We just experienced an unforgettable short-term medical mission. It is a testimony of God’s protection
and providence!
HIS Foundation organized a medical mission to serve the Yazidi refugees in Kurdistan (Northern Iraq)
from February 13 to March 5, 2022. The group consisted of an orthopedic team and a mobile medical unit.
There were 24 volunteers from the United States, Australia, United Kingdom, and Taiwan.
About 3 months before departure, the new variant of Covid-19 was widely spread in the United States. We have 3 nurses including the nurse managers of the ward and operating room were sick. Several volunteers decided to leave the team. We were worried that the mission might have to be aborted. A special online meeting was held and confirmed that we still have enough manpower for the mission. So, the teams were sent as planned. In the early phase of the mission, works went smoothly. We adopted strict guidelines to prevent spread of infection. However, at the busiest time of the mission, 11 team members got sick with Covid and had to be self-quarantine. At the worst time, the nurse manager was the only nurse in the ward unaffected. In the operating room, only the nurse manager and the nurse previously infected remained healthy. The 3 nurses that got sick before the mission became the main workforce of the team. All surgeries and treatment plan continued without interruption.
All team members were fully vaccinated before departure. Therefore, our sick team members had relatively mild symptoms and recovered quite fast. All team members except one were able to return to their home country as planned after the mission. The remaining team member is recovering and is under the care of our local mission partner. The follow up team will return at the end of April to see our postoperative patients. Patients will be fitted with braces and started on rehabilitation program.
May God bless you abundantly!
Sincerely,
James Lau, M.D. Board Chairman