Today we gave scabicide to a mother and her 6 month old baby boy with the worst case of scabies I have ever seen. We gave Tylenol and amoxicillin to a mother and her 2 daughters with ear infections and strep throat. They had no shoes and the mother asked me with a pained expression what I paid for my shoes and my watch. Caught off guard by her question, I faltered and then not knowing what else to do, I told her: $75 for the shoes and $20 for the watch. She gasped and crossed herself. I felt horrible. Ridiculous. Frivelous. Wasteful.
What are we doing here helping a comparitive few of many very poor people in rural areas near San Lucas with minor ailments: rashes, parasites, infections, aches and pains. Make no mistake, we provide them with help that they need - treatment for a week, maybe a month. It will make a difference in their lives, but then we will be gone. So, how are we making a lasting difference in the lives of these beautiful and proud but heartbreakingly poor people? I pray that the difference we make is in being here - being present. Seeing. Learning. Recognizing that not as much as we thought seperates the people of San Lucas, from us. We make a difference holding the stories of the people we have encountered close to our hearts and by sharing them with our families and friends at home by continuing to support thte local health efforts that have beeen happening and continue to go on here over the course of decades. It is amazing and humbling to see all of the work being done by the mission in San Lucas and the many ways that lives of these people are being changed for the better. Our group is a very tiny piece of these efforts but we make up a part of a much greater whole tht has done some very powerful work. It is work that I want to continue to support and be involved in because I, too, have also been changed for the better and will never be the same. Watch for information soon on the blog about how you can learn about Father Greg and the Friends of San Lucas. - Emily Hendel
1 Comment
marlene lang
4/9/2014 01:49:10 am
I am so thankful for people like you and your team, Emily.
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Team Members
Catherine Davis, M.D., Team Co-leader and Medical Provider Archives
May 2014
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