I can’t believe that I have already been in Mexico for 2 weeks! I am staying in the home of the doctor who owns the clinic, along with his wife, daughter, and son. They also have a friend staying with them from another village that is helping them reach out to the local community. The accommodations are quite comfortable, and I am adjusting well. So far, I have been very busy here. I have been helping in the medical clinic which is located below the house. The doctor is very active in the community; working in the church and visiting the homes of villagers. When someone needs medical advice, they look for doctor in his home or in the village (it’s not very large, so it’s easy to find him), and we walk over to the clinic together. We don’t sit in the clinic all day waiting for patients, which is nice because we are able to do other work in the community, along with providing medical care. Usually we see 1-2 patients a day, however some days we see up to 6 patients. This might not seem like a lot, but the doctor is on call 24/7, so sometimes these patients will knock on the door at 8am when we are eating breakfast, or 10 pm at night when we are preparing for bed. One of my first projects here was organizing the pharmacy, a small room filled with donated medications and supplies. My job was to sift through the hundreds of medications, disposing of expired pills and organizing the remaining medicine onto shelves. I also cleaned out the room and organized the medical supplies. Another activity I have had the privilege of taking part in each Wednesday is helping to teach three English classes to teenagers in the local school. It is a lot of fun working with the students and helping them to improve their English skills, as well as encouraging them to be confident. These classes are weekly, and I look forward to building relationships with the teens during my time here. Within the church I’ve been honored to take part in the music program, playing keyboard and singing songs in Spanish (to the best of my ability). In addition, I had the wonderful opportunity to teach a small Sunday school class, which was slightly difficult due to my limited (but growing) Spanish skills, however it was extremely rewarding to share about God’s love to the children. We have seen a variety of patients in the clinic over the past 2 weeks, however I would like to share a particularly memorable patient experience:
One night when we were in the church practicing music around 9pm, a teenage boy covered in blood approached the building. He was accompanied by multiple crying and concerned family members. The young man was obviously drunk and had gotten into a fight. He told us that someone had hit him with a broken bottle causing a gash above his left eye. The doctor pulled out his phone and used it as a flash light to get a better look. The cut was deep and about 1.5 inches long; it would need stitches. We walked over to the clinic, which was right next door. I helped the doctor clean the wound and suture the jagged cut together. As I wiped blood off the patient’s face, the doctor shared with the boy that his life has worth and that God has a plan for him. I then had a chance to share that I had come all the way from the United States so I could help in the clinic because I loved Jesus and wanted others to know about His love too. That night the boy left with his wound closed, blood wiped from his face, and hopefully the thought that God truly cares about him and there is more to his life. It was a cool opportunity to speak hope to a patient at a time when they were in a difficult place. I’m learning a lot about life and God continues to amaze me each day. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and the chance to live among the Pame people. Please pray that I will be able to connect with the members of the community, especially the young women in the village. Thank you for your continued prayers and support! Blessings & Love
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December 2018
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