Another amazing day today! We trekked out to a village called Guitarra. It was very remote but somewhat modern. (Most kids had shoes and very few looked hungry.) We set up quickly and the crowd was ready. We were pleased to see a few hundred already lined up for us.
The sun was intense today. Tom took over my table as John and Jeff needed help with crowd control. It was wonderful to spend the day in the sun but my feet paid the price...sunburn. I'm covered in hear rash too but Bryan checked it out and said it would go away. We saw about 600 today! I saw a few emotional cases. Bryan had me witness some private treatments. One vaccine (on a lady's bum!) and another in a little girl's armpit. Both were for cysts of sorts. Not pretty. I made friends with Captain, a teeny dog who couldn't have weighed more than 2lbs. He was flea-ridden and had mange but was so hard to resist. I'll have photos later!
Danielle and I braved the rough trip home riding in the back ofthe medical truck. I had already lost a battle with some metal on the truck (big bruise) but was up for a fight with the generator we were riding with. We had a great perspective of the beautiful scenery. Rolling hills, lush green, corn, cows and crazy drivers.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
finding our gifts
Today was quite an adventure. We began our day at about 5:30. Laura and I hopped in the showers at the same same time and battled the hot/cold/freezing/scorching water temperament. Breakfast was great - beans, eggs and fresh fruit.
We packed up all of the medicine we had counted into the bus and 4x4 truck. I rode shotgun in the truck with Jeff, Nick, Theresa and Danielle. We chased the bus for an hour to a village of about 600 Mayans. Setup was a bit slow but we got things rolling and eventually saw about 400 people. They were quite healthy overall only needing vitamins, skincare and some general medicine. The day was hot and humid! John and Jeff did a great job organizing the hundreds into two lines for us. Each of us gravitated toward a station that either fit or challenged us. I worked on vitamins as did Peg. Kristin and Theresa did a wonderful job giving worm medicine. Danielle, Nick, Tom, Ryan, Patrick and Matt, Laura, Amy and Russel combined efforts to provide pharmacy items and skin treatments. No lice cases today...Theresa is on duty if that comes up. =)
Not a lot of introspective things to say today! I am tired, dirty and full of food. (Fried chicken, cabbage, mayo and salsa on flour tortillas today!) Tomorrow, we're off to another village near the first. Not sure what to expect. Sure to be adding more as I process all I have done and seen!
We packed up all of the medicine we had counted into the bus and 4x4 truck. I rode shotgun in the truck with Jeff, Nick, Theresa and Danielle. We chased the bus for an hour to a village of about 600 Mayans. Setup was a bit slow but we got things rolling and eventually saw about 400 people. They were quite healthy overall only needing vitamins, skincare and some general medicine. The day was hot and humid! John and Jeff did a great job organizing the hundreds into two lines for us. Each of us gravitated toward a station that either fit or challenged us. I worked on vitamins as did Peg. Kristin and Theresa did a wonderful job giving worm medicine. Danielle, Nick, Tom, Ryan, Patrick and Matt, Laura, Amy and Russel combined efforts to provide pharmacy items and skin treatments. No lice cases today...Theresa is on duty if that comes up. =)
Not a lot of introspective things to say today! I am tired, dirty and full of food. (Fried chicken, cabbage, mayo and salsa on flour tortillas today!) Tomorrow, we're off to another village near the first. Not sure what to expect. Sure to be adding more as I process all I have done and seen!
Monday, March 23, 2009
exploration: of the world, mind and spirit
I've arrived. Departed from a comfortable yet constricting home, inward hope skewed by outward negativity and a lukewarm lifestyle, I have begun a new journey of days filled with exciting twists and turns and uncharted territory. The hope within me is matched by a display of enthusiasm and radiant joy. The pot of lukewarm water is now boiling over - fueled by a growing flame, I have allowed a suppressed supply of Holy oxygen into my life.
I am eager to share every moment of the past few days but am so exhausted by this refining process that I have little energy left to do so. At minimum, I hope to outline my encounters so that I might elaborate later. I don't want to lose any memories or transformations to the impending return to "paradise," as I have heard our country and lifestyle called.
For now, as it is 1AM back home and only 6.6hrs from a busy day ahead, I'll be brief. Our day yesterday was a blur, travelling from Portland, Maine to Atlanta, Georgia, on to San Pedro Sula Honduras and finally Guatemala. My team of 15 arrived safely in perfect time for a second dinner. (We had fried chicken waiting for us in our bus at the airport!) Crashing early, we barely observed the beauty around us before staring at the back of our eyelids.
Today, we organized 600+ doses of a variety of medicines. Our preparation for the first village, on Tuesday, took us until early afternoon as we were interrupted by trauma in the ER. A motorcycle accident and a woman dying of asthma. We finished up and rode in the back of the emergency truck to a Jurassic Park set...a river and jungle canyon. Paddling up by dugout canoe and floating down lazily, we were wonderfully refreshed. Next, a dip in a sulfur-scented hot pool was in order. Water pounded our backs as it fell from the ledge. Amazingly hot, the volcanic spring water was a real treat.
As we finished up our swim, our host Bryan asked if my best gal Danielle would like to be baptised. Nick and I helped as Bryan dipped her under the warm water, bringing her back up, washed clean of all sin. Nick and Bryan also dunked me as I publicly proclaimed my salvation. What a wonderful day for us all.
I am so blessed to be here. A tearful evening of testimony and reflection...
more to come.
I am eager to share every moment of the past few days but am so exhausted by this refining process that I have little energy left to do so. At minimum, I hope to outline my encounters so that I might elaborate later. I don't want to lose any memories or transformations to the impending return to "paradise," as I have heard our country and lifestyle called.
For now, as it is 1AM back home and only 6.6hrs from a busy day ahead, I'll be brief. Our day yesterday was a blur, travelling from Portland, Maine to Atlanta, Georgia, on to San Pedro Sula Honduras and finally Guatemala. My team of 15 arrived safely in perfect time for a second dinner. (We had fried chicken waiting for us in our bus at the airport!) Crashing early, we barely observed the beauty around us before staring at the back of our eyelids.
Today, we organized 600+ doses of a variety of medicines. Our preparation for the first village, on Tuesday, took us until early afternoon as we were interrupted by trauma in the ER. A motorcycle accident and a woman dying of asthma. We finished up and rode in the back of the emergency truck to a Jurassic Park set...a river and jungle canyon. Paddling up by dugout canoe and floating down lazily, we were wonderfully refreshed. Next, a dip in a sulfur-scented hot pool was in order. Water pounded our backs as it fell from the ledge. Amazingly hot, the volcanic spring water was a real treat.
As we finished up our swim, our host Bryan asked if my best gal Danielle would like to be baptised. Nick and I helped as Bryan dipped her under the warm water, bringing her back up, washed clean of all sin. Nick and Bryan also dunked me as I publicly proclaimed my salvation. What a wonderful day for us all.
I am so blessed to be here. A tearful evening of testimony and reflection...
more to come.
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