Hearts made for giving!
Our KNX Helpful Honda Heroes of the Week are two local ER physicians, who are helping the world recover from the biggest catastrophes.
Tsunamis.Earthquakes. Famine.
Doctors Cheryl Jang and Evelyn Wong have been there, helping people suffering from some of the world's most devastating disasters. "I firmly believe that our lives are meant to be lived out to be a blessing to others," says Dr. Evelyn Wong.
When the deadly 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti in August, the doctors from Adventist Health Glendale mobilized a team to help with recovery efforts.
Evelyn says they've been to Haiti once before, after 2010's deadly earthquake.
"During that disaster relief effort, we sent eleven teams to the hardest hit area, where the epicenter was. We'd see three to four hundred patients a day! It was just a travesty."
This time, however, things were very different. The assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse led to unpredictable dangers. Cheryl says ground transit was risky, with blockades often demanding money from international outreach teams that traveled to the area.
"The country has just suffered tremendously. Instability has caused widespread poverty, [with] the government changes recently," explains Cheryl.
"So, security was a huge, huge issue on this particular trip." In fact, just a month ago, a group of seventeen missionaries from the United States and Canada were kidnapped, and they are still being held hostage.
For Evelyn and Cheryl, a plane was chartered to take one of their two teams directly into the worst hit area. Things were very fluid, and when a small window opened up, Evelyn and five others were able to fly down with medical supplies.
But, with duties at the hospital, Cheryl had to stay back. "Just the way it was, it was so difficult to schedule the transportation. We had to take, what we had to take. It didn't leave me any time. I had to finish my shift, get medications, and things packed up for the rest of the team. We were able to push that out, and I'm just grateful that we had six people go, and do what they were called to do!"
Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Mexico. Together, the two volunteers have helped people all over the world.
"Its just amazing to meet one another without any social barriers. You're just doing what you're called to do, and you are meeting people who need what you can give. What you come back with, is so much more. This is what keeps you going, 'til the next one," says Cheryl.
Emergency Room Physicians, Drs. Cheryl Jang and Evelyn Wong of Adventist Health Glendale are our KNX Heroes of the Week!
KNX Heroes is brought to you by California Resources Corporation, saluting our military veterans, and all of our heroes! Go to https://www.crc.com/ for more information.
Find out what your Helpful SoCal Honda Dealers are up to by heading to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SoCalHondaDealers/
If you know someone who is inspirational, motivational, life-changing or life-saving, nominate them as a future KNX hero at https://www.audacy.com/knxnews/nominate
Connect with the amazing staff at Adventist Health Glendale at https://www.adventisthealth.org/glendale/
