Hola from the intake nurses Jen and Laura. As we prepared for our first mission trip we were clear on many things....do not drink the water, do not pet the dogs, do not use the sink water to brush your teeth. What we were not clear on was that we would be taking more than we are giving. We are blessed to have this opportunity to serve the people of Guatemala and be with such a wonderful team. It was our second clinic day and we were already feeling the routine. Wake up, meet for prayer, eat breakfast at the parish, pile our suitcases in the back of the pickup, pile in ourselves, and hang on for the bumpy ride to our village. We are able to feel the fresh air and observe the culture. The sites of stray dogs and roosters already seem common to us. The roads are narrow and more than once we bumped mirrors passing another vehicle. Most people are seen walking by foot, some without shoes. People welcome us with smiles and waves as we travel through the villages. The children appear most excited to see us coming. Today our destination was Pompojila. Once we arrived we realized the building we would hold clinic in was much smaller than yesterday. We set up the nurses station outside the clinic on a narrow side walk. There were three rooms the size of closets that we used for our exam rooms. The waiting room would only hold about 5-6 people so many had to stand or wait on the stairs leading out to the nurses station. We were able to set up with quick efficency. There were three people already patiently waiting before we arrived We quickly moved around them and opened our suitcases of supplies. We saw 64 patients today. Many of them mothers with children. A couple women were pregnant and one woman came for a pregnancy test and left with a smile as her test was positive. During our slow times we were able to play soccer with the children in the streets and visit as best we can, not knowing Spanish. The children loved any attention we gave them and loved to sit by our table and watch us work. When we had a chance we let them try on our stethoscope and listen to their heartbeat. They beamed from ear to ear. One little boy named Oscar seemed to be outside with us all day. When we were not looking he took a glove and blew it up. We giggled by his mischievous creativity. We gladly tied it at the end for him and let him draw on it with a Sharpie. He turned to show us what he drew, it was a big smiley face. It did not matter that his clothes were ripped, shoes torn, and face covered in dirt.....he was a happy boy. There appears to be many hardships in Guatemala but we do not have to look far to see the smiles of hardworking people. We often see men, women, and sometimes children carrying large heavy piles of wood staked on their back. They will use this to cook and heat their home. Mothers carry their children on their chest or back wrapped in fabric so their hands are free to carry baskets of food. They work so hard for what they have. It is no wonder that so many of the people we see in clinic have aches and pains. As we left clinic today and watched our buddy Oscar run along the side of our truck yelling "Adios," we reflected on the many ways we are serving the people of Guatemala. It is more than meeting the medical needs of the people we present to the clinic, it is serving the needs of anyone we encounter. Somtimes it is just a simple Hola or smile.
1 Comment
Susan Peller
4/5/2014 11:23:13 am
Thank you for your post! You captured the essence of serving down there perfectly. The people are beautiful, hard working and faith filled. You will never be quite the same.
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Team Members
Catherine Davis, M.D., Team Co-leader and Medical Provider Archives
May 2014
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