We had a wonderful buffet breakfast and then headed for the clinic around 7am. We made good time and were soon hauling footlockers to the various stations, putting up signage and deciding where a couple of extra gazebo tents would be placed. Once our volunteers arrived, we all gathered together and Pastor Kevin blessed the start of our week with prayer. We continued getting set up and trained our volunteers in the areas in which they would be working.
Our patients began to trickle in and we began to serve them. It was a beautiful day, and when we were done, we had seen nearly 300 people. A respectable start for a clinic in a new location. We were most impressed with the dedication of the Pipeline elders and members. They are a joy to work with. They even had a special surprise for us, as we got taken a couple at a time to enjoy lentils, rice and cabbage they had cooked for lunch. It was a high honor for us to be invited to break bread with them in such a way that it had no impact on the flow of the clinic. Well done, Pipeline!
I have high hopes for the rest of the week. As people go home and tell their friends and families that our clinic was good and indeed was free for one and all, our numbers will grow with each passing day if the past is any guide.
Things started to slow down a bit around 4pm, so we began the process of doing an orderly shutdown of the clinic. Unlike previous clinics I have been a part of, we will have to setup and tear down each day. It's a lot of work, but it is well worth it. We had more than 20 people come to Christ for the first time or repent after years of backsliding. Thank you Jesus!
We just finished another nice meal at the Presbyterian lodgings where we are staying. I have multiple batteries for the refractors charging in my room in order to be ready for a bigger day tomorrow. Time for me to recharge as well. More to follow as the week unfolds.
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