Today was a steady flow of people visiting the various clinics and being seen by docs and the vision clinic. We saw 47 people for prescription glasses today and at least 30 or so for just readers. The vision clinic has been running really smoothly thanks to the reorganization and also the new equipment! It’s a beautiful thing! We have been able to find lots of great glasses for people who really needed them. Including a 7 year old little girl who had never worn glasses and had a prescription of -6.50 in both eyes. When she put then on her smile beamed and her face lit up! It’s always a favorite moment when this happens and the child or even adult is so happy to finally have sight! Something a lot of us take for granted! We had a couple of tough cases, including a few were we simply could not find glasses that would work. We have a good stock of over 2000 glasses so for us not to be able to find a prescription or two is hard to deal with at times.
In the vision clinic we had a lovely little old lady who needed prescription and readers. Every time she tried on a pair of readers, she picked up her tiny hymn book to see if she could read it! It was super cute to see her do that and cute that she carried that around with her. She was very grateful for the glasses!
The dentist saw around 31 patients today, quite a few extractions so a busy day for her. Michelle in women’s health saw around 24 patients, pharmacy saw around 182 patients, vbs about the same as yesterday I believe, 8 home visits for water filters, and the school team saw around 91 children for health screenings.
It’s a busy clinic and a busy medical mission but such a blessing to be part of. Trying to take time to talk to people and be an ear for them or just laugh or be silly with them. It’s important to be available for these things. I need to remind myself of that at times. We have been talking a lot about being made for more, and answering the call on this mission and what that looks like. Fellowship with people on mission teaches us that the goal is not just to “get the job done,” but to become more like Christ while loving and serving alongside others. I certainly feel like everyone is anxious to serve on this team but not only that, the local community is also anxious to serve.
There is a family a few doors down from the church, dealing with a difficult situation. The husband/father is only 48 and has throat cancer that is essentially not being treated any more and he’s pretty much on hospice. He and his family, including 4 children, the youngest being 3 months old, came down from the mountains to make treatments more accessible to them. Their treatments were in San Pedro Sula. for those of. You that don’t know, San Pedro Sula is where we fly into and the being our long 8-10 hour journey to Tocoa. They never made it to their treatment as he got too sick and they needed a place to stay. The community rallied around them, found them a place to stay, clothes for the kids and even some furniture. They have been doing what they can to help care for them. This is truly a community with a mind like Christ. They have so little to give, yet others always come first and they rally when it is needed. Such a blessing to be among them all this week!
This, right here, is what we need more of in the world. And it is a blessing to witness this in the area we came to serve
