Today AG News received a journal from the U.S.
Missions Chaplaincy Department. It was the journal of Lt. Marlin L. Williams,
CHC, USN. Chaplain Williams, an Assemblies of God endorsed chaplain, had
written down a few of his experiences while serving at a clinic aiding the
injured in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake.
Following are his journal reports. They are not about the
masses in desperate need, but rather individuals in desperate need. They are
amazing moments frozen in time - or at least forever captured in the mind of
Chaplain Williams.
Some people may wonder how one person or one small gift (financial
or otherwise) could ever make a difference in the sea of this kind of
devastation. Chaplain Williams learned, even when language was a barrier, that
one person - one act of kindness - can make the difference between someone
grabbing and clinging to a lifeline and someone letting a lifeline slip through
their fingers in hopelessness....
-
1) I was spending some time in the clinic trying to help
wherever I could. I noticed the HM1 [medic] sort of stooping in the corner. I walked
over to check on him - I thought something was wrong. When I got over to him, I
saw that he was working on a precious little girl - about 4 years old and wearing
a pretty white princess dress. Her injuries included a severely broken tibia
and a pretty large abrasion wound on her arm. I began assisting HM1 with her
treatment. The little girl was just darling and trying to be a trooper. She was
quiet but you could tell she was in pain. I reached in my pocket and pulled out
a Milky Way. I asked her if she liked chocolate - I think she got the point. After
I gave it to her, you would have thought that she had never had a candy bar. I
motioned to her that it was something to eat. She began to take a bite with the
paper on. I opened it for her and again motioned to eat. She spent some time
just looking at - turning it around and holding it up. Finally she sniffed it -
licked it - and then took the tiniest nibble. You could literally pinpoint the
moment that she tasted it. Her eyes lit up and the biggest grin came across her
face. I continued to kid with her as HM1 finished up what he was doing. He had
to move on the next patient and asked me to bring her to the helo. When I got
outside - her parents were there waiting. I explained to them through the
interpreter the process regarding the helo and that the doc wanted to send her
to the hospital. It took about 30 minutes for them to agree - they were heartbroken
that they couldn't accompany her. I did what I could to mark her with their
information and comfort them. When the moment came to run out the helo - everyone
was tear-filled. I let them get one last hug and kiss and then took off. When
we got to the helo, the little girl was frightened and would not let go. She
looked at me with tears in her eyes - I had them in mine, but I think she may
have found comfort in that. I showed her (again) my cross on my collar and gave
her the OK sign (it was so loud and windy). After that she let go and I placed
her in the helo - I went to leave when she stuck out her fist (like I had
taught her earlier) for a fist bump. After I ran back to the waiting area - I
had a moment of prayer and hugs with the family.
Chaplain Marlin Williams comforting and praying for a child found alive after being buried under corpses for seven days.
2) On
the third day - I arrived at the clinic and found a little boy on one of the
tables. He was about 5 or 6 - totally naked - and very scared. The story was
that he was found (after 7 days) under a pile of corpses STILL ALIVE. It was
very chaotic - and since he was 'relatively' ok - the docs were having his mom
give him a sponge bath. She was obviously upset so I put my arm around her and
offered help through an interpreter. She smiled and said, "merci merci." I helped her bathe her son. He wriggled in pain as he
was very sore and emaciated (hadn't eaten or drank since the quake). When we
rolled him over to wash his back - we noticed that half of his backside was
covered in sores and open skin type infection. I called for a doc and they came
over to treat. The poor little boy was shaking the whole time. He was reluctant
with others - so I moved toward his head and cupped my hand under like a
pillow. I made eye contact with him and began communicating to him through an
interpreter (telling him that he was so brave - over and over) and through smiles.
He was very receptive - I was the only one with my mask off and I think that
helped (obviously - GOD's presence also). He began to calm down and I just
stood there praying and petting him and holding his mother's hand - trying to
keep them both calm. Around the time we finished I was called upon to help walk
a severely injured (looked burned from head down to waist) to the helo. After I
was done, I returned. By this time the boy and his mother were alone on the
table that I had transported him to. I found her some Chapstick and gave her
some baby wipes to help with his severely dry lips and skin. It was sort of
funny trying to explain to her how to use Chapstick - but I think she
eventually got it. As we were visiting - I got the word that our helo was about
to land - I left him a roll of LIFESAVERS - which put a huge smile on his face.
