Here is an e-mail one of my friends in Haiti sent me....

The word 'earthquake' has taken on a new meaning for me. Today was my first day 'on site'. I left Kenya at home with 2 ladies from the team and my mom and I went in with the group. The closer you got to Port the more you seen, flattened houses, businesses and banks. Then some were just dangerously tilted and threatening to fall in it seemed. There seems to be a lot of people trying to get into town to help but there are so many areas where no one has even been to. For the last 3 days we've partnered with IFM and set up a 'clinic' on Delma 33 and thankfully we actually have a gated in area to work in and to keep the crowds and passer byers from coming in. People are just lying on home made stretchers that ranged from old doors to thin pieces of plywood, then some simply are on sheets that are covered with pesky flies. They lay in pain and despair simply waiting for a vehicle to take them to a hospital.

We try to treat what we can then have about 2-4 vehicles transporting people with broken bones or internal problems to the Jimani hospital. Eventually they got full and they had to transport them on to Barahona and even Santo Domingo (4.5 hours away). I was run ragged with translating and keeping order. When you are their only hope, it's hard to quit and go home to our comfortable house with food awaiting. Then I'm sitting here thinking of those still waiting to be transported and cared for in extreme pain. There are deep gashes, many abrasions, broken legs and arms, even a preemie baby that had a majorly swollen left arm. He laid there so so tiny and slept away and my heart hurt for his little arm that was in serious condition. His mother died laying over him to protect him and he hadn't had nothing but water for the last 36 hours. It's a miracle he's even still alive, needless to say I made sure he was on the first ride out.

It's hard to write this and I don't even know how to explain the people in need of good doctors to set all the broken bones and sew the deep gashes. And to think we were simply touching one little corner of Port, it's overwhelming. What can I do, where should I go, why isn't there more I can do, why do they have to suffer in pain. 11 year old boy with only half of his foot left screaming in pain as we cleaned it, 12 year old girl crying out in pain as her 7 inch gash on her head is sewed up.....needing more lidacane to numb it better. It's not right. Tears run............

BUT oh the joy to watch as 2 men celebrate and hug cause their family member was found under the rubble 4 days later..........................ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, 2 were brought to us as they were found today underneath cement and are still alive. It's all worth it....every minute under the hot sun, 8 hours of constant standing on your feet and running from one patient to the next....it's all worth it!!!! Thank you Jesus, you are worthy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for your prayers....................Ashly

TEARS OF THE WORLD

In any split second of a moment in time,
In the blink that is one single day,
The sum of the sorrow that wraps 'round the world
Could catch every soul up and sweep them away.

As vast as the ocean, as deep as the sea
Swept up in one toxic tide,
By warm salty waves the world weeps its woe,
So how could it be that my own eyes are dry?

So open my eyes and open my heart,
Grant me the gift of Your grieving;
And awaken in me the compassion to weep
Just one of the tears of the world.

When God walked among us in the fullness of time,
He wept tears as old as the world;
Acquainted with sorrow He took up the cup
And drank every drop of the poison that heals.

And so comes the call of this sorrowful Man
To set our small sadness aside,
To come now and follow no matter the cost,
To follow Him boldly and wade in the tide.

So open my eyes and open my heart,
Grant me the gift of Your grieving;
And awaken in me the compassion to weep
Just one of the tears of the world.

(Michael Card, from his album "The Hidden Face of God")

"Jesus, thank You for Your tears.  Thank You for entering into our suffering and filling it with hope.  Give us the grace that we might weep the tears of Your children who suffer today.  Amen."