Guaimaca – Meaningful Mountain Monday

Monday morning came early today.  Very early.  Breakfast was at 6:00 and we were on the road by 7:00 for a 2-hour bus ride to the town of Guaimaca.  This was a return visit for Luke 9:2.  Last year so many people came to the clinic here that we had to turn some away.  That was very sad, because most of the late arrivers were people who had walked all the way into town from the mountains – some for hours – just to see a doctor.

This year the team decided to work at this location for two days.  The plan was for the mountain people to come today and the town people would come tomorrow.  Well, that happened…sort of.  We did see some of the poorer mountain people, but we saw many of the town folks, too.

How do you describe in a new way something that you have experienced before?  I struggle with that question today.  Because we’ve been to this place before, and because a local church here provides so many helpful volunteers, the clinic ran very smoothly.  Once again, the patients (all 600 of them) waited patiently for their time with the doctors or dentist.  As before, our team came through, faithfully serving those God brought to us.

So what warmed my heart today?  It was the little things.  It was hugs freely given to those in line.  It was Deb painting a 74 year old woman’s fingernails (who then preened like a teenager!).  It was hundreds of stickers and stamps placed carefully on giggling kiddos’ faces. It was playtime with bubbles and “basketball”.  And, it was holding the hand of a terrified dental patient.

My proud moment of the day? Observing team members stopping to pray with their patients.  Sometimes, the illnesses encountered in these clinics are more than we are equipped to handle.  So, we turn those situations over to the Great Physician.

During our devotion time this morning, Pastor Doug encouraged us to care for “the least of these”.  We did our best today. And tomorrow, we will do it again.