Sheila Leech and Ecuadorian physician Leonardo Febres (foreground) observe a patient while anesthesiologist Paul Barton begins an intravenous drip and a Haitian medical student provides translation.

The open fractures didn't surprise an emergency medical response team from Ecuador whose jet touched down in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, less than 72 hours after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the capital.

Surgeons expect crushing injuries after quakes. More striking to the multi-skilled, multi-national team, though, were the open hearts of Haitians to hear and favorably respond to the message that God is love, even in the midst of tragedy. Open praises to God were also heard in the hospital wards.

"I am saved, I am saved, I am saved!" a little girl sang in Creole, even as family physician Dr. Mark Nelson cleaned her wound with gauze and injected Ketamine, a drug that deadens pain but not consciousness. Nelson's late-night work exposed more than met the eye as surgeons took her case first the following morning.

Family physician Mark Nelson checks the wounds of one of the hundreds of patients who came to the Baptist Haiti Mission Hospital just outside of Port-au-Prince.

Upon their Jan. 15 arrival at the Baptist Haiti Mission Hospital, the HCJB Global Hands team was greeted by tears and cheers. Two surgeons, an anesthesiologist, two family physicians, a nurse and a water engineer came at the request of Samaritan's Purse, a North Carolina-based Christian aid and relief organization.

Awaiting them were an exhausted medical staff and a physician, Dr. Bernard, who hadn't slept since the temblor struck at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 12. Also waiting for them were some 300 patients, and "everyone had about a dozen family members there," Mark Nelson recounted later.

This drama of faith played out in a 100-bed facility that was running low on diesel fuel, surgical supplies, electricity and water. Team leader Sheila Leech, a British nurse, said the seven-member team began with triage, examining patients in the rooms, hallways, closets and nearby buildings.

Team leader Sheila Leech, a British nurse, said the team began with triage, examining patients in the wards, hallways, closets and even nearby buildings.

German surgeon Eckehart Wolff donated his own blood in an attempt to save this woman's life. Though she died, her husband said she is now in heaven, and that is a better place.

Family physician Steve Nelson told of work "out on the floors trying to determine which cases were most likely to get complicated if left longer. Sepsis, infected compound fractures and little kids made up our priority list."

Then, with priorities set, the team's 10-day ordeal began—consecutive surgeries during 15-hour days despite the scarcity of supplies—but they had the privilege of watching the Lord provide as needs arose. "It seemed that just when we used the last of something, new supplies arrived … over and over again!" Leech said.

Joining hands in a prayer circle led by an 82-year-old operating room technician, Madame Cafah, the team worked together to place patients and medical staff in God's hands. Mark Nelson later deemed it a "small praise and worship service in Creole."

Amid the pain, countless patients received more than physical care with at least 70 giving their hearts to the Lord through the ministry of chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Getting clean water for the Baptist Haiti Mission Hospital was one of the critical needs met by HCJB Global water engineer Martin Harrison. One source of water was a fishpond on the hospital grounds.

A day before departing Haiti, British water engineer Martin Harrison—kept extra busy purifying water for the hospital, running errands and holding daily interviews with the BBC—attended a church service. He told later that the sermon was on the theme of suffering and how we should respond to it, based on passages from the book of Job.

"One of the pastors had lost four of his children and another his eldest son," Harrison related. "Yet they stood up to lead the service and to preach the Word of God."

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