Sri Lanka Othopaedic Outreach--Hope Force International
(by Dr. Tim Browne)
First and foremost, let me thank you for your prayers and support for this outreach to Sri Lanka. Your prayers were the air under our wings, keeping us
safe, healthy, and lifted up. Thank You!
Hope Force's outreach to Sri Lanka was great and hard, fun and awful, all rolled up in one. There were heartbreaking stories – too numerous to count -- from both the Tsunami and the Civil War. The hospital wards were full to overflowing with men, women, and children with serious (and many times) multiple fractures. All were waiting in hope for their "turn" as the medical system is strained to the breaking point. There are less than 30
Orthopaedic Surgeons care for the near 20 million people!
Our team of twelve waded into this sea of suffering only by the Lord's grace and calling. We all felt the weight of God's heartbreak for His people on this island. In the midst of all of this, was the One that loves and cares beyond measure. We saw Him in the pastors and their families that risk their very lives to live out their faith. We saw Him through the hope in the eyes of the families that received new boats, and in the faces of patients that had arms and legs mended.
The goal of our team was to work alongside the local Orthopaedic surgeons, presenting to them the incredible donation from Smith and Nephew of implants to fix fractures, providing teaching and camaraderie, and developing
relationships. By the Lord's grace, all of this and more was accomplished. It was clear that the donation from Smith and Nephew was a tremendous asset; one that will be used for months ahead. We are so thankful to Fed/Ex for shipping this large (and heavy) shipment to Sri Lanka for free. Our three surgeons, Drs. Tom Daughtery, Toney Russell, and myself, Tim Browne, worked shoulder to shoulder with the local
Orthopaedic surgeons and their staff. Dr.
Banagala and Dr . Umapathy, our main contacts in Colombo and Jaffna, respectively, mentioned many times how much it meant to them to have our team come and support them.
Out of all the things that were accomplished, I believe we all felt our calling was to come alongside our new friends and help in lifting their arms up. The people of Sri Lanka have endured much suffering and hardship with tremendous resilience. Our team was blessed to laugh with them and weep with them...truly a blessed calling.
