91原创 residents Matt and Mary Wakutz are back home after spending almost a month in Cremona, Italy at the Samaritan鈥檚 Purse emergency field hospital.
Matt, 30, is an emergency room nurse at Surrey Memorial Hospital, and Mary, 28, is a labour and delivery nurse at 91原创 Memorial.
The couple 鈥� who met while studying at Trinity Western University 鈥� served as ward nurses, caring for coronavirus patients who couldn鈥檛 be admitted to the at-capacity Cremona hospital.
鈥淐remona was especially hard hit and got to a point where the health system was too overwhelmed and more bed and ventilators were needed 鈥� so they asked for help,鈥� Mary said.
The northern region of Lombardy where Cremona is located has recorded 89,442 confirmed cases and 16,174 deaths due to COVID-19.
Serving in other countries is not a foreign concept to the couple; Matt told the 91原创 Advance Times he had lead a team in Israel and Palestine while Mary volunteered in Zambia.
鈥淚t goes back to being part of my youth group and the biblical mandate of helping those in need,鈥� Matt explained, adding that he had volunteered in Italy 12 years prior and felt this opportunity brought him full circle.
Samaritan鈥檚 Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization that have provided spiritual and physical aid to people around the world since 1970.
When the couple heard about the opportunity to help through the organization, they signed up and headed to Calgary, where their headquarters are based, for training.
鈥淲hen we were deployed, we felt peace about going,鈥� Mary assured. 鈥淲e were not scared; the timing worked out and we understood that we were being used by God.鈥�
鈥淲e worked in night shifts,鈥� she recalled 鈥� 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. at the emergency field hospital 鈥� a space that had been set up in a parking lot adjacent to the Cremona hospital.
The couple stayed at a nearby hotel and would take a city bus to the respiratory care unit where they鈥檇 put on their scrubs and protective equipment.
Matt was in the men鈥檚 ward while Mary worked in the women鈥檚 ward, though both would occasionally lend a hand in the Intensive Care Unit.
鈥淪amaritans Purse has a great track record,鈥� Matt added. 鈥淭hey have everything down to a T and everything is very tightly run.鈥�
Each ward contained 14 patients where the Wakutzes said they helped people stricken by COVID-19 with breathing, medication administration, and mobilization.
Despite knowing 鈥渓imited鈥� Italian, the couple said the language barrier was not as big of an issue as one might have thought.
鈥淭hey had an awesome team of local interpreters,鈥� Mary recalled. 鈥淭hey were basically a bunch of random people from the city that wanted to help their community.鈥�
Both also noted that they felt an 鈥渋nsane level of gratitude鈥� thanks to overwhelming hospitality shown my the residents who were eager to thank them and invite them into their homes.
鈥淧eople were always showering us with treats and food,鈥� Matt smiled.
READ MORE: 鈥楶aralyzed by fear鈥�: B.C. woman details anxiety, grief at Italian relief hospital
Despite the intensity and fear that the pandemic has brought on across the world, both Matt and Mary said their faith was not shaken during their time in one of the hardest hit regions 鈥� adding that, if anything, it gave them even more of a reason to believe.
鈥淚 know a lot of people are struggling with their faith right now, but I felt there was a sense of hope and peace,鈥� Mary said. 鈥淲e saw that in Cremona 鈥� despite chaos 鈥� that God shows up in different ways to provide comfort.鈥�
Matt and Mary arrived back in 91原创 in mid-May, after having pre-planned with friends who generously dropped their car off at the airport and stocked their fridge full with food.
The couple quarantined in their home for the two weeks that followed and have been reconnecting with family after displaying no COVID-19 systems ever since.
The Wakutzes will head back to work next week, but both agreed they would join Samaritan鈥檚 Purse again in a heartbeat and help out wherever help is needed.
鈥淲e all have opportunity do something for your neighbourhood. Take a step out and go the extra mile,鈥� Mary said. 鈥淏e merciful and generous.鈥�
People can find out more about Samaritan鈥檚 Purse鈥檚 efforts and donate at .
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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com
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