A new challenge

Vien Doan, July 9, 2011

Our body rested overnight but our spirits are down. We are being asked to litterally divide our team into 2. The health stations are too small to handle our team and 350 patients per day. We had never ever done this before. But just because we had never doesn't mean we can't adapt and change. We are evaluating the situation to see how can best serve our patients.

Resting in Hue!

Ben Khuc, July 9, 2011

The team has finished their Hanoi Tour, and now is currently in Hue. When they arrived, they immediately got a quick debriefing, and then they all got assigned a hotel room with one more roommate. They will go to church tomorrow, and will start seeing patients monday. The airline has informed the team that their luggage will be returned by tomorrow. Praise God.

Arrived in Hanoi [waiting on more information]

Ben Khuc, July 8, 2011

About 10:15pm (PST), we got word from Dr. Doan that the team arrived safely in Hanoi, and everyone was cleared from customs with their luggage and the Mission luggage. However, we also know that the EVA has lost 30 pieces of luggage. Please pray that we recover them safely.

This blog post will be updated with more information soon.

Arrived at Taipei Airport with an Awesome Story!

Ben Khuc, July 8, 2011

The Good Samaritans left LAX at 1:00am (PST). Thank God that all the luggage were cleared through EVA security. There was a whole host of people from family members and past mission members that came to see them off. The team also met up with several more team members at the airport. Thank you to all that came to support!

On the plane, there was actually a medical emergency with one of the passengers--not a mission member. Here is an account of what happened from Dr. Doan's iPhone:

"As the team settles into our seats on EVA flight 0001, Dr. Horstmann casually asked Dr. Doan if in these flights the flight crew ever asked "is there a doctor on board?" Dr. Doan said "yes". It had been quite a while since our first in flight incidence in 2000 with our very first trip. In that trip an 18 year old young lady sprung into action to help a man with a big head laceration as a result of an inflight accident.

As we woke up from our nap, sure enough over the intercom sounded the request "if there is any medical professional on board please identify, a patient needs". The Good Sam doctors sprung into action and went to the rear of the air craft. On the floor was a middle age man rolling on the floor in severe abdominal pain. A quick exam lead our doctors to suspect he was passing a kidney stone. This type of pain is equivalent to the woman in labor. With calming reassurance and a few shots of Demerol, a strong narcotic pain reliever, the man began to feel relief and in 30 minutes he was a lot more comfortable. It was a little scary when his oxygen level dropped a little after injection. The team doctors and nurse took turn to care for he man until we landed. By that time he was able to stand and walked off the aircraft.

To show their appreciation, the flight attendants gave 3 bags full of snacks as gifts. With our first patients cared for, we now head for Hanoi."


Dr. Branch and Dr. Tucker in the back of the plane treating a patient who had abdominal pain

Gifts from EVA airlines to GSMDM for helping a patient

Praise God for using GSMDM to heal people already!

Currently,the team is resting at Taipei Airport. Some are playing UNO, some are touring the airport, and some updating their social networks to inform their loved ones that they are ok. The easy part of their travels is now over.

They will soon reach the most stressful part of their flight: landing in Hanoi airport.

As of right now, they have no paperwork to vouch for all of the medical equipment that they are bringing in. Therefore, they must rely on a few influential people to meet them at the airport. However, if these influential people do not arrive, then they are at the mercy of Hanoi Airport security. The Good Samaritans are trained how to negotiate this situation, and are prepared. However, please remember to pray for them as the land in less than 5 hours.

Thank you for all who are praying constantly in the States. We are up against more than just airport security. We are caught up in spiritual battle at large, and the Good Samaritans are on the front lines of that battle.

We are on our way

Vien Doan, July 7, 2011

We are so ready.  Everything packed, spirit high.  The Storm is moving across the Pacific tonight.

The Calm Before The Storm

Vien Doan, July 4, 2011

It's all quiet at the Good Samaritan's base today. It's the calm before the storm!  This storm will build in crescendo starting Noon Tuesday and peak on Thursday evening at 8PM when it boards the bus, fly across the Pacific carrying showers of love to the people in Hue for 2 weeks.

In this moment of calm, we reflect on the blessings that came our way for that past 7 months.

We thank every one of the 87 members of this team who had poured their hearts out, sacrificing your time, talents and money for a cause greater than yourself.

We thank every individual who crossed path with us and left something precious in our hands.

We thank our family for standing behind us. You worry, you are scared yet you let us go in love.

We thank every pastors, every churches for taking us into your homes and made feel blessed, at home. You prayed for us and send us out with your generous gifts. There had never been a year where our churches gave so much, thousands each churches we visited. We will use your gift wisely to bring healing to the people.

We thank Riverside Community Hospital for your generous support over the years and this year was no different. You had filled everyone of our requests for supplies costing tens of thousands of dollars,  allowing us to bring surgical healing to 80 patients that are waiting.

We thank the directors, nurses and staff at Riverside Community Hospital for the wonderful Toy Drive. These little gifts will brighten up so many faces of our little children. It will take away their fear and know you love them even across the ocean. This big box here is just one of the so many. Blessings back to you!

Fundraisers

Vien Doan, June 20, 2011

After 7 months of training, collecting supplies, raising funds by going to shopping mall, churches asking for donations, washing cars, garage sales, donating "junks" to Goodwill, asking friends, neighbors to help, team 2011 is ready to go. Come back to this log to follow us this Summer.

NorCal singing at church,

followed by car wash.

SoCal members going to many more churches, singing, sharing stories.  Many of these events started early and ended late on Sundays.  Team members drove in from every where, spending a lot of miles, gas for the opportunity to serve.

SoCal also spent weeks of collecting used items, rent a U-Haul to bring it to Goodwill and filled 70% of the 28-foot truck just to get $1,000.

Team 2011

Vien Doan, January 5, 2011

The team assembled in January 4-6, 2011 for training in anticipation of Mission 2011