I was amazed how someone in so much pain could smile so big.
3) When
I arrived on the first day things were very chaotic - they were really a "hot
mess." We were immediately connected with the HS1 (USCG equivalent of a
HM1) that had been there from day 1. He gave us a brief on what was going on. After
he finished, he came up to me and gave me a big hug and thanked me for being
there. He showed me the other corpsman that had been there with him from the
beginning. They both expressed interest in talking later. He also mentioned to
me that there was another chaplain and that I should connect with him. I began
walking around and found the other chaplain - turns out he is from the same
denomination (AG) as I, and we knew each other from previous training and
meetings. He told me that there was another chaplain that I might know outside.
When I found the other chaplain I was surprised to see that he was a buddy from
seminary - also an AG chaplain. As the day carried on I continued to feel
somewhat overwhelmed - but stayed people- and mission-focused. Another chaplain
showed up at the end of the day. He was another AG chaplain and another buddy
from seminary. God has a funny way of doing things. Knowing that out of all
that chaplains that could have been there - mixed with the fact that we only
have about 25 or 30 AG chaplains in the Navy - the only four that made it to
the Haitian Coast Guard following the most devastating earthquake that they
have experienced - all four of them were AG chaplains who were buddies (not to
mention - all former USMC enlisted). This being the first time I have ever
experienced anything close to this magnitude - I really needed something. God
provided in a miraculously way through old friends and colleagues. This really
gave me the extra boost, confidence and encouragement that I needed to carry
out the plan of the day.
4) Everyone there thought that all of us were doctors. When
I was approached - which was about every minute - I made sure that I let them
know either through translator or my broken French and their broken English
that I was a pastor not a doctor. For most this proved to be a positive thing. As
word spread, people began to remember and recognize the chaplains or 'pastors'
and would approach us for prayer either for themselves or for their injured
family/friend. There were times where the person being prayed for seemed almost
lifeless - however, wanting to facilitate regardless - I would always pray. There
was one particular instance that I remember when I was outside. An elderly man
approached me to pray for his wife. As I approached her I noticed that she was
one of these who seemed almost lifeless - definitely unresponsive. As I knelt
to pray, I began to feel God place words to pray - I had no interpreter but I
didn't let that stop me. As I began to pray, I placed my hands on the lady. Others
around bowed their head and listened silently. About half way through the
prayer I was about to stop - thinking that she really couldn't understand me
and I wanted to be able to move on to the next person. About that time, her
hands began to rise toward the sky as she began to mutter what I only assume
was her own prayer. When this happened I couldn't help but to keep praying. When
we finished she opened her eyes and I gave her a hug. As I got up to leave her
husband cornered me and happily shook my hand and patted me on the back saying,
"Thank you, thank you." As I walked away I felt God speak to my heart
telling me to never give up and to always let my prayers be heard.
5) As
[AG] Chaplain Jerry Durham and I were walking around outside - Jerry pointed
out an elderly woman that he had seen the day before lying under a tree. Her
story was that she was the lone survivor of a nursing home that had collapsed. She
had no one there to care for her. He told me that the day before he had asked
them to IV her, but evidently it didn't happen. As we approached her I was
taken aback. She was very old - probably the most frail person that I have ever
seen. She was wearing a paper-thin pink nightgown. The only sign of life was
her faint breathing. I knelt down to pray and as I did she grabbed my hand. This
startled me a bit - but as I gently rolled her over - we made eye contact. I
immediately began to pray. After I was done I tried to communicate with her to
let her know that I would be back with help. I found a corpsman and had him
bring IV fluid. We moved her up on the porch and into the shade by picking up
the blanket that she was on. As doc worked on getting her IV, I knelt down to
hold her hand. As he worked I was saying simple prayers - and again she made
eye contact. I gently cupped her head with my hand and began 'petting' her and
praying. In this moment I felt all alone with her, and even though I know she
couldn't understand me, I felt as if she could.
Chaplain
Williams and our other AG chaplains on location in Haiti are making a
difference, as Williams' accounts show. Perhaps he's not impacting thousands of
lives at a time, but each life he touches, one at a time, are lives touched
with the love and care of Christ. It may seem like something "small,"
but for the individuals touched with this kind of compassion and care, nothing
could be more significant.
