‘Paramedic…added Privileges II’

First Patient in Sudan

SHIFT 14...Rick's ReFlections of his 32 years career in the Fire Service...

As I mentioned back on ‘Shift 20’, acquiring my Paramedic license has added as much to my life in general as it has to my vocation. Today, I’d like to briefly explore how that has played out with Medical Teams International.

Training scenario in Uzbekistan

Karen and I originally became connected with MTI back in 1985. It was early Winter of that year that I found myself unemployed for the first, and thankfully only time in my working career. Just a few months before, in September, Mexico City experienced a devastating earthquake. Called at that time ‘Northwest Medical Teams’, and located in a small building in Salem, they were in need of some office help. From those early beginnings we would learn about their work and begin supporting their mission. A mission that says…‘To demonstrate the love of Christ to people affected by disaster, conflict and poverty around the world’.

Dinner in Uzbekistan

Fun in Class...Sri Lanka

Then in 2001 during a transition from the Board of Canyonview Camps (Bible Teaching Inc.), I began assisting Ron Hays, who had developed a new program for MTI. This program would take medical professionals to developing nations and train them in ‘prehospital’ care and transport. This program would begin writing their own Prehospital care textbook and would find that its ultimate mission would be to ‘Train the Trainer’. I had the privilege to be on the second pilot class to Uzbekistan in August of 2002, and then just a few months later off to Honduras. 

In 2004 I would receive a phone call from Ron asking that I consider going to Africa to support one of their clinics. I must admit that at first I did not give this much thought. Two weeks later Ron would call again and ask if I would consider the Sudan. To be honest I barely knew where the Sudan was at the time let alone any problems that they were experiencing. In short, over the next few days we prayed a lot about this decision, we learned a lot about Sudan and we decided that this was the direction that I was suppose to venture. Someday I will focus a blog solely on this experience and in particular my brother Asabi. For now…know that through this trip I came to love Africa and the African people. 

Elephants in Sri Lanka

My last trip (thus far) was in 2007 off to Sri Lanka. Working with Donny Woodyard, five of us would take the first EMT Basic class to this beautiful SE Asia Island. The Sri Lankan’s as well as those from Uzbekistan now operate and train their own people… ‘Train the Trainer’ is working!

 

Cricket with the Students in Sri Lanka

As I mentioned back on ‘Shift 30’, becoming a Paramedic has given me amazing opportunities and privileges that I am so grateful to have been part of. I thank the Father for His direction of this soul. What’s to come…and how will my prior skills be used? I have not a clue:)