned so much yesterday about what I would do next time and what I definitely would not do. I have worked with medical clinics before with the Woodside mission trips, but it was a completely different experience being on the side of clinic “planner”. Let’s just say, don’t even attempt to start a clinic before you have the crowd control situation completely in check. With that said, the nurses I worked with did an amazing job and were able to help almost 130 families consisting of anywhere between 5-7 family members each from 9am to just a little after 3pm. I would consider that successful. The whole way home I kept wishing that Christine Mannarino were still with me in country so she could give me another adjustment! Oh how I wish she were! Christine…where are you? Come back! Please.

Speaking of Christine Mannarino….

Can I just give a interweb applause to Woodside! Woodside has had such a strong presence in Haiti since the earthquake. I cannot explain how awesome it is for me to be able to meet and work with so many members of my church family in Haiti. It gives me strength and new energy every time another member comes down. I’m so proud to call Woodside my home. I am so happy to know that I am a part of a church family that really demonstrates what it means to live as a community and to work as a family. This past trip was absolutely amazing. We had some of the most fun group members ever! Everyone was down for anything that the trip might have brought. (Which, if you have ever been to the Dominican Republic, you know that there are many surprises on these trips.) We all had so much fun together at work, on the buses, on the side of highways fixing tires (Bob!!), and definitely during random outbursts of worship. I never wanted them to leave! And based on all the trouble I had getting this group of the bus in Haiti to go home, I’m thinking they didn’t want to leave either. The committee in charge of the site we worked in didn’t want us to leave as well! Everyone felt how amazing this group was and everyone could feel the Holy Spirit just flowing throughout this entire trip.

Every time a group leaves from these trips we pray that God would use them as his witnesses when they return home. I know that without a doubt, this group is at home, witnessing as I type this. They are most likely sharing all the amazing stories they have about sights they saw, songs they sang, and most definitely about the relationships they formed all of the people in American Refugee Committee. People like Jude, Eben, Junior, Robinson, and Olsen who they will never forget. I encourage everyone at home to sit down, ask our amazing Woodside missionaries about there time and their experiences. Take time and approach them with open hearts and minds. Prepare to listen to some changed people. Prepare to be encouraged to go as well. I love when Woodside comes down because I get to meet people who I had never thought I would have gotten to know at home. It is wild how it takes a trip to a developing country to make bonds, but I am so happy we did.

Hilarious stories, amazing adjustments, beautiful smiles, flat tires (about 3), joyful worship, warm hearts, dance parties with guards, sewing tents, digging holes, building latrines, printing pictures, electrocutions, singing guards, new friendships, one amazing family centered in Christ. I miss you Woodside March trip!!!