Our first clinic day started before sunrise and we gathered for our daily devotion led by Dr. Christi Hunt. Christi shared a message from Dr. Maya Angelou about the importance of “being a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud.” Dr. Maya Angelou tells us “The thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud. Somebody who may not look like you. May not call God the same name you call God — if they call God at all. I may not dance your dances or speak your language. But be a blessing to somebody. That’s what I think.” It’s safe to say that many of us carried this message in our hearts today as we served the people of Guatemala.
As we entered the clinic in Sanarate, people lined the streets waiting for the doors to open. Some local, some traveling from miles and miles away – their worry and distress masked by smiling faces and cheerful energy. The Faith In Practice in-country staff were eager to begin, lending many helping hands to finalize clinic setup before the busy day ahead. We cared for hundreds of patients today, each one with a unique story and touching our lives in different ways. We wanted to share a few stories from our first 48 hours:
Sunday Daily Devotion Dr. Frank Schreck is a pediatrician from Buffalo, New York who has been serving through Faith In Practice since 2014. On Sunday, he shared a heartwarming story about one of his patient’s, Jessica. Jessica is a 13-year-old girl from Guatemala who was adopted as an infant. She learned about Frank’s mission work in Guatemala several years ago and has been fascinated ever since. In preparation for the trip each year, Jessica writes a letter to Frank and provides him with stuffed animals and toys to bring to the children of Guatemala. Frank always shares pictures from his trips which has piqued Jessica’s interest in joining on a mission in the future. After hearing Frank’s stories and learning more about Guatemala, Jessica took special interest in learning more about her family in Guatemala. Fortunately, Jessica’s adoptive mother was able to locate Jessica’s biological mother in Guatemala and found out that Jessica’s family extends far beyond what she thought! Jessica learned that she has two older siblings and four younger siblings who still live in Guatemala. Though Jessica has not yet met her family, they remain connected by sharing pictures and mail. She hopes to visit them one day soon. Thank you, Frank, for providing Jessica with a sense of hope and for sharing this story with us.
Wheelchair Clinic Our wheelchair builders were hard at work today! We met patients of all ages with a variety of medical issues. One patient that inspired our team member and interpreter, Jean, was a young man who presented with bilateral clubbed feet. He was so resilient that he made his own shoes out of tire rubber. We also learned of a young boy, William, who was brought to the clinic by his family. William patiently waited to be evaluated by our team in the mobility clinic in hopes of obtaining a new wheelchair. Despite his illness, he radiated happiness from the moment he arrived and his positive attitude was contagious! One of our last patients of the day was another young man who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 7 months old, complicated by seizures. He was previously able to mobilize on his own but unfortunately his cerebral palsy has progressed to the point that he can no longer move on his own or eat solid food. Until today, his family had been carrying him around from place to place while taking exceptional care of him. His wheelchair was customized with support cushions made from pool noodle foam that lined the arm rests and handles. This was designed to prevent injury in the event he experiences another seizure. On the way out, with joy in their eyes, his parents graciously hugged the team members who helped provide his wheelchair.
General Medicine One of our internal medicine physicians, Dr. Carol Schobert, met a patient in clinic today who was experiencing right leg pain. Carol noted that his right leg was cool to touch and quickly communicated with our radiologist, Dr. Phebe Chen. Phebe discovered on ultrasound that the patient had no blood flow to his right lower extremity, requiring urgent attention and intervention. Our village leader, Felipe, arranged for the patient to be transported to a local hospital by ambulance. Even during a busy clinic day, our team members effectively communicate and collaborate to provide outstanding patient care.
Our hearts are full and we are grateful for all of the rainbows that we met today. We look forward to clinic day two!
