Our Ministry Opportunities are Growing!

Today was our first clinic day!  Excitement always runs high as we prepare for day one, especially with our first timers.  Today was no exception.

After a delicious breakfast of fresh cheese tostadas and piping hot “vanilla porridge” (I have no idea of the Spanish name, but think vanilla pudding made with fresh vanilla beans and cinnamon), Stephen Campbell delivered our morning devotional.  He encouraged us to be sure God is the source of our strength as we began our clinics.  Good words after an especially tiring day yesterday.

We loaded the bus for a 1 hour and 15 minute bus ride to Piliguin.  Piliguin is high in the mountains and we could see the vegetation change as our altitude climbed.  And, we enjoyed some great views of the valley below!

When we arrived at the clinic site (a new church building still under construction), there were roughly 200 patients already in line waiting to be seen.  We knew we had our work cut out for us!

Our team quickly set up the clinic space and we began to serve patients.  Here’s how the clinic flows - patients start with “triage” where we learn name, age, weight and find out why they came to the clinic; they receive vitamins and deworming medicine, have their blood pressure checked, and then, meet with a doctor or nurse.  If they have vision troubles, they go to the eye glasses station for evaluation.  They have the option to visit the dentist, then it’s on to the pharmacist for prescribed medicines; finally, they pick up a gift of food and head home.

This year, we have 3 new opportunities at the clinic.  Massage, dental cleanings and fillings, and spiritual counseling. 

Anna is our massage therapist.  She lives in Seattle and found us with a Google search.  We popped up when she searched for a medical mission trip she could join this particular week.  Anna is working with Todd, an orthopedic nurse practitioner.  Several patients complained of neck and shoulder pain and Anna gave them a massage as part of the prescribed treatment.  One look at the face of her patients and their appreciation was obvious!

Last year, Honduran dentists Elias, and his wife, Katie worked with us during several clinics. Elias focuses on doing fillings, cleanings and restoration work, instead of just pulling teeth.  This year, the Lord has blessed him with a mobile dental unit which he brought to our clinic site.  Dental patients had the option of extractions or cleaning and filling.

Luke 9:2 Ministries always tries to come along side local churches to support the ministry and evangelistic efforts of each congregation.  Iglesia Monte Sinai (Mt. Sinai Church), here in Piliguin, not only provided us with many clinic workers, they set up three stations where each patient could sit and share prayer concerns and hear the gospel message.  Although a spiritual station has been a part of some of our clinics in the past, it was very encouraging to see this church take the opportunity to provide such intentional counseling.

Overall, it was a good clinic day.  Busy, but not overwhelming.  Altogether, we served 363 patients.  The counselors reported that 48 people made decisions to rededicate their lives or to follow Christ. Please continue to pray for the health of our team, for luggage to arrive (no word on it as of this writing), and for the love of Christ to permeate all that we do.

More photos from Saturday - Clinic Day 1 - Piliguin:

Crowds waiting at the church as we arrived

Al and Karen filling bags of grain to distribute to needy families

Dentists Elias and Kati brought their mobile dental unit

Mobile dental unit "plugged in" to the nearest power pole

Elias at work

Terraced fields in Piliguin

Church volunteers doing triage

Church member, Yony, counselling a patient

Church members prepared and sold lunch

Nurse Donna and interpreter Jorge with a patient

Patty and Hannah checking a young patients eyesight