Trascerros = Behind the Mountains

Once again the alarm clock went off at 5:00 a.m. We boarded the bus, had breakfast and devotions at Tree of Life and then began the ride to Trascerros, or” behind the mountains”. The village is about 1 ½ hours from Tree of Life, and it is appropriately named. Click here for a taste of what the road was like as we traveled to other side of the mountain. (then click on the back button in your browser to return to this page)

Riding through the countryside we see many things we aren’t used to seeing back home (at least not in Nashville, TN!). For instance, several times we’ve had to wait for the cows, horses, sheep or donkeys to get out of the way of the bus. The construction of the homes, or sometimes the dilapidation of the homes, the cottage businesses, and the wash on the clothesline all give an air of strangeness. Click here for a out-the-window view as we pass through Trascerros.

Once at the clinic site, Beth Anne, Doug Nally and Bart Perkey look over the site and decide which of the school classrooms will be used that day and for what. Once the decisions are made, the rest of the team is told the plan and then everyone helps unpack the trucks and get the areas set up. For Beth Anne’s briefing to the team today, click here.

Today we saw around 500 people. Experience has taught us how important it is to have a “traffic flow” plan to keep folks moving from station to station. Today the layout of the school was very good because there was only one entrance, and we could monitor how many came into the clinic site at one time. (Unfortunately, we couldn’t monitor when they left, and many chose to just “hang out” for the day. It got pretty crowded at times!) So, as persons arrive they are registered (this is usually done by our friends at Tree of Life), and our “door keepers” welcome them and lead them to de-worming. From de-worming they receive their vitamins, get their blood pressure checked, and receive a gospel tract and other “goodies”. Click here to view today’s layout.

Once they receive their tracks they wait for the opportunity to see a medical staff person. Our team this year consists of a great blend of doctors and nurses. Each one brings their special gift to their care giving. The conditions are less than optimal, but their attitudes are top notch. Click here for a peak at one of the medical stations.

After meeting with and being examined by one of the medical staff the patients usually have a prescription that needs to be filled. Again, our door monitors and Tree of Life students escort them to the pharmacy. Translators meet them at the door, pass the bags to the “pharmacy technicians” who fill the prescription and give it back to the translators. They explain the dosage instructions to the patients and make sure they don’t have any questions. Much of the pharmacy preparation happens the week before we leave at the annual “pill packing party” at Crievewood. (click here for a peek). However, the liquid medications have to be prepared onsite. Bart has developed a new technique for that process this year. Click here to hear him describe it.

Those who need reading glasses proceed from pharmacy to the eyeglasses station. Many need distance glasses, but we aren’t able to help them since we don’t have an optometrist with us. However, many just need magnification in order to read or do handwork. The smiles on their faces when they can see the words in the Bible are plenty of thanks. Click here to see the pharmacy and eyeglasses station.

Finally, some patients proceed to the dental clinic. Teeth here are terrible, in large part because they start drinking sodas from a very early age. Also, many don’t understand the importance of brushing. Consequently, this dental clinic is all about pulling bad teeth. Click here to get a glimpse of the dental clinic.

I hope this video tour has helped to give you an idea of what our clinics are like. Video helps, but it doesn’t allow you to smell the smoke that is all around because they burn their leaves and trash. It doesn’t communicate a child’s fear of seeing the doctor or dentist, or the appreciation that so many patients have for what we do. The work is physically demanding but the rewards are great. Thanks for taking this journey with us. - Libby