Today AG News received a journal from the U.S.
Missions Chaplaincy Department. It was the journal of Lt. Marlin L. Williams,
CHC, USN. Chaplain Williams, an Assemblies of God endorsed chaplain, had
written down a few of his experiences while serving at a clinic aiding the
injured in the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake.
Following are his journal reports. They are not about the
masses in desperate need, but rather individuals in desperate need. They are
amazing moments frozen in time - or at least forever captured in the mind of
Chaplain Williams.
Some people may wonder how one person or one small gift (financial
or otherwise) could ever make a difference in the sea of this kind of
devastation. Chaplain Williams learned, even when language was a barrier, that
one person - one act of kindness - can make the difference between someone
grabbing and clinging to a lifeline and someone letting a lifeline slip through
their fingers in hopelessness....
-
1) I was spending some time in the clinic trying to help
wherever I could. I noticed the HM1 [medic] sort of stooping in the corner. I walked
over to check on him - I thought something was wrong. When I got over to him, I
saw that he was working on a precious little girl - about 4 years old and wearing
a pretty white princess dress. Her injuries included a severely broken tibia
and a pretty large abrasion wound on her arm. I began assisting HM1 with her
treatment. The little girl was just darling and trying to be a trooper. She was
quiet but you could tell she was in pain. I reached in my pocket and pulled out
a Milky Way. I asked her if she liked chocolate - I think she got the point. After
I gave it to her, you would have thought that she had never had a candy bar. I
motioned to her that it was something to eat. She began to take a bite with the
paper on. I opened it for her and again motioned to eat. She spent some time
just looking at - turning it around and holding it up. Finally she sniffed it -
licked it - and then took the tiniest nibble. You could literally pinpoint the
moment that she tasted it. Her eyes lit up and the biggest grin came across her
face. I continued to kid with her as HM1 finished up what he was doing. He had
to move on the next patient and asked me to bring her to the helo. When I got
outside - her parents were there waiting. I explained to them through the
interpreter the process regarding the helo and that the doc wanted to send her
to the hospital. It took about 30 minutes for them to agree - they were heartbroken
that they couldn't accompany her. I did what I could to mark her with their
information and comfort them. When the moment came to run out the helo - everyone
was tear-filled. I let them get one last hug and kiss and then took off. When
we got to the helo, the little girl was frightened and would not let go. She
looked at me with tears in her eyes - I had them in mine, but I think she may
have found comfort in that. I showed her (again) my cross on my collar and gave
her the OK sign (it was so loud and windy). After that she let go and I placed
her in the helo - I went to leave when she stuck out her fist (like I had
taught her earlier) for a fist bump. After I ran back to the waiting area - I
had a moment of prayer and hugs with the family.
Chaplain Marlin Williams comforting and praying for a child found alive after being buried under corpses for seven days.
2) On
the third day - I arrived at the clinic and found a little boy on one of the
tables. He was about 5 or 6 - totally naked - and very scared. The story was
that he was found (after 7 days) under a pile of corpses STILL ALIVE. It was
very chaotic - and since he was 'relatively' ok - the docs were having his mom
give him a sponge bath. She was obviously upset so I put my arm around her and
offered help through an interpreter. She smiled and said, "merci merci." I helped her bathe her son. He wriggled in pain as he
was very sore and emaciated (hadn't eaten or drank since the quake). When we
rolled him over to wash his back - we noticed that half of his backside was
covered in sores and open skin type infection. I called for a doc and they came
over to treat. The poor little boy was shaking the whole time. He was reluctant
with others - so I moved toward his head and cupped my hand under like a
pillow. I made eye contact with him and began communicating to him through an
interpreter (telling him that he was so brave - over and over) and through smiles.
He was very receptive - I was the only one with my mask off and I think that
helped (obviously - GOD's presence also). He began to calm down and I just
stood there praying and petting him and holding his mother's hand - trying to
keep them both calm. Around the time we finished I was called upon to help walk
a severely injured (looked burned from head down to waist) to the helo. After I
was done, I returned. By this time the boy and his mother were alone on the
table that I had transported him to. I found her some Chapstick and gave her
some baby wipes to help with his severely dry lips and skin. It was sort of
funny trying to explain to her how to use Chapstick - but I think she
eventually got it. As we were visiting - I got the word that our helo was about
to land - I left him a roll of LIFESAVERS - which put a huge smile on his face.
