Thursday, September 30:Large Crowds, Many Hurting People

These two old folks we're waiting at the gate when we opened up at 5:00. AM. The man is a Muslim and offered an opening prayer to start the or nine devotions. The 90 year old woman is a Christian and offered the closing prayer for the morning devotion.  They were on the crowd of over 1,000 that was gathered at the gate when we started seeing patients.   We worked hard all day and helped 750 people. By the end of the day, there were 500 people that we were not able to help.

These figures underscore the depth of human hurt and the desperately needed medical care. One family arrived at 12:30 AM after a 3 hour car ride from Jos. They slept on the ground until we opened the gates at 8 AM. There are hundreds of stories like these.

We team members are totally exhausted at the end of each day. We are able to help more people than we have ever done before and yet it is still a small drop in a vast ocean of human need. Even though exhausted,  we are all grateful to be here and doing what we are doing.  Every morning, I go out and tell the waiting crowd that we are all here for one reasononly; to express the love of Jesus through medical care. That is our motivation and that is our strength.