What happens when injury becomes a way for God to teach you? Check out Doug’s story to find out.. Doug recently fractured his ankle on a trip to Haiti with the ____ group. Get ready to be inspired!
When I first realized that something was seriously wrong (I’ve never rolled an ankle that bad before), the first thing that hit my mind was that I was in the poorest country in the western hemisphere. This resulted in a little bit of nervousness and probably to the extent of a little fear. The tunnel vision set in and I vaguely remember anyone helping to carry me over to the steps (Thanks to however that was. I think Paul was one). As I sat down on the steps, the second emotion set in. Frustration! Maybe a little bit of anger. “I raised $2,250 to come on this trip and now I have a broken ankle” was my thought. Grrr! “How will I carry out what I’m supposed to do here??!!!!”
Well off to the van I went and those emotions became intense. It hurt, but I remember thinking the chunk of ice wrapped in the bandanna was a huge blessing (thanks again, Paul). As we began driving I just didn’t know what to do. There wasn’t anything I could do. But the encouraging words from Jenn A, Laura, and Jedlaine helped significantly. After a few minutes of driving Jenn turned and told me that her and Laura had prayed for me. She could see the look of frustration on my face and the slight sense of pain and told me that they will take care of me and that this doesn’t have to steal my joy on this trip. I then began to pray inside, “Lord, I don’t why this happened but please have your way with it.”
Jedlaine’s actions also significantly resonated with me during all of this. There wasn’t a moment that went by, in the van and the hospital, when Jedlaine wasn’t lightly rubbing my leg or my shoulder and saying, “God is with us. Everything will be okay. God is with us.” I could see in his eyes and hear in his voice that he was going to do everything he possibly could to make sure that I was taken care of.
The trip to the hospital was a bit long, but about halfway through it I was overwhelmed with a sense of peace. No more nervousness, no more fear, no more frustration or anger. The pain was even beginning to subside a little bit. Not only was this the most sense of peace that I’ve had on the way to a hospital visit, but it was one of the greatest sense of peace I’ve ever experienced. It was then that I realized that God had heard all of your prayers for me. I continued to pray that my faith was in Him and I could hear him saying to me, “I got ya buddy.” Trust me, this sense of peace was not from me. I hate hospitals. I get anxiety just at the thought of them. This peace was from the Lord.
The next day while we were at the clinic with JudeLove (I don’t know if that’s the correct spelling), Jedlaine mentioned that he was afraid of doctors. He had a bad experience when he was about 8 years old and has been afraid of them ever since. He said to Krista and I, “Yesterday when we were going to the hospital, I was very afraid. But I did not want you to know that I was afraid. I know you are in a different country with different customs and that can be very scary, so I did not want you to know that I was afraid.” I was shocked to hear this. Honestly, he was as confident as could be. I told him he did not seem afraid at all. “I was” was his response. He was so comforting and encouraging the whole way through. We often illustrate “courage” with someone running into a burning building to rescue another or something along those lines. But when someone is afraid, yet they move forward with such bravery that they ease someone else’s fear…that’s courage!
I think back about the leadership council telling me that my accident didn’t weaken my spirit. That I was happier after coming back from the hospital and I “became younger” as one of them put it. This was only because of the sense of peace from the Lord and from all of the love I received. Love from you all and from the Haitians. There wasn’t a meal that passed when I didn’t have about 10 people asking if they could fix me a plate. There was a consistent offering of help. You all truly are servants of Christ. The man on the leadership council said this was one of my biggest life experiences. Ain’t that the truth!
As a final note, at one point after the accident, someone on our team told me that if I wanted to, I had a right to complain. I felt, so strongly, that the Lord was with me. I watched him continue to bless my place on this team despite what had happened. He blessed me with peace, love, and joy the whole time. How could I complain about that? Bondye Bon!
Friends, what a wonderful season of growth we are experiencing here at The 410 Bridge!
For those I haven’t had yet had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Chris Joiner.
I’ve had the privilege of working at The 410 Bridge for the past two years, first as Director of International Programs, then transitioning to President in 2023. Today, I am incredibly blessed to step into the role of CEO.
As we begin this exciting journey as an organization, I want to share more about who I am, my heart for our mission, and where we are headed this year.
We are pleased to announce Chris Joiner as the new CEO of The 410 Bridge!
Chris has served our organization for more than two years, initially as Director of International Programs and most recently as President. In both roles, Chris has demonstrated a commitment to servant-leadership and a deep passion for Christ-centered community development. As President, Chris pioneered our expansion into three new countries this year: Indonesia, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.
A New Year frequently evokes a multitude of emotions, deeply influenced by various reasons based on the season of life one is at. For many, it symbolizes a rejuvenating fresh start—a precious opportunity to release the burdens of the past and embrace the future brimming with hope. This transition evokes excitement, particularly for school-age children returning to the classroom after a long break from school in November and December here in Kenya. While children are thrilled to reunite with their classmates and dive back into the classroom environment, they may also grapple with a sense of déjà vu; the inevitability of returning to homework, assignments, and the pressure of upcoming exams can cast a shadow over their eagerness for new beginnings.
