Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Week 4, Monday - from Troy
How awsome it is to be back here again. Sorry no note last night, but the church network in Tuscaloosa was not Mac Compatable. It has been quite an eventful two days. We left nearly on time yesterday and were making great time through Ohio and Kentucky. When just somewhere near Bowling Green KY, one of the trailers blew a tire. We stopped for a short while, and it was decided that Brad and his vehicle would stay with the truck and trailer and the rest of us would continue to Tuscaloosa. About 15 minutes farther down the road an ambulance got on the freeway ahead of us running hot. They were about .2 miles ahead of us and suddenly traffic started to slow and the ambulance crossed the median.
As we approached, there was a car in the North lanes on it's top and multiple victims in the median. I radioed to Corey that we were stopping and for him to meet me in the median as he is a paramedic as well and there were only two technicians on the ambulance that had arrived. In the mean time, Lisa was explaining to the other passengers in the van that this was just how life with Troy was and not anything out of the ordinary.
Corey and I helped load two patients from the median into the ambulance that was there and sent them on their way while firemen cut two victims out of the car that was on it's top. As the first ambulance left, a second one arrived and we quickly got the remaining two victims from the median into the ambulance and off to the hospital after starting an IV on a young man.
The firemen had cut the driver out of the car but he was deceased and they were removing the other passenger who appeared to be a little unstable. They called for a helicopter for him. I finally had a minute to look around and saw that during this whole time, Lisa was directing traffic in the South lanes. (I guess you never loose it).
While we were waiting on the Helicopter, I was holding the IV bag (quite possibly being the largest IV pole in medical history) and decided to talk to the victim a little. As it turns out, his name is Mohammed and he along with his brothers and father were returning to Slidell, LA to see their home for the first time since Katrina hit. It was their father who died in the crash. I shared our mission with him and said a quick prayer with him and the Helicopter landed. Please pray for this family.
We then proceeded to the University CoC where we had an awesome reception and meal with them. We then had a small devotional and shared communion together as a team and off to bed.
We arrived without incident in Mandeville today and as usual went right to work. Our team was immediately given jobs to tend to and split up. I wish that I had another cool story to tell about the family we met, but they were not home, so we did the work and left.
Back at the church, we met the group from Providence Road and as it turns out, one of the members of their team is originally from Ashland, Ohio and I grew up playing football and going to NWOCYC with his sons. Small world. It has been three weeks since I have been here, but it seems like there is more than ever to do and never enough time or energy to do it all. I guess we just do what we can and God will take care of the rest. As I think about what a small dent we seem to be making, I am reminded of the little boy on the beach throwing starfish back into the ocean.
Keep praying, God is Good
Love 'Em Like Jesus,
Troy Blair, Youth Minister
Northland Church of Christ
www.ncocfamily.org
tblair@ncocfamily.org
As we approached, there was a car in the North lanes on it's top and multiple victims in the median. I radioed to Corey that we were stopping and for him to meet me in the median as he is a paramedic as well and there were only two technicians on the ambulance that had arrived. In the mean time, Lisa was explaining to the other passengers in the van that this was just how life with Troy was and not anything out of the ordinary.
Corey and I helped load two patients from the median into the ambulance that was there and sent them on their way while firemen cut two victims out of the car that was on it's top. As the first ambulance left, a second one arrived and we quickly got the remaining two victims from the median into the ambulance and off to the hospital after starting an IV on a young man.
The firemen had cut the driver out of the car but he was deceased and they were removing the other passenger who appeared to be a little unstable. They called for a helicopter for him. I finally had a minute to look around and saw that during this whole time, Lisa was directing traffic in the South lanes. (I guess you never loose it).
While we were waiting on the Helicopter, I was holding the IV bag (quite possibly being the largest IV pole in medical history) and decided to talk to the victim a little. As it turns out, his name is Mohammed and he along with his brothers and father were returning to Slidell, LA to see their home for the first time since Katrina hit. It was their father who died in the crash. I shared our mission with him and said a quick prayer with him and the Helicopter landed. Please pray for this family.
We then proceeded to the University CoC where we had an awesome reception and meal with them. We then had a small devotional and shared communion together as a team and off to bed.
We arrived without incident in Mandeville today and as usual went right to work. Our team was immediately given jobs to tend to and split up. I wish that I had another cool story to tell about the family we met, but they were not home, so we did the work and left.
Back at the church, we met the group from Providence Road and as it turns out, one of the members of their team is originally from Ashland, Ohio and I grew up playing football and going to NWOCYC with his sons. Small world. It has been three weeks since I have been here, but it seems like there is more than ever to do and never enough time or energy to do it all. I guess we just do what we can and God will take care of the rest. As I think about what a small dent we seem to be making, I am reminded of the little boy on the beach throwing starfish back into the ocean.
Keep praying, God is Good
Love 'Em Like Jesus,
Troy Blair, Youth Minister
Northland Church of Christ
www.ncocfamily.org
tblair@ncocfamily.org
# posted by John McGuire @ 8:21 AM 
