There is no feeling like sitting in the back of a pickup truck as it drives through the winding mountain roads. Gripping the side of the truck for dear life as the wind blows in your face. Pitch black night. Gazing up at the millions of stars you’ve never seen this clearly before, tracing the milky way with your fingers. The smell of hot sauce lingering as the other passengers consume popcorn covered in the red spicy salsa. Feeling peace after a day full of church. Letting the worries fade and embracing the fleeting moment. It’s in these moments where I sense the goodness of God. Knowing deep in my heart that He is real and has a purpose for my life. That He is real and has a purpose for the lives around me. I know I’m here for a reason, although I might not quite understand it. Quick Updates: - English Classes: The classes are going very well. Every time I walk onto the schoolyard, I hear my name being called from every direction. The students are becoming used to me and have opened up a little more. I’ve started teaching lessons on the sounds that each vowel makes. Preparing for these lessons makes me realize how confusing the English language can be! - Clinic: I’ve had the chance to see a few patients alone, which is very exciting as a new grad, however challenging due to the language barrier. I enjoy working together with the doctor and I am constantly learning more and more. We treat diseases that I haven’t encountered before, such as parasitic infections and dysentery, along with familiar chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heartburn. Every day is something different and I treasure the opportunity to practice my new medical knowledge. - BIG UPDATE: This week we started a public health project. This project entails visiting every home in the village and creating a medical record for each member of the household. First, we ask questions about their living situation such as what type of material their house is made of, what kind of food they eat, where they get their water from, if they have animals, and how many people live in their house. Then, we ask about their medical history, such as family history of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, etc. and if they themselves have any medical issues. Next, I weigh each patient and measure their height. I then check their blood pressure, temperature, oxygen, heart rate, and respiration rate. We are only a few days into this project, but I really enjoy it. I think it is so cool to have the opportunity to enter each home in the village. I love being able to use medicine to meet new people and learn about their culture. I look forward to seeing how this project develops over the next couple of weeks. Story Time: The other day a middle-aged woman entered the clinic. When we asked her how we could help, she replied that she was having trouble sleeping. As medical providers, we knew that “trouble sleeping” usually isn’t the problem, but the real issue is why they aren’t sleeping. We asked if she had racing thoughts or felt anxious when she tried to fall at night. As she attempted to answer I observed her actions. I noticed that she wouldn’t make direct eye contact and that she was wringing her hands. “I’m not sure” she replied. “Are you afraid or worried about something?” we asked. She nodded gently. We decided to give her some medicine that would help her fall asleep a little easier at night, but we informed her that the only thing that would fix her sleeplessness would be to deal with the root of the problem. She would need to figure out why she felt anxious and fearful and address that. We asked if we could pray with her and she said yes. As the doctor prayed in Spanish and I quietly prayed in English, the patient began to cry. It was in that moment that I realized something- yes, many impoverished communities need more doctors and better healthcare, but more than medicine, people need God. They need to know that they can bring their worries and fears to a loving Father. They need to know that they don’t have to carry their burdens alone. They have the same need that we all have, a need to trust in something greater than ourselves and to know we are not alone. We could give that woman all the medicine in the world, and it still wouldn’t fix her problems, it would only numb them. Only God can help her. Only God can help us. When we finished praying, we asked the woman if she would like to talk about what happened during the prayer, and she shook her head no. She smiled, quietly said goodbye, and left. I don’t know what was going on in her mind, or how she is doing right now, or if she is sleeping any better, but I trust she got a glimpse of the goodness of God that day. It’s not the clinic, the doctor, or me that brings hope to the people. The only thing we can do is continually point them to Jesus; something that often seems so small, but it is our simple job. Prayer requests:
Please pray that we would have wisdom to perform the public health project well. In addition, pray that I would continue to develop relationships with the young women and students in the village. Please also keep the village and the local church in your prayers. That’s all the updates for now. Time is quickly flying by! Thank you for your continuous prayers! I’m so thankful to have people supporting me and thinking about me back home. Blessings and Love!
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