Every day before the clinic opened we sang the song "Standing on Holy Ground" and then we read from Ephesians 6 about putting on the armor of God. The reason we did this is to claim the day for the Lord and place ourselves under His direction, care and provision for that day.

The city of Paracle, in the Philippines is a farming community. Many of the people we saw in the clinic were very poor and the opportunity to see a doctor, free of charge, was great for them. So much so that when we arrived at 7:00 am to get the clinic ready there were already many waiting in line. Seeing this on the first day of our Medical Missions trip presented me with the initial pang of feeling such a love for these people I had never met.

I am not a medical professional and I wondered where I would serve on this trip, but it didn't take me long to realize that the best place for me was to serve my husband. I worked beside him, writing his prescriptions, and helping him with the interpreter and praying for the many people who came through each day.

On the second day of clinic one of the nurses and I led a moment of prayer during lunch in which we prayed for each of the team members and blessed their hands. That was an incredible time of prayer - I felt as if the Lord was opening hearts and hands more than ever for His work.

After lunch, Cecilia, an 83 year old woman came in presenting with many medical issues. She was so hard of hearing that the translator had to speak loudly into her ear in order for her to hear. My husband ended up being able to write prescriptions for all her problems and we provided the meds she needed in our Pharmacy.

As we sent her on her way, she turned to ask my husband if he could give her something that would make her hear. He said that he was sorry, that no medication could take care of her hearing. But we offered to pray for her.

I got up and stood behind her and placed my hands over her ears. I must confess, I can be a bit of a Thomas, but God's word says it only takes a mustard seed of faith to move mountains, When I removed my hands from her ears she was smiling and saying in her language. Thank you, thank you,. I can hear, I can hear. I heard your prayer.  She kept repeating thank you and I stood amazed at the power of God.

My conclusion is what I have always known. He doesn't need us to complete a work, but for whatever reason He chooses us to be a part of what he is doing and that day He chose me to be a part of that miracle of healing. I am humbled and still in awe - and still at times have a hard time wrapping my brain around it. But I cannot deny what I saw and heard that day.

Even greater than that was the many whose names were written in the book of life during those clinics. We saw over 1400 people in 4 days of clinics, some being seen in medical, some in dental and some in optical.  Over 600 were saved.  One more very important note. Those lovely Filipino people gave me a great gift. By being around them and serving them and seeing the ways they approach life with a sense of gentleness and respect they have taught me something about the fruit of the Spirit, part of which is gentleness. I have always considered myself to be a rough cut diamond, but I come back from the Philippines a bit softer around the edges.

Can God intervene with divine healing? Yes, I believe He can. Does he still bring divine healing today? Yes, I believe he does. Can He take a heart of stone and turn it to a heart of flesh? Yes, He can - He did this with many on this missions trip when they accepted Him as their Savior. Am I anything special? Not really and most certainly. Not really because God is the one who heals. It is He who lives and breathes in me and through me. Most certainly because I am a child of God - a royal priesthood! I didn't do anything spectacular while there. I just stood on holy ground.