Happy Independence Day!

Hello everyone,

Well it's been yet another long while since my last post. A lot has happened since I posted last. We finished our clinics in Palencia, the school the Tito and La Mision is now in charge of keeping running. The team from Wenatchee who helped get that school up and running was so happy to see all the new buildings that have been built within the past several months. It's amazing how that school went to being a ghost town like 4 years ago, to doubling it's class size and filling all the rooms with children. I'm sure it was so amazing for them to see the transformation. All the children who go to the school are supported by sponsors from the states as are all the teachers.

I worked as a translator again for Dr. Weber Jr. and it was a good time. A lot of work and thinking each day, but it was really good and gave me some invaluable medical experience. It was sad to see the Wenatchee team head back to the states, but it was great to be able to work again with such a wonderful group of people.

Next, a team from Pacific Northwest University (a DO school in Yakima) came with Dr. Robyn (the dean of students), Dr. Snyder (an ER doc), Teresa (a dental hygienist), and a group of several first year DO students. It has been really fun getting to know them and hear about their first year in medical school. I must admit after seeing a lot of them use their skeletomuscular manipulation skills on many of the patients and even to those within our same team, I am getting more and more convinced to become a DO. While it is not the best route for more competitive specialties like neurosurgery, for family practice, third-world medicine, and more patient care focused fields, Dr. Snyder said I "would do myself a favor" if I pursued DO instead of MD. One of the students, even with her only one year of school, was able to use her manipulation skills on one of the patients at our recent clinic, and after her back cracked she looked up at her and said "GRACIAS!"

On Monday we traveled back to the clinic at the mountainous valley city of Concepcion. This time I worked in Intake collecting patient data. Then the next few days I worked in the pharmacy. There were some interesting cases and we had a lovely woman who was able to pray with the people and give them these little hygiene packs with a verse inside which she explained. Also, a large team from Texas was with us from Stone Briar Church in Dallas which is the church for 6000 people and is under the pastorship of Chuck Swindoll. They were a very nice and fun group and since we had 50 people in our whole team, we were able to have a VBS for all the kids in the city. I wasn't out there but they said that like 500 kids showed up, but when they handed out toys, it was like a mad house and they had to run away cuz the kids were so desperate for the toys.

This has been an interesting aspect to missions which I am learning more and more. As much as we want to give these people everything we have or every donation we got to every sad child we see on the street, you have to be so careful. You have to teach them how to interact and share with the rest of their community. If you merely throw toys at them, they only learn to hold out their hands and say "Gimme," which is not a mindset you want to spread around the country.

At times when I am caught in the rapid business aspect of the clinic of trying to get the job done, I forget about the reason why we are here: to help the people's need of healthcare and use it as an avenue for spiritual care and sharing the Gospel. Dr. Snyder gave an awesome lecture on spiritual healthcare and the importance of it for overall health. I was reminded of the importance of spiritual care when I noticed Dr. Oswaldo on his knees holding the hand of a young woman and praying so fervently for her. I found out later the story. She was fourteen and was having some stomach and nausea issues. Then they found out that she was pregnant. She was pretty upset and the man was not going to be part of her life. I know that this situation would be difficult to deal with in the states, but I couldn't imagine it in such a poor community. A baby having a baby. Another woman told us that she had a son who was 2 years old. She was 50! Then we were wondering how many kids she already had. I gave an educated guess of 12 kids....and I was right.

This trip was pretty fun and the group of us five gringo interns (Annie, Kevin, Brian, Ellen, and myself) were able to bond a lot. Primarily through our various bathroom escapades and stomach issues. :) Brian and I went shopping in Panajachel and basically spent our life savings. Actually, that's a lie, since the exchange rate was so good, we don't have to spend that much. Mix that with my continually polished bartering skills and you've got a shopping paradise.

One thing you can keep in prayer is that I have been perpetually sick for the past week and a half with a cough. I lost my voice for awhile and was up one night coughing. It got to the point where I had to use a nebulizer. I felt like I was back in my old chubby-cheeked asthma days. Then I smelled the wonderful scent of chewable Amoxicillin tablets and Augmentin liquid and boy did it throw me back to my sickly days as a child. I realize that's pretty sad, but most of my childhood memories surround medications and steroidal pills like Prednisone which blew up my cheeks like a balloon and converted me into a devil child. :) But I slept 10 and a half hours last night which was really great and Tito is going to give me some new really good medicine.

Anyways, we are about to eat this absolutely bomb soup called Tlalpeno with avocados and other amazing Guatemalan things (though it is a Mexican recipe). I have been cutting a lot of vegetables for Brenda lately. I realize more and more how much I love doing menial tasks like cutting vegetables and washing the dishes. I hope that gives me some points with the Misses in the future. :) Anyways, hope everyone's fourth of july is going well and when you are close to blowing up your hands with fireworks...think of me. (I know my dad is :)

Verse for the day:
"Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? " --James 2:5

Trips like this and I'm sure with every missions trip it forces you to think: what if God decided to have me born into one of these poor families in Guatemala? What if I had 9 brothers and sisters and we all got perpetually sick from the smoke in our house, parasites in our water, and the hopeless prospect of never being able to escape this depressing estate? What if I was born a woman into an extremely patriarchal society, or into a country where they would sell me into prostitution? But no, God chose to place me in a home with a loving family, plenty of opportunities for the future, relatively no financial worries and burdens, and a knowledge of Christ and His saving grace. But the majority of the world doesn't have this.

So what do I do? What do I do with this position that I was born into? Just having a glimpse of these people shows me the responsibility that we as Americans have to each other and the rest of the world. God didn't place us in affluence to just sit back, look at our worldly, emotional, and spiritual possessions with a smile on our face with sweet satisfaction. Yes, we should praise God for what He has given us, but I believe this verse and so many others echo the responsibility to share the Gospel and use our resources to DO something. Rolando was telling the team that their mission to the people of Guatemala is three-fold. The team who comes and works, the team who supports financially, and the team who prays. It has been great to meet many people from the states who don't just want to sit on their pile of accomplishments and blessings, but want to DO something about it. I know many people think changing the world is just a pipe dream for bleeding-heart idealists, but this trip has shown me I don't need to settle for this pessimissm. The world CAN be changed. We just have to recognize the blessings we have and the inherent responsibility which follows to our fellow mankind.

Well time to sign off. I will probably post photos tomorrow. I think we might be going to climb an active volcano tomorrow which should be fun. (I know Mom and Dad are probably freaking out at the prospect of this). Well happy Fourth of July again everyone. I'm gonna go watch Madagascar with the kids! God bless!