Day-3, July 5, 2009

One of the many benefits of mission work is a good night's sleep and tonight's will indeed be good.

Today for example was a fruitful 12 hour day here in Lima. It began with an hour and half ride into the rolling hills of the desert north to Cerro Chachito which means small mountain or horn. Cerro Chachito is a shanty town perched on the sandy hillside overlooking the coast. The homes are constructed from woven cane and crate slats. The site of our dental and medical clinics was a one room church of the same material. It was a settlement originally designated for the physically challenged. Imagine maneuvering a wheelchair in the sand.

That's the eye team in one of the photographs - minus Sarah Beard who appears in the photo of the intake desk. In another picture, Joe Sue-Ho is using the refractor to check a boy's eyes while his mother looks on. The eye team managed to treat 125 people today. Team leader Dr. Lorna D'Silva had anticipated processing more but she concluded the nominal check-up fee of 60 cents attracted more serious cases that required a diagnosis beyond the easy-to-dispense reading glasses we have on hand.

For Dr. Robert Clinton, head of the Lima dental team and his wife Sue, a nurse and nutritionist it was a heart-breaking day. The children here have terrible decay due to sugar consumption and lack of dental hygiene. Some of today's patients required 3 teeth extractions. As Bob lamented, we're like the barber dentists from days gone by. As the dentists and nurses worked inside, other members of the team sterilized instruments in boiling pots of water outside. The team processed 30 patients today. Back home Bob sees 8 a day at most.

While there was the odd cry from the chair, there were squeals of delight from the children who were being taught how to brush. The children's ministry team had tips, toothbrushes and fake teeth to practice. And for those waiting their turn, other members of the team like Kyle Charbonneau were ready to pass the football. A Canadian football. You can see the entire Lima children's ministry team and new friends in another picture.

That team wasn't the only one making new friends. Linda Robbins was doing intake for the dental team and found great support from local volunteer Fanny and a patient who stayed to help. As you can see the dental team is photogenic. :)

What struck me today was the calm camaraderie amongst all of the teams. Even though we had a line-up of 100 when we arrived. Even though we didn't have enough change for the check-up fee. Even though some of the problems were greater than anticipated. Even though we ran out of sandwiches and some of us missed lunch. Even though most of us lack Spanish. Each team pulled together. There was no high drama in Cerro Chachito.

Enroute I had asked Dr. Bob about the key to success. He replied "success is the team working well together; the flow from intake to recovery is well-managed and managed with compassion." Today was what success looks like.

Click this link to see referenced photos: http://gallery.me.com/davidhillock