Following two 767 airlifts to Venezuela days after the earthquakes, Samaritan’s Purse has opened an Emergency Field Hospital and is receiving patients.
Their 56-bed hospital, equipped with two operating rooms, a critical care unit, a pharmacy, and a laboratory, will help relieve the already overwhelmed healthcare system.
VIDEO SCRIPT
Gilberto Garay
Two cousins died, two nieces died, an uncle and my brother died.
Nery Hernandez
I’m very afraid
Thomas Ovington – Samaritan’s Purse
Venezuela was hit by two earthquakes over 7.0. We’re seeing just really complete chaos around those falling buildings. There’s people sleeping in the streets, football stadiums around, packed full of people. And it’s also the huge number of people that are missing. It was just an incredibly high level of desperation, but it’s also an amazing opportunity for us to serve.
The emergency field hospital, as you can see around us, opened today. So a few hours ago here in Venezuela, we have a lot of different capabilities. This is the emergency room that we’re in right now. Two operating theaters in the back where we can do surgeries. A lot of the needs we’re starting to see are trauma effects from falling buildings or crush injuries, broken bones.
Additionally to that, we’re doing distributions of tarps, non-food items, and potable water. As Samaritan’s Purse, our number one priority is to share the gospel of Jesus in the hope we have in Him. And so here we’re in the midst of an incredibly hopeless situation for tens of thousands of people. And it’s really an incredible opportunity for us to live out our mission and relieving suffering and doing it all in Jesus name.
Nery Hernandez
It’s a blessing from God and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, not only me but all the Venezuelan people
Thomas Ovington
Being in Venezuela, even under these circumstances is just an incredible door that God has opened for us. We have wanted to do and wish to be able to come to Venezuela and serve their people where they are, where they live, in the midst of their need.
For years we’ve been trying to. And so even in the midst of the chaos and disaster, it’s really just amazing the doors that God is opening for us to be able to hear and serve in a way that we’ve wanted to for many years.
People Interviewed and their Titles
Gilberto Garay
Nery Hernandez
Thomas Ovington – Samaritan’s Purse
Recording Location
Venezuela
Organization featured in this Story
Samaritans Purse – www.samaritanspurse.org
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