Man, what a week it has been here in the jungle!! Our first medical team of the season arrived on February 14th with lots of energy and excitement to serve our people. These guys were a combination of two churches from Florida. We began the week on Sunday with church, orientation, and began unpacking our medications to prepare for the medical brigades. Once, we finished unpacking, we headed out to the villages of Rio Viejo and Toncontin to pass out flyers. Along the way, we stopped by a local pulperia to have some coke in a bag! We were able to hang out and talk with the family for a bit before heading back to the hospital.
On Monday, we held our first brigade at our hospital. Our four practitioners saw patients along with our nurses while the others ran children's ministry outside. We saw around 70 patients! Once clinic was nearing an end, we took a small group of them to the local elementary school. We held a quick lesson on some healthy hygiene habits along with passing out vitamins and de-worming to begin their new school year.
Monday was also a day of birthday celebration! These guys decorated the dorm with banners and balloons, we had my favorite cake and ice cream AND they sang to me about a dozen times!! It was a wonderful jungle birthday :)
Monday was also a day of birthday celebration! These guys decorated the dorm with banners and balloons, we had my favorite cake and ice cream AND they sang to me about a dozen times!! It was a wonderful jungle birthday :)
Tuesday brought about more jungle adventures as we traveled to Toncontin for the second medical brigade. We began by seeing all of the students first. Each student received their vitamins and albendazole and then were dispatched to play with the group members. As we were visiting with the students, the medical group was setting up their stations inside of the classrooms to begin seeing patients. We saw 187 patients and 130 students! It was a busy, yet incredible day.
We continued our school blitz on Wednesday by visiting two kindergarten's, two elementary schools and a high school in the villages of El Pital and El Naranjo. These guys had a blast singing "Lavate Las Manos" and dancing with the kiddos.
Unfortunately our original plans for Thursday were changed due to a rainstorm. However, those unfortunate circumstances ended with a complete transformation of our pharmacy and other projects being done around the hospital! We were able to consolidate all of our medications into ONE room, clean and organize two bodega's, move around some equipment from the OR to prepare from the AC to be installed, made five star baby bags and they stocked up our room with hygiene packs for our patients.
The team worked so hard all week with great attitudes. I believe that seeds were planted and lives were changed!
Unfortunately our original plans for Thursday were changed due to a rainstorm. However, those unfortunate circumstances ended with a complete transformation of our pharmacy and other projects being done around the hospital! We were able to consolidate all of our medications into ONE room, clean and organize two bodega's, move around some equipment from the OR to prepare from the AC to be installed, made five star baby bags and they stocked up our room with hygiene packs for our patients.
The team worked so hard all week with great attitudes. I believe that seeds were planted and lives were changed!