I was amazed how someone in so much pain could smile so big.
3) When
I arrived on the first day things were very chaotic - they were really a "hot
mess." We were immediately connected with the HS1 (USCG equivalent of a
HM1) that had been there from day 1. He gave us a brief on what was going on. After
he finished, he came up to me and gave me a big hug and thanked me for being
there. He showed me the other corpsman that had been there with him from the
beginning. They both expressed interest in talking later. He also mentioned to
me that there was another chaplain and that I should connect with him. I began
walking around and found the other chaplain - turns out he is from the same
denomination (AG) as I, and we knew each other from previous training and
meetings. He told me that there was another chaplain that I might know outside.
When I found the other chaplain I was surprised to see that he was a buddy from
seminary - also an AG chaplain. As the day carried on I continued to feel
somewhat overwhelmed - but stayed people- and mission-focused. Another chaplain
showed up at the end of the day. He was another AG chaplain and another buddy
from seminary. God has a funny way of doing things. Knowing that out of all
that chaplains that could have been there - mixed with the fact that we only
have about 25 or 30 AG chaplains in the Navy - the only four that made it to
the Haitian Coast Guard following the most devastating earthquake that they
have experienced - all four of them were AG chaplains who were buddies (not to
mention - all former USMC enlisted). This being the first time I have ever
experienced anything close to this magnitude - I really needed something. God
provided in a miraculously way through old friends and colleagues. This really
gave me the extra boost, confidence and encouragement that I needed to carry
out the plan of the day.
4) Everyone there thought that all of us were doctors. When
I was approached - which was about every minute - I made sure that I let them
know either through translator or my broken French and their broken English
that I was a pastor not a doctor. For most this proved to be a positive thing. As
word spread, people began to remember and recognize the chaplains or 'pastors'
and would approach us for prayer either for themselves or for their injured
family/friend. There were times where the person being prayed for seemed almost
lifeless - however, wanting to facilitate regardless - I would always pray. There
was one particular instance that I remember when I was outside. An elderly man
approached me to pray for his wife. As I approached her I noticed that she was
one of these who seemed almost lifeless - definitely unresponsive. As I knelt
to pray, I began to feel God place words to pray - I had no interpreter but I
didn't let that stop me. As I began to pray, I placed my hands on the lady. Others
around bowed their head and listened silently. About half way through the
prayer I was about to stop - thinking that she really couldn't understand me
and I wanted to be able to move on to the next person. About that time, her
hands began to rise toward the sky as she began to mutter what I only assume
was her own prayer. When this happened I couldn't help but to keep praying. When
we finished she opened her eyes and I gave her a hug. As I got up to leave her
husband cornered me and happily shook my hand and patted me on the back saying,
"Thank you, thank you." As I walked away I felt God speak to my heart
telling me to never give up and to always let my prayers be heard.
5) As
[AG] Chaplain Jerry Durham and I were walking around outside - Jerry pointed
out an elderly woman that he had seen the day before lying under a tree. Her
story was that she was the lone survivor of a nursing home that had collapsed. She
had no one there to care for her. He told me that the day before he had asked
them to IV her, but evidently it didn't happen. As we approached her I was
taken aback. She was very old - probably the most frail person that I have ever
seen. She was wearing a paper-thin pink nightgown. The only sign of life was
her faint breathing. I knelt down to pray and as I did she grabbed my hand. This
startled me a bit - but as I gently rolled her over - we made eye contact. I
immediately began to pray. After I was done I tried to communicate with her to
let her know that I would be back with help. I found a corpsman and had him
bring IV fluid. We moved her up on the porch and into the shade by picking up
the blanket that she was on. As doc worked on getting her IV, I knelt down to
hold her hand. As he worked I was saying simple prayers - and again she made
eye contact. I gently cupped her head with my hand and began 'petting' her and
praying. In this moment I felt all alone with her, and even though I know she
couldn't understand me, I felt as if she could.
