Tuesday, March 22, 2011

If You Build It, They Will Come!

We've had some really fun campaigns lately.  A medical team recently came with Independent Presbyterian Church from Memphis, Tennessee.  Every morning for a week they set up a day-long clinic in an under-served part of Trujillo to meet the medical needs of the community.  When we arrived to the different campaign sites every morning, it would appear as a ghost town.  Not a soul in site.  Just tumbleweeds and a wild dog or two sniffing piles of rubbage.  Then as we would begin to set up, people gathered around.  We brought a megaphone to go around announcing what we were doing in their neck of the woods and before we knew it, there were people everywhere.  The presence of a team gives us the opportunity to make many new contacts in these neighborhoods, and allows us to spread the word about the availability of our clinic in the Wichanzao sector of Trujillo. In addition, many people also get a taste of what our churches are like in the surrounding areas.  

Pastor Baker translating for the pediatric nurse practitioner.  

The pharmacist came prepared. 
The dentists cleaned and pulled a lot of teeth.
Everyone went home with new toothbrushes and toothpaste and floss!

The patients patiently lined up as they waited to be triaged.  A couple of the team members were devoted to playing with little ones as they waited.
Taking down chief complaints while a nurse from the team takes vitals signs.

This gentleman isn't a doctor.  He came to give away reading glasses!  He brings a huge box full for people to try on and then has them read the bible to see if it's the right fit.  Cool idea ya?


Trujillo is large and has many different neighborhoods.  Neighborhoods that I have been instructed not to explore on my own.  This campaign was a great opportunity for me to get to know some of the areas where we plan to build clinics in the future (and churches and schools etc).

Prayer requests: That the contacts we made through the medical campaigns would receive spiritual healing as well as physical healing.  For my health and safety as Trujillo is reportedly becoming more crime ridden and I am frequently coming into contact with people who have contagious diseases such as tuberculosis.


Things here are going really well.  Thank you all so much for your support.  Will try to keep the updates coming.  Until then... - Yvette

2 comments:

  1. Yvette, think of you often and am praying for you. So thankful that you are having such an incredible, transformational experience. Love you and can't wait to hear more!!

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