Hope for HoUSton
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, there is mass devastation, but there is also HOPE!
There is no doubt that the landscape of Houston has changed. You can’t drive very far without seeing the heartbreak of people’s homes and memories sitting on the curb, but you also can’t drive very far without seeing a smiling face and a helping hand. Turn on any news station, and you will see neighbors helping neighbors, and even more heartwarming, complete strangers helping one another.
First, people came from near and far to help with search and rescue. Now, they are shifting their focus and putting in countless hours cleaning up and helping rebuild Houston and the surrounding Gulf Coast communities. Go into any neighborhood and you will see people from every walk of life rolling up their sleeves and gutting and cleaning out homes, praying with and for one another, and getting up the next day to do it all over again. We are meeting people daily who have shared that they are using their vacation time to help their fellow man. There are really no words, except thank you!
Because of this atmosphere of love and support, you could almost miss the immense magnitude of this storm. We have yet to meet a Houstonian who hasn’t been affected personally in some way. Yes, the road to recovery will be long, but there is HOPE for a much better tomorrow!
We invite you to join us in bringing HOPE to the city of HoUSton and the surrounding communities by signing up to volunteer in the recovery efforts. Click here to register through Samaritan’s Purse.
HoUSton – We Have a Solution
We at Mobilizing Medical Missions (M3) stand in awe of the outpouring of encouragement and support that Houston and other Gulf Coast cities are receiving right now! The spirit of love and unity is tangible, and we know that it makes a big difference in our recovery efforts. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus tells us that where two or more are gathered in His name, He is there with them. And, as people are coming together here in Houston with one heart and one mind to help those who are suffering, we see Him all over our great city.
Yes, Houston had a big problem; its name was Harvey. But, HoUSton has a bigger solution; His name is JESUS!
If you want to join this great team of people in being the hands and feet of Jesus here in Houston and around the Gulf Coast area, please click here to sign up through Samaritan’s Purse.
Hurricane Harvey Relief Efforts Underway
Mobilizing Medical Missions (M3) is based in Houston, Texas, and we’ve been dealing with the aftermath of the epic flooding following devastating Hurricane Harvey. We send our love and prayers to our fellow Texans, especially those in the Gulf Coast area, who have been affected. We are so grateful to see Samaritan’s Purse beginning to dispatch their disaster relief teams. If you would like to volunteer with Samaritan’s Purse to help clean up and rebuild homes in Houston and other flooded cities, please click here.
Mitch Duininck, MD – Caring for the Victims of Humanitarian Disasters and Military Conflict
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) face significant challenges to their health and well-being that are unique due to lack of necessary resources including food, water, sanitation, shelter, security, and healthcare. Caring for people in these situations requires an understanding of their unique needs as well as having realistic goals regarding what can and cannot be done for them.
Recent experiences in providing healthcare for the victims of disasters in Nepal, Kurdistan, and Turkey – both natural and manmade – highlight the need to be well prepared when serving in these difficult situations. In this session at the 2017 M3 Conference, Dr. Mitch Duininck, President and CEO of In His Image Family Medicine Residency Program, will discuss team selection and preparation; travel and logistics issues; identifying and addressing the needs of the people being served, including physical, psychological, and spiritual needs; partnering with other relief organizations and local authorities; and returning home successfully.
We are called to serve “the least of these,” and the victims of disasters and crises certainly qualify. Often these events, though causing much hardship and suffering, create the possibility for doors and hearts to be open to the message of Jesus that otherwise would be closed. We must be both willing and well prepared if we are to serve well when we are called to respond to those in need.
Click here to learn more about the work of In His Image Family Medicine Residency Program.