Wednesday's News

This morning the team headed to the clinic in Altavista as planned.

The number of patients who arrived to see the doctor was a lot smaller than expected and we were challenged to find the appropriate way to help without being in the way.

Susan MacLeod reminded us of our team motto, “Backing In” and that we needed to just take time to listen, learn and discover what was needed rather than follow our more North American instincts to plan, organize and direct the operations. Of course, when we stepped back and backed in, we discovered things moving more smoothly and we could really experience what it meant to be invited into participation with our new Salvadorean friends.

After a yummy mid-day meal, the pace of activity picked up in the afternoon as more and more people from the surrounding areas heard about the services being offered.

As patients arrived they were given a number and then formed a line. When their number was called, they moved to the ‘intake’ table where name, age, blood pressure and pulse were recorded. We took down weights and in some cases listened to the complaints.

Some more needy patients were triaged to the front of the line, including any serious wounds or the 5 year old boy with a fever. While they waited in line, we were able to present each of the children with a  beaded cross necklace and when space allowed we could give them a single coloring page and a crayon or two. These simple and seemingly unimportant touches made many beautiful smiles emerge and we saw many instances of proud children displaying their new treasures to their equally proud parents.

Every patient received a new toothbrush and some dental floss – generously donated by Dr. Maahs, Dr. Sheppard and the Mariner’s family and each patient also received a chewable vitamin tablet or vitamin C. After this station, the patients then moved to see the doctor who carefully listened, examined and made a diagnosis, writing a prescription and then sending the patient to the ‘pharmacy’ which was actually a room off the waiting area loaded with the medications that we brought from the US in our suitcases and additional medications that had been purchased here.

As we mentioned in an earlier blog entry, we’ve all been stretched into doing things that we didn’t expect and today Sandi  became the pharmacist. Working alongside Maria, the clinic’s regular pharmacist, and without a word of common language between them, they carefully read the doctor’s prescription notes, counted out pills and medications, dispensed them to patients, and explained the correct dosages and timings. Sandi would later report that this was the highlight of her day today. Despite the ridiculously tight quarters and sweltering heat, she kept at the task for the entire day and emerged at the end with a beaming smile for having been used in such an amazing way to meet some very real needs.

Our experiences at church tonight warrant their own post so we’ll sign off here.