The other night we held our first all team meeting for all the medical/dental coordinators.  This is a team of people who have given countless hours as volunteers to structure the health aspects of the compassion clinics.  They have the hard work of organizing manuals, forms, training, supplies, etc.

and they do it as volunteers.

I knew going into the dinner and meeting that I was incredibly appreciative of that team, but I walked away feeling even more inspired...

Miracles. By definition a miracle is "a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency." Compassion Vancouver was a miraculous event. Over and over again the surprising took us by surprise. One of these was the working together of various churches from various denominational backgrounds. All willing to lay down the mantle of ownership and be willing to be part of something greater than the parts. In a day of churches carving out a "name" for themselves on this day the Church....

The weeks leading up to Compassion Vancouver were chaos. Posting fliers, hanging posters, and printing those fliers and posters minutes prior to their needed delivery. In one afternoon we lost all of our one eye clinic partner in the morning only to gain a new one by afternoon and then another by the evening of that same day. In that last week volunteers flooded the online signup, social service agencies came out of the woodwork to join in, and last minute doctors volunteered. That last week was chaotic. Who’s buying the hotdog buns?! Who’s picking up the coffee? Do we have enough shuttle drivers? What about garbage cans!? Recycling for water bottles? Do we have enough water bottles? Even amidst the chaos, however, were reminders of what we’re all about.

Waking up before the sunrise on a Saturday morning during the last week of my summer vacation was a difficult task, but I knew it would be worth it - and I was right. From finding a system to best assess medical patients and see as many as possible, to scarfing down lunch because we were overwhelmed with tasks, every last minute of the clinic was hectic and amazing at the same time. The patients were so grateful, the volunteers so friendly, and the medical staff so gracious - it was evident that God was in our presence to help the helpless on this day. One specific elderly man and I somewhat got to know each other and he made my day. He was able to see the doctor, grab some lunch, have dental work done, and make it back to medical follow-up before the day was over. It seemed that I was always in the right area of the clinic when I would run into him and answer his questions or escort him to his next appointment. He was so appreciative of the c are he received and left the clinic with a huge smile. He is just one of the hundreds of reasons that donating my Saturday to strangers will be a fond memory of mine for some time and I look forward to volunteering at another clinic in the very near future.

We recently helped carry out a Compassion Clinic in the state of Washington for the first time ever.  It was incredible and it was more than three hours away from home turf in Portland, OR.  Yet something special was up there in Yakima, WA: some of the volunteers from Portland!

Gary and I went up to Yakima in April to help them discover what the churches working together with God's leading could do in the way of free medical/dental care for their neighbors.  We went alone.  Then in July the event took place along side a Louis Palau event.  Gary and I wanted to go up and bring all the Compassion Connect equipment...its our "job" right?..but much more our passion and calling. Why would anyone else come up?

Guest at Compassion Yakima

I met you at Compassion Rockwood. I found your church's website and was hoping to get a message to you. I just wanted to let you know how powerfully the Lord has ministered to me through your joyful spirit and willingness to serve on Saturday. You and your kids were such a blessing to have helping. My heart was so full from watching the Lord's people in action as they loved on the guests of the clinic. I watched you as you stood in line with that lady in the morning. Out there in the cold. You were just loving on her, and conversing with her and looking straight into her eyes.