Walking the talk

Oscar is one of our newest Honduran docs here at Hospital Loma de Luz. He approached me Tuesday morning to present a patient with a traumatic left tibia fracture. The patient had been a pedestrian struck by a vehicle and suffered broken bones in his lower left leg. He had presented to the nearest metropolitan area for medical attention where they confirmed with x-ray what was plainly seen. Yes, he had an open tibia and fibula fracture, meaning the fracture had broken through the skin. They cleaned and closed wound, gave the patient antibiotics, and then told him there was a three month waiting period for his surgery. The patient's family packed him up and drove the 6-8 hours to Loma de Luz.

Oscar finished his presentation, and then asked, "can we help him?"

"Yes." I responded, taking care to keep the uncertainty out of my voice.

The last tibia I fixed on my own was two years ago in Togo, which now feels eons ago. But I couldn't let that factor into the equation. Not here, and not now. Helping is why we are here. I found the manual online and gave myself a crash refresher course on placing tibia intramedullary nails that evening. Would I have preferred a refresher course in the OR, with someone experienced walking me through the steps again, definitely. But would the manual suffice? Of course, because it had to.

God doesn't necessarily call us to what we are ready for. He leaves calculated room for dependence. Dependence on Him. We had visitors this past Thursday that Jake and I had the pleasure of getting to know when we were here in 2023. The Harris family was only at Loma de Luz for two short years, but they left a lasting impact because they stood in a gap that God asked them to fill. They weren't ready for the role they needed to play, but they were willing. They had previously been serving in Kenya, and yet before their scheduled time there was finished God moved them to Loma de Luz. They didn't understand why, but they got up and followed. They saw LdL through a difficult time of transition, trusting in the work that Jesus had asked them to do. Both Jake and I have a lot of respect for the Harris family. They are examples of saying you Love the Lord, and then following that with action.

Perhaps not the smoothest of transitions, and perhaps my emphasis was lost, but essentially I was trying to illustrate the need to not just Talk the talk, but also walk the walk. The Harris' are truly a blessed family that does just that. So then I too, must walk the walk, especially when I would prefer a refresher course instead or even just someone to hold my hand through the case.

The Harris Family joined us for Thursday morning worship and devotions!

Much Love.