It's like scrolling through a silent movie reel. Dozens of patients I have touched and who have forever impacted my life. Their faces are burned into my memory. The little girl on my first night at the field hospital who cried out for hours. Tortured by memories and horrors I can't even imagine. Another little girl days later who was so scared and in pain and just wanted her mommy. For days her mother fought for her life in the ICU. At one point when her mother woke up, they were able to be reunited for a couple of hours. I remember walking by and seeing them both asleep in the mother's bed. There were a few intense times throughout the mom's stay where she almost died—and by any medical standard should have died. But God miraculously intervened each time and our staff was able to eventually walk her out of the hospital, finally reunited with her family. She left our hospital having experienced the love of God in amazing ways through our team. I cannot forget the faces of the young boys I sat with who shortly after breathed their last breath on Earth. And I'll always remember the sweet face of a new friend who came in a few days ago. He was an older man who had shrapnel in his back after a drone attack. He had lost six of his eight pints of blood and I stood at his feet that night praying hard for him. The next morning I heard the good news that he survived the night. I also learned that he is a French professor in Mosul, so I've been visiting him each day and speaking to him in French. Spending time with him has been one of many highlights of my time here.

An update on the toddler who lost both of her legs. She has been able to come in for follow-ups (a miracle in itself!) and Frank our orthopedic surgeon has been straightening out her knee so that as her body continues to grow and adjust she will be able to use prosthetics. Praise God! Thank you for praying for her and please continue!

Prayer Requests

Thank you for every prayer lifted up for us and the team. The days are often long and intense and we depend on God to renew our strength each morning. Thank you for praying for God's protection for the hospital and for our team members as some travel back and forth. Please pray also for the details of the hospital itself. Pray that the generators keep running well. And for all of the behind-the-scenes operations that allow us to do what we're doing.

Thank you for praying for our patients and for peace in Iraq. Yesterday's press release from the UN states, "People, right now, are in trouble. We are hearing reports of parents struggling to feed their children and to heat their homes. Children and their families are starting to face critical shortages of safe drinking water. [As the military campaign begins] tens of thousands of people may flee or be forced to leave the city. Hundreds of thousands of civilians might be trapped— maybe for weeks, maybe for months." Truly the people in Mosul are facing a humanitarian crisis. Thankfully we are in a position to respond to some of the medical needs, but that is only a small part of a huge crisis. Thank you for continuing to pray for these families as they are constantly living in fear, struggling to have enough food, and suffering in the cold as temperatures are still often below freezing at night.


The more I travel the smaller the world seems sometimes. Bill Ragon walked into the EFH proudly wearing his Tennessee ball cap. We became fast friends. And it turns out his brother and sister-in-law go to my aunt's church in Milan, TN. I could brag on each person on our team, but I was especially encouraged by Bill's tender heart and gentle spirit no matter how difficult the day might have been.

I can never say it enough... Thank you! We appreciate your prayers and encouraging messages so much!