Chaplain
Williams and our other AG chaplains on location in Haiti are making a
difference, as Williams' accounts show. Perhaps he's not impacting thousands of
lives at a time, but each life he touches, one at a time, are lives touched
with the love and care of Christ. It may seem like something "small,"
but for the individuals touched with this kind of compassion and care, nothing
could be more significant.
Recently,
Pastor Wayne Murray of Grace Assembly of God in New Whiteland, Indiana, took
transformation to a level far more powerful, impacting and lasting than any
infomercial boasting the latest "miracle" workout. He felt God
leading him to help people in his church and community transforms their
spiritual lives by introducing them to the Holy Spirit.
The challenge?
The church has a large number of people who are from backgrounds that are
non-Pentecostal. While the majority of the people in the church were already
baptized in the Spirit, there was a growing number who were not. Murray
realized that in order to effectively introduce the Holy Spirit to this new
segment of the church, he would have to approach the subject as one would in developing
a close relationship - one meeting
was not going to be enough time.
But Murray and his wife Traci know about challenges. When they first came to
Grace AG 13 years ago, the attendance was far from robust. "We had 26
people," Murray says, chuckling a bit, "and that included my wife and
son." Today, the church runs 1,100 on Sunday mornings and there is
continued growth.
During a time of prayer and fasting at the beginning of the year, Murray
explains that God spoke clearly to him about the urgency for the church to know
what it means to be filled with the Spirit of God. So, the first Sunday of May
2010, Murray and other church leaders launched Fifty Days for Fire - a 50-day study on the power and person of the Holy Spirit.
But Fifty Days for Fire wasn't a once-a-week Sunday-morning-only
adult service effort - it was 50 days that included all services the church
held on Sundays, Wednesday nights and in small groups, with children and
teenagers being a part of the mix as well.
"There's a power in everyone doing one thing at the same time," Murray
says. "We had to begin by trying to form the most basic understanding in a
way children could understand as well as adults. We were trying to reach out to
people [of all ages] who had never heard about the Holy Spirit . . . and to
carefully build a strong foundation on who the Holy Spirit was, what the Holy
Spirit does and why we need to be filled."
What's more, during the first 47 days of the program, Murray did not offer an
altar call for those wanting to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He felt it was vital that people fully
understood the Holy Spirit and the significance of the Baptism before pursuing
the infilling. However, as the services progressed through the weeks, Murray
says he began to notice a sense of anticipation and expectation building.
"People needed time to process, to think, to pray and to be ready to
receive," Murray explains. "They had to have time to ask questions
and investigate Scripture for themselves." He says that perspective was
reflected in people's comments after the conclusion of the 50 days. Many people
who came from other denominations or had formed less than positive opinions on "Pentecostalism"
were grateful for the extra time they needed to fully understand and embrace
the messages being presented.
The program concluded with what Murray calls "The Weekend of Fire."
On Friday and Saturday night and then again on Sunday, services were held with
the sole intent of people receiving the Baptism.
"The idea behind the Weekend of Fire," Murray says, "was to
simply provide an atmosphere where there was no rush, no time limit on the
service - everyone who came wanted to be there. The services were
jam-packed, and most of the time standing-room-only. The excitement and passion
of these services were absolutely palpable. People came ready to receive.
Murray
"When we gave the altar call for people to receive the Baptism, more than
100 people came forward," he says, "and over the weekend, more than
100 received the baptism of the Holy Spirit for the first time."
Since Fifty Days for Fire has concluded, Murray says he has seen a
difference in the church.
"We saw a transformation of passion in the services - a lot more intensity
- more intensity when it came to worship and altar time, a lot of energy
throughout the church," Murray says. According to Scripture, one of the
main purposes of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for people to have the
boldness to share their faith. Murray says that's happening as well.
In addition, Murray has more than eight pages of testimonies sharing how the
Holy Spirit has changed and impacted the lives of those who attended the
meetings. Testimonies range from expressing gratitude and sharing Baptism
experiences to telling of healings, the breaking of addictions and operating in
the gifts of the Spirit in the marketplace.
"I don't know how many times I've been thanked for taking this approach to
presenting the Holy Spirit," Murray says. "So many lives have been transformed
as we learn what it means to be people who live life filled with the Spirit of
